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This newsletter is sent only to those who requested it.
Information on subscribing and unsubscribing is at the end of
this email. Please forward this to anyone you think may be
interested. For a full list of past newsletters, see
http://www.to-music.ca/newsletter.htm
As I'd noted in a recent newsletter, some other projects had limited
my time to update music news here and on the website. So this issue
is a bit of catch-up of news & notes. More items to follow.
In this issue:
First, follow-up to some items in the last two newsletters; then
some notes on three powerful women singers whose careers were beacons for human
freedom & dignity.
1, Barack Obama:
a) 1000 music videos
b) Adam Solomon's Obama song
c) The election & Mavis Staples
2. Miriam Makeba
3. Odetta is seriously ill
4. Album & artists of 2008: award changes
5. Kemer Yousef returns to Ethiopia
6. Magazine (& book) news: Global Rhythm, Songlines, Oxford American
7. Event notes: fundraising
8. Music Africa: Annual Meeting, Nov. 23
9. Workshop for world music artists, managers, etc.
1. BARACK OBAMA
a) A thousand (and more!) music videos
In the US Election Day
special newsletter, I'd listed a number of music (radio & video) "Obama"
links. This page:
http://www.youtube.com/obamasongs now has almost 1200 Obama music
videos. Explore!
b) Adam Solomon
Another local entry in this field: Adam Solomon released on the day
after the election, his song,
"H.E. President Barack Obama". He says, "I
have been playing this song for a long time. I didn't want to record it, or
perform live till the elections were over and victory was declared". Listen
here. (Windows Media).
(Note: Adam is now playing a weekly gig
at Hollinger's, Coxwell at O'Connor -- see event listings)
c) Grant Alden/Mavis Staples
 (photo:
Mavis Staples, Toronto Jazz Festival, July 1, 2007)
Alden, an editor of No Depression magazine wrote an
online column
on Election Day about his thoughts on the historic day. That same day, the
great Mavis Staples was releasing
her newest album, Hope at the Hideout.
He noted that the Staple Singers sang at JFK's inaugural in 1961, and
Mavis at the 2004 Democratic Convention where Obama made his national
"debut". The Staples of course, were on the
musical front lines
of the civil rights movement, and Mavis's 2007 album, We'll Never Turn
Back was a powerful evocation of that time.
Some excerpts from his column that echo the significance both of the
election, and of Mavis Staples herself.
I cannot imagine the emotion with which Ms. Staples and others of
her generation will cast their votes today. No, I can guess at it, but I
can’t hope to know what it feels like, not with anywhere near the depth
she has sung about faith and freedom and what’s right for all these
years. Still sings, in a voice that is deeper and rougher and more
grounded in the depths of experience and hope than ever before.
...she is both a profoundly gifted singer and an artist who has
placed herself and her art at risk in honor of her beliefs, in the
service of simple and fundamental human decency.
For all of us, then, I recommend the collected works of Mavis
Staples, of the Staple Singers. I am not expert in these matters, I am
simply a poor man fumbling for an anchor against these tumults. And,
tonight, I find that anchor in this deep, eloquent, profound voice, this
voice of patience and passion. All this, she has witnessed. Lived
through.
If needed, a powerful reminder of the importance of the day is the
YouTube video link
embedded in that column (Staples' music video for her recording of "Eyes on
the Prize").
Note: Mavis will be performing at Massey Hall in March with James Hunter.
Check the event listings for details -- get your tickets early.
2. MIRIAM MAKEBA
A woman who combined the social, political and musical
importance of Obama and Staples. The
last newsletter
sadly announced her death. There has been extensive -- and
deserved -- media coverage since then. Here a few small items to
add:
"Soweto
Blues": a very moving performance and interview with her.
She performs the song with Hugh Masekela who wrote it following
the Sharpeville Massacre. In the interview she describes the
emotion of watching Mandela leave prison, and when he later
asked her to come home, she found out she was still officially
banned. ("Tell the computer I want to go home. Mr Mandela says
we should all come back home" she told the embassy official).
A
link
to her obituary in the London Times. The author of the obituary,
Nigel Williamson wrote in a music forum that his wife noted that of all the
great musicians he'd interviewed, Makeba was the only one he'd asked to sign
a photograph.
It's framed in my study and I'm looking at it now. I never asked
Jagger, Richards, Plant, Page, McCartney Neil Young et al to sign anything.
Miriam was the only one.
Why? Because she was heroic, in the truest sense of the word. The
others just made music that I liked. And there's a world of difference...
And a nice
tribute in the NY Times by Jon Pareles.
This Sunday, Nov. 23, tune in to Karibuni, 6-8pm on CIUT,
89.5; host Michael Stohr will no doubt be broadcasting a tribute
to Makeba.
3. ODETTA
Another giant figure in the
struggle for freedom and dignity, the great Odetta played in town (Hugh's
Room) last month.
It was distressing to hear that she
is now very ill, in a New York hospital, diagnosed with kidney failure. The
77 year old singer, often called "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement"
however, is determined that she will perform at President Obama's
inauguration. In fact, her manager, Doug Yeager, says he believes "that is
the reason she is still alive. She has a big poster of Barack Obama taped on
the wall across from her bed.". He also encourages people to send her a
note:
Ms. Odetta Gordon
Room # 719, 7th Floor ICU Unit
LENOX HILL HOSPITAL
100 East 77th Street
New York, NY 10021
You can read his full note, written in conjunction with
her family
here on Pollstar.
Here's a
YouTube clip of Odetta and Dr. John (audio only of them, with
accompanying images) performing "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime". The
depression-era song was written by the same composer (Yip Harburg) who wrote
the lyrics for Wizard of Oz., and
was later blacklisted during the McCarthy era.
This song is from the 1992 CD,
Strike A Deep Chord: Blues Guitars for the Homeless. The guitarist is
the late John Campbell.
4. ALBUMS/ARTISTS OF 2008 - a look ahead
Year-end is traditionally "best of" time. For the past several years, the
most important awards in the world music scene have been the BBC Radio
3 World Music Awards, but this year, the BBC has dropped out, and the gap --
at least for this year -- has been filled by two sets of awards:
a) fRoots magazine's Album of the Year.
The BBC Album of the Year award each year was in fact the winner of this
22-year old award. fRoots has
recently announced
its album of the year nominees in two categories (new, and resissues/compilations).
You can see the full list of past winners since 1986
here.
Winners will be announced on Dec. 5 on "World
on 3" (BBC Radio 3) with host
Charlie Gillett. The show will be available online for a week.
b) Songlines Music Awards
Sponsored by
Songlines magazine, in cooperation with the
WOMAD Festival. Winners of 4 categories
(best artist, group, newcomer and collaboration) will be announced at the
2009 WOMAD festival
5. KEMER YOUSEF IN ETHIOPIA
 For
those who didn't see it, I recommend reading John Goddard's
article in the
Nov. 20 Toronto Star on the return to Ethiopia of local
Ethiopian/Oromo singer, Kemer Yousef ("The Lion of Oromo"). Kemer, along
with John and Nadine McNulty (of Karibuni radio) left that day for a trip to
Ethiopia. The article also features a video of Kemer talking about his
music, and his life here and in Ethiopia. Keep an eye on the Star for
reports of the trip.
(Photo of me with Kemer at David Miller's mayoral
victory party, Nov. 2003)
6. MAGAZINE (AND BOOK) NEWS: Global Rhythm, Songlines, Oxford
American
On the topic of world music magazines, North America's only entry in the
field, Global Rhythm, recently announced it was ending print
publication. A digital version of the magazine will be produced, and (free)
subscriptions are available
here.
Partly in reaction, Songlines,
the U.K. world music magazine has made two announcements:
a) A discounted subscription offer for North American readers: $50(US)
for 8 issues, each of which includes a CD featuring tracks from the best
reviewed albums of that issue. Click
here
for info.
b) A future "U.S. (aka, North American, I assume) edition.
To get a sense of the magazine, see their online
sampler
here.
Oxford American
A
quarterly magazine,
self-described (but accurately) as "The Southern [U.S.] Magazine of Good
Writing" Oxford American publishes an annual Music Issue which
features numerous profiles of a wide variety of Southern musicians (all
featured on the accompanying CD -- itself a treasure), as well as other
related articles.
It's usually the only issue in the
year carried locally, but inevitably sells out within days. The 2008 issue
will be published on Nov. 28. Watch out -- or reserve ahead of time -- at
better magazine counters in town. (Advice: Soundscapes on College has
ordered 100 copies!)
For an idea of the magazine's
content, see my article on their 2006 issue here:
http://to-music.ca/oxford_music.htm
The Book:
55 essays -- most from past Music Issues -- have now been collected in a new
book, The Oxford American Book of Great Music Writing. See a review
here.
7. EVENT & FUNDRAISING NOTES
Event listings at
www.to-music.ca/events.htm have been updated with numerous shows
in November and December, and a few 2009 highlights.
In this newsletter, just
a few notes about some upcoming and current fundraising efforts:
a) Let's Find A Way
A project dedicated to bring attention and relief to children affected
or infected by HIV, millions of whom are orphaned, homeless hungry or dying
as a result of the virus.
"Let's Find A Way" is a song written by Phil Koochin and
Kevan Ehman, and recorded in three versions (English, another in 13
languages, and a rap/spoken word version with
Ursula Rucker and
Boona Mohaammad) by a huge raft of
musicians including: Waleed
Abdulhamid (musical director),
David Clayton Thomas, Zaki Ibrahim,
Orpheus Choir of Toronto,
Kgomotso Tsatsi,
Fatima,
Ruth Mathiang,
Valu David,
LizzyMahashe, and many others.
For more information, or to buy the song, see:
http://letsfindaway.ca/
b) Nov 27: Brazil/Kenya
Fundraiser at the El Mocambo
For youths in the flavelas of Rio and
the slums of Nairobi. Part of Students Without Borders (www.swb.ca)
(NOTE: Their website does not appear to work well in Firefox). Numerous
musicians will perform including Adam Solomon.
Doors 8, show 9. $20 or PWYC.
c) Dec. 4: Almond Tree fundraiser
On World AIDS Day: a fundraiser for
The Almond Tree - a micro-financing group in Ghana that supports about
20 HIV-positive men and women. The event will have for sale, handicrafts
made by the group, the screening of a short film about one member of the
group, draws and music by the Waleed Kush Ensemble (with Waleed Abdulhamid
and Kwanza).
7-10pm. At the Teranga African Bar
Restaurant, 159 Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market. $10. For more info: 647
680-1098 or "Gather Under the Almond Tree" in Facebook
d) Other events: See event page for shows.
8. MUSIC AFRICA: Annual General Meeting, Nov. 23
Music Africa of course is the organization
that has put on Afrofest, the largest African music festival in North
America for 20 years, and also promotes African music and local and
international musicians throughout the year.
Anyone interested in the organization -- or
African music in Toronto -- is encouraged to attend. This year's meeting
will include elections for the following positions: Secretary, Treasurer,
Fund Raising Coordinator, Public Relations Director and Director of
Membership.
The meeting is open to all, but only
members can vote (memberships available prior to start of meeting). To be
eligible for office, you must have been a member for at least 1 year.
Metro Hall, 55 John St., Room 303
2:30:
Registration, Refreshments. 3-5: AGM
Please RSVP to 416 469-5336 or to
afrofest@hotmail.com
9. WORKSHOP FOR WORLD MUSIC PERFORMERS, AGENTS, ETC
The Canada Council for the Arts, in conjunction with
Worlds of Music Toronto and the
Lula Lounge, is presenting a 3-day intensive touring workshop for world
music artists and their agents and/or managers. It’s a unique opportunity to
learn from the experts and get an insider's view on how to increase your
touring and performance opportunities. You will have a chance to discuss
your career with seasoned music agents, managers, publicists, festival
programmers and funders.
The workshop will be held at the Lula, Jan. 16-18. Registration deadline
is Fri. Dec. 19, 2008. For more info, see
this page on the
Lula site, and/or a PDF document posted
here.
John Leeson
www.to-music.ca
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