1. Sidi Touré w. THE PEDRITO MARTINEZ GROUP & WOUTER KELLERMAN
Date: Monday, August 6, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Venue: Marcus Garvey Park (18 Mount Morris Park West, New York, NY 10027, 212-860-1394)
Tickets: $18
Genre: desert blues/Mali music, Afro-Cuban rumba, world music
Sidi Touré draws inspiration from traditional Malian music and religion, but is informed by western blues, rock, and culture. The winner of two Malian national awards for best singer, Touré was leader of a regional orchestra and is a nationally renowned figure in his home country. In 2011, he released Sahel Folk, his critically acclaimed debut album and toured North America for the first time playing at prestigious venues including Lincoln Center and the ChicagoWorld Music Festival. His 2012 follow-up, Koïma is a musically rich and luxurious album mixing tradition and modernity, African magic and city-dwelling dilemmas.
The Pedrito Martinez Group has its roots planted firmly in the Afro-Cuban rumba tradition, bata rhythms and vocal chants of Yoruba and Santeria. Helmed by famed Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez — who has lent his unique hand drumming skills to over a hundred records spanning the worlds of Latin and pop music — the group has toured internationally, gaining a steady fan base for its mix of Caribbean inspired funk. The New York Times sums up their sound up aptly, calling it, “complex, blenderized Africa-to-the-New-World funk.”
Wouter Kellerman’s live shows demonstrate why he is regarded as one of South Africa’s most musically adventurous world-music proponents, incorporating a fusion of influences and styles into his music – from South African sounds and rhythms to Irish influences, from traditional Senegalese songs to tango-inspired numbers. His concert is an extraordinary opportunity for local audiences to experience an exciting array of musical styles emanating from Kellerman’s flute. Supported by an ensemble of wonderful artists, they unite to create a fresh and exhilarating performance with beautiful vocals, flute artistry and exciting African dance.
2. Cyro Baptista’s Banquet of the Spirits
Date: Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Time: 8pm & 10pm
Venue: The Stone (is located at the corner of Avenue C and 2nd Street)
Ticket: $10
Genre: world music/improve
Percussionist Cyro Baptista’s tight new quartet, Banquet of the Spirits, features some of the most exciting musicians of the New York downtown scene. Their music embodies a philosophy of anthropofagia, or cultural cannibalism, a joyous musical manifestation of the adventurous sounds they’ve collected and consumed over the years. Writes All About Jazz: “a diversity of sounds and colors that can’t be found anywhere else. This is global exotica of a kind so wonderfully weird and cool that it’s a must-listen.” Cyro Baptista (percussion), Brian Marsella (piano, keyboards), Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz (bass, oud) and Tim Keiper (drums, percussion, ngoni)
3. The Alaev Family (New York debut) & Dr. L Subramaniam: Global Fusion
Date: Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Time: 7:30 PM – 10pm
Venue: Damrosch Park Bandshell’s Lincoln Center (W. 62nd Street, b/w Amsterdam & Columbus Aves, NY)
Ticket: free
Genre: sounds of Turkey, Persia, China, and Russia and India/jazz
The propulsive doyra hand drums of Bukhara, Uzbekistan, drive the ecstatic sound of “Bucharian Groove” band the Alaev Family, who immigrated to Israel in 1991. The Alaevs blend together the sounds of Turkey, Persia, China, and Russia alongside lyrics by Tajiki poets on their latest album, produced by Balkan Beat Box’s Tamir Muskat, which captures the fire and drive of their live shows.
Former medical doctor Lakshminarayana Subramaniam mixes the high-wire rhythms of Indian classical music with the harmonic sophistication of its European cousin. Middle brother of a sibling trio of Carnatic (South Indian) classical violin virtuosos, Subramaniam has had his work performed by the New York Philharmonic and other orchestras. He’s joined here by Bollywood playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthi Suramaniam, his wife; Ambi Subramaniam, his violin-prodigy son; jazz fusion guitarist Larry Coryell; and Corky Siegel, a blues-fusion harmonica player who walks the line between Beethoven and B.B. King.
4. Bobby Avey Quartet feat. Miguel Zenon
Date: Thursday, August 9, 2012
Time: 8:30pm
Venue: Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia Street, New York, NY)
Ticket: $10
Genre: Jazz
The New Yorker calls Bobby Avey, “A young pianist of invention and refinement.” He is this year’s winner of the Monk Competition for composition and tonight he brings his trio to Cornelia St. Cafe augmented by Miguel Zenon on alto sax, Thomson Kneeland, bass and Jordan Perlson, drums.
5. Bad Names w. Luis Terreros/The Tryptics & Desert Stars
Date: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Time: 8pm
Venue: The Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211, Tel: 347-529-6696)
Ticket: $8.00 – $12.00
Genre: indie rock
Bad Names are touring this summer in the US in support of their new EP. Bad Names are a four piece from London whose music recaptures the energy and passion of the 70s, spiced up with modern Brit Rock. Their style channels the roguish charm of the Rolling Stones, the glamour of T-Rex and the attitude of Oasis. They make 21st century rock n roll that echoes the sounds of the classic British bands.
Originally from Ecuador Luis Terreros was born in the city of Cuenca , where he grew up listening to Spanish Rock music as well as international iconic bands such as “the Beatles”, “Led Zeppelin”, “The Doors”, “The Who”. His music charged with electronic sounds and loads of acoustic and electric guitars and resembles contemporaries like Mexican pop rock band Zoe and canadian Arcade Fire while also carrying heavy nostalgic weight harking back to Spanish rockers like Gustavo Cerati and Babasonicos. He’s dishing out a gumbo of sounds from indie and electric pop to alternative latin rock, all the while comfortably crossing over cultural and generational musical territory, something this team seems to be especially good at doing.
Desert Stars “Ballad shoegaze psych goes acoustic for a night!” – The Brooklyn Paper
The Tryptics are an indie rock band based in Brooklyn, NY. Combining heavy synthetic rhythms with melancholic vocal melodies their music is defined by their dynamic fusion of rock and electronica.
6. Kakande
Date: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Time: 10pm
Venue: The Shrine (2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, NY)
Ticket: donation
Genre: Guinea Music
The balafon (xylophone) has electrified popular music in West Africa since the court of Emperor Sundiata Keita back in 1235. With his band Kakande, Famoro Dioubate updates this tradition with an explosive new groove. Lush vocals, sinewy koras, flutes, and cellos meet the virtuosic balafon of this master griot from Guinea.
Kakande is: Famoro Dioubate, balafon & vocals Yacouba Sissoko, kora Raul Rothblatt, cello Sylvain Leroux, flutes Kolipe Camara, djembe Sean Dixon, bass Andy Algire, drums Dave Ellenbogen, guitar Missia Saran Dioubate, vocals
7. Si*Sé
Date: Saturday, August 11, 2012
Time: 7:15
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge (158 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012, ph: 212- 505-3474)
Ticket: $22 (Special offer: two pairs of give away tickets. Please mail the names to sohrab.saadat@gmail.com by Friday 12 noon)
Genre: club music/trip hop/latin/elecronics
Blending sultry vocal melodies and electronic textures, with dub and understated hip hop beats, Si*Sé’s music weaves an emotional tapestry of eclectic soul for the post digital era.
8. Die Roten Punkte w/ special guest Jessica Delfino
Date: Sunday, August 12, 2012
Time: 9:30pm
Venue: Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003, 212-967-7555)
Tickets: $14
Genre: electronica/avant pop
Otto and Astrid Rot are The Prince and Princess of the Berlin Underground Indie rock and Europop scene. Described as “a lipstick-smeared, tantrum-loving, sonic collision between B52s, Kraftwerk and early Ramones”, Die Roten Punkte (The Red Dots) are truly unique. Following sell-out shows in Montreal, Dublin, Sydney and Edinburgh, the utterly dysfunctional siblings give you one of the most irreverent and hilarious gigs you are ever likely to see. Fans of Spinal Tap and Flight of the Conchords, say “Hallo!” to your new favorite band.
