Two Nigerian Music Heavyweights for MN Zoo

King Sunny Ade, sometimes called the Minister of Enjoyment and Femi Kuti, son of the late legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti will perform at the Minnesota Zoo as part of the “Subway Music in the Zoo 2009″ program.

King Sunny Ade and The African Beats tour with the typically large African line-up of 20-30 members. They play a spacey, jamming sort of Juju, characterized by tight vocal harmonies, intricate guitar work, backed by traditional talking drums, percussion instruments, and even adding the unusual pedal steel guitar and accordian. Born in 1946 in Oshogbo, Nigeria, King Sunny Ade has been performing for over 40 years.

King Sunny Ade and The African Beats tour with the typically large African line-up of 20-30 members. They play a spacey, jamming sort of Juju, characterized by tight vocal harmonies, intricate guitar work, backed by traditional talking drums, percussion instruments, and even adding the unusual pedal steel guitar and accordian.

Copying note for note his Father’s music has never been Femi’s goal. If he accompanied Fela’s musicians during his youth, he decided as early as 1986 to free himself up and create his own band. Whilst always respecting his musical heritage, Femi has refined over more than twenty years, an afrobeat with soul-jazz nuances that is entirely his own.

The concert at the zoo will be on June 30th. More info
KING SUNNY ADE PERFORMING LIVE-WATCH VIDEO

Baaba Maal: Mixing African Folk and Pop

From the northern, riverside town of Podor, Senegal, comes a modern musician filled with the mysteries of ancient Africa. Catlike and delicate in appearance, Baaba Maal sings with hurricane force. His music embraces the gentle filigree of West African folk, the tumult of mbalax and the toughness of rap and reggae.

Maal comes from the Toucouleur people who live in the Fulani fouta region, by the Senegal River, which divides Senegal and Mauritania. Young Baaba left home and moved to the Wolof-dominated capital Dakar to study music and explore his national culture. He soon returned to the north and spent a year with his group traveling along the Senegal River and learning from the old musicians village by village.

In 1982, Maal went to a conservatory in Paris, where he performed with his longtime friend the blind singer Mansour Seck. The duo pricked up ears in Europe with their intimate live recording, Djam Leelii. Maal returned to Senegal to form his current group, Dande Lenol, or “Voice of the Race.” The group has played a key role in African pop’s incorporation of hip-hop, reggae and techno, notably on their landmark 1994 release, Firin’ in Fouta. Other Maal releases with Dande Lenol include Lam Toro (1992), Nomad Soul (1997) and Live at Royal Festival Hall (1999).

Maal also maintains an acoustic group that plays and records folkloric music. His 1991 acoustic release Baayo is a landmark Afropop recording, and Maal reprised its acoustic format on Missing You (Mi Yeewlii) (2001). A true original, Maal celebrates village life even as he advocates contemporary causes, including women’s rights in Africa. Like the griots he admires, Maal sings of history and heroes, bringing the lessons of the past into peoples’ lives today.

Banning Eyre, Courtesy Afropop Worldwide: www.afropop.org

BAABA MAAL SINGS YELA-WATCH VIDEO

Shaggy Returns To Uganda

Come May 23, Orange Telecom is bringing Jamaican American Reggae star Shaggy back to Ugandan, East Afirca pop music lovers.

Shaggy will be performing at a carnival that starts at Shoprite Lugogo from 9.30 am and later at an after party at 4.00 pm at the Lugogo Cricket Oval. Popular local artistes like Mowzey Radio & Weasel, Navio and Kenya’s Nameless will be on stage too. Orange Telecom promises over Shs30 million worth of prizes to be won prior to the carnival. All one has to do is get an entry package on paying Shs20,000 which includes a SIM card, Shs10,000 airtime plus a ticket to the after party. Alternatively, one can also pay Shs80,000 for a package, which includes a mobile phone, a SIM Card plus Shs10,000 airtime.

Officials say the launch of Orange’s brand new GSM network will provide Ugandans across the country with the quality of service and innovative offers that have become the hallmark of Orange’s reputation worldwide. With this launch, Uganda becomes the 15th African country in Orange’s international footprint and joins a worldwide community of 123 million Orange customers.Increasing demand for mobile and internet services across Uganda has led to high expectations in the run-up to the launch of operations by Orange, which is already well-know for its refreshing, dynamic and straightforward appeal.

SHAGGY AT THE MOBO AWARDS-WATCH VIDEO