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T.O. Music Pix Newsletter #70: November 22/08
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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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