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In this issue:
1. February Highlights: Ballaké Sissoko, Kuumba, Gladstone & more
2. 2008 in Review
3. Assorted Notes:
    Inaugural music; Wanda's in the Hall; Video updates; the World's Biggest Record Collection (and a famous casket?) for sale

Ballaké Sissoko: Feb. 5
As mentioned in the last newsletter, this is a real highlight, and a treat not to be missed by anyone who appreciates West African kora music. Sissoko is one of the greatest masters of the kora, and rarely plays in North America. (His last visit to Toronto was probably in the 1980's). He will do a solo performance on Feb. 5 at York University, as well as a free question and answer session at 1:30pm on Feb. 4. 

His latest CD, 3MA, with Moroccan oud player Driss El Maloumi and Rajery from Madagascar was picked as the top CD of the year by World Music Charts Europe, as selected by world music programmers in 23 European countries.

Part of the "Performing Diaspora" series, sponsored by the Harriet Tubman Institute at York. Download the series brochure (PDF) here.
 

Kuumba & "Horn of Africa": Feb. 7-8 & Feb. 14-15
Harbourfront Centre has two weekends dedicated to Black History Month, with music, dance, art, film, storytelling and more.  The first weekend in particular is full of great live music and dance performances, highlighted by the Feb. 7 evening show featuring two Toronto artists: Ertitrean krar player Daniel Nebiat, and Ethiopian singer Kemer Yousef, who just returned this weekend from a triumphant return to Ethiopia, documented in a series of Toronto Star articles by John Goddard who accompanied Kemer.

Kuumba info here.  More about Kemer's trip to Ethiopia here. Some video from his big concert in Addis Ababa here.
 

Black History Month at the Gladstone
Once again, Music Africa & the Gladstone put on weekly free shows in the Melody Bar of the Gladstone Hotel (This Friday: Ghanaian reggae from Kwessi Selassie). In addition, this year there are two tribute nights in the Ballroom. Feb. 20: a tribute to Fela Kuti, featuring Femi Abosede and Culture Force; Feb. 27: tribute to Miriam Makeba, featuring Katenen Cheka Dioubaté, Ruth Mathiang, Jabulani, Lizzy Maheshe and Zaki Ibrahim. See www.musicafrica.org for details.
 

Other shows include:
Malinke music from Ainiké (Feb. 7), Fado superstar Mariza (Feb. 13), African rhythms from jazz giant Randy Weston (Feb. 13), The Kamkars (Feb. 19), John Hammond's blues (Feb. 20-21), a rare local concert by Toronto/Somalia world hiphop star K'naan (Feb. 24), a return of the Dhoad Gypsies of Rajathstan (Feb. 26), and lots more.

 

• My favourite live shows & CD's of the year. Some book & movie notes still to come.
• Critics' picks: Numerous "best of the year" picks from critics, website, publications from North America and Europe. World, Blues, Americana and others
• RIP2008: Some of the names of great musical figures who passed away last year. Includes some brief notes and video and other links

 

3. Assorted Notes:

a) Music for the Inauguration

Click the link above for an item posted the day after Barack Obama's inauguration with notes about two songs that struck me watching the event: Leadbelly's "Bourgeois Blues"... his experience of racism in Washington, D.C. in 1937; and "Only In America", a song with a fascinating history. Also a link to Afropop Worldwide's excellent coverage of the Inauguration and the "Africa on the Potomac” Inaugural Ball with Samba Mapangala.
 

b) Wanda's in the Hall!

Congratulations to Wanda Jackson, "The Queen of Rockabilly" who has finally been elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Wanda was easily the greatest early female rock and roll singer. She was her own person, and her own woman. On my video page, a link to a very good, 7 minute documentary about her. Also, see my appreciation of Wanda following her 2005 Toronto gig.
 

c) Video Updates

I have a number of new video links posted, including some classic African footage of Franco; Salif Keita on Malian TV performing "Mandjou" with Les Ambassadeurs; and Fela Kuti, filmed in 1971 by Cream's Ginger Baker. Also, Djelimady Tounkara; some historic footage of the Beatles in Toronto in 1964; Ronnie Hawkins (then and now); Ned Sublette; some beautiful Madagascar guitar; Big Joe Williams; Muddy Waters and more.  See: http://to-music.ca/music_lib.htm
 

d) GlobalFEST still available online.

The last newsletter mentioned the webcast of the Jan. 11 globalFEST taking place that night in New York City, featuring 12 international performers on 3 stages. Each of the performances have now been archived and are available individually on the WNYC website. More info on the festival and artists is on this website.

e) For Sale: 2 1/2 million records & the Big Bopper's used casket?

If you have a LOT of space, and about $3 Million to spare, the world's biggest record collection is for sale. 1 million albums, 1 1/2 million singles... just don't ask him if he has any CD's. Video here.

Feb. 3 is the 50th anniversary of "The Day the Music Died" when Buddy Holly, Big Bopper & Richie Valens died in a plane crash. Recent stories circulated about the apparent intention of JP Richardson ("The Big Bopper")'s son to sell his late father's casket on EBay, following his 2007 exhumation. It may be true... or it may not. Read here, along with some other info and video on the Bopper and Buddy Holly.
 

John Leeson
www.to-music.ca