Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble - Wahala by afrobeatblog
Monday, November 29, 2010
Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble at Southpaw Next Friday Night
Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble - Wahala by afrobeatblog
Labels:
afrobeat akoya brooklyn southpaw
Chorizo Chunks 9
Chorizo Chunks 9 - DJ Chorizo Funk Live @ Night Fever V. 7 by chorizofunk
Monday, November 22, 2010
New Sofrito Tropical Discotheque Mixtape

Fair Nick Stars - Arrete Mal Parle by afrobeatblog
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Concert Review: Luisa Maita at Lula Lounge, Toronto-November 12, 2010 (photos courtesy of Dave Burke)



Rino finished off the night with a bang. Rino featured guitar, bass, trombone, trap drums, as well as maracatu bass drums creating a loud, intensely unique sound. They combined elements of funk, rock, samba, and something totally new and original. Watching a band cover songs by Jorge Ben with a presentation similar to punk rock was something I've never seen before. Despite a somewhat lengthy gap between their performance and Baque de Bambe while they setup, Rino managed to not lose any of the energy that was building throughout the night.
This Post is Supported by Concert Tickets Toronto 2011
Monday, November 8, 2010
Album Review: Afrocubism
Afrocubism - DJelimady Rumba by afrobeatblog
The album came out November 2, 2010 on World Circuit Records, and has universally lived up to the astronomical expectations which preceded it. It's infinitely interesting to listen to this album and ponder whether the African or Cuban elements are more prominent. It's a nearly impossible task to decipher since Cuban music is deeply influenced by its African roots. In part for that reason, West African music is deeply influenced by Cuban music. Francophone West African post-colonial governments also sent their budding musicians to train in Havana which helped usher in a generation of African musicians who were trained to emulate the Cuban aesthetic. Records and 45s from several Latin-American countries were widely distributed and consumed throughout West Africa beginning around the 1950's. Djelimady Tounkara even honed his guitar skills by accompanying Cuban radio hits.
This album has an entrancing sound that flows from song to song. Djelimady's mesmerizing guitar meshes with the relentlessly propulsive churning bass, gliding over the backdrop of congas, shekere, guiro, tala, and other varied percussion. Ochoa's vocals blend perfectly with the instrumental backdrop. Certain songs feature one instrumentalist more than others, such as Dakan featuring Bassekou Kouyate, Djelimady Rumba featuring Djelimady Tounkara, and Eliades Tumbao 27 featuring Eliades Ochoa. The instrument that provides the most character to the album throughout, in my opinion, is the balafon. It cuts through the already rich texture and adds a concise timbre to the composition.
This album is a testament to the cross-cultural exchange that has occurred for centuries and made its creation possible. Hopefully it will serve as inspiration for future collaborations. The ensemble is performing at Town Hall in midtown Manhattan tomorrow night and then touring Europe. If you are in any way able, I highly recommend seeing this group of musicians live. This collection of music provides a new definition to the term, Afro-Cuban.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Luisa Maita - New Remix Album - N. American Tour
Luisa Maita - Lero-Lero (Seiji Remix) by afrobeatblog
If you can make it to one of the cities on Luisa's tour schedule, definitely check out this rising star while you have the chance:
11-03 New York, NY - S.O.B.'s
11-04 Washington D.C. - Bohemian Caverns
11-05 Philadelphia, PA - Kimmel Center
11-06 Montreal, QC - Belle et Bum
11-07 Burlington, VT - Flynn Space
11-09 Portland, ME - One Longfellow Square
11-10 Somerville, MA - Johnny D's
11-11 Montreal, QC - Balattou
11-12 Toronto, ON - Lula Lounge
11-13 Chicago, IL - Logan Square
11-14 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
11-15 San Francisco, CA - Amoeba Records Instore
11-16 San Francisco, CA - Yoshi's
11-17 Santa Cruz, CA - Kuumbwa Jazz Center
11-18 Los Angeles, CA - KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic
11-19 Los Angeles, CA - Conga Room

Monday, November 1, 2010
Album Review: Hard Proof
I've often said, it's much harder to play slow afrobeat well than fast, and this album is a great example of how to execute a dynamic range. Utilizing slow, winding, interlocking guitar grooves, multi-layered percussion, and deep horn arrangements, Hard Proof sets a down-tempo, sinister mood on tracks such as Stolen Goods, Jimma and Mahout. They pick up the tempo on tracks like No Consideration, Buffalo, and Move In, but it's the slower tracks that creep along that truly stick out on this album.
Hard Proof will be celebrating the release of their new album on November 19th at the Ghost Room in Austin. If you're in the Lone Star State and you're hungry for some afro-love, definitely check them out. I haven't seen them live in concert yet, but listening to the album, you can hear their ability to push, build and release the energy of the music from song to song.
Hard Proof - Jimma by afrobeatblog
Bouncing Cats-New Film about Hip-Hop Culture in Uganda

Bouncing Cats Trailer from Bouncing Cats on Vimeo.
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