The 22nd Annual African Marketplace and Cultural Faire

Yes, I got there on time to witness the opening ceremony of the 22nd Annual African Marketplace and Cultural Faire on the playgrounds of Rancho La Cienega Park by Dorsey High School in Los Angeles. The venue which was moved last year from the historical Exposition Park was full of fanfare reminding me of the Orie Amigwes in my native land.

Sponsored by Los Angeles Metropolitan Authority, The Walt Disney Company, Western Union, Time Warner Cable, Whole Foods Market, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, 93.5 KDAY, 94.7 The vWave, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and several other related sponsors, I couldn't but give kudos to the organizers who have kept this cultural thing going for twenty-two years.

I took a tour of all the booths and you would not believe how our cultural heritage has grown over the years. I watched jazz singer Dawn Norfleet entertain the audience with her powerful lyrics. Stay tuned for updates.

PHOTO OP: Vieux Farka Toure's Magic Night @ Skirball

It was a night of magic at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles as Vieux Farka Toure entertained the audience to a spellbinding performance on August 9, 2007. For sure, it's a lasting memory.

News Desk Saturday, August 18, 2007

Port Harcourt: Rivers Govt Slams Dusk To Dawn Curfew

PORT HARCOURT — A dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed in Rivers State. In a statement yesterday the Commissioner for Information, Mr Ema Okah said the development was to enable the state consolidate on the peace arising from the deployment of soldiers to the streets. MORE>>

Robbers Kill Policeman, 5 Others in Bank Raid

LAGOS — There was bloodbath yesterday at Ketu in Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos, after a 15-man robbery gang stormed a first generation bank and shot six persons including a mobile policeman to death. MORE>>

Garden City of Mayhem

Port Harcourt was a city of dreams. The Garden City, as it has been known for many years, was a place of big dreams. Peaceful environment, well-planned streets, chubby oil executives, big cars, abundant oil and gas reserves, good business environment, quick money. Those were the hallmarks of the Rivers State capital until the wave of militant insurgency infected the city. On Monday August 6, 2007, the city of dreams again erupted in a nightmare of booming guns, violence, death, fire, grief, fear. Militants. Soldiers. Riot policemen. Panic-stricken residents. In between them, trouble stalked the land like a predator. MORE>>

EFCC Should Arrest IBB, OBJ, Anenih to Fight Corruption - CD Boss

The spokesperson of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO), Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, has said that for the anti-corruption war to be properly waged, the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; former military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida; and former Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anenih, should be arrested. MORE>>

Imo to Ban Okada Riders

Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim has said his government would soon ban commuter motorcycle operators in the state, pointing out that plans for the establishment of a job center where unemployed graduates would be retrained in specialized skills is almost concluded. MORE>>

Hear Music @ Starbucks

Now you can browse music and compile your own CD at Starbucks Coffeehouse. The Hear Music at Starbucks' Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, california, is quite thrilling and fun. You can choose from many music categories and name your own compilation with its own label. The question now is: would record stores go out of business with newer technology and stuff like this? Who wants to listen to a track in a bunch of CD one has no interest in? The record sales business may be going bananas. I hope not, though!

Stephanie Okereke's Directing Debut

Recently, actress Stephanie Okereke was in Los Angeles directing a movie. The movie about a guy who doesn't want any committment and wants to keep playing should be released here in the U.S. this fall. Okereke poses here with Dozie Obiaga at the movie set in Inglewood, California.

Malian Guitarist Vieux Farka Toure Rocks Los Angeles

In my native Amazano, where I partly grew up, Abu Owu, folklore of a cultural festival was a unique tradition. We sang the blues of life's amazing journey and tragedies. It ended there and nothing practically came out of it for the fact no one committed to its cause, and today, abu owu has almost disappeared.

Mike Ejeagha in his hey days of story telling sang the blues when "Ome Ka Agu" violated every rule losing his moral grounds and defying the traditional norms of a people meant by culture to keep afloat and keeping intact and viable a cultural heritage prescribed from time. Ejeagha's music did not go that far in that regard. It was only local, within his enclave, and no major breakthrough for universal recognition due to lack of exposure.

On August 8, I saw for my self something extraordinary ever since I have been attending concerts since childhood. Amoeba Records, now a record label in Hollywood, California, hosted world music rising star, Niafunke, Mali-born folklorist Vieux Farka Toure. Farka Toure who was promoting his self titled debut CD hit the stage for six performances in front of packed audiences, and patrons who're regulars at Amoeba's "low-key-in-store jam" experienced the young Farka Toure's magic.

Like father, like son, and following the footsteps of dad, Vieux delivered. He did not disappoint. The folklorist had the packed audience at Amoeba dancing, clapping and reflecting his father, Ali Farka Toure's vibes.

Farka Toure rocks, rocks and rocks. Farka Toure just rocks.

In jazz, I would compare him to Wes Montgomery and George Benson whent it comes to using the thumbs to make the guitar talk. In blues, I would compare him to the legendary B.B. King and Buddy Guy combining his rhythm and the blues as in "Palata Bluesio." In heavy metal, I would compare him to Eddie van Halen and AC/DC's Angus Young, the way his guitar talked to the audience. In soundtracks, I would compare him to Prince in "Purple Rain," still the biggest-selling soundtrack in history. In pure funk and all that funktified grooves, I would compare him to Rubber Band's Bootsy Collins as the baseline and bassist echoes on stage simultaneously.

Am I really missing something? Probably! How about the likes of Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynot and Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore who says he "could wipe the floor up with most guitarists." Now, beware, Blackmore, there's a new kid in town and the audience has begun to holler, "Toure, Toure, Toure bring the vibe on." Toure has wiped the floor and he can play the guitar in any music category.

Playing for about an hour and half, nonstop, at Amoeba, and beginning with tracks featuring Ali Farka Toure and his mentor Toumani Diabate, Vieux was awesome when the track "Ai Du" exploded reminding me of Joe Satriani and Carlos Santana on how the guitar really talks. A duo with santana or Satriani would, without a doubt, melt every concert goer.

Absolutely no horns.

The wind was gone.

The guy just rocks.

Though his father wanted him to join the army, Vieux took his destiny into his own hands enrolling in Bamako's National Arts Institute and meeting with Eric Herman, Vieux and Eric got to work and began recording in what would be Vieux' debut album to which Toumani contributed his "talent on two of the tracks." The rest is now history.

Enter the Skirball Cultural Center on Sepulveda Blvd. intersecting the 405 (Sacramento) Freeway on August 9, which created a bottleneck around the neighborhood for the coming of Africa's newest sensation in world music. In blues, I meant to say.

The amazing structure, the museum and Noah's Ark.

The tourists, the Jewish community, oneness and organizational effectiveness.

The crowd and Fela Anikulapo Kuti's memorabilia, and the signs that read "Fela Lives."

The music of Vieux indicating "culture is not parts." That "culture is a whole and an entity."

Vieux performed to a point this Jewish community bowed saluting a legend in the making. Once again, "Ai Du" was played and the audience couldn't believe how this kid took over from his dad that quick with a magnificent choral application and powerful lyrics. He delivered and it was a hell of a show.

Vieux would continue his message stretching down all the way to Santa Monica, California where every pub was full to capacity. The night life of this amazing city. Third Street Promenade. The bookstores, talkshows, craziness and all that stuff. The fanfare. The tourists. The eateries--French cuisine, Italian reataurants, Spanish bar and grill; the dazzling sidewalks, Wilshire Boulevard and all the attractions. The beautiful Santa Monica Beach and Vieux' invitation to play at the Temple Bar on the corner of Wilshire and 11Th Street. It was magic.

The two previous shows (Amoeba and Skirball Cultural Center), I took my camera with me. But on August 10, I had no camera, not even my cell phone. I was ready to party, and I knew it would be going down.

I arrived Temple Bar at about 10:15 pm and the night's opening act was an all drum session led by Leon Mobley and his Da Lion drums-percussion group who classified his band as the "original African-American" ensemble. Mobley performed well and the show was great.

During the intermission before Vieux would be introduced to stage, Chief Priest's masterpiece, "Alu Jon Jonki Jon" began to blast all over and just like that, the mood changed. Many other notable African recordings played before Vieux and his gang stormed the stage. At approximately 11:20 pm, Vieux stormed the stage and hell broke loose. The audience chanted aloud "Toure, Toure" as he spoke in French and then Okay, going back and forth to his French and okay. He played many tunes late into the night including getting the audience recite "Palato bluesio" while waving and connecting to his bassist. The track "Ana" came with some reggae vibrations. It was incredible and one of great performances I've seen in a long time by an African.

Vieux Farka Toure, you are now a superstar. Enjoy it!

What I'm Reading

Well, I'm not really a bookworm, but a friend had recommended I should purchase Randall Robinson's latest entry into bookstores. Ok., I did go to the bookstore and listened to my friend's humble advice. I had a problem though. A book 280 pages at the price of $26 before taxes probably means a whole lot in Latin American history.

Randal Robinson's An Unbroken Promise: Haiti, From Revolution to the Kidnappintg of a President appears to be spellbinding as I comb through. I am now in Chapter Three and I hope by next month I will be through with a book full of agony and human tragedy.

Prince Nico Mbarga: The Man And His Music

Without a doubt, "Sweet Mother" gets everybody on their feet whenever it's played at any African gathering, the old school kind of way. The super funky ikwokirikwo sound recorded and released at the Onitsha based recording studio of Rogers All Stars has been noted to be "probably the biggest-selling record in African history."

Mbarga was born in Abakaliki to a Nigerian mother and a Cameroonian father. Inspired by East African music and growing up in Cameroon, he returned to Nigeria after the civil war and formed what would be known as Prince Nico Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz. Recording Man Don Tire, a single with EMI Records which was poorly promoted, Mbarga and his group took three years to record another single I No Go Marry Papa, which also did not make it to the charts in African standard.

In 1975, Mbarga & Rocafil Jazz relocated and found a new record label, Rogers All Stars, remaking Man Don Tire with little impact in the music scene. In 1976, it was a major breakthrough. "Sweet Mother," recorded by Rogers All Stars, followed by Rounder Rcords in the United States; Decca in France; AIT Records in Nairobi; and Zebi Records in the United Kingdom became an anthem and a major hit all around the globe.

The Rocalfil Jazz had two female back-up singers called Tilda. One of the Tilda's remixed "Sweet Mother" as tribute to the Late Nico Mbarga who died in in a motorcycle accident on June 24, 1997.

For detailed analysis, see:

Discography of Prince Nico Mbarga

Wikipedia Entry on Mbarga

Daily Sun Article on Mbarga

Emmanuel Agu's Wrte-up

Linus "Wayne" Ekene Sentenced to 29 Years

Judge John Fisher in Van Nuys Municipal Court at Dept N, 6th Floor, today sentenced Linus "Wayne" Ekene to 29 years in state prison for murdering Okon Nelson Offem on January 10, 1997 over an inexplicable business dispute.

When I spoke to Deputy District Attorney, Andre Maurice Holmes yesterday who prosecuted the case, he said Judge Fisher had rescheduled the sentencing for the next day to allow Detective Timothy Kirkpatrick who was handling the case the convenience to appear for the sentencing. However, Detective Kirkpatrick, due to conflicting schedules did not show up. Speaking with Kirkpatrick after the sentencing, he said "I couldn't make it."

Ekene who had been on the run for nearly a decade was arrested sometime last year in Utah on a misdeamenor battery charge for hitting a co-worker with a baseball bat. With series of crimes in Las Vegas and a rape charge filed against him by the Los Angeles Police Department, North Hollywood Division, his fingerprints matched the ones recovered from the North Hollywood murder scene. He was immediately repartriated to California and was found guilty on all charges on Monday, July 9, 2007.

Dedication

I made up my mind that blogging this entire month will be dedicated to African musical commentaries with a little bit of political analysis. The reason is not far-fetched. I have learned a whole lot studying East African rumba music at Steve Ntwiga Mugiri's site and somehow I found interest in analizing West African Highlife which would be the focus of my desire going back to the roots - motherland Africa.

I will try as much as I can to dig out archives of African musicology and extracting all the way down East and Central Africa including fishing out the unknown in the South African coasts. West Africa, of course, will be the centerpiece of my analysis and views. I will from time to time add some political commentary coupled with news and views and other cultural-related issues from motherland.

It's going to be a whole lot of fun!

Like Father, Like Son

I must be honest, I was so impressed when I stopped by Amoeba Records last week and found out Ali Farka Toure's son Vieux Farka Toure will be playing at Amoeba on August 8th and several other dates thereafter in the Hollywood area, I couldn't but wonder how the late Grammy Award winner's son had taken shape following the footsteps of his father. His posters were everywhere, on doors, windows and you name it. The Bamako and Niafunke, Mali-raised kid tour in the Los Angeles area is now talk of town and every music freak in Hollywood wants some of his vibes--and it will be happening live, right here, in the City of Angels--and I should be shaking it with this lad whose African melodies jammed with classic rock and reggae beats.

He will perform also at Skirball's Cultural Center on August 9, at 8 p.m., and admission is free with no required reservations. The Skirball Cultural center is located at 2701 North Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA, 90048.

Live, I said, and I will be reporting it! Stay tuned!