by Nelima Bra Hugh Masekela is a musical genius who plays the trumpet, trombone, flugelhorn and cornet; he is a great singer and composer as well as a master storyteller, activist and history teacher (by way of his music). At 72 he is still going strong and will be performing two shows a day on … Continue reading »
Tag Archives: music
African Music Ensemble Fall Concert at the UMN
If you haven’t attended one of these you should. Watching Sowah Mensa and his protegés play an array of African instruments ranging from drums and flutes to the xylophone is a real treat! Best of all – the concert is free Event Information Date: 12/02/11 Time: 8:00pm – 9:30pm Location: Lloyd Ultan Recital Hall - Ferguson … Continue reading »
africa / Calendar / Education / Entertainment / music / Perfmorming Arts
African Musics of the Portuguese and French-Speaking Worlds
by Nelima The University International Center will be hosting an interesting event. International Symposium on Popular Music Studies: African Musics of the Portuguese- and French-Speaking Worlds Thursday, Friday, and Monday April 23, 24 & 27, 2009 Link to Program (in .pdf format) Link to Poster (in .pdf format) Schedule of Events: (click on titles … Continue reading »
Somali hip-hop: “It’s a culture. It’s a people’s life.”
BY JUSTIN SCHELL , TC DAILY PLANET On New Year’s Eve, hundreds of Somali youth packed one of the ballrooms at the Minneapolis Convention Center. There were performers from Minneapolis, Rochester, Seattle, and even as far away as London—places that have all developed substantial Somali populations both before and since the Somali Civil War, which … Continue reading »
Grammy-Winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo will be here February 20th
by Nelima I didn’t watch the grammy’s but heard that congratulations are in order for Ladysmith Black Mambazo who cinched the Best Traditional World Music Grammy for the Album “Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu”. This will be the second grammy for the group, who have earned eight grammy nominations. Great news is you now have a … Continue reading »
K’naan, M.anifest, Muja Messiah in Concert this Wednesday
by Nelima I almost forgot to post this. Somali-Canadian artist/poet/rapper K’naan will be performing at the Varsity Theater on Feb 11th (this Wednesday) as he promotes his upcoming album ‘Troubadour’. He a great artist, does a lot of conscious music and is Pan-African while putting Somali on the map. If you missed him last year … Continue reading »
Adventures in Single Dad-dom – The Missing Link
IBé I use to be a party animal. I was never the drinking kind, but man, I loved the club scene. I started going before I was barely in my teens. That was back in Koindu, Sierra Leone. At Disco J you couldn’t tell us we were not Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown and George Michael … Continue reading »
We Makin’ Arab Money … Tougher Than Nigerian Hair … Creative Or Insensitive?
by Nelima My youngest brother who is a Dj told me something interesting this morning. He was doing his regular gig on Sunday and was about to play the song ‘Arab Money’ by Busta when his friend asked him not to play the song as it may be offensive to the culture of the many … Continue reading »
Miriam Makeba, The Witch Lady
by IBé Oh, yes, on the heels of the rise of one great African (Obama), another bids adieu. Miriam Makeba, mother of a nation, leaves us with only her music to sing us to the finish line. Hers was the gentle voice that could raise a storm, the sweetest tone to make your cry, … Continue reading »
Ola Onabule show cancelled.
Sorry to be the bearer of this bad news, but Ola Onabule’s show has been cancelled. He was unable to gain entry into the US because he did not have the appropriate visa and was sent back to London. We will mos def let you know when he comes back. Continue reading »
