African Music Concerts Week of Aug 1 - Aug 7

A special celebration of "Abami Eda" (the Black President) Fela Anikulapo Kuti's day. Naji was a drummer who was trained in one of Fela's bands in the 70's. He still keeps the old highlife jazz sound of the early Fela music alive with his own compositions. This was the basis of the Afrobeat formulation that became Fela's trademark. Naji's band is large and contains some great jazz men on brass as well as other drummers for a full deep sound.

The King of Zoblazo comes to town for the 44th Independence Day Celebration of Côte D'Ivoire. He is the inventor of this update percussive dance music. Now with the June 2004 release of his 8th Zoblazo album he will be able to perform the latest sounds in Los Angeles for the first time. Come out to learn the dance steps from the master, winner of multiple Kora Awards.

The stars of Quatre Étoiles, Syran Mbenza, Nyboma and Wuta Mayi rise again in their homage to the old rumba sound. This is a show to see because they will also have the great guitarist Rigo Star in the lineup.