Yve Ngoo
December 2004 - L'Afrique a Newcastle 2004, R3 Awards for World Music 2005
Greetings of the season to all… it's another excuse to party!
- L'Afrique a Newcastle 2004
- African Art and Culture
- R3 Awards for World Music 2005
- WOMEX 2005
- Yve Ngoo's Recommended CDs
L'Afrique a Newcastle 2004
Firstly, for all of you who enjoyed the sensational L'Afrique a Newcastle festival (October 2004), check out the photo gallery and relive some of the magic. The photos were taken by Tony Griffiths, one of the region's most talented photographers and an expert in capturing the lives and times of our culturally diverse communities.
The festival featured five days of workshops and performances including drumming, mask making, story-telling, arts, dance, comedy, fashion and of course food! The main weekend kicked off with a festival dinner and an evening of celebration and entertainment bringing together leading figures from across the North East. Entertainment included, the inimitable Robert Maseko & The Congo Beat representing DR Congo and Middlesbrough, the UK Afro Gospel Group (Southern Africa and Stockton on Tees), Comedian Abdoulaye Ghalapoum from Chad, and Dominic Tshaba telling traditional stories from the DR Congo.
The festival's highlight is always a big African star and this year was no exception, with a cracking set by Guinean singer and musician Mory Kante. (DR Congolese superstar Werrason was also billed but sadly did not make it).
African Art and Culture
As an indication of the region's hunger for all things African, Karibu - based at North Tyneside Art Studio - is running a course exploring African art and culture. The course will look at cultural dress, ceremonies, architecture and food as a way of illuminating the part they play in African life and how they are perceived by African people. 'African Art and Culture' will be informal in nature, and hopes to draw comparisons between African and European cultures and bring to light cross-cultural influences. The course is open to anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating culture - right on our doorstep.
Courses are held on Thursday mornings 10.30 - 12.30 and are free. For more details North Tyneside Art Studio , Linskill Centre, North Shields, NE30 2AY, tel/fax: 0191 296 1156 www.artstudio.cc .
And if you think 2004 was a good year for all things African - just wait till you find out what 2005 has in store for African lovers across the region!
R3 Awards for World Music 2005
The opening of The Sage Gateshead on 17 December 2004 is the biggest news on the worldwide arts scene - and a coup for those wishing to increase the profile of African and world music across the region. In March 2005, The Sage will hosts the prestigious BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music 2005, and this year the Poll Winners Concert is being broadcast from Gateshead. The line-up in past years has featured stars like Ibrahim Ferrer, Mariza, Manu Dibango and Orchestra Boabab.
The shortlist of nominees has been announced, and African Music is well represented by a rich selection of world class artists such as Youssou N'Dour (Senegal), Tinariwen (Mali), Thandiswa Mazwai ( South Africa) and Rokia Traore (Mali), as well as a few newcomers and mavericks to the African music scene. My money's on the wonderful Malian desert rockers Tinariwen, to bag a few awards. But the choice is yours!
Tickets to the concert are limited, and sure to go fast! Prices start at just £6 and can be booked online.
WOMEX 2005
Yes - it's official. In 2005 WOMEX , the biggest professional World Music conference and trade fair event, will come to the UK for the first time - at the brand new Sage in Gateshead.
Bisou, Yve.
Yve Ngoo's Recommended CDs
Orchestra Makassy - Legends Of East Africa - The Original Recording
Kora Groove From West Africa - N'Faly Kouyate & Dunyakan
Check out my recommended CDs this month in the CD Reviews section or go to Music Search to look at our archive of recommended CDs.