Last night we saw Brit rapper/poet/spoken word artist Kate Tempest on Charlie Rose’s This Week PBS program. Watch this amazing woman now:
See more video performances and much more on Tempest’s web site.
Also see YouTube for the growing treasure trove of Kate Tempest work there.
Last night, Dad accompanied Nik and Ivi to the Elgin Opera House for a production of “Guys and Dolls”. Good fun. Nik reports that many of the cast members represented students from EOU, and Brittany, Ivi’s good friend from high school was cast in a leading role.
One of the most important figures of our or any time passed away yesterday. Here is the anthem from the 80s –before his release from prison, before the collapse of apartheid, before his presidency of South Africa — that I will forever associate with this amazing man.
As you might expect, Ghana has been on our minds lately. Here is an example of what is said to be trending in Ghana Afro-pop:
Ivi tells us that she has taken up gumbooting, an African dance tradition that springs from a method of communication that miners used when they were constrained from talking or using other communication methods while working deep underground. Here is an example:
When Nik was young, as young as preschool, he used to mark out life-sized board games and computer games at playgrounds and parks, including spots that you could jump on as enter and navigation keys. Now a pair of street stunt types have come up with their own take on Super Mario Bros. games:
Hadn’t seen Ivi all day until she popped in this evening for a few minutes on her way to stay at a friend’s house. She was bustling with energy and enthusiasm, but reported that she was feeling some strained reaction in her muscles. She had started the day by running a few miles, then did yoga later in the morning. I think she did some zumba, too. For three hours in the afternoon, she danced under the instruction of Sarah Lee Parker, with the African drummers laying down the beat She tells us she loves this kind of exhilarating dancing! Now we know exactly why Ivi is trying for a semester or two in Africa.
Tonight, Ivi and Lawrence attend a performance of the EOU African Drumming Ensemble on stage with guest musicians One World Drum and Dance, featuring Guinea, West Africa fourth generation master flutist (with drumming and singing skills as well) Mamady Mansare and One World’s dancer Sarah Lee Parker and kora player Tyler (missed the last name). And, of course, the EOU Ensemble includes the drumming prowess of Olivia, Ivi’s close friend from high school band days.
This performance was a freebie in a small recital room, but was definitely worthy of an admission price. Lots of call & response audience involvement happened, too. I am a big fan of the kora (think Toumani Diatabe playing with Ali Farka Toure, or Bill Frisell’s The Intercontinentals), so we were especially taken by Mamady’s vocals backed by Tyler’s kora instrumentation. And Sarah Lee Parker’s dancing was truly something to witness. By the way, Mamady Mansare IV and his father, Mamady Mansare III, are all over YouTube in videos mostly featuring their flute work in African venues. Mamady also is a member of Les Ballets Africains.
At one juncture, the One World threesome stood on the stage, as Mamady spoke at length to the audience, while Sarah Lee translated from his French. Ivi reports that she especially enjoyed this interlude, as she could readily understand him sans translation.
Guess we will have to give you a taste of it all, if you can pardon the unfortunate OOF and other quality-deficient aspects of the unplanned video snippets from a pocket camera.