See the newly updated event listings (www.events.to-music.ca), for details of these and many other shows.
A few items of note:
The Lula Lounge
has a number of interesting shows coming up:
- “world jazz” on Friday nights (early show before the salsa takes over) including& Haitian roots (Feb. 24) & Mexican jazz (Mar 2) in the next couple of weeks
- Benefit for the Peruvian migrant workers killed recently in that traffic accident. Mar. 1
- Akwaba Dance Company, Feb 26
Batuki Music Society with a couple of shows to watch for:
- The first of an “Africa Up Close” series in the intimate NOW Lounge on Church St. Mar 2: Madagscar Slim
- Wazimbo at the Lula. One of the great voices of Mozambique
- And, in April, the return of the great Tuareg guitarist Bombino
Coming up this weekend:
- Njacko Backo & Kalimba Kalimba will get the Melody Bar at the Gladstone up and dancing Thursday night, Feb. 23
- Fojeba is at the Tranzac Friday night
- Soweto Gospel Choir in for 2 nights at the Sony Centre, Feb. 24-25
Other notes:
- A real world music mix:
Rufus Cappadocia with Mutamba Rainos & Pasi Gungwo at the Music Gallery, Mar 2 - … numerous Small World Concerts listed, including some in the annual South Asian Music Festival, plus the return of Tuku this July.
- The Mar 7 Susana Baca/Lila Downs concert at Koerner Hall is now missing Susana Baca. Koerner announced the cancellation in late January “due to her political appointment”. She had been named Peru’s Culture Minister last fall, but as I understand it, she was removed in a cabinet shakeup in December.
- On radio: “Ethiopia: A Musical Perspective“: a huge overview of Ethiopian music traditions, presented on Feb. 11 by Batuki Music Society (eg, see this page). Exerpts from the concert, plus interviews with some of the musicians will be on Garvia Bailey’s “Big City, Small World” show on CBC Radio 1, Sat. Feb. 25, 5-6pm.As well, more extensive concert excerpts will be broadcast on Canada Live Feb. 28 (to be confirmed), CBC Radio 2, 7pm