Covering African, world & roots music

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Music Photos: 2006 (Updated: Feb. 16, 2007)
For other photos, click: 2009, 2008, 2007,  2005. or 2002-2004
Click here for a full list of all artists

All photographs are © John Leeson.
They can be reproduced with credit "Photo by John Leeson:  www.to-music.ca". Contact me for higher resolution copies. 

AFRICAN MUSIC:
Includes Aster Aweke, Amadou & Mariam, Refugee All-Stars, Baaba Maal, Oliver Mtukudzi, King Sunny Ade, African Guitar Summit, Orchestra Baobab, Bembeya Jazz, Tinariwen, Mahmoud Ahmed and lots more.

OTHER:
Includes Debashish Battacharya, Mighty Sparrow, Wanda Jackson Sidi Goma, Trio Joubran, Billy Joe Shaver, David Murray, Radio Kabul, Buddy Miller, Leon Russell, Lhasa, Lila Downs, and more.

Inside each album, you can click on individual photos, or click the "slideshow" link in the upper right.  Right below the "slideshow" link, you'll see other links that take you up a level, e.g. from an individual show album to the album grouping all the shows that month (or months).

photos to come

"The Greatest Unknown Soul Singer in the World" returned to Lee's Palace for a knock-out, jammed midnight performance. And what a performer!  See my review of her November 2005 show here. www.bettyelavette.com for more info.

The "Dusty Foot Philosopher" made a rare appearance in his home town. His deserved success has been keeping him touring the world.

For a review of K'Naan's album by the BBC's Charlie Gillett, click here. K'Naan was Charlie's last in-studio radio guest, and was also the last performer (live at Womad) on Charlie's long-running radio show. Both programs are available on the Mondomix radio archives.

Photos of other performers that night still to come.

Inventor and player of various "slide guitars", mixing Indian classical music with western; he considers himself a bridge between past and future. The show was part of the annual Small World Music festival

Coinciding with the release of their excellent African Guitar Summit II CD; the follow-up to the original Juno winner. The original AGS II concert from February, 2006 will be re-broadcast on CBC "On Stage" on Sunday, Oct. 15. Radio 2 2pm; Radio 1 8pm.. Original program notes here.

The Queen of Rockabilly returns to Toronto. Still rocking, still energetic, still gracious. A real queen. See my review of her 2005 show here, and visit Wanda's website here.

Slim does a rare solo set, opening for Digging Roots. It includes a wonderful, 2-song reunion with long-time partner Donné Roberts.

Part of the 2006 Small World Music Festival. An acoustic, rootsy show by the Anglo-Egyptian Star. The Sep. 21 Toronto Star carried a lengthy profile of her written by John Goddard. To hear her new album, Mish Maoul, click here.

Photos posted soon!... meanwhile, click the photo on left for a larger image.

Photos to come

Part of the AIDS 2006 International Conference

"The King of Calypso" & a packed house

Jul. 21: SIERRA MAESTRA at Harbourfront Centre. Cuban legends

Jul. 16: KEKELE at Harbourfront Centre - Sweet Congolese rumba on a steamy afternoon

Some of the great figures from Toronto's music history came together for a wonderful reunion with a packed house. Performers included Jay Douglas, Bob & Wisdom, The Mighty Pope and others.

The concert marked the release of a compilation CD of the same title featuring many original soul hits from this era done by these and other Jamaican-Canadian musicians. For more information and background, see Light in the Attic label and the Jul. 13 NOW article.

CD Release of No Compromise by the Toronto keeper of Fela Kuti's legacy.

No concert photos, but there's a great story here. (My favourite "musician encounter" since Chuck Berry picked me up hitchhiking in 1969).

Two days of fantastic African music, and great vibes.  Tapa Diarra & Kassoum Diamoutene, Amara Kante, Mel M'rabet, Carmen Souza, Ras Israel, Danny & Nouvel Exposé, Ijo Vudu Dance Troupe, Hadi Ahmed, Mamadou Diabate, Muna Mingole, African Guitar Summit, Sekouba Bambino... and a cast of thousands (of happy festival goers), plus the Children's Village, workshops, vendors, food and more.
 

The greatest voice in Africa in his first Toronto show in 6 years. Still astounding.

The Ghanaian Palm Wine musicians (several are members of the African Guitar Summit) opened for Salif Keita. This is the same group that put on such a great show in February at the intimate NOW Lounge. (Photos of that show here; the CIUT broadcast is here). Theo Yaw Boyakye (vocals), Pa Joe (guitar), Kofi Ackah (drums), Ebenezer Agyekum (bass).

Release of Ba Ba Oh, Njacko played with both Toumkak Drummers and Kalimba Kalimba, as well as Saba and Helena of Nouvel Exposé

Music Africa's Afrofest Launch night featured Montreal-based Moroccan oud player Hassan El-Hadi, and Toronto's Donne Roberts

The huge Ethiopian singing star with the magnificent voice was in great shape, backed by a terrific band and was greeted by a huge and enthusiastic crowd of fans.

A full house and packed dance floor for the release of Mti Wa Maisha (Tree of Life). My photos of the show are here; a review of the show is at the Live Music Report. More info, including CD reviews at www.adamsolomon.ca.

A midnight concert by Libyan and Egyptian performers the night before the Total Solar Eclipse. Photos and journal of the trip are posted here. (Concert photos and notes here).

See http://www.njackobacko.com/

CD Release for No, I Never. See www.ndidi.ca

Opening for Ndidi Onukwulu. See http://www.diggingrootsmusic.com/

With Anne Lederman, Tom Leighton, Ian Bell, and guests Jamie Snider and Kim Vincent, with Erynn Marshall and Chris Cool.

The full 9-man group again, with new music -- and guest vocalists Muna Mingole and Oumou Soumare.

With Pa Joe, Kofi Ackah and Theo Yaw Boyakye. A wonderful night -- one of the best African music shows in a long time. A Music Africa "Acoustic Africa" show.

(Photos to be posted soon). It was a sold-out show for the rising star. Some links: BBC World Music Award artist profile (with audio link). More background about here. For audio of her full 2005 Womad concert, click here. Mondomix has a page about her, with a video clip from a concert in Morocco.

Watch for: my photos of the show posted here soon, and The Live Music Report will be posting a review of the Feb. 17 show. Click here for my photos from her Small World Festival show last September.

His CD Release show. See a review of the show on The Live Music Report website.

Their first trip to Toronto in five years in a sold-out show. See my review of the show here. Click above for photos. Visit their website here

and FOJEBA at the Tranzac Club

With Faduma Nkrumah (Somalia), Eid Ismael (Sudan), Danny (Eritrea), and numerous other musicians.

With a lineup of musicians, friends and family. See here for my original show notice.