In this issue:
- Holiday wishes
- Mahmoud Ahmed in Toronto,
Dec. 25
- Calendar update
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HOLIDAY WISHES
Best wishes for
the holidays to all readers and visitors, whatever holiday(s)
you celebrate; as has often been suggested, those of us living
in Canada -- and especially Torontonians -- should take
advantage of the "wealth of the world" we're fortunate to enjoy,
and celebrate and embrace all holidays.
Although there are numerous items to include in a newsletter,
they may have to wait, perhaps for next week, but there is one
notable "Christmas" note to include.
Whether or not
you observe Christmas (and on this date), this December 25 is
definitely a reason for African music fans to celebrate:
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MAHMOUD AHMED in concert, Dec. 25
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In a repeat of his
Christmas Day 2007 Toronto concert, the great Ethiopian star,
Mahmoud Ahmed returns to Toronto. Those who know his music will
probably not want to miss the show, and those who don't... check
some samples below.
And for those with
plans for that day, you can accommodate a double celebration; the
concert will not start until late that night. I've been informed the
show will start at "exactly 11 pm".
Mahmoud is the
most famous Ethiopian singer in the world now. His classic recordings from the
early 1970's reached the West much later via the great
Ethiopiques series. In the writeup for his 2007
BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for Africa, the BBC compared the effect
those recordings had on that audience to that of the 1930's Robert Johnson blues songs released on LP in
the 50's and 60's which so affected the folk, blues and rock audiences of
that time. A key difference of course is that Mahmoud is still
alive, and still a wonderful performer.
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Some audio & video links:
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Photo: Toronto, Dec. 25/07
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- My photos
from 2007 and
2003
- Audio: his
2005
WOMAD concert (click "listen
to this gig").
- Video:
from Paris --
bouncing camera, but with the feel of a Mahmoud show, and
another one
with some grungy sound, but with all the energy and excitement intact.
- Toronto video:
catch a few short clips from
his 2007 concert
- Undated, but relatively recent
(and better quality video) performing his classic "Ere
Mela Mela"
- Some undated,
but vintage Mahmoud video
here.
- Some of his
great songs (audio)
- Afropop Worldwide's
bio
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Concert details
Lithuanian Hall, 1573 Bloor St.
W. (just west of the Dundas West subway station).
The concert is presented by
AfroSonic Entertainment
and Nahome Records.
Tickets are $30 at the door. For more info: 416 888-4607 or 647 401-5516.
Note: I've been informed that
the concert should start right at 11pm... but don't leave it too
late in case the show is sold out. The hall is not large, but
Mahmoud is a very large star in the Ethiopian music world.
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2010 CALENDAR
For those who ordered the
calendar, they should be printed and ready on Wednesday (23rd).
I'll contact you to arrange delivery.
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John Leeson
www.to-music.ca |
