W♥M

Lucibela at the Cedar Cultural Center (09/16/2022)

Setlist Amdjer KÁ Bitche Txe Txu Fla Violeiro Laço Umbilical Ven Presto Amor Novo Olhar Profilaxia Bombena Adeus Mamã Mal Amadu Alma Gêmea Justa Recordação Amdjer Ka Bidje Prece Dum Fidje Estronhe Negui Zum Zum Curpim Sab -- Encore -- Mi E Dode Na Bô Cabo Verde Read More Lucibela Celebrated Cape Verdean singer Lucibela is on her US tour, celebrating the release of her new album Amdjer. The tour will stop in at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis on September 16, 2022. … Douala Soul Collective MDOU MOCTAR + Invisible Boy, Douala Soul Collective Cedar Cultural Center Sat 04/06/2019 (7pm/$15) thecedar.org Turag guitarist and songwriter Mdou Moctar is touring in support …

Lucibela stopped by the Cedar Cultural Center in the middle of her U.S. tour on Friday to support her recently released album Amdjer.  It was only a few years before that she introduced herself with the debut album Laço Umbilical announcing to the world there was a fresh face to carry on the Cape Verdean musical tradition started by Cesaria Evora.

The evening opened with the Douala Soul Collective, a two-man DJ Combo highlighting music from their Cameroon port city with an eclectic range of music highlighting African rhythms, zouk, funk, soul, jazz, cumbia, disco, hip hop, reggae, while spinning vinyl records and showing some impressive dance moves throughout the set.

Lucibela took the stage backed by three guitarists and one drummer.  But it was her voice that was the highlight of the evening.  A voice described by Banning Eyre of NPR as magnificent, liquid and effortless. 

Lucibela brings a calm, graceful presence, revealing a warm smile that the Cedar Cultural Center website described as: “… a fresh breeze ruffling the bougainvillea blooms and wave tops.”

Luciebela is from Cape Verde, a collection of small rocky islands off the northwestern coast of Africa.  Her hometown of Mindelo, on the island of São Vicente, has a rich history of sailors from Brazil, Cuba, England and Portugal, making ports of call and bringing their own musical traditions. 

Listening to Lucibela sway through her set, one is transported to her small island, a place where she started at an early age working in the hotels of the resort town of Santa Maria, with songs from the jazz, bossa nova and rock genre. 

Lucibela has recently concentrated on the musical genres of her native Cape Verde, morna and coladera, which she said are folk songs that highlight daily life on the island.  A good example is her music video Ti Jon Poca, where a farmer’s day involves dancing with his wife and tilling the rocky, arid soil in hopes of a little rain. 

The set highlighted songs from both of her albums.  Songs like Violeiro, expressing a beautiful longing; Amdjer Ká Bidje, a breezy bossa nova; and Zum Zum (Buzz Buzz), a song that brought the crowd to its feet and Curpim Sab, a song that brought everyone to the dance floor. 

The highlight of the evening wasn’t the songs to dance to but the ones where the crowd sat down, the band stepped back and Lucibela stepped into the spotlight to reveal a depth with songs like Bombena, a slow ballad that revealed deeper shades and hues in her voice; Estronhe, a song that brought quiet stillness in a voice that expanded and subsided with wonderful restraint; and Negui  which highlighted her dynamic range and ability to sustain a singular note that elicited a generous roar from the crowd. 

To finish the evening Lucibela sang Mi E Dode Na Bô Cabo Verde, an apt song to let you know where it all began. 

Lucibela U.S. Tour

9/17 – Chop Shop – Chicago, IL
9/18 – Analog – Nashville, TN
9/19 – Joe’s Pub – New York, NY
9/20 – Joe’s Pub – New York, NY
9/21 – Sellersville Theatre – Sellersville, PA
9/22 – Lotus – Bloomington, IN
9/23 – Swallow Hill Music – Denver, CO

Douala Soul Collective

Douala Soul Collective

Setlist

Lucibela

Lucibela

Lucibela

Lucibela at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (16 Sep 2022)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

World Beat: Seun Kuti, Linda Ronstadt, Lucibela

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80: “Love & Revolution” tour Read More Seun Kuti Nigerian Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti recently appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing “When We Move” with American rappers Common and Black Thought. …

Read more World Beat and Jazz Notes

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
seunkuti.net

Afrobeat pioneer Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 is currently on their “Love & Revolution” tour. The tour will stop in at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis on September 21st.

We caught the band at Rock the Garden in June 2015 and wrote, “How fitting on Father’s Day that the heir to the Afrobeat throne, Seun Kuti , led his father Fela’s band, Egypt 80, playing undoubtedly the highest energy hour of the weekend. The Nigerian group was the worldbeat entry to the festival and the first African band to grace its stage. Kuti and his fifteen-plus cohorts made their short time worth it with the tribal, jazz, funk, and rhythmic hybrid that his father pioneered.”

Tour dates:

9/14 City Winery, Philadelpha PA
9/16 City Winer, Washington DC
9/18 Big Climate Thing, Queens NY
9/20 Subterraneon, Chicago IL
9/21 Dakota Jazz Club, Minneapolis MN
9/23 Big Top, St Louis MO
9/24 Format Festival, Bentonville AR
9/27 Washington's, Fort Collins CO
10/01 Desert Daze, Moreno Valley CA

Feels Like Home: Songs from the Sonoran Borderlands - Linda Ronstadt’s Musical Odyssey Read More Putumayo This year, Putumayo is releasing Jazz Christmas, an uplifting collection of mostly instrumental jazz for the holidays. If you like World Music, chances are, you probably own a Putumayo album. They are known for compiling some of the best …

Feels Like Home: Songs from the Sonoran Borderlands
putumayo.com

New Orleans-based record label Putumayo, renowned for bringing world music to America, will be releasing Feels Like Home: Songs from the Sonoran Borderlands — Linda Ronstadt’s Musical Odyssey this September 30, 2022. This is to accompany Linda Ronstadt’s new book, Feels Like Home: A Song for the Sonoran Borderlands, published by Heyday Books.

The musical collection was co-curated by Ronstadt and Putumayo founder Dan Storper and includes influential songs from her childhood and career, as well as several of her own interpretations of classic Mexican songs. Package and digital fans will enjoy the best of both worlds, as the CD package will include an album download card.

The full tracklist for Feels Like Home: Songs from the Sonoran Borderlands—Linda Ronstadt’s Musical Odyssey is:

1. Ry Cooder with Lalo Guerrero – Barrio Viejo
2. Linda Ronstadt – El Sueño
3. Los Cenzontles – Palomas Que Andan Volando
4. D. Ronstadt & The Co. – Canadian Moon (New Version)
5. Linda Ronstadt with Emmylou Harris – Across the Border
6. Jackson Browne with Los Cenzontles – The Dreamer
7. Los Cenzontles with David Hidalgo – Naninan Upirin
8. Linda Ronstadt with Dolly Parton – I Never Will Marry
9. Linda Ronstadt – Piel Canela
10. Los Cenzontles – Voy Caminando

Lucibela: Amdjer

Lucibela
lucibela.com

Celebrated Cape Verdean singer Lucibela is on her US tour, celebrating the release of her new album Amdjer. The tour will stop in at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis on September 16, 2022.

The new album is a tribute to Cape Verdean women, and features mostly of unreleased songs of twelve songs by composers and authors from Cape Verde of different generations such as Nhelas Spencer, Luis Lima, Toy Vieira, Tibau Tavares, Miquinha, Elida Almeida, Ary Duarte, Daya, and Emilio Moret.

Lucibela U.S. Tour

9/16 – The Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
9/17 – Chop Shop – Chicago, IL
9/18 – Analog – Nashville, TN
9/19 – Joe’s Pub – New York, NY
9/20 – Joe’s Pub – New York, NY
9/21 – Sellersville Theatre – Sellersville, PA
9/22 – Lotus – Bloomington, IN
9/23 – Swallow Hill Music – Denver, CO

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to vu@weheartmusic.com with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Vieux Farka Touré at the Dakota (5/18/2022)

Setlist Touré De Niafunké Filipha Diaraby Magni Ni Negaba Fafa Ali Yer Gando Samba Si Kairi Walaïdu All the Same Ba Kaitere -- Encore -- Nha Maïmouna Poussaniamba Tour Dates May 19—SPACE—Evanston, IL May 20—Le Poisson Rouge—New York, NY May 21—World Café Live—Philadelphia, PA May 22—Race Street Live—Holyoke, MA June 8—Crystal Ballroom—Somerville, MA June 10—Infinity Hall—Norfolk, CT June 11—StageOne—Fairfield, CT June 12—Afrika Nyaga Fest—Providence, RI August 4—Celebrate Brooklyn—Brooklyn, NY Read More Vieux Farka Touré Acclaimed Malian artist Vieux Farka Touré will be playing the Dakota Jazz Club, in Minneapolis, on May 18, in support of his forthcoming album Les Racines (World Circuit Records). .…

“You finally made it,” shouted a gentleman from the crowd after the second song. 

In fact he did, Vieux Farka Touré making good on a postponed show from September of last year. 

The introduction from the emcee stated it was their biggest crowd since the Dakota re-opened after the pandemic and the crowd and Touré seemed primed for a festive night. 

The first few songs had everyone seated, though, with Touré playing an acoustic guitar, Marshall Henry on bass and Adama Kone on the percussive instrument, the calabash.  They played like they were sitting around a campfire, slowly passing the time with an open, soulful sound trying to fill the infinite space of a desert night.

Touré played with a warm and playful spirit. He enjoyed interacting with his band mates with a back and forth between him and Henry as if they were still fine-tuning a song. 

Touré highlighted songs from six of his previous albums, which was ironic considering he has a new album being released this week - Les Racines.  Maybe he’s contractually obligated to wait for the release date of 5/20/2022.  After all, this concert is almost a year behind schedule.  Hopefully, a returning tour to the Dakota will be in the works. 

After setting the mood, Touré stood up, strapped on the electric guitar and played “Fafa”, which sounded quite a bit like “Azawade”, a song from The Tel Aviv Session, a collaboration he did with Israeli piano player, Idan Raichel.  We Heart Music covered their concert at the Dakota ten years before. Touré remained seated that night for the music did not call for him to go electric. 

Touré has earned a moniker of being the Jimi Hendrix of West Africa.  I like the Malian Desert Blue Prince.  He definitely has a distinct, singular sound forged by Malian musical traditions and the Blues found in Chicago, the Delta or anywhere else where the Blues can be. 

Touré is the son of legendary guitarist Ali Farka Touré.  The father did not want his son to become a musician for he thought being a professional soldier would provide a more stable life.  But talent would not be denied and the son secretly took guitar lessons behind his father’s back and eventually won his approval.

Touré has the technical skill as well as the soul of a virtuoso.  And when he launched into “Samba Si Kairi” he filled the intimate venue with an epic guitar solo like he was playing a football stadium.  And as quickly as he brought the crowd to a standing ovation, he channeled B.B. King by wailing on his guitar in “Walaïdu”.

To draw the evening to a close, Touré encouraged the crowd to stand up and dance with the final two songs, songs rooted in the west coast African tradition, the type of music that made it very easy to stand up and sway, which everyone in the audience did.

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Lunar New Year Celebration at Mall of America, Bloomington (2022-02-12)

Read More Chinese New Year Yesterday was Chinese New Year! As you know, it's the Year of the Rat. So here's some positive attributes of being born in the year of the Rat …

The Alliance of Minnesota Chinese Organizations is celebrating The Year of the Tiger, with the 2022 Lunar New Year Celebration at the Mall of America, in Bloomington this weekend, February 12-13th from 12:30pm to 4pm.

The free event is opened to anyone visiting the MOA at the TCF Rotunda, now re-named as Huntington Bank Rotunda.

The program showcased a variety of dancing, costumes, singing, and musical performances from Chinese and Asian culture.

Some of the highlight from this year includes Teng Lili (滕莉莉), a member of the Chinese Dancers Association and the artistic director of the Minnesota Huaxing Art Troupe. Xu Qian (许倩), a soprano and deputy artistic director of the Minnesota Huaxing Art Troupe. She sang a song He Aiqun (贺爱群), from the Chinese Musicians Association, composed and conducted the Song and Dance Troupe for nearly 60 years. Li Jiaxiang (李家骧), is a famous guzheng player, who joined the folk band of Beijing Dance Academy in 1980, before immigrating to the USA in 1995. Ping Chunyang and Yu Ye (余野先生), is a composer and saxophonists, who wrote “Romantic Saxophone in G Minor” for the Minnesota Huaxing Art Troupe. Ma Mei (马梅) is a singer and lyrical soprano, and full-time vocal music teacher.

All these talents, plus many more, were on full display at the Lunar celebration. The Lunar New Year Celebrations continues at the Mall of America to Sunday, February 13th.

Lunar New Year Celebration at Mall of America, Bloomington (2022-02-12)

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Minneapolis: September 11, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area on September 11, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Zedashe Georgian roots band, Zedashe, who is headed for Minneapolis to perform a series of five concerts. Over the course of six previous …

ZEDASHE
at Tapestry Folkdance Center
Friday, 09/11/2015, 7:30pm ($10)
tapestryfolkdance.org

Zedashe, the Georgian roots band (the country, not the state), is heading to Minneapolis for a series of shows in the area from September 9th to September 14th. Their seventh album Our Earth and Water will be coming out on September 18th via Living Roots Music. The large nine-piece band will likely preview songs from the new album.

If the dancing thing isn't for you, not to worry, the band will also be playing traditional concerts at Hamline University on September 12th and the Cedar on September 14th.

Tour dates:

09/09 Minneapolis St. Mary’s ($20)
09/11 Minneapolis Tapestry Folkdance Ctr ($10)*
09/12 Minneapolis St. Mary’s (9:30am; $18)*
09/12 Minneapolis Hamline University (8pm; $18)
09/14 Minneapolis Gyst Bar (4:30pm; $50)
09/14 Minneapolis Cedar Cultural (7:30pm; $18)
09/15 Cedar Rapids, IA Landfall Festival
09/17 Beloit, WI United Church Of Beloit
09/18 Madison World Music Festival
09/19 Chicago World Music Festival
09/19 Depaul University Concert Hall
09/20 Chicago World Music Festival
09/25 Lotus World Music Festival
09/26 Lotus World Music Festival
09/28 Amherst, MA
09/29 Burlington, VT

* Indicates Workshops

UPDATE: Midge writes: "Events on 9/11 at Tapestry and the morning of 9/12 at St. Mary's are workshops. Concert 9/12 at 8pm at Hamline University in St. Paul"

Read More John Mark Nelson We last saw John Mark Nelson at his CD release show, and that was a lot of fun. Although it lacked the guest singers, congo line of brass, and confetti, it was still no less just as exciting. …

JOHN MARK NELSON
at First Avenue
Friday, 09/11/2015, 8pm ($12)
first-avenue.com

No relations to Matthew or Gunnar, John Mark Nelson is having a CD release party at the mainroom at First Avenue on September 11th.

The new album I'm Not Afraid (GNDWIRE Records via Thirty Tigers) is now streaming in full exclusively at AllMusic. The site praises, “…a warm, easy listen that plays to Nelson’s strengths as a writer of tight, effective songs that target the pleasure centers directly as opposed to any sort of delayed gratification.”

You may recall we caught the singer at Northrop Auditorium (29 Aug 2014) and The Cedar (28 June 2014).

Black Diet and We Are The Willows to open the show. The latter may have been just recently added to the show, as they're not listed on the show poster. We previously saw the Willows in 2012, which I said singer Peter Michael Miller had a "weird feminine voice".

John Mark Nelson tour dates (more dates to be announced later):

09/11—Minneapolis, MN—First Avenue
09/17—Duluth, MN—Red Herring
09/18—Grand Marais, MN— North House Folk
09/26—Eau Claire, WI—The Cabin

Read More Taylor Swift Artists and digital music sites: U2 uploading new album Songs of Innocence to all iTunes users, Morrissey's music is not online, Taylor Swift pulls hers from Spotify, … Vance Joy The show that recently sold out for March 25th is Young the Giant and Vance Joy at First Avenue. California's Young the Giant (not to be confused with Australia's Jungle Giants), …

TAYLOR SWIFT
Xcel Energy Center
Friday, 09/11/2015, 6pm ($39.50)
xcelenergycenter.com

Superstar Taylor Swift will start her three evening residency at the Xcel Energy Center on September 11th.

The seven-time Grammy® Award winner's latest single "Bad Blood" premiered at the Billboard Music Awards.... where she won 8 awards - including Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album and Billboard Chart Achievement Award – making her the most awarded artist in Billboard's history with 20 career wins.

Vance Joy to open.

Tour dates:

09/04/15 Salt Lake City, UT EnergySolutions Arena
09/05/15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
09/06/15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
09/09/15 Houston, TX Minute Maid Park
09/11/15 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
09/12/15 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
09/13/15 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
09/16/15 Indianapolis, IN Bankers Life Fieldhouse
09/17/15 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
09/18/15 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
09/21/15 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
09/22/15 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
09/25/15 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
09/26/15 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena
09/28/15 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
09/29/15 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center
10/02/15 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
10/03/15 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
10/08/15 Des Moines, IA Wells Fargo Arena
10/09/15 Omaha, NE CenturyLink Center Omaha
10/10/15 Omaha, NE CenturyLink Center Omaha
10/12/15 Fargo, ND Fargodome
10/17/15 Arlington, TX AT&T Stadium
10/20/15 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena
10/21/15 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
10/24/15 Atlanta, GA Georgia Dome
10/27/15 Miami, FL AmericanAirlines Arena
10/31/15 Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium
11/07/15 Singapore Indoor Stadium
11/08/15 Singapore Indoor Stadium
11/10/15 Shanghai, China Mercedes-Benz Arena
11/11/15 Shanghai, China Mercedes-Benz Arena
11/12/15 Shanghai, China Mercedes-Benz Arena
11/28/15 Sydney, Australia Allianz Stadium
12/05/15 Brisbane, Australia Suncorp Stadium
12/07/15 Adelaide Entertainment Centre
12/08/15 Adelaide Entertainment Centre
12/10/15 Melbourne, Australia AAMI Park
12/11/15 Melbourne, Australia AAMI Park
12/12/15 Melbourne, Australia AAMI Park

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ itunes.apple.com

Mekaal Hasan Band at the Cedar, Minneapolis (26 Aug 2015)

poster Setlist Sanwal Chaap Tilak Sayon Bandeya Chu Kunum Ghunghat Dilamoar Asthqui Andholan Para Para Nami Danum Ranjha Ya Ali Mahi Read More Mekaal Hasan Guitarist Mekaal Hasan is bringing his Indo-Pakistani band Mekaal Hasan Band to the Cedar Cultural Center next Wednesday, August 26th. If you like world music, you definitely need ....

India/Pakistan band Mekaal Hasan Band (Mekaal Hasan on guitars, Mohammad Ahsan Papu on flutes, Ibrahim "best looking drummer in Pakistan" Akram on drums, Amir Azhar on bass, and Sharmistha Chatterjee on lead vocals) recently made a rare appearance at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis last night.

What is unique about Mekaal Hasan Band is that they have members from Pakistan and India, and they play something called sufi rock (a fusion of rock music with Pakistani classical music). Their songs are sung in either Farsi or Punjabi.

As described by band leader Mekaal Hasan, they have released three albums, with their early materials were too "dense and cerebral". What he is referring to is the more jazz rock style on "Bandeya", with emphasis later in the song with some really heavy bass.

Their later songs, particularly on their latest Andholan and untitled upcoming record, their music is more up-tempo and more "groovy" as Hasan puts it.

Setlist

As previously described, the Pakistani style really shines through with various flutes by Mohammad Ahsan Papu and Sharmistha Chatterjee's traditional Pakistani singing style. However, the guitar-driven and drumming puts the music in a different direction... sometime sounding like something you would hear on a Metallica song, but with crazy Bollywood vocals. It's trippy and psychedelic - especially when the band played their epic set closer "Ya Ali" medley into "Mahi" with flickering color-changing lights at the end.

Mekaal Hasan Band's Lux Style Awards-nominated album Andholan is out now.

Remaining tour dates:

Aug 30 - New York, NY - Joe's Pub
Sep 5 - Los Angeles, CA -The Markaz

Mekaal Hasan Band at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (26 Aug 2015)

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ itunes.apple.com

Minneapolis: February 22 - February 24, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul from February 22 to February 24, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Frankie Teardrop Also for the Minneapolis show, we have my brother's fave band Frankie Teardrop and local Teenage Moods. ...

CORNERS w/ Frankie Teardrop
at Turf Club
Sunday 02/22/15, 8pm ($5)
turfclub.net

Post-Punk band Corners are touring in support of Maxed Out On Distractions and will be in Minneapolis, this February 22nd, which is my brother's birthday. My brother's favorite local band Frankie Teardrop is also listed on the bill... so the chances of him being at this show is high.

Like most indie bands, Corners are out touring around, or rather to, SXSW 2015. They're scheduled to play six shows at SXSW alone.

Tour dates started last night (Feb 10th):

02/11 - San Diego, CA @ The Hideout
02/12 - Costa Mesa, CA @ Wayfarer
02/13 - Tucson, AZ @ Hotel Congress
02/14 - Phoenix, AZ @ Trunkspace
02/15 - Flagstaff, AZ @ Flagstaff Brewing
02/16 - Las Vegas, NV @ Bunkhouse
02/17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
02/18 - Denver, CO @ Hi Dive
02/19 - Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge
02/20 - Des Moine, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
02/21 - Milwaukee, WI @ Riverwest Public House
02/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club
02/23 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
02/24 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Brass Rail
02/25 - St. Louis, MO @ Foam
02/26 - Cincinnati, OH @ Motr Pub
02/27 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
02/28 - Cleveland, OH @ Happy Dog
03/01 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right
03/02 - New York, NY @ Cake Shop
03/03 - Baltimore, MD @ Holy Frijoles
03/04 - Asheville, NC @ Tiger Mountain
03/05 - Savannah, GA @ Savannah Stopover Fest
03/06 - West Palm, FL @ Vintage Tap
03/07 - Miami, FL @ Churchills
03/08 - Orlando, FL @ Will's Pub
03/09 - Saint Augustine, FL @ Shanghai Nobby's
03/10 - Tallahassee, FL @ Retrofit Records
03/11 - New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar
03/12 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Lagniappe Records
03/13 - Denton, TX @ 35 Denton Music Fest
03/14 - Houston, TX @ House of Creeps
03/15 - Beaumont, TX @ Log on Cafe
03/16 - San Antonio, TX @ TBA
03/17-03/22 - Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/26 - Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Fest
03/27 - Reno, NV @ Holland Project
03/29 - Santa Ana, CA @ Burgerama

Read More Kaivama Kaivama and the Polka Chicks did a sort of tagteam concert last night at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. Their show can be broken down by this: The Polka Chicks did their set...

AALLOTAR w/ Abyss
at Cedar Cultural Center
Monday 02/23/15, 7pm ($12)
thecedar.org

Finnish-American violinist Sara Pajunen (formerly of Kaivama) and Finnish accordionist Teija Niku (The Polka Chicks) are Aallotar. They are touring in support of Aallotar's debut record In Transit, recorded and released in Finland in early 2014.

We've covered many Finnish bands in the past, and what I can tell you is that Minnesota has a very strong, close-knit Scandinavian community.

Also on the bill is Abyss, the new new solo project by singer and songwriter Aby Wolf.

Tour dates:

02/10/15 Mankato MN Bethany Lutheran
02/11/15 Chicago IL Old Town School
02/13/15 Newark OH Ohio State University
02/14/15 Mechanicsburg OH Hemisphere Coffee
02/16/15 Bloomington IN Lotus Blossoms
02/17/15 Bloomington IN Lotus Blossoms
02/18/15 Folk Alliance International
02/22/15 Folk Alliance International
02/23/15 Minneapolis MN Cedar Cultural Center

Read More Northrop Auditorium The centerpiece of the University of Minnesota, Northrop Auditorium, just completed a five-year long major renovation, and is due to re-open as a vital performance space in the Twin Cities … World Music There's something compelling about seeing two different people from two different worlds teaming up together (for example Habib Koite and Eric Bibb; Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal). …

THE NILE PROJECT
at Northrop
Tuesday 02/24/15, 7pm ($26+)
northrop.umn.edu

We've been paying close attention to the revamped Northrop Auditorium since its grand re-opening, back in March 2014.

If you're into world music (particularly East Africa/Nile Basin music), The Nile Project collective is stopping in at Northrop in Minneapolis on Tuesday, February 24th. The show have had very positive feedback from New York Times, NPR, and BBC.

Tour dates:

02/10/15 Santa Barbara, CA Campbell Hall
02/11/15 Santa Barbara, CA Campbell Hall
02/12/15 Folsom, CA Harris Center For The Arts
02/13/15 Folsom, CA Harris Center For The Arts
02/13/15 Rohnert Park, CA Green Music Center
02/17/15 Berkeley, CA Zellerbach Auditorium
02/18/15 Berkeley, CA Zellerbach Auditorium
02/18/15 Palo Alto, CA Bing Concert Hall
02/19/15 Berkeley, CA Zellerbach Auditorium
02/19/15 Palo Alto, CA Bing Concert Hall
02/20/15 Berkeley, CA Zellerbach Auditorium
02/24/15 Minneapolis, MN Northrop Auditorium
02/25/15 Madison, WI Wisconsin Union Theater
02/26/15 Madison, WI Wisconsin Union Theater
02/28/15 Akron, OH E.J. Thomas Hall
03/01/15 Akron, OH E.J. Thomas Hall
03/02/15 Akron, OH E.J. Thomas Hall
03/03/15 Akron, OH E.J. Thomas Hall
03/05/15 Urbana, IL Krannert Center
03/06/15 Urbana, IL Krannert Center
03/07/15 Urbana, IL Krannert Center
03/08/15 Urbana, IL Krannert Center
03/09/15 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre
03/10/15 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre
03/11/15 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre
03/12/15 Iowa City, IA The Englert Theatre

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: February 13 - February 15, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul from February 13 to February 15, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More All Them Witches Nashville's All Them Witches took their name from Roman Polanski's 1968 Rosemary's Baby and released their debut Our Mother Electricity in 2012. They quickly follow up with Lightning At The Door ... The Well Austin-based power trio The Well will be releasing their debut album Samsara this September 23, 2014, via RidingEasy Records. Check out the new track "Mortal Bones" ...

ALL THEM WITCHES w/ The Well
at 7th Street Entry
Friday 02/13/15, 8pm ($8)
first-avenue.com

Nashville-based All Them Witches are back in the Twin Cities, this time at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis, on spooky Friday the 13th! We previously mentioned that they took their name from Roman Polanski's 1968 Rosemary's Baby and their latest Lightning At The Door was recorded in a matter of days.

The last time All Them Witches were here in Minneapolis, they triple rocked at the Triple Rock with Windhand and Jex Thoth... this time, Austin's The Well (not to be confused with Norwegian six-piece band also called The Well) set to open the show. We previously mentioned that The Well trio (singer/guitarist Ian Graham, bassist Lisa Alley, and drummer Jason Sullivan) had an album called Samsara.

Also Minnesota's Hotel San Sebastian set to open the show.

Tour dates:

02/05/15 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
02/06/15 Cambridge, MA Middle East
02/07/15 Ithaca, NY The Haunt
02/08/15 Rochester, NY The Bug Jar
02/10/15 Pontiac, MI Pike Room
02/11/15 Indianapolis, IN Hi-Fi
02/12/15 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
02/13/15 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
02/14/15 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club
02/15/15 Rock Island, IL Rozz Tox
04/06/15 Phuzz Fest

Read More Sleater-Kinney Sleater-Kinney are selling out their 2015 shows... Which is fine, as I've seen the band many times and unfortunately they are playing the winter time. Read more details about the new Sub Pop album ... Lizzo It was a typical grrrl prty with Lizzo and Caroline Smith at First Avenue last night, as they unite to celebrate women power. …

SLEATER-KINNEY w/ Lizzo
at First Avenue
Saturday 02/14/15, 8pm ($30/Sold Out)
first-avenue.com

What are you doing on V-Day? If you're a Sleater-Kinney fan, you'll be at this sold out show. According to my bad memories and physical ticket stubs, I've seen Sleater-Kinney at least three times, and have expressed sadness that the trio broke up in 2006. Nothing made us happier to hear that they've returned last year, and obviously the W♥M crew was looking forward to this Sleater-Kinney show since the 2015 tour date announcement.

Also, if you follow news.weheartmusic.com, we already announced that local artist Lizzo is on a national tour with SK. We are very proud of this, as she's been empowering women to voice their thoughts, but breaking across music genre and newfound fans! There are only a handful of local Minneapolis bands that can say the same thing. Very excited to see her name listed on the bill.

Tour dates:

02/08/15 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory
02/09/15 Boise, ID Knitting Factory
02/10/15 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
02/12/15 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
02/13/15 Omaha, NE Slowdown
02/14/15 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
02/15/15 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre
02/17/15 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
02/22/15 Boston, MA House Of Blues Boston
02/24/15 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
02/25/15 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
02/26/15 New York, NY Terminal 5
02/27/15 New York, NY Terminal 5
02/28/15 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
03/01/15 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
03/02/15 Toronto, ON Sound Academy

Read More Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate return to North America on the heels of a triumphant debut in 2014. After the release of their acclaimed album Faya by Cumbancha Discovery and a successful tour in the summer of 2014 ....

JOE DRISCOLL & SEKOU KOUYATE
at Cedar Cultural Center
Sunday 02/15/15, 7pm ($18)
thecedar.org

There's something compelling about seeing two different people from two different worlds teaming up together (for example Habib Koite and Eric Bibb; Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal). Guinea's Sekou Kouyate, known in France as the "Jimi Hendrix of the kora", with Bristol-based Joe Driscoll, whom Cee-Lo Green labelled "the gangsta with an iron lung", are currently making music together... and currently in America supporting their latest Faya album.

Kouyate best described their collaboration as simply that he doesn't speak English and Driscoll doesn't speak French, but somehow they understand each other.

See them live at the Cedar on February 15th at the Cedar.

Tour dates:

Jan 29 Johnny D's Somerville, MA
Jan 30 ArtsRiot! Burlington, VT
Feb 01 Joe's Pub New York, NY
Feb 02 Falcon Marlboro, NY
Feb 05 Ballatou Montreal, Canada
Feb 06 The Haunt Ithaca, NY
Feb 07 The Lost Horizon Syracuse, NY
Feb 08 Lula Lounge Toronto, Canada
Feb 09 University of Guelph Guelph, Canada
Feb 12 University of Dayton Dayton, OH
Feb 13 Grounds For Thought Bowling Green, OH
Feb 14 Leglon Arts Cedar Rapids, IA
Feb 15 The Cedar Minneapolis, MN
Feb 16 Mayne Stage Chicago, IL

Brothers from Mali: Habib Koité/Eric Bibb and Ballaké Sissoko/Vincent Segal

Read More Habib Koite and Eric Bibb Imagine this: American Eric Bibb and Mali's biggest pop star Habib Koité teams up to play the most interest traditional and contemporary blues...… Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal What I can tell you about this duo is that Ballaké Sissoko is known for his kora-playing skills and that Vincent Segal is the one with the cello....…

In the last week, I have enjoyed two different shows in which one of the main performers was from the West African country of Mali. The first was Habib Koité and Eric Bibb at the Dakota Jazz Club on February 26th. The second was Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal at the Cedar Cultural Center on March 8th. Both shows had an intimate feel with an older audience, incredible sound quality, and artists that did not fail to show their depth, passion, and joy.

Brothers in Bamako Habib Koité and Eric Bibb are two guitar playing soulful, passionate, and spiritual artists who create beautiful music together. Koite’s guitar style is drawn from his Malian ancestry, as well as rock and folk sounds. Bibb has a deep, soulful, blues voice and while their styles are different, they meld perfectly together. The concert was relaxed and intimate with a lot of story telling which gave the audience a view into how the songs of the artists come to life through experience. They were clearly enjoying their time on stage, dancing, joking, and jamming together throughout the performance.

Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal were touring for their second album together At Peace. Sissoko plays the Kora; a 21-string bridge harp instrument used extensively in West Africa and Segal is a French cellist. As I listened to the music they made together, I was moved, awe-inspired, and grateful to be hearing them play live. It was a pure joy because it’s in the live listening of them that the music truly moves and really comes alive. In both of these shows, I loved feeling immersed in a new type of music from a different culture. It was pure joy.

Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (03/09/13)

audrey ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ ericbibb.com ♥ sixdegreesrecords.com

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Habib Koité / Eric Bibb: Brothers in Bamako (Capsule Reviews)

Wonderful Music, Wonderful Birthday

Night Time Is the Right Time

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World Beat: Celtic Thunder, Bibb & Koite, Putumayo and Evergreene

Read more World Music.

CELTIC THUNDER
www.celticthunder.ie

Celtic Thunder is a so-called "Irish supergroup", consisting of vocalists Emmet Cahill, Ryan Kelly, Colm Keegan, George Donaldson, Keith Harkin, and Neil Byrne. The band plays a good mix of folk, traditional Irish, adult contemporary, rock… anything to give new meaning to the Celtic storytelling music.

Celtic Thunger's new CD and DVD companion called Mythology, was released last Tuesday (February 19th) on Verve Records.

The DVD is a live show, filmed at Dublin's Helix Theatre in 2012. The show tells the tales of the Celtic People through legends and cultures.

Mythology is already topping the Amazon charts in the World Music > Celtic charts as well as General AAS.

BROTHERS IN BAMAKO
ericbibb.com

Imagine this: American Eric Bibb and Mali's biggest pop star Habib Koité teams up to play the most interest traditional and contemporary blues.

The two 'brothers in Bamako', Bibb and Koité will be playing tracks from their 2012 album, Brothers in Bamako, available via Stony Plain Music, at the Dakota Jazz Club tomorrow - February 26th at 7pm and 9pm.

The duo is currently in their North American tour dates (for world tour schedule, check out ericbibb.com):

02/26/13 Minneapolis, MN Dakota Jazz Club
02/27/13 Chicago, IL Old Town School Of Folk Music
03/01/13 Montreal, QC Scène Rio Tinto Alcan
03/02/13 Quebec City, QC Palais Montcalm
03/03/13 Somerville, MA Somerville Theatre
03/05/13 Starkville, MS Mississippi St. University
03/06/13 Austin, TX Paramount Theatre
03/09/13 New York, NY B.B. King Blues Club

PUTUMAYO
putumayo.com

The latest Putumayo world music compilation will be focusing on vintage French chanson music from the mid-1900s era. The release will be called Vintage France, and it is coming out on February 26th (tomorrow).

What can you expect but to hear Juliette Gréco and, of course, Serge Gainsbourg.

CEO and founder of Putumayo, Dan Storper, added his comment on this latest compilation, "French artists have created this beautiful, melodic music that has stood the test of time. Perhaps the greatest surprise, was discovering Norbert Slama, a blind octogenarian accordion player who performed with Josephine Baker and Edith Piaf, in my backyard in New Orleans. His performances in a small, vintage café in the Marigny transported me to a bygone era."

Remember, since 2011 you can get Putumayo digitally - but I still recommend getting the actual physical CD.

EVERGREENE MUSIC
evergreenemusic.com

Evergreene Music has released Balkan Arts 701: Bulgarian Folk Dances, the first installment of the Balkan Arts Series (a joint New York venture between Evergreene Music and The Center for Traditional Music and Dance).

What can you expect from the rest of the series? More original recordings were from the 60's and 70's, and to include folk music from Bulgaria, East Serbia, Greek Macedonia and Thrace, and Romania.

The next EP will feature East Serbia in February, Greek rarities from Macedonia and Thrace in the spring, and more Romania and Bulgaria in the summer of 2013.

Curator Martin Koenig talk about the importance of these recordings, "The Balkan Arts recordings are all old-time music and have the same power as the music from Appalachia-the Doc Watson's and the like, and I truly believe that we, the West, now have more of an ability to absorb and appreciate this music than we did in the 60s and 70s. Even my 18-year-old son and his friends now respond to it. With so little of this music around anymore, anything that's this real needs to be cherished."

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic