Kemet Music Radio

One of Ethiopia's most beloved singers, Aster Aweke is often called "Africa's Aretha Franklin" for her compelling combination of driving grooves and soulful vocals that sing of love and loss and life. Born in 1961 in Gondor, Ethiopia, she grew up in Addis Ababa as the daughter of a high level civil servant in the Imperial government of Haile Selassie.

By the tender age of 13, Aster was determined to become a singer, and began by performing as a teenager at the legendary Hager Fikir Theatre in Addis Ababa, going on to sing at other clubs and with groups like the Continental Band, Hotel D'Afrique Band, Shebele Band, and the Ibex Band before they became the internationally known Roha Band. Ali Tango, a key figure in the Ethiopian music business, became a mentor and by 1977 would finance and release a series of five cassettes and two singles of her as a solo act.

History would intervene in Aster's burgeoning career. After the 1975 revolution that deposed Emperor Selassie and installed a Soviet backed communist r�ime, Aster became increasingly disillusioned with the violence and oppression that engulfed Ethiopian society at the time. After a couple of years spent traveling, she landed in the Bay Area of California in 1979 with the intention of pursuing an education . About two years later, however, she'd leave Cali for the Washington DC area, home to one of the largest expatriot Ethiopian communities in North America, to continue her musical career.

The move proved fruitful, and her reputation gradually grew among the sizeable DC area Ethiopian community, where for years she sang four nights a week at a nightclub. She began touring US & Europe in 1985 after building up a following, and began recording solo releases with 1989's Aster. Success overseas reached back into Ethiopia, where 50,000 fans came to see her in Addis Ababa in 1997 and she played for more than 80,000 on that tour. More recently, she returned to Ethiopia in 2009 to sing at the Peace through Unity, Unity through Music concert in Addis Ababa at the Millenium Hall, alongside other Ethiopian artists Gossaye and Pras (of the Fugees).

Based in L.A. these days, as of fall 2010, Aster is hard at work on a new CD release. She writes her own material that seamlessly fuses classic Ethiopian funk and groove along with jazzy riffs and soul, with that powerful voice above it all. She sings in Amharic, her voice characterized by a fluid, nimble style based on Ethiopian traditions married with contemporary soul and R&B influences to become something uniquely her own. Just as her songs include a mixture of the traditional and the contemporary, her band can include a brass section, sax and marimba along with the traditional bass, guitar and drums.

Discography:
Ethiopian Groove - The Golden Seventies, Paris, 1994, Buda Musique (contains three of her very first recordings)
1989 Aster (Columbia/CBS Records)
1991 Kabu (Columbia/SME Records)
1993 Ebo (Barkhanns)
1997 Live in London (Barkhanns)
1999 Hagere (Kabu Records)
2002 Sugar (Kabu Records)
2004 Asters Ballads (Kabu Records)
2006 Fikir

Ballak�Sissoko (sometimes seen as Ballak�Cissoko, or Jeli Moussa Sissoko)

Born into the griot (musician's) caste in Mali in 1968, Ballak�Sissoko's father was the noted griot Djelimady Sissoko, who actually didn't wish his first born son to become a musician despite the strong the family tradition. However, Ballak�began to teach himself the 21 stringed kora at an early age in his father's school. He joined the Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, and went on to to play with a variety of Malian musicians, including several notable female singers.

Fame caught up with him early on after a duet with Toumani Diabat�at age 13 in 1981. He continued to play with a variety of artists, developing a facility with combining Malian tradition with the Western 7 note scale and rock influences espoused by guitarists like Djelimady Tounkara. He began to record his own releases in 1998. It was 1999's collaboration on Taj Mahal's Kulanjan CD, along with Toumani Diabat�also on kora and Bassekou Kouyat�on ngoni and bass ngoni, (among others,) and the resulting live tour that really cemented his reputation worldwide. In 2000, he formed the trio Mande Tabolo with an n�ni player and a balafon player, and continued to release his own CDs.

Along with making his own music, his career has been characterized by a willingness to experiment stylistically, often via collaborations with artists from all over the world. His 2005 album, Tomora, again features Toumani Diabat�on kora and other Malian musicians, carving out a sound that includes both traditional and more contemporary influences. It's polyrhythmic music with gorgeous melodies that are also complex. His most recent release is a collaboration with classically trained French cellist Vincent Segal, (himself known for his experimental project, bumcello,) the 2009 CD Chamber Music. The two have taken their project to a series of live performances, including one with noted Cape Verde singer Cesario Evora in London in 2010.

Ballak�s facility with the multi stringed kora is truly remarkable. He coaxes a fluid ripple of sound from it that he can seemingly adapt to any context from traditional to contemporary African music - like his work with Malian star Kandia Kouyat�- to the Western-fusion pop of Sting (with whom he performed the single Fragile live) to his latest collaboration with French cellist Vincent Segal. To watch or hear him play is to be in the presence of an undeniable master of his craft, equally at home as soloist, accompanist or composer. Ballak�Sissoko currently makes Paris his home.

Discography:
Ballak�Sissoko & Vincent Segal - Chamber music (No Format - 2009)
Ballak�Sissoko, Rajery, Driss El Maloumi - 3 MA (Contre Jour - 2008)
Thee stranded horse & Ballak�Sissoko (Talitres - 2007)
Liu Fang - Le son de soie (Accords crois� - 2006)
Keyvan Chemirani - Le rythme de la parole II (Accords crois� - 2006)
Ballak�Sissoko - Tomora (Label Bleu/Indigo - 2005)
Ludovico Einaudi & Ballak�Sissoko - Diario Mali (Ponderosa - 2003)
Ross Daly - Microkosmos (Nocturne - 2002)
Ballak�Sissoko - D�i (Label Bleu/Indigo - 2000)
Toumani Diabat�& Ballak�Sissoko - Nouvelles cordes anciennes (1999)
Taj Mahal & Toumani Diabat�- Kulanjan (1999)
Djelimoussa Sissoko dit "Ballak� (5 plan�es - 1998)
Ballak�Sissoko - Kora music from Mali (Bibiafrica - 1997)

An Interview with Hugh Masekela in the middle of the Fall 2010 tour that took him from Carnegie Hall to Toronto's Koerner Hall, Vancouver and Banff.

Trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer extraordinaire, South African musician Hugh Masekela turned 71 this spring and shows no signs of slowing down. He's led a remarkable life that saw him leaving his homeland twice as a result of the former oppressive apartheid regime, music being his key both out of and back into Africa. A family friend gave Hugh a trumpet and hooked him up with his first teacher when he was smitten with the instrument after seeing Kirk Douglas in the film Young Man with a Horn at the age of 14. He began to play in bands, first in school with other musicians he still counts as friends today, and went on to form the Jazz Epistles - the first South African jazz band to record and play to record houses in 1959/60. That period ended after the notorious Sharpeville Massacre of 1960. After that date, the government banned public groups of more than 10 people.

Hugh left for London, where friends John Dankworth and Yehudi Menuhin got him a scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music. Once he was done there, he landed in the U.S., where other friends, including Harry Belafonte and fellow ex-pat Miriam Makeba (with whom he shared a lifelong friendship, sometimes as lovers, and with whom he was married from 1964 to 1966,) helped him get established. He studied classical trumpet at the Manhattan School of Music in New York from 1960-64, and then followed up with a burgeoning career and hits like Up, Up and Away. Still, his homeland was always calling, and he relocated to neighbouring Botswana in the 1980's until the South African government again began to crack down on what it saw as dissidents. He ended up back in the U.K. for a time, then the U.S., touring with Paul Simon, among others. In other interviews, he's credited the Graceland project and its two year tour as being key to letting the rest of the world discover the music and culture of Africa. His 1987 song Bring Him Back Home, about Nelson Mandela, became an anti-apartheid anthem. He went back to South Africa for good after the end of apartheid came finally in the 1990's.

"I come from a South African ancestry and childhood, and heritage. It's obviously at the centre stage of my life," he says. "(But) I've lived all over the world because I had to tour," he notes. "I've gotten to the stage of my life where I'm a person of the world."

Although he's in the middle of his North American tour, he's eager to talk about his other projects, and the one obsession that's fueling all his present day efforts. "Heritage restoration is part of my current obsession," he says. He talks about the fact that Africa's image as a "vanquished continent" perpetuates to this day, and the deliterious effects of transplanted culture that Africa continues to struggle with. "Especially religion, which has been foisted on us," he notes. "African heritage (was characterized) as actually heathen, pagan and primitive. I think it's important for Africans to be able to revel in their heritage." He cites the British and their reverence for the public pomp and circumstance of royalty as an example of that. "We can take our inspiration from the Queen of England," he jokes. "I want to see that in my lifetime. People have been standardized due to technology . It has not been good to Africa. African heritage and culture needs reaffirmation from African people. They've been spread all over the world."

He laments that much of African culture has been watered down in its farflung diaspora, because generations of Africans have been conditioned to accept the Euro/North American models of society. "There's a very, very long way to go back." He notes the rich continental African oral traditions, poetry and forgotten history. "Our performance genius," he says, "without a doubt, it's the most diverse in the world - but it's invisible." People, as he notes, are the reservoir of history and culture, and knowledge of self is key. "With knowledge of self, Africans won't accept to be (only) consumers and cheap labour."

His long musical career has touched on many genres - jazz, classical, contemporary North American adult, various African styles, words that mean little to him. "I grew up in an age when all these labels did not exist," he says. "I still listen with the ears of a child."

When it comes to what to expect on his current tour, he says he's at the top of his game musically. "My biggest concentration lately has been to play in a formidable ensemble of five other musicians who are virtuosos in their own right. I think that musically we play at a high level that is the result of the incubation of all the styles I've been exposed to over my lifetime." And as for a stylistic label? "We call it backyard," he laughs. "It's definitely not house, or garage."

He's more amused than annoyed by the marketing categories of the contemporary music business. "At one point, the term "world music" was coined. I woke up one day and people told me I was playing world music," he notes dryly.

His work in South Africa these days includes work in theatre. "I'm beginning to dabble in theatre - a little acting, but mostly production," he reports. (He was previously involved in playing and composing for theatrical productions early in his career.) He's involved with founding a musical theatre company which had a successful production earlier this year. "We have four guys who sing the hell out of My Yiddish Mama.," he laughs. "We're coming back to The Market Theatre in Johannesburg with 'Songs of Migration,'" he says. The theatre group is an extension of his driving concern, involving productions that are music, culture and heritage driven. "We're celebrating exponents of our past," he says.

He also mentions an idea he's working on, involving web based cultural exchanges between municipalities in different parts of the world. It all reinfornces that obsession with cultural restoration. "At this point in civilization, we can all use it. We have really become standardized over the last five years," he says of modern commercialized culture. "Everyone is sitting in front of a screen," Hugh says. "It's important for children of the future to say 'I am African' - rather than 'we used to be African, long ago'. Heritage restoration, we can create the environment for it. I'm trying to get a foundation for that. Once we get pilot modules, we can spread that virus. I hope it can spread quickly."

"Musical performance, whether live or recorded, should cut into the consciousness and heart of a listener with the same care and precision that a diamond cutter cuts into a stone," says Kwasi, leader and percussionist of JaJa Matsimela. This care and precision are immediately evident in the music of this Philadelphia-based world music band.

Blending African, Brazilian, Cuban, reggae and Caribbean grooves with Motown, delta and urban East Coast blues and jazz is no easy way to cut a diamond, but JaJa Matsimela pulls it off with the skill and ease of a master jeweler. In an August 2010 Latin Beat Magazine review of their recent recording "Blues Sauce," Nelson Rodriguez wrote that, "a copy of this disc permanently resides in my car's CD player."

"Blues Sauce" contains 10 tracks and features Kwasi on congas, bongos and timbales, "Big Bill" Williams on flute, alto, tenor and baritone sax, Laurent "LB" Bass on harmonica, soprano, alto and tenor sax, Harry Rosario on bass, Jeff Johnson on drums and Isaac Castro on piano. Kwasi also serves as the band's principal songwriter and arranger, with Williams handling the musical direction. Kwasi began performing in front of family members at the age of 3, and acquired his first drum kit shortly thereafter. In the 20 years that followed, Kwasi studied with drum legends Baba Ibi Crowder, Abdu Johnson and Steve Berrios. Kwasi joined forces with Philly jazz, blues and world music veterans Williams, Bass, Rosario, Johnson and Castro to form JaJa in the mid-2000s, to create a musical melting-pot which combines their diverse influences and deep love of music.

Michael G. Nastos of Allmusic.com called the music of JaJa Matsimela, "some of the hippest 'fusion' music made in the early 21st century by a band that has unlimited potential," and major music venues and festivals seem to agree. JaJa Matsimela has appeared at the Kimmel Center, Painted Bride Art Center, World Cafe Live, Mellon Jazz Festival, SoHo Music Festival, Bethlehem Music Festival in Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Film and Music Festival to name a few.

Known simply as "JaJa" by fans, JaJa Matsimela means "honored roots," according to the band - and the roots and influences run deep and wide. Mongo Santamaria, James Brown, Carlos Santana, Fela Kuti, Howl'n Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Steel Pulse, Peter Tosh and Bob Marley are cited as the band's major influences, and read as a "who's who" of artists who have shaken the music world at one time or another. One may think that JaJa has some pretty big proverbial shoes to fill with a list of this caliber, but one listen to "Blues Sauce" will convince even the most critical listener that they are well on their way to filling them.

http://www.jajamatsimela.com

Generally depicted on his album covers wearing an ordinary shirt and pants combo, Jalam doesn't seem to match the sense of style found in many other reggae artists. This fact alone makes Jalam a man worth noticing, for his messages about social consciousness and respecting one another are as plain and true as his attire.

Jamal Moncur, dubbed Jalam years later, was born on March 16, 1978, on Cat Island in the Bahamas, birthplace of Sidney Poitier. He was raised in the small settlement of New Bight by a supportive mother who encouraged his musical ambitions, ones that quickly displayed themselves outside the household. During his formative days in primary and high school, Jalam participated in school talent shows demonstrating a love of (and knack for) reggae beats by musically pounding on his desk. He was also noted for his way with words, dominating in his English and literature classes and earning himself the title of Mr. Popularity by age 15, thanks to his silver tongue and winning personality. Jalam had little trouble convincing his fellow islanders of his talents.

Moving to Nassau after graduation to pursue a music career, Jalam met musicians Michael Hoyte and Ian Williams, who encouraged their less experienced friend and showed him the ropes of the business in the Bahamas. Their subsequent partnership began a songwriting process for Jalam that generated several hit singles, the likes of "No Mama Man," "Sufferation" and "Jah Guides." Jalam also began to play at venues with his new band, working his way through the clubs and cruises of the islands to open for powerhouses like Glen Washington and Damian Marley at The Reggae All-Stars Concert.

Jalam's hard work eventually culminated in the release of his first album in 2006, titled "It's Not Impossible." The CD mixed several of Jalam's old singles with a slew of new, high-quality tunes and was a big hit among fans. This, coupled with extensive touring in the Caribbean, quickly turned Jalam into a popular artist close to home and abroad. His audiences appreciated his positive, uplifting spirit and lyrics, which remained strong, despite the deaths of several family members prior to the album's release.

Jalam has continued to create and market his music to audiences of all ages in the Bahamas, his newest creations "World Gone Crazy" and "Most High" earning radio time well beyond the Caribbean. Working with a love of his art and a desire to teach as well as entertain, Jalam is an artist to watch - and listen to - for years to come, as this young man is just getting started.

The kora is a stringed instrument that plays a key part in the music traditions of several West African countries including Guinea, Senegal, Gambia and Mali. Although it looks like a lute, the kora's beautiful, distinctive sound is more like that of a harp.

The body of a kora comes from a fruit. Half a calabash, a pumpkin like fruit, is dried. Then the half gourd is covered in cowhide and a long wooden neck added. Koras resemble lutes in appearance but an obvious difference is the strings being arranged vertically away from the body rather than across it. Koras are large but size varies depending on the materials available and the maker's wishes, normally being several feet long. Exactly how a kora is made differs from country to country; those made in southern Senegal for example normally have additional strings.

Koras nearly always have 21 strings or more, and so they are played with both hands. A kora musician normally plays 11 strings with the left hand and 10 with the right. These are plucked and the sitting musician uses their remaining fingers to support the instrument.

Playing the kora was originally done only by men. You became a kora player first through inheritance, by being born into the griot caste, then with years of learning. Families of griots played a key role in the West African Mande culture, recounting information through story telling, singing and music. Wealthy patrons supported griots, so much of the information concerned the history and activities of the family in question. However in an oral culture this is the only way any history can be recorded, and the griot role was a vital one. Interestingly the griot role is not exclusive to West Africa. For example in Celtic tradition a similar role was played by bards; often also accompanied by stringed instruments.

The kora was an essential musical instrument in the griot tradition, being played to accompany singing or by itself. Sometimes it would be played alongside other instruments in an ensemble. In fact the term griot or jeli is sometimes used simply to refer to a musician.

Jeliya or the art of the jeli is the music produced. It is meant to convey a message and inspire reflection. Jeliya therefore is usually, although not always, music to be listened to with care rather than simply a soundtrack for dancing.

Written references to the kora date from the end of the 18th century; however there is evidence that this instrument has been around much longer. There were very similar instruments around in the 13th century and possibly far earlier, that evolved into the instrument that we call the kora today. The griot tradition itself certainly dates from long before the 1700s. In fact, griots have been passing on their skills for many hundreds of years.

Modern koras are still often made in the traditional way but sometimes with changes to structure and materials. Various modern materials can form the different parts of a kora. The strings were once made from hide but now much more likely to be formed from nylon fishing line. Given the popularity of electric guitars it was perhaps inevitable that an electric kora would be developed. This has indeed happened with the creation of an instrument called the gravikord late last century.

The kora is still used for traditional music and is making an appearance in all kinds of fusion styles. Its unique sound and rich associations are appealing to many musicians. Jazz musicians have been including kora music in their works for years. Today, renowned kora players are found worldwide, not only in West Africa but also the United States and Europe. The many creative possibilities provided by koras are still being explored and remarkable new music is being produced.

Queen Ifrica - Unmasking a Society with Reality

A voice with belief, coated in culture, streams from the skies of Montego Bay into the clouds globally to enhance the philosophies of a style, spirituality, and way of existence of reggae vocalist Queen Ifrica. The design of her vision explodes with an eclectic meaning of a truth, a life, and the world around her. Her vocals speak not only of what one wishes to be but what it actually is, bridging faith with reality. This is the fascinating sound and world of Queen Ifrica.

To understand the psyche of The Queen is to listen intensely to the message from within the music sheet. From her descriptive unveiling of the hidden roads of Montego Bay in her cut "Welcome to Montego Bay," which is saturated with the heartache of a society to the children of poverty, The Queen, through her gift, has seen!

Reggae is not just a sound, but a way of life, living, and enduring the world around one's space. This The Queen gets across in much of her musical effort. The reality of the pain and the pleasure comes out in every vocal expression. When I first experienced her craft I was moved back to a time when music was the new voice of a populace and passion, it was the '60's, when America attained a voice. The Queen in her own style has done just that, in opening the eyes of many to a world, hidden by masks. Montego Bay, her newest spin, has that independent reggae feel to it, thus becoming that voice.

One speaks of the Rastafarianism belief -- which is often confused as a religion -- however most define it more as a way of life. The Queen's music allows one to encourage one another to find inspiration and faith from within them; consequently the same is spoken about the base of the Rastafarian belief. In her cut "Far Away" she comes through with a calming and soulful appeal. She speaks of anger and being off in the distance, as she addresses an escape. This cut digs deep within the soul of the listener with a euphoric feeling of freedom. The horrid unveiling of child molestation, which comes full circle in her emotional vocalization of the inner mind, of an abused child in "Daddy", showcases the insight of Queen Ifrica. These lyrics insert into reality the life and the fears of a child in the midst of hell's relationship referred to as incest. "Daddy, don't touch me there" and "Can't you see I am scared" are just a few heartfelt lyrical horrors of a young girl's mind forced into a mature situation. This highly intense exhibition is song of a reality that not only concerns one but all cultures. This is a fascinating exploration into one of the evils of humanity. As The Queen states with conviction, "Daddy's not the one that should take away my innocence."

The Queen is what one might refer to as a spiritual leader of lyrics with an intoxicating feel for song. Her reggae palette visually discloses stories of what is beyond the fingers, of what we are forced to understand. The horrors of humanity undressed and in full sight of those blinded by media. The Queen also issues deliberate statements of descriptive domestic dynamics as it pertains to her life around her. This is what separates this artist from those around her. The elegance of truth amidst the stage of deception is how I envision The Queen's existence in the industry today.

In closing, this review of Queen Ifrica could say so much more of this dynamic and multifaceted artist. The desire to dig deeper into her craft is heavy with interest for she speaks of what few will, with eloquence of foresight and conviction, of the truth without fear of controversy. The talent is evident but what is not is the impact she has on a culture of young people who do not see what she does. This only time will define. The style is that which she chooses and develops with expertise but the message has no barriers and should not. This is an artist with purpose. She bridges outside the social norm of the music industry, thus it's a gift to spin her voice.

Chiwoniso Maraire'known by just Chiwoniso'was born in the United States to a musical family. "Both my parents were musicians'" she says. "My father was an amazing mbira player'my mother was a beautiful singer'so I was surrounded by this music from the day I was conceived'really'because they used to teach classes in the house as well." Her father was the legendary Dumisani Maraire'a master of the mbira'and credited with sowing the seeds of Zimbabwean music in the Pacific Northwest during his tenure as professor at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Her family were of the Shona people of Zimbabwe'and Chiwoniso herself has been playing the mbira'a thumb piano'since the age of 4. Used in religious ceremonies for centuries'the mbira has traditionally been seen as an instrument played by men'making her a trail blazer at an early age. Her family moved back to Zimbabwe in 1990'where she became the vocalist for A Peace of Ebony'the nation's first hip hop band.

With her U.S. based upbringing and a family so steeped in the music of Zimbabwe'it's no surprise that her sound blends many musical traditions'from R&B and soul to soukous'highlife and jazz. In 1997'she released her first solo album'Ancient Voices'which was critically praised'earning her the prestigious Radio France International "Best New Artist" award. After a quick start'Chiwoniso took a long break from solo recording to raise two daughters'during which time she stayed active by contributing to projects like The Nobel Peace'Women's Voices and The Collaboration'with Adam Chisvo'Charlie Summerfield'among others.

She came back to the world music scene in 2008 with Rebel Woman'recorded in South Africa'England'and Vermont and infused with both her expressive voice and characteristic blend of Zimbabwean'American and Pan-African influences. Having lived in Harare during the last decade'she's experienced the political and social turmoil first hand'and in Rebel Woman she gives voice to the power and strength of women in difficult times. Long herself an advocate for children's rights in particular'Chiwoniso believes that artists have a definite place in the world too. "We have a responsibility. We are not bankers'we are not doctors'we are not nurses. We have another part that we play in society that must be done. So'regardless of whatever world system is going to come in and say: 'Cut what you are saying'' going to send riot cops in to your shows'going to come and arrest you and say 'We are going to try and put you in jail...' it doesn't matter. We have a responsibility."

As part of his commitment to preserving the best part of hip hop'Truth Universal�s self-described �righteous rap� belongs to New Orleans� lesser known underground scene. And it�s no wonder � powerful songs that tackle injustice and challenge the system are much too heavy for mainstream shelves.

Truth (Tajiri Kamau) found his way into hip hop culture during its infancy shortly after moving to New Orleans from his native Trinidad as a child. His political outlook started to take shape early on thanks to his parents'who introduced Truth to conscious reggae and calypso � Bob Marley'Mighty Sparrow � at a young age. But it was inspiration from Rakim'Public Enemy and other like-minded rap artists with powerful messages of liberation'that he forged his own path towards becoming an emcee.

Truth dropped several low-key'street releases like Dashiki Dialogue in 2000 and Plantation Graffiti in 2001 with what he calls'�grassroots'guerilla-style marketing.� By the sweat of his brow'Truth managed to push 600 units before anyone had really heard his music.

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina became a defining moment in his life. Upon relocating to Houston'Texas after the devastating hurricane hit'Truth experienced first-hand the socio-political fallout and racial divide during the storm�s aftermath. From that point'Truth�s lyrics took an even stronger'uncompromising stance in the direction of Afrocentric content.

�The reason my music sounds the way it does is a conscious effort to keep it in the vein of what influenced me to hip hop. I would just call it traditional'� Truth says. �I�m very mindful of the structure'feel the DJ presence and a degree of provocative content.�

Truth is preparing to release his full-length project'Decolonization. With a sound Hip hop loyalists will love'Truth Universal remains faithful to the tradition initiated by hip hop pioneers.

To say that Dele Sosimi knows the Afrobeat groove inside out is a gross understatement - it's truer to say that he was an integral part of establishing it as a musical force in the world.

Infectious Afrobeat music combines Nigerian Yoruba music with elements of jazz and West African highlife set to funky rhythms. It's polyrhythmic and musically dense'and live performances are energetic - to say the least - played by often large bands with horn sections and female dancers and back up singers. Dele's known for his assured stage presence and rich baritone'along with his instrumental prowess.

Dele was born in Hackney'a neighbourhood of London'but first studied music after going to Nigeria'where he taught himself to play piano and guitar. As a precocious teenager'he was already touring Europe and the U.S. as part of Egypt 80 (1979-1986) - the legendary Fela Kuti's band. Fela Kuti is largely credited with creating Afrobeat during his own days in London. Dele became a close friend of Fela's son Femi early on'and worked with Femi when Fela'who was as well known for political activism as for his music'was jailed in the mid-1980's. He later left Egypt 80 with Femi to become part of Femi's band Positive Force. As musical director and bandleader for both bands'he was responsible for orchestration along with recruiting new talent. Dele balanced those duties with his own work with the Afro Jazz Quartet/Quintet'and he worked with French bassoon player Alex Ouzounoff on the CD Made in Nigeria around the same time.

In late 1995'he left Positive Force and moved to London'where he formed his own band called Gbedu Resurrection'quickly becoming a fixture in London's thriving Nigerian music scene. In 2002 he recorded his first solo CD'Turbulent Times'with an emphasis on the piano'an instrument which is often secondary in Afrobeat music to the horns and drums.

Currently based in London'Dele is an educator and instructor in Afrobeat (via his Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Foundation'and as a Visiting Lecturer in Music and Media'London Metropolitan University) along with an active member of the city's music scene.

Some might call what Unifyed Sol Poets do'�soul work.� There is something about their art that reconnects listeners to spirit and heals hearts with the right words in rhythm.

Unifyed Sol Poets is a duo that produces a soulful cleansing through their energy'cadence and creative word play. Robert and Kimbi Mullins'a.k.a. Moody Black and Kimbi the Goddess'are spoken-word artists from South Carolina who travel the US inspiring audiences with poetry that is as heartfelt and moving as it engaging and hopeful.

Like all great duos � Ashford and Simpson'Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee � Unifyed Sol Poets finds the perfect balance among seemingly dichotomous elements: male and female energy'hard work and talent'entertainment and education. Both Moody Black and Kimbi the Goddess bring their unique personality to every piece and each is an accomplished artist in his/her own right. In 2006 Moody Black became the Spartanburg S.C. Grand Slam Champion'and the slam master for the Upstate South Carolina Slam Team from 2006-2008. Kimbi the Goddess was named the Upstate South Carolina Grand Slam Champion and Spartanburg S.C. Grand Slam Champion in 2008'and went on to become the 2009 South Carolina Queen Slam Champion. Between them'they have released seven albums'including Looking for Beautiful by Moody Black and More than M.E. (Music Expressionista) by Kimbi the Goddess.

�What got me into poetry was my mother. Growing up'she made sure that we were involved in the arts. It was like a rite of passage to know Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou'� said Moody Black. �But what really did it for me was when I heard The Roots� CD'Do You Want More'and I heard Ursula Rucker. Oh God'she blew my mind.�

Both Moody and Kimbi regularly host the Coffee Underground Poetry night in Greenville'South Carolina and serve as board members on Wits End Poetry. They have been featured in numerous publications and books'won several slams throughout South Carolina and have competed nationally. Together'they have become some of the south�s most prolific performers.

While the current generation of hip hop heads may be more familiar with Drake and Lil� Wayne'Mic Crenshaw is a hip hop veteran with 15 years of rhyming under his belt. Born on the South Side of Chicago in the '70s and raised between there and Minneapolis'Mic Crenshaw has seen and done plenty. Now'as an adult living in the Portland area and an emcee that has been featured on over 10 albums'Crenshaw has become one of the most respected artists in the Northwest.

�Mic Crenshaw comes hard and shows us what a dope rapper is really supposed to be about'� said hip hop journalist and historian'Davey D. �This brother is definitely a front-line soldier who is fearless on the mic as well as continuously pushing for social justice."

As poet'Crenshaw has won the Portland Poetry Slam Championship in 2001 and went on to finish as a national finalist. As an emcee'he has collaborated on a number of albums and shared stages with legendary artists like The Fugees'Ice Cube'Outkast and Wu-Tang Clan. He has been featured in XLR8R Magazine'on Myx.tv'hiphopdx.com'okayplayer.com'and a number of other music websites.

In 2009 Crenshaw released his independent solo debut'Thinking Out Loud'which spent 10 weeks on CMJ�s National Radio Hip Hop Charts'peaking at #4. True to form'the album embodies hip hop�s spirit in the purest form by challenging the status quo and calling for social justice.

An emcee with a conscious'Mic Crenshaw�s activism extends beyond his music and poetry. As a young man'Crenshaw actively fought against racism in Minneapolis by becoming a founding member of Anti-Racist Action and the Minneapolis anti-racist skinhead crew'the Baldies. After moving to Portland'Crenshaw became a social worker'where he co-founded the hip hop band'Hungry Mob. He continues to do work within the community with a non-profit organization called Global Fam'which has helped setup a computer center for disadvantaged youth in Burundi'Central Africa.

�One of the tightest rappers around'� said Davey D. �Crenshaw is the truth - spread the word.�

This is going to be a hard one'being a scarcely researched and totally subjective topic- depending on whether you're Nigerian'Ghanaian'Liberian or Sierra Leonian.

The Palmwine Guitar sound is a distinctive Folk sound'which originated in West Africa at the turn of the 20th century. As the story goes'the style emanated from Sierra Leone'where the Portuguese and Spanish sailors whose ships berthed on Merchant ships on the West African Coastal ports of Freetown (Sierra Leone) 'Lagos (Nigeria)'Monrovia (Liberia) and Accra/Tema (Ghana) lent their Guitars and style to their African shipmates who formulated a unique style fusing native rhythms with the Latin style bequeathed by their Latin benefactors and resulting in an expressive twangy'melodious Guitar sound.

The early African Guitar pioneers'primarily played (in an era before Ipods/Walkmans) on the ships in their spare time to entertain themselves'often raw and rudimentary'a revolution was nonetheless taking place. The Guitars were often played to accompany Native vocal renditions'varied in their content but often centred around themes of Love and peace 'Native wisdom'satire and often times personal angst and social commentary.

As time went on the Guitar moved away from the exclusive preserve of the African sailors to the general populace and the local musicians adopted the Guitar'Violin'Mandolin'Banjo (and rather annoyingly that dreadful Instrument- The Kazoo) as elitist forms of expression. A word of note'West African musicians in general played in the Traditional form (using Traditional instruments) at Funerals'Weddings'Religious Feasts and Festivals and to entertain Royalty in Court and not much else- these were the elite. The new Guitar elite as referred to previously occupied a middle stratum in the urban centres'playing at solcial functions for the Urban elite i.e the new Native professional class of Lawyers'Doctors'Engineers and Businessmen'being mostly educated in the UK such as the E.K. Bannerman's'Tetteh Addo's'A. Quartey-Papafio brilliant Ghanaian Barristers of the early 20th century'G.Sorunkeh-Sawyer'A. Dove-Edwin Sierra Leonian Barrister and Doctor respectively'A.Sapara-Williams'Sir Kitoyi-Ajasa'Eric Moore'Joseph Egerton-Shyngle (Lagos Barristers)'Dr Doherty'Dr Da Rocha'Dr Curtis Adeniyi-Jones (Doctors) and successful Traders like Da-Rocha'the extremely gifted female Trader- Ore Moore (a product of finishing school in England and reputedly a classically trained Pianist and fluent in three European languages). They were the native elite and usually demanded the best musical entertainment'ranging from Classical Pianists to the emerging group of elite local modern musicians.

At the lower end of the rung were the Bards and Minstrels'who would go round houses and local bars in the evening (when self respecting people had come back from work) and get a few cowries or pennies for their troubles'often walking several miles on this beat'kind of like Mobile buskers (this practice continues till today). Their Guitar heroics being accompaniment to tales of joy and pain and mostly praise singing of their often inebriated and mostly ego-possessed clients'they would often move around solo or accompanied by Native drummers or Thumb Pianists (Agidigbo in Nigeria) and a variety of other Native Instruments. I recall being told by my Grandmother about a famous Nigerian Minstrel Irewolede Denge "Denge Omo Ijebu"- (Denge son of Ijebu'a local town). Who would walk through the old city of Lagos in the early 20's stopping at the famous Water House- Home of the Afro-Brazilian Millionaire- Da Rocha to deliver a praise singing rendition'of which he would be assured of at least a couple of pennies (if the old fella was in or awake or indeed in the mood) ending his journey in Old Yaba in the Lagos Mainland (where my Grandmother lived)'through the newly built Carter Bridge- a distance of about 9 miles. Needless to say Denge died young.

The Minstrels would often play to punters at Palmwine Bars along the West African coast. Palmwine by the way has been one of the drinks of choice in West Africa for eons'tapped from the Bark of the Palmtree and yeast-fermented on the Tree for a few days and served straight from the tree in Calabashes (gourds)'its a sweet'tangy Intoxicating drink and consumed with spicy beef'Snail or Roasted Squirrel (Bushmeat). The particular style which emerged became known as the Palmwine Guitar. To really show your savvy'please use the term "Palmy" the Guitarist will love you forever and probably buy you a drink- but don't take my word for it.

The Palmwine Guitar style evolved over the years and fused with various forms'became most popularly known as Highlife'being a fusion of Big Band Native rhythms and indeed the Palmwine Guitar style. one of the biggest superstars of this fusion was the Ghanaian Tenor Saxman- E.T.Mensah and his Tempos Band formed in the 30's'whose popularity stretched far beyond Ghana.

However the purists have refused to be swayed and the old boys and young hawks have stayed faithful to the Sailors and Minstrels of yore.

Heroes of the Palmwine Guitar are as follows:

George Williams Aingo/Nicholas Van Heer: Ghanaian Guitar Superstars who recorded in London in the 20's'extremely versatile in various styles from Dixie to Ragtime'but who started out playing Palmwine Guitar. They can be heard on the CD Early Guitar Music from West Africa

Justus Domingo: An Afro-Brazilian ex-sailor who played around Lagos and was a favourite at local parties and festivals'he recorded in 1928

Ayinde Bakare: A Nigerian Guitarist singer of the 30's and 40's'who experimented widely with the Banjo and Mandolin.

Onyiira: The great Ghanaian Palmwine Guitarist of the 1930's'who influenced the next generation of Koo Nimo'TO Jazz and many others.

Ebenezer Calendar: Sierra Leonian Palmwine Guitar Superstar who popularised the genre in the early 50's

S.E Rogie: Souliman Rogers'was a Sierra Leonian Guitarist whose "My lovely Elisabeth" is rated as the most popular Palmwine Guitar song ever written.

Julius Araba: Nigerian Senior civil servant and Palmwine Guitar exponent. Famed for his studious dexterity on the Palmwine Guitar'whose band was one of the most popular in colonial Lagos in the late 40's through to the 50's. His band featured a certain Fatai Rolling Dollar on Guitar and who wrote most of the band's songs.

Fatai Rolling Dollar: One of the most enigmatic and innovative-> characters who influenced a whole generation of Nigerian Musicians like Fela Kuti'Ebenezer Obey (who he taught to play the Guitar)'King Sunny Ade'Orlando Owoh to name a few. He started out playing the Agidigbo Thumb Piano and the Guitar which he learnt whilst working on the old British Merchant Navy in the late 40's. Famously playing for Lucky Strike cigarettes when on shore. He later joined The popular Araba Julius Combo in the 40's and wrote several popular songs. FRD is very much alive and even at the age of 80+ (exact age unknown'but certainly over 80) he recently toured with Tony Allen and even more surprisingly had a baby son less than three years ago. I've witnessed this gentleman performing a live set from 8.30pm till 2am - non-stop and wait for it.. this year! Place this in the context of the fact that a lot of European musicians never play more than a 2 hour set with a break in between. This guy comes from a background where musicians play sets for as long as 10 hours with few breaks in between. I have personally played sets back in Nigeria and in African venues in London almost non-stop from 9.00pm till 4.30am (with two breaks of 10 minutes each) FRD'has all his life been no stranger to hard graft'ex-sailor'hard-core musician and after losing everything to the attack on Fela Kuti's property (his house and all his worldly possessions were burnt- a poverty-stricken fisherman in the brackish'mosquito-infested creeks of the Lagos lagoon for almost 20 years before his rediscovery in 2000 and re-emergence. I also recall being in the studio with FRD at about 6.30am after an all day and all-night session and this man was still roaring'whilst the rest of us were dead on our feet- even the Engineer was dropping off. His is a story of the triumph of sheer will and strength of character. His quoted words to a Nigerian Journalist are all I need to add "I am like a Tiger ready for action".

Koo Nimo: One of the most popular heroes of this genre'Daniel Amponsah- his real name-was a Ghanaian Lab Technologist who took up the Guitar in his spare time and became the face of Palmwine Guitar to the world whilst a Visiting Lecturer in Universities in the USA in the 1970's'Also an Ashanti Chief before his death.

In conclusion'this Guitar style is part of the heritage of West Africa and part of the common musical currency of the people of the region'inspite of differences in its subjective history. There are modern exponents who have taken the genre to another level'people like Oscar Elimbi'Abdul Tee-Jay'Piper Jay'Alfred Bannerman'Alaba Pedro'Rennie Lendjou and Joe Mbule who have kept the flag flying.

Ali Ibrahim "Farka" Toure (October 31'1939 - March 6'2006) was a Malian singer and guitarist and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians. His music is widely regarded as representing a point of intersection of traditional Malian music and its North American cousin the blues. The belief that the latter is in fact historically derived from the former is reflected in Martin Scorsese's often quoted characterization of Toure tradition as constituting "the DNA of the blues.

He was born in 1939 in the Muslim village of Kanau'near Gourma Rharous on the banks of the Niger River in northwestern Malian region of Tombouctou. He was the tenth son of his mother but the only one to survive past infancy. The name I was given was Ali Ibrahim but it's a custom in Africa to give a child a strange nickname if you have had other children who have died. Toure was quoted as saying in a biography on his Record Label'World Circuit Records. His nickname Farka chosen by his parents means donkey - an animal admired for its tenacity and stubbornness. Let me make one thing clear. I'm the donkey that nobody climbs on! He was descended from the ancient military force known as the Arma and was ethnically tied to the Songrai (Songhai) and Peul peoples of northern Mali.

As the first African bluesman to achieve widespread popularity on his home continent Toure as often known as the African John Lee Hooker". Musically the many superpositions of guitars and rhythms in his music were similar to R. L. Burnside's hypnotic blues style. He usually sang in one of several African languages mostly Songhay Fulfulde'or Tamasheq as on his breakthrough album Ali Farka Toure which established his reputation in the world music community. 1994's Talking Timbuktu a collaboration with Ry Cooder sold promisingly well in western markets but was followed by a hiatus from releases in America and Europe. His guitar riff on the song "Diaraby'" from the album Talking Timbuktu was selected for the Geo-quiz segment of The World PRI-BBC program and was retained by popular demand when put to a vote of the listeners. This song is likewise used in 1998 as a soundtrack for the film L'Assedio (Besieged) by the Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci. He reappeared in 1999 with the release of Niafunke more traditional album focusing on African rhythms and beats. Toure is noted as the mentor to popular Malian musician Afel Bocoum.

In 2004 Toure became mayor of Niafunke and spent his own money grading the roads putting in sewer canals and fuelling a generator that provided the impoverished town with electricity.

In September 2005'he released the album In the Heart of the Moon'a collaboration with Toumani Diabate for which he received a second Grammy award. Savane his last album posthumously released in July 2006'was received with wide acclaim by professionals and fans alike. Since September 2006 it has been topping the World Music Charts Europe (WMCE)'a chart voted by the leading World Music specialists around Europe. Ali Farka Tour�as also recently been nominated for the BBC Radio 3 awards 2007.

On 7 March 2006 the Ministry of Culture of Mali announced his death at age 67 in Bamako from bone cancer'against which he had been battling for some time. His record label'World Circuit'said that he recorded several tracks with his son Vieux Farka Toure or Vieux's debut album which was expected to be released in early 2007.

Ali Farka Toure was born in 1939 in Gourmararusse (in the Timbuktu region)'Mali'into the noble Sorhai family. Being of noble birth'he should never have taken up music. His family disapproved because the musician profession is normally inherited in Malian society and the right to play belongs to the musician families. However being a man of determination and independence once he decided to take up music there was no stopping him.

Ali Farka Toure took up the guitar at the age of ten but it wasn't until about age 17 that he really got a handle on the instrument. In 1950 he began playing the gurkel'a single string African guitar that he chose because of its power to draw out the spirits. He also taught himself the njarka a single string fiddle that is today a popular part of his performance. Then in 1956'Ali Farka Toure saw a performance by the great Guinean guitarist Keita Fodeba in Bamako. He was so moved that he decided then and there to become a guitarist. Teaching himself Alila Farka Toure adapted traditional songs using the techniques he had learned on the gurkel.

During a visit to Bamako in the late 1960's'artists such as Ray Charles Otis Redding and most importantly John Lee Hooker introduced Ali Farka Toure to African-American music. At first he thought that Hooker was playing Malian music but then realized that this music coming from America had deep African roots. Ali Farka Toure was also inspired by Hooker's strength as a performer and began to incorporate elements into his own playing. During those years Ali Farka Toure composed sang and performed with the famous Troupe 117'a group created by the Malian government after the country's independence.

Ali Farka Toure trained as a sound engineer a profession he practiced until 1980'when he had saved enough money to become a farmer which he is to this day. His recording career began in France in 1976'but that phase of it ended poorly as Toure was never properly compensated. For years he followed a successful career in West Africa adapting traditional songs and rhythms in ten languages from Mali's enormous cultural wealth. This career was combined with a life rooted in his village. While touring widely in Africa and also occasionally in Europe and America Toure preferred the security of his village life family and friends crops and livestock.

In 1990'Toure abandoned music in order to tend to his farm in his native Timbuktu. His producer managed to convince him otherwise and to return to his guitar. Two years later he recorded the famous CD Talking Timbuktu with American guitarist Ry Cooder. The album won a Grammy award.

Despite the success with Talking Timbuktu Ali Farka Toure wasn't willing to leave his rice farm in Mali to record an album. Producer Nick Gold had to set up the equipment in an abandoned brick hall in Niafunke Mali using portable equipment and gasoline generators to compensate for the fact that Toure's hometown has no power lines. The crew had to wait till Farka Toure was done with his chores and ready to play the guitar. Farka Toure said: "We were in the middle of the landscape which inspired the music and that in turn inspired myself and the musicians. . . . In the West perhaps this music is just entertainment and I don't expect people to understand."

In 2004 Ali Farka Toure was appointed mayor of the Niafunke region of Mali. Ali has remained extremely loyal to his homeland and spends most of his time in the area working on his farm. Ali's key election promises to his constituents included tackling the malaria problem cleaning up the region and establishing a tree planting project.

In January of 2004'World Circuit's Nick Gold was recording Ali Farka Toure's first album in five years. The guitarist and his longtime producer from World Circuit invited Toumani Diabate to join Toure for one track: the traditional Malian song'"Kaira." Without rehearsal the duo improvised a version of the piece and quickly began recording another. The collaboration was so successful Nick Gold suggested they create an entire album together.

In 2004'Ali Farka Toure was elected mayor of his home town of Niafunke. In July of 2004'Nick Gold took his World Circuit team and their longtime engineering collaborator Jerry Boys (Buena Vista Social Club) to Bamako' Mali to record In the Heart of the Moon. They set up a mobile studio in the Hotel Mande in Bamako overlooking the Niger River and recorded the album there in three two-hour sessions. Drawing on a body of traditional songs familiar to both men Toure and Diabate again began without rehearsing together beforehand. Only one song required a second take-because it had been interrupted by a rainstorm.

In the Heart of the Moon was the first of a trilogy of albums Nick Gold's label recorded at the Hotel Mande. The record also includes subtle contributions from Ry Cooder on piano and guitar; Sekou Kante and Cachae Le on bass; and Joachim Cooder and Olalekan Babalola on percussion. In the Heart of the Moon won a world music Grammy in 2005.