African Food and Arts Festival

Taken from the facebook event page:
"This event is to provide opportunity for Ottawa families to relax and be entertained in an Afro-centric environment while gaining a deeper appreciation of the countries of Africa - their foods, culture, history, geography, economic and development issues.

Come in and enjoy ethnic foods, arts & crafts, music & other entertainment. Representatives of several African communities will be present."

Don't miss it! Purchase your ticket today at Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/mTgs49

It will be held on Ottawa's City Hall on July 16th!

Come one, come all! *Ghanaian accent*

Festival Nuits d'Afrique!

Hey everyone!!

Festival Nuits d'Afrique in Montreal is back!! I'm so excited! 2 weeks of different concerts and activities for everyone.

I'm too excited for Meiway, Oumou Sangare, Kassav and Soukous Stars!

Check out the website at: http://www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com/en

See you there! :)

I Have My Liberty! Gospel Sounds from Accra, Ghana

I received an email from Calpin Hoffman-Williamson who is a Philadelphia-based audio engineer and producer of I Have My Liberty! Gospel Sounds from Accra, Ghana.

A description of the project:

I Have My Liberty! Gospel Sounds from Accra, Ghana is an album of songs and performances recorded live from the churches of Ghana’s capitol city.

Amid Accra’s bustling sprawl of swirling dust and exhaust, are countless havens for homegrown musical expression: charismatic and Pentecostal-inspired church services. There, distorted PA systems anchored by female singers and ramshackle guitars played by a rotating cast of local men, weave in and out of popular melodies bringing congregations to their feet. Singers emote in repeated phrases, lifted by tambourines, claps, and percussion, to unite their voices in praise and worship. I Have My Liberty! takes listeners into these churches, where congregations silence the noise and process the anxieties of their West African metropolis.

credits

released 24 April 2011
produced by Calpin Hoffman-Williamson
mastered by Timothy Stollenwerk

I urge you all to check out this amazing project!

Listen to the album in its entirety at: ihavemyliberty.bandcamp.com

Read the I Have My Liberty! blog at: ihavemyliberty.tumblr.com

Download and share select songs at: soundcloud.com/ihavemyliberty

I'm back!!

Hello everyone!! It's been too long since i've updated this blog.... but in the coming days, weeks and months...prepare to be blown away by more posts on music from the motherland!! With the Ottawa Jazz festival, Festval Nuits d'Afrique in Montreal and many other African summer concerts, I'll be sure to keep you all posted!!

I'm going to see the South African legend Hugh Masekela perform today at the Ottawa Jazz Festival! I'm so excited!! Are you?!

I hope he performs my favourite song:

Stay tuned my friends! :D