Khyam Allami at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On the evening of Wednesday 22nd May 2013 I attended the Khyam Allami with Vasilis Sarikis concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich. Khyam Allami is an Iraqi virtuoso of the Oud and a composer with an international reputation, but his roots are in rock and punk. He was accompanied by percussionist Vasilis Sarikis at this Norfolk and Norwich Festival event.

For this concert Khyam Allami revisited his 2011 album Resonance/Dissonance, exploring the middle eastern melodic music of Maqam. St. Peter Mancroft Church is a beautiful venue that proved to be perfect for this concert which I witnessed from the choir stalls. The pair provided us with a powerful and dynamic live show.

This was an emotional night as the sounds of classical Arab music which Khyam Allami has given a contemporary feel came to the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. It is always a pleasure to listen to music at this venue and this performance sounded incredible. Both performers seemed to greatly enjoy playing their music at St. Peter Mancroft.

Rokia Traore at Open, Norwich

On the evening of Tuesday 21st May 2013 I attended the Rokia Traore concert at Open, Norwich. This Norfolk and Norwich Festival event featured this fantastic Malian singer who was showcasing her new album, Beautiful Africa which was produced by John Parish. I saw her at the Barbican in London last year and I was looking forward to seeing her perform in my home city.

Rokia Traore was most recently seen in the UK as part of Damon Albarn's Africa Express. Her music is the sounds of Malian roots, blues, rock, jazz and folk. She has been described as the most adventurous female singer in Africa and has a striking stage presence.

The concert was delayed by fifty minutes, but this didn't damp any of the enthusiasm of the large crowd in attendance at Open as we looked forward to seeing Rokia Traore perform her amazing music. She apologised for being late for the first time in her fifteen year career before playing a ninety minute set.

This was a concert full of energy and wonderful music as Rokia Traore and her band filled the venue with the sounds of Africa. The lyrics of her songs are in French and Bambara, that expressed a mixture of emotions, both sad and joyful. This was a brilliant night at Open as Rokia Traore showed why she is such a big star in her native Mali with an emotional performance that moved and greatly entertained the Festival crowd.

Mariza at Norwich Theatre Royal

On Tuesday 14th May 2013 I attended the Mariza concert at Norwich Theatre Royal with support from Alasdair Roberts. Two years ago Mariza had to cancel her appearance at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival due to illness. It was great to be able to finally see her live at the Festival.

Mariza is the leading Portuguese fado singer of her generation and a global icon. She has infused fado, the breathtaking lyrical and melancholic music of Portugal, with the musical flavours of Brazil, Spain and Mozambique.

Mariza has such an amazing powerful and beautiful voice which filled the Norwich Theatre Royal with the sounds of fado. She looked stunning in a long elegant dress and chatted between songs in English and Portuguese. She has a charismatic stage presence and her set mixed traditional and contemporary song forms. There was a great relaxed atmosphere on the night which resulted in a loud round of applause at the end of the concert for the Queen of Fado.

Yamato Drummers at Norwich Theatre Royal

On Sunday 17th February 2013 I attended the Yamato Drummers of Japan performance at Norwich Theatre Royal. These master performers take the ancient art of taiko drumming and bring it bang up to date.

Yamato's nine performers display their breathtaking expertise on over 20 drums, varying from huge barrel-like Odaikos to hand-held instruments. Combined with exquisite bronze cymbals, vocals and bamboo flutes, Yamato create a kaleidoscope of awe-inspiring sound.

Taiko drumming is a physical, as well as musical spectacle where the drums can measure up to six feet across, requiring powerful stamina to play. The Yamato Drummers put on powerful performance at Norwich Theatre Royal which thrilled the large audience. There were moments of comedy as they interacted with the crowd who responded with great enthusiasm. It was definitely a loud evening as we enjoyed the expertise and athleticism of the nine performers as well as the amazing musical sounds they produced.

Seckou Keita at Norwich Arts Centre

Seckou Keita is a kora player and drummer from Senegal. He is a charismatic live performer and one of the few champions of the less-known and rhythmically rocking kora repertoire from Casamance in southern Senegal. On Saturday 3rd November 2012 I attended his concert at Norwich Arts Centre which was the finale of Norfolk Black History Month.

His new album Miro has just been released and this was the perfect night for Seckou Keita to showcase his music which is influenced by his West African roots and travels around the world. His music put smiles on everyone's faces and got lots of the crowd dancing on a night of positive vibes at Norwich Arts Centre.

Dub Me Tender!

On Wednesday 3rd October 2012 I attended the Dub Colossus Dub Band gig at Norwich Arts Centre. This was an exciting night to be at the St. Benedict's Street venue as the Dub Colossus Dub Band who are an fusion band with an inventive blend of Ethiopian jazz and traditional styles, dub reggae and atmospheric instrumentals put on a show to get us all dancing.

Dub Me Tender is the name of their latest album which they brought  to life on the Norwich Arts Centre stage. A full live dub band, this time based around the UK musicians involved in the project, has been put together. This latest version of the Dub Colossus live experience is designed to move the dancefloor in an uncompromising fashion, though still keeping that unmistakeable Ethiopian flavour. This event was part of Norfolk Black History Month 2012.

Desdemona at The Barbican

On the evening of Thursday 19th July 2012 I attended the performance of Desdemona by Toni Morrison, Peter Sellars and Rokia Traore featuring Tina Benko at Barbican Hall in the City of London. This event was part of the World Shakespeare and London 2012 Festivals.

Written by Toni Morrison and directed by Peter Sellars, this project was inspired by the fourth act of Othello, in which Desdemona, facing death, sings Willow Song, taught to her by Barbary. This allows an exploration of Desdemona's fascination with Africa, for monologues on women, love, race, relationships and war, for discussions in the afterlife with Othello himself, and between the mothers of Othello and Desdemona. All the voices were provided by Tina Benko.

Between the spoken narratives Malian singer Rokia Traore sang a set of powerful songs with the lyrics translated on a background screen. She is one of a new generation of African women who's music has moved beyond the World Music category. This was an amazing night to be at The Barbican with this moving and visual performance. We danced together, our bodies moving in such harmony it was as though we had known each other all our lives.

Rian at Norwich Theatre Royal

On Thursday 24th May 2012 I had another evening at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. I attended the Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre performance of Rian at Norwich Theatre Royal. Rian is Irish for imprint or trance. Fabulous Beast came to the Festival after sell out runs at the Barbican and London Coliseum.

In Rian Michael Keegan-Dolan and Liam O'Maonlai embark on a journey to celebrate the tension and harmony between traditional music and contemporary dance. It was an evening at Norwich Theatre to celebrate Irish and World Music along with extraordinary dancing, making for an amazing experience mixing the traditional with influences from faraway places.

The cast of eight dancers and five musicians performed brilliantly as the audience were taken on a journey around the world by Liam O'Maonlai, founding member of Hothouse Flowers who's album Rian formed part of the live score with new material. The Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre Company from County Longford, Ireland shown why they are regarded as one of the most daring and highly original dance theatre companies in the world.

Afrocubism at Norwich Theatre Royal

On the evening of Sunday 20th May 2012 I joined a large crowd at Norwich Theatre Royal to see Afrocubism as part of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. This was a major world music event as musicians from the original Buena Vista Social Club were joined by additional talent from Mali and Cuba who took elements of Cuban and African music and turned them into exciting new sounds.

There was a great atmosphere at Norwich Theatre Royal as we were given a night celebrating Cuban and African music. Lead by Buena Vista Social Cub legend Eliades Ochoa along with a line-up including Toumani Diabate they took us on a magical journey which gave us a fusion of their music on songs like Al Vaivén De Mi Carreta.

Events like this show how great and relevant the Norfolk and Norwich Festival is when musicians as talented as those on stage at Norwich Theatre Royal can put on such a brilliant performance. Everyone in the audience were clearly enjoying themselves on a night that will be long remembered as the music of Cuba and Mali made their mark in the Fine City of Norwich.

Bombino brings the Sahara to Theatre Royal

On the evening of Monday 14th May 2012 I was back at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival to attend the Bombino concert at Norwich Theatre Royal with support from Vusi Mahlasela. This was a night of World Music magic with music from the Sahara and South Africa.

Vusi Mahlasela is known as The Voice in his home country of South Africa who is celebrated for his distinct powerful voice and his poetic optimistic lyrics that connect Apartheid-scarred South Africa with its promise for a better future. He gave a wonderful performance of Say Africa as his African folk brought a warm and uplifting feeling to the Theatre Royal.

Bombino draws on his Saharan nomadic heritage to create music of rare power and eloquence. His electrifying jams capture the spirit of resistance and rebellion which reflect his upbringing during an era of armed struggle and violent suppression. This Tuareg guitarist and songwriter echoes the voices of Tinariwen and Ali Farka Toure. With his band Bombino made a loud noise that filled the venue with music from the Sahara which brought loud cheers and applause from the audience. At the end of each song Bombino said merci as we all appreciated seeing this amazing artist at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. With loads more people discovering Bombino with the release of his latest album Agadez this year, this was the perfect time to witness his emotional and thought provoking music live.

Anoushka Shankar live at Queen Elizabeth Hall

On Monday 5th December 2011 I attended Anoushka Shankar's concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on her Traveller UK Tour. A night where Indian music and flamenco met with thrilling results. These two forms of music have a link through the Roma Gypsies who originated in Northern India.

On her latest album Traveller Anoushka Shankar has created a fusion of flamenco and Indian classical music with Spanish producer and guitarist Javier Limon. The centrepiece of the album is Boy Meets Girl which is a wonderful duet of flamenco guitar and sitar featuring Pepe Habichuela.

Anoushka Shankar was taught to play the sitar by her father Ravi Shankar and at Queen Elizabeth Hall she created a magical sound in front of a sellout crowd down by the South Bank. It was wonderful to see her play live alongside the Spanish musicians bringing the amazing Traveller album to a live audience. A brilliant evening which highlighted one of World Music's brightest stars.

Atongo Zimba bringing the Afrobeat!

On Thursday 6th October 2011 I made my way to Norwich Arts Centre for the Atongo Zimba gig. The World Music star from Ghana complete with his band brought us an evening of Afrobeat which had everyone at the St. Benedict's Street venue dancing and smiling throughout the night.

Atongo Zimba was taught to play the koliko or molo a two stringed calabash lute by his Grandfather at an early age in the savannahs of Northern Ghana. His family are cowherders and he would compose his own songs while minding the family's herd.

A wonderful night was had by all as Atongo Zimba made it his mission for the evening to make us all happy. His latest album is Sankuune the name of a dance which has him returning to his acoustic roots.

Latin beats at Norwich Theatre Royal

Mayra Andrade bringing Cape Verde
to Norwich Theatre Royal

There was big disappointment at Norwich Theatre Royal on Sunday when Mariza had to cancel her concert at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival due to poor health. Instead of leaving the Theatre empty for the night Mayra Andrade and Claudia Aurora were booked to play in her place.

All the ticket holders who chose to attend this concert instead of getting a refund on their ticket made the right decision as we were treated to a splendid night of World Music. There was always going to be a bit of sadness about not seeing world diva icon Mariza but the show has to go on.

First on stage was Portuguese Fado singer Claudia Aurora who's debut album Silencio is the first collection of original fado songs to be recorded in the United Kingdom. Songs of sadness maybe, but they give a true realism of how it is to live and the feelings associated with that. Life, destiny, longing and despair.

Mayra Andrade was headlining on the night. She's Cuban born who first appeared on stage in Cape Verde ten years ago. Her music explores the link between the rhythmic heritages of Cape Verde and the latin sounds of Brazil and Cuba. She brings a young fresh feel to the music while adding her own unique style.

Well done to the organisers of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival for putting on this concert at such sort notice. A very enjoyable evening when World Music took centre stage and we were all moving our feet to a latin beat well into the night.

Just call me Daby!

Daby Touré wants you
to just call him Daby!

It was like a celebration of life at Norwich Arts Centre on Saturday night when Daby Touré brought his infectious brand of global soul-tinged pop to Norwich as part of Norfolk Black History Month. His music is at home equally on the African sands of the Sahara Desert as on the bustling streets of Paris.

During his ninety minute show he had the audience on their feet and clapping almost non-stop. With loads of energy and a constant smile everyone was put into a happy mood and were very willing to join in with Daby's singing. He had a brilliant repour with everyone in the auditorium.

Daby Touré is one of Senegal’s best known exports who has become a top class performer. His music crosses many musical boundaries. From the banks of the Senegal River to the shores of rural Norfolk. Just call me Daby!