African Music Concerts Week of Oct 1 - Oct 4

Get ready to dance salsa and soukous! Ricardo blends AfroCuban, salsa and Congolese music with enough pepper to keep the music hot. Unfortunately, the only show downtown will be for the lunch crowd.

One of the best percussion bands in the world is led by Doudou N’Diaye Rose of Senegal. This living legend conducts 35 family members in an expert show of African drum and rhythm. If you cannot make it to Irvine for this rare appearance, try next week at UCLA's Royce Hall.

Etta James is pure American, but her blues have the soul of Africa through and through. She has lived the troubles and pains that make up her music, and now she has the deep voice to give the songs body. If you ever loved Billie Holliday or even Ali Farka Toure you need to come hear down-home American blues sung the way no one else can. To read more about her, try this short biography.