African Music Concerts Monthly Summary for 2004

2004 starts off with a new CD by Blay Ambolley and also includes djembe master Mamady Keita plus Balandugu Kan's drum ensemble from West Africa and the famous Preservation Dance Hall Jazz Band with New Orleans style jazz.

The big news is the weeklong Los Angeles debut of Cameroonian jazz sensation Gino Sitson at the Jazz Bakery, the same week that Les Ballets Africains of Guinea perform in Leimert Park. Also, welcome back the rockin' Malian sound of Habib Koité at the Conga Room and with Gnawan Trance music from Morocco by Hassan Hakmoun at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, the Afro-Peruvian grooves of Perú Negro at UCLA's Royce Hall, the Congoles Rumba cum Cuban Salsa of Ricardo Lemvo, and jazz, blues, folk and soul from Mississippi in the voice of Cassandra Wilson at UCLA as well.

Recurring events this month include a Pulitzer prize winning play, the celebration of Black History Month and the Pan African Film Festival, a weekly AfroFunke night on Thursdays in Santa Monica plus the re-opening of Bamboo with DJ Clement back at the controls in a new location in downtown Culver City on Saturdays.

The Children of Uganda perform to raise money and awareness of AIDS/HIV. Andre Marie Tala, "The Stevie Wonder of Africa", arrives for the first time and is joined by Andre Manga to raise money for the peoples of Africa. Also, Nat "Amanzeba" Brew of Ghana hits the stage in town for the first time.

Together since the 70's, Orchestra Baobab performs on the wonderful stage at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, the same night Thomas Mapfumo plays at the Temple Bar. Baaba Maal returns to light up the stage at the El Rey Theatre. With three powerhouse acts, April is the month of the African giants.

The Africando All Stars arrive in Los Angeles for the first time at the 6th Annual West Coast Salsa Congress May 27-30 at the Hollywood Park Casino.

House of Blues rolls out the African red carpet first with Angelique Kidjo of Benin and then The Johnny Klegg Band from South Africa. Conga Room follows the South Africa theme with the smooth voice of Vusi Mahlasela, and Hollywood Park Casino finishes off the month with the Soukous Stars.

Outdoor concerts prevail starting with the Grand Performances international series downtown featuring Worldly Women with Cape Verdean songs from the Queen of the Coladeiras, Maria de Barros plus Algerian singer Souad Massi, followed by the Ford Amphiteatre family day of music from Zimbabwe by Masanga Marimba Ensemble and then Oumou Sangare at the Hollywood Bowl.

Santa Monica Pier competes with reggae from Wailing Souls and Ras Michael at the beginning of the month and also the Ghanian dub roots sound of Excentric Sound System plus AfroBeat from Long Beach's Delta Nove the same night at the end of the month.

Indoors, Temple Bar puts on an African clinic with modern Congolese dance music by Samba Ngo, Guinean drumming by Forè Foté and Senegalese sabar drums featuring the beats and dance steps of Khaley Ngeuwel. A rare intimate appearance by Youssou N'Dour in Hollywood helps make this the most active month of the year!

Thomas Mapfumo fills in for Manu Dibango in an appearance at the Hollywood Bowl after a long absence, plus Congolese supergroup Kékélé makes their LA debut at Grand Performances and the Afro-Peruvian sounds of Cambalache Negro reverberate through the Ford.

Nigerian locals Eugene de Coque and Jerri Jheto come out from hiding, Cameroonian bassist Andre Manga hosts a weekly jam in Little Ethiopia, Ricardo Lemvo dances to Congolese Rumba and Cuban Son, and the month wraps up with the heavy AfroBeat of Antibalas.

Recurring events this month include Cameroonian bassist Andre Manga who hosts a weekly jam in Little Ethiopia, the South African play Nothing But the Truth at the Mark Taper Forum and two DJ clubs in Culver City on Fridays and Saturdays respectively.

A double helping of AfroBeat is in store with Antibalas at the beginning of the month, and a celebration of Fela Kuti Day in Leimert Park featuring AfroBeat Down. Les Percussions de Guinee focuses on women drummers this year, while Eva Ayllón expounds on the Afro-Peruvian Lando.

Angelique Kidjo graces the stage in Cerritos.

West African rhythms are the spiritual and melodic source for the women of Adaawe.