Last you heard from me I was off to Flagstaff for the Femi Kuti and Daara J concert. It turned out to be a real treat with only a couple hundred people. I was right on the edge of the stage with my camera.

On the way back we took a detour through the mountains. The windy roads took their toll on my wife and produced her first bout of morning sickness. Yes, I have been gone this long while addressing the issues of a new family. At the end of March we welcomed a daughter to our household!

You can read about the adventures and see pictures on a blog I set up to help raise funds for her college tuition (you can never start too soon). Please fill out the anonymous survey to help attract higher paying advertisers. And check out the online store where you can get a T-shirt, baseball cap, coffee mug or other accessories.

Baby Needs A New Pair Of Shoes

DJ Nnamdi and Temple Bar present a night of African music with Nnamdi spinning between the sets of Khaley Nguewel (Aziz Faye), WanLuv and MC Rai. Saturday, May 27 for $10.

http://www.templebarlive.com/

The ever hard-working front man for Senegalese pop will be in town in June at the Knitting Factory. He is a statesman and madcap dancer, taking his band from the subtlest acoustic music to the whirling heights of Afropop.

Baaba has been to LA many times, but every time is a treat. He has an expansive voice that can blow the walls off this little venue. I'm sure that it will be a sellout, so get your tickets early.

http://www.afropulse.com/music/concerts/2006-06-w3.html

The dynamic duo from Mali are married. They met at a school for the blind and haven't been separated since. Their music blends the way their souls do, expressing their love of daily life, one another and everything that they are blessed to experience.

Singing in English, French, and Dogon they incorporate other world sounds into their music. This tour is probably going to focus on their latest CD "Dimanche a Bamako" when they play at the El Rey Theater.

http://www.afropulse.com/music/concerts/2006-06-w4.html

The past year has been rather bleak in terms of African music. I think there has been a real problem getting visas for the musicians. I was really disappointed when Bonga from Angola had to cancel his first visit to the West Coast. The Conga Room is closing soon and the only venue that regularly has African music is Temple Bar and sister club Zanzibar.

Unfortunately, the drought continues as there is no African show at the Hollywood Bowl, Skirball or UCLA this year. The concerts downtown at Grand Performances will include Kékélé and Daara J in July, and the local Masanga Marimba Ensemble in September. The Ford has Ladysmith Black Mambazo in July, plus AfroPeruvian music and Guinean drumming in August.

http://www.afropulse.com/music/concerts/2006-07-w1.html

I may have to revamp the website to deal with the lack of shows. Right now concert calendars are the main attraction, but they will be mostly empty for a while. I plan to put a little more background on some of the performers, plus more pictures I have taken from concerts.

If you are interested in pictures, posters, screensavers or other things, drop me an email to let me know where the biggest interest lies. I could offer a special deal with CDs and poster if there is enough demand for a particular performer.

jay