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River of Music – in celebration of the London Olympics
Posted on October 27th, 2011 in Songlines Blog by Sophie Atkinson.
Today sees the announcement of River of Music – a spectacular, free curtain-raiser to the 2012 Games which will take place at various iconic locations along the banks of the River Thames on the weekend of 21-22 July, a week before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.
In connection with BT, The London 2012 Festival and Serious, BT River of Music will offer music lovers of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to take part in celebrating the build up to the London 2012 Games, with free access for half a million people over the weekend.
The international event will feature outstanding music from all over the world plus emerging British talent. Works will be specially commissioned and see world-class artists alongside young people and communities from all 205 Olympic and Paralympic nations.
Artists including British jazz saxophonist Andy Sheppard, Cameroonian Muntu Valdo, Arthur Jeffes of Penguin Cafe, trumpeter Kevin Robinson, clarinetist Arun Ghosh and vocalist, cellist and composer Ayanna were all present at the launch yesterday at the opulent Somerset House – set to be one of the venues – to give us a teaser of what we can expect from the event.
Large-scale outdoor stages will be positioned along the Thames – each focusing on music and performing arts from all six continents – Asia in Battersea Park, Africa in Jubilee Gardens, Europe in Trafalgar Square and Somerset House, the Americas at the Tower of London, and Oceania in the Greenwich Old Royal Naval College.
The rich variety of music over the weekend will include well-known names and unexpected collaborations. Artists confirmed so far include Scissor Sisters, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Naturally 7, Baaba Maal, Angelique Kidjo and Zakir Hussain.
Claire Whitaker of Serious said: “BT River of Music will be an incredible celebration of world-class live music the weekend before the start of the Games. We will be working with the most exciting artists from across the world, the very best of emerging British talent and staging some unique collaborations during the weekend. This will be once in a lifetime experience not to be missed and a fabulous occasion for the whole family to enjoy.”
From left to right: Arthur Jeffes of Penguin Cafe, clarinetist Arun Ghosh, British jazz saxophonist Andy Sheppard, and vocalist, cellist and composer Ayanna, trumpter Kevin Robinson and Cameroonian Muntu Valdo
Musical-political giants tour the UK in African Soul Rebels 2009
Posted on February 16th, 2009 in World Music by Songlines.
The fifth African Soul Rebels tour of the UK – taking place March 3-14 – is almost as much a political as a musical roadshow. The pan-African line-up takes in Senegal in the west, Kenya in the east and Zimbabwe in the south. The opening act – Extra Golden [Top of the World #48] – are a band who have found increasing limelight due to the support of US president Barack Obama. Based in Obama’s home city of Chicago, the band plays a mixture of Kenyan benga and US Midwestern rock that is pretty much a musical embodiment of Obama himself.
Extra Golden are joined by two towering giants of African music. Senegalese singer Baaba Maal is one of West Africa’s biggest musical exports, most recently becoming part of the Africa Express sessions, but he is also one of the region’s most articulate social activists as a Youth Emissary for the United Nations Development Programme. Oliver Mtukudzi has been a giant of southern African music since 1977 and his homeland of Zimbabwe has become the focus of world attention in the last few years for all the wrong reasons. Maal and Mtukudzi are both backed by their longstanding bands Daande Lenol and the Black Spirits respectively.
www.musicbeyondmainstream.co.uk
