Tag Archives: batuki music

Khaira Arby at the Lula May 8

  April 4, 2012 - 11:51 am | , , ,
Comments Off on Khaira Arby at the Lula May 8

Great news, that Malian singer Khaira Arby is finally playing a concert in town with her band.  Of course, given the situation in Mali, especially in her region, around Timbuktu, we can all hope not only that she gets here, but that the fighting is resolved soon, and the people there can enjoy peace. She, Vieux Farka Touré, Bassekou Kouyaté have just released a new single, “La Monde Pour La Paix” pleading for peace. Khaira first played North America in the late summer of 2010 (and in fact, it was almost the first time she’d ever travelled outside Mali), and … Continue reading →

Summer (festivals): just around the corner: #1: Luminato

  March 29, 2012 - 10:29 pm | , ,
1 Comment

That early summer we had seems to have disappeared suddenly this week, but all the news of summer (and other) music festivals should keep you warm. Most notably, for this website is the news of the free music concerts at what may now be the  premiere annual arts event in Toronto: Luminato. Its free concerts, organized by Derek Andrews are often among the best of the year, and this year promises to be the best yet. (Enjoy the riches while you can… the recent provincial budget called for cutting Ontario’s contributions to Luminato over the next 2 years by 40%!) … Continue reading →

Wazimbo at the Lula Lounge, March 8, 2012

  March 15, 2012 - 12:13 pm | , ,
Comments Off on Wazimbo at the Lula Lounge, March 8, 2012

A terrific show and performance by Wazimbo, the great Mozambique Marrabenta singer last week. A tremendous voice, and energetic performer, he kept the dance floor going, and also brought out the Mozambique community to celebrate his first Canadian tour. He will be back in the area this summer, hitting some of the festivals. Watch for him… He was backed by some excellent Toronto musicians: Tich Maredza (rhythm guitar) Larry Lewis (lead guitar) Sam Petit (bass) Gordin Mapika (drums) Ruben Esguerra (congas) Thanks to Batuki Music Society for this rare to chance to hear a great artist from Mozambique. Two video … Continue reading →

Wazimbo: music from Mozambique – tonight at the Lula

  March 8, 2012 - 1:36 pm | , ,
Comments Off on Wazimbo: music from Mozambique – tonight at the Lula

A rare chance to hear some music from Mozambique tonight at the Lula Lounge. Wazimbo (Humberto Carlos Benfica)’s musical career in Mozambique goes back almost 50 years, and he’s now one of the most famous singers of the marrabenta style. This is his first trip to Canada. Tonight, he’ll be backed by some top local musicians (Tich Maredza, Larry Lewis, Ruben Esguerra — all from the Tich Maredza Band — plus Gordin Mapika and Sam Petit). Wazimbo was interviewed last Sunday by Nadine McNulty on Karibuni (CIUT). That program is still online for a few more days. (Link is below). … Continue reading →

Some event notes

  February 23, 2012 - 4:10 am | ,
Comments Off on Some event notes

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 … Continue reading →

Benefit concert for John Collins with Afrafranto: Dec. 11: Updated Dec 10

  November 23, 2011 - 1:13 pm | , ,
Comments Off on Benefit concert for John Collins with Afrafranto: Dec. 11: Updated Dec 10

One of the greatest archivists and collectors of West African music, Professor John Collins of Ghana last month experienced a severe flood and mudslide, which damaaged and destroyed much of the material he has been assembling since the 1970’s. His home is in the same premises, and his family narrowly escapted drowning. The Bokoor African Popular Music Archives Foundation (BAPMAF) is a Ghanaian NGO established in 1990. BAPMAF’s function is to preserve African popular & traditional performance and provide a resource centre for arts projects in Ghana and the international community. BAPMAF archival holdings include 700 photographs, 700 publications, as … Continue reading →

Bassekou… and other upcoming events

  November 23, 2011 - 3:08 am | ,
Comments Off on Bassekou… and other upcoming events

A few upcoming shows of note. Details of these, and many more (going into the new year) are posted at www.events.to-music.ca   Nov. 27: Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba West African music fans around Toronto have been looking forward to this Sunday’s concert for some time: Bassekou Kouyaté and Ngoni Ba make their second Toronto appearance at the Great Hall (Queen W & Dovercourt). Anyone who saw this band — the only all-ngoni band in the world! — last year at Luminato will definitely be back for more. For my tastes, the group is one of the top live performances … Continue reading →

East Africa Relief concert: Aug. 25, Lula Lounge

  August 24, 2011 - 2:19 am |
Comments Off on East Africa Relief concert: Aug. 25, Lula Lounge

Batuki Music Society invites you to ‘Msaada’, the East Africa Relief concert to benefit the Médicins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders Horn of Africa Crisis campaign taking place at the Lula Lounge on Thursday August 25th at 8 pm. ‘Msaada’ means help in the Kiswahili language, widely spoken in East Africa. The concert features a lineup of some of Toronto’s popular African artists:  Henok Abebe, Kooshin, Girma Woldemichael, Gezahegn Mamo, Faduma Nakruma, Daniel Nebiat, Donne Roberts, Kwame Stephens, Kemer Yousef, Njacko Backo and Val, Sonia Aimy, Ijovudu Dance, Hussein Adani, Yared Tesfaye, DJ Apollo and more. Many of the musicians performing … Continue reading →

Stella Chiweshe in town

  August 6, 2011 - 1:39 pm |
Comments Off on Stella Chiweshe in town

It’s a big deal when the Zimbabwean mbira player/singer/healer is here.  Last time she was in Toronto was 2007. (See my photos of her concert at the Berkeley St. Church). She’s back in town this month, and to date has the following appearances scheduled: Sat. Aug. 13: a solo performance at the Trane Studio Sat. Aug. 20: A workshop & solo performance at Earthsong Village Sun. Aug. 21: Performance, with a band featuring some of Toronto’s top Zimbabwean musicians at the Lula Lounge Press release from Batuki Music Society: The remarkable Stella Rambisai Chiweshe, known worldwide as the ‘Queen of … Continue reading →

Okavango African Orchestra concert broadcast on CBC’s Canada Live on April 20 & 22

  April 20, 2011 - 1:26 am | ,
Comments Off on Okavango African Orchestra concert broadcast on CBC’s Canada Live on April 20 & 22

From Batuki Music (www.batukimusic.com): Canada Live on CBC Radio will broadcast the Okavango African Orchestra concert featuring Daniel Nebiat (Eritrea – krar/vocals), Donne Roberts (Madagascar – guitar/vocals), Pasi Gunguwo (Zimbabwe – marimba/mbira/vocals), Kooshin (Somalia – kaban/vocals), Sadio Sissokho (Senegal – kora/tama/djembe/vocals), Waleed Abdulhamid (bass/vocals) and Walter Maclean (Ghana – percussion) on the following dates: Wednesday, April 20 – Canada Live at 7:00 pm on CBC Radio 2, 94.1 FM in Toronto (check the CBC website for frequencies elsewhere – http://www.cbc.ca/frequency/) Friday, April 22 – Canada Live at 2:00 pm on CBC Radio 1, 99.1 FM in Toronto (check the CBC … Continue reading →