AfroPulse Concert Newsletter for July
Other Newsletters
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Jun 28 2002 AfroPulse Concert News Volume 2 Issue 4
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Contents:
World Cup
Summer Concerts
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World Cup
Sports fans the world over have been glued to the World Cup
soccer broadcasts. A series of surprising results have made
this a memorable year. The reigning champs of France were
eliminated in the first round without scoring a goal; Ireland
advanced; South Korea made it to the semi-finals; and Senegal
stood up for the whole continent of Africa in making it to the
quarter-finals. Wonderful performances. The Cup has a future
when it will soon be owned by an African nation for 4 years.
Keep cheering the footballers!
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Summer Concerts
Summer in LA is when the majority of African shows happen, and
this year is no exception. There is a usual build up to the
final week of July which celebrates LA (Love Africa) with a set
of concerts and an African movie festival.
Grand Performances always leads the charge with the Hollywood
Bowl nipping at their heels. I prefer a smaller venue so I
spend my time downtown on the Watercourt at California Plaza
http://www.afropulse.com/music/venues/calplaza.html The shows
begin tonight with New Yorican style salsa by Johnny Polanco
followed by Bamboleo of Cuba.
This year will bring some new African faces to Los Angeles.
The Grandmother of Algerian raï music, Cheikha Rimitti, will
give her view of the music from the perspective of a 50-year
career. She is joined by Issa Bagayogo a Paris-based Malian
performer who mixes the traditional African sound with pop and
electronica. They are playing Saturday, July 13. If you are
still in the mood to dance when the show ends around 10:00,
head over to the Hawthorne Memorial Hall for Soukous by Afro-
Musika and Shimita El Diego.
If you can only see one show this year you will have to choose
based on your favorite style of music: Malian traditional,
Malian modern or Soukous. Grand Performances has the return of
The Super Rail Band of Mali on Saturday, July 27. Some say that
Djelimady Tounkara, a member of the band, is the greatest living
African guitarist. Also on stage for that show will be Amadou
et Miriam, aka The Blind Couple of Mali. They met in school,
married and have been inseparable since. Their music describes
the joys of life and love in moving ballads that are also very
danceable. 2nd choice for best concert this year will be on
Thursday, August 1 featuring Rokia Traore at the Skirball
Center. She was last year's pick on some lists for best CD and
best new artist. Her clear voice puts warmth into Malian sounds
updating them with a modern ear and celebrating the joy of music
with her sinuous dancing. If you rocked out to Touré Touré at
Skirball a couple years ago you'll know what fun this outdoor
venue is. Both Skirball and Grand Performances are free to the
public. The last choice is the annual African Village Festival
at John Anson Ford Theatre featuring Kanda Bongo Man, Saturday
August 3. If you know Soukous, you know Kanda -- but he'd also
like to teach you some Kwassa Kwassa. Break out the Congolese
dancing shoes and get ready to wind your waist!
If you like Ethiopian music, Gigi will finally make her LA
debut in the middle of August downtown. Her piercing voice
has swept many off their feet. Unfortunately, her only show
is a noon concert, but if you work downtown you are in for
a free treat.
The Hollywood Bowl has the strongest line up of Africans this
summer: Femi Kuti, Lucky Dube, Hugh Masakela, Miriam Makeba,
The Mahotella Queens, and Les Nubians as well as Erykah Badu
and Zap Mama with their own African concoctions. I have fallen
behind in updating the calendar with all these new shows, so
check back after the weekend and throughout the summer to see
the latest updates.
Don't forget the Santa Monica Pier. Rachid Taha brings back
his rock-tinged raï in a free concert on Thursday, July 25
when he will be joined by Natacha Atlas.
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See you in the audience, or even better, up on stage dancing to
the summer sounds of music!
jay
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