African Music Concerts Week of Apr 10 - Apr 16

Come out to see the Pulitzer nominated play about Black-on-Black discrimination in the Gullah-Geechee culture of South Carolina's Sea Islands. The play investigates the racism that favors lighter skinned individuals over their more African looking neighbors. Love, alcohol, generational chasms and other complexities of everyday life are intricately wound into a heart-wrenching story. Highly recommended. Now extended through April 30!

Serious straight AfroBeat in the old 70s style. That's what Naji delivers. He played with Fela back in the day and learned the style. Now he has his own voice and messages to tell. The only question is how many of the 15 band members will fit on stage -- there's no question about the depth of sound that you will hear.

Guinea and Ghana are on stage together for this special event. Prince plays the kora the way Jimi Hendrix played the guitar; Blay blows the sax in the Jazz Highlife style that started Fela down his path. Expect some inventive new pure African roots, LA style.

Stick around for Phil Ranelin who plays horns with Najite sometimes. Later in the evening Me'shell will be funking the bass for a turntablist and hip hop gang.

Mama Juana's is a Cuban supper club in North Hollywood. I haven't checked it out yet, but it sounds like good food and good music go hand in hand. Ricardo brings a salsa slant to Congolese Rumba to shake up their normal Latin sound.