Artists Featured in Afropop's Summer Concert Preview 2009
King Sunny Ade
The king of juju music, King Sunny Ade only comes to the United States every 4 or 5 years. Not only is he coming to the US to perform, he’s actually here to record his first international release in 9 years. The percussionists, guitarists, singers, and dancers in KSA’s band, The African Beats, still put on one of the most electrifying stage shows in African music.
Vieux Farka Toure
Vieux Farka Toure, son of Ali Farka Toure, is one of Mali’s fastest rising stars. He tours this summer to promote Fondo, the long awaited followup to his 2006 debut.Vieux’s ability on the guitar is magical, producing arich, full sound; infusing each song with a unique rhythm.
Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara
Justin Adams, former guitarist for Robert Plant, and Gambian griot musician Juldeh Camara play a spontaneous, call and answer style of music on their second CD together, Tell No Lies. Their music is often unrehearsed, each relying on the other to create an organic mix of two different worlds of music.
Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga
A veteran of the Congolese rumba revolution, Samba Mapangala first formed the Orchestre Virunga in Nairobi, Kenya in 1981. 28 years later, they are still moving feet on the dance floor with their classic disco tunes. Visit MySpace page Watch Video Buy CD
Oumou Sangare
Malian Wassoulou star Oumou Sangare has just produced her first international release of new music in over 10 years, Seya. For the first time in awhile, she and her amazing band are touring the United States accompanied by the excitement of new songs. Oumou’s rich vocals, as she belts out her songs, create a magical show, enhanced when experienced live.
Femi Kuti Femi Kuti, award winning eldest son of legendary afro-beat artist Fela Kuti, is back in action this summer with his new album, Day by Day. Although Femi’s music often reflects the rebellious nature of a first son, it also has taken with it much of what made Fela such a dynamic musician. His first album of new songs since 2001, Day by Day really returns to traditional afrobeats, honing in on instrumental texture, with not as much focus on guest rappers and R&B artists that were featured on previous albums.
Bela Fleck and Toumani Diabate Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck journeyed to Africa to research the roots of the banjo, and to play with great African musicians. On his current tour, he is teaming up with big names such as Oumou Sangare and Toumani Diabate. Bela’s documentary, Throw Down Your Heart, is currently touring around the country. He will be playing in New York with Toumani Diabate, the incredible Malian kora player.
Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int'l Chicago based band Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int'l play classic Central and Western African dance music, drawing on their mixed background of African music, jazz, and underground rock. Spanning the genres of highlife, palmwine, and soukous, the band plays around with vocal and instrumental solos, although staying very much in keeping with tracks appropriate to the dance floor. Their name CD, Odo Sanbra, is their second release, and although it uses jazz impulses and relatively few vocals, dancing and grooving are never allowed to be forgotten.
Malian musician Rokia Traore has a unique way of taking the traditions of Malian music and turning them on their heads. A maverick in her area of music, Rokia plays with convensions, stretching them in ways that are inventive and original. Her stage show has a driving rock and roll energy that moves far beyond, and brings a whole new level to, the tracks on her CD.
Issa Bagayogo Kamelengoni-playing Malian maestro Issa Bagayogo, nicknamed Techno-Issa, mixes techno and electronic music with the rural Malian music he grew up with. On his new album, Mali Koura, Issa took a different approach to the recording, tracking the music outdoors, with all the Malian instruments playing at once. Issa’s sound has tightened since his previous releases, to produce a fully techno-Wassoulou hybrid, which fuses disparate cultures together until they seem inseparable.
Orchestra Baobab Drawing on Senegalese traditions as well as Afro-Cuban styles like son, and pachanga, multi-national dance band Orchestra Baobab is a in fine form since reforming itself in 2000. Their most recent album, Made in Dakar, combines a mixture of old songs and new, and captures their infectious stage energy with a live-in-studio sound.
Najat Aatabou
Najat Aatabou went from being a wedding singer in the Atlas Mountains to being one of Morocco’s most beloved singers. Despite her international cache, she still delivers the authenticity of her rugged past among the mountain Berbers of Morocco.
Novalima
Afro-Peruvian band Novalima has been breaking boundaries and uniting seeming irreconcilable communities since its creation in 2001. Their new record, Coba Coba, goes back to its African roots, drawing on influences of reggae, dub, afro-beat, and others. This is their first tour to the United States.
Faiz Ali Faiz Pakistani Qawwali artist Faiz Ali Faiz creates a feeling of ecstasy with his gradually soaring vocals, a feeling which is indeed the object of Qawwali music. His most recent CD, a double feature with a DVD, Qawwali Flamenco brings together the two genres of Qawwali and Flamenco, an ambitious piece of work that Faiz pulls off magnificently. With the two mixed together, Faiz’s music reaches a deep poetical cord, which, matched with his incredible vocals, is a rich experience not to be missed.
Alpha Blondy
Africa’s first, and for many greatest, international reggae star Alpha Blondy is back in action. After having to cancel his 2008 tour due to severe illness, Blondy is returning to North America for a very limited summer tour.
Lee Scratch Perry
One of the biggest producers of reggae music, Lee Scratch Perry started his career in the ’50’s and is still going strong. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine counted him among the 100 greatest artists on all time. A maestro of the party, the humor in Perry’s songs keep the great times rolling!
King Sunny Ade
Vieux Farka Toure
Samba Mapangala & Orchestre Virunga
Oumou Sangare
Femi Kuti
Bela Fleck and Toumani Diabate
Occidental Brothers Dance Band Int'l
Rokia Traore
Issa Bagayogo
Orchestra Baobab
Najat Aatabou
Novalima
Faiz Ali Faiz
Alpha Blondy
Lee Scratch Perry