Yes. You read it right. There’s a new off-Broadway show chronicling the life and music of Fela Anikulapo Kuti, and it runs through September 21 at the 37 ARTS theater in NYC.

For those of you that don’t know, Fela was to Nigeria what Bob Marley was to Jamaica. He was a larger-than-life persona that embodied the unlikely combo of music, sex, and spirituality; the contrast of new styles and old traditions; the syncretization of African and American sounds; and above all, he was a truly revolutionary rockstar.

Directed by notable choreographer Bill T. Jones and with music provided by the NY-based afro-beat group, Antibalas, Fela! is sure to be a hit. I honestly can’t imagine that the audience will be able to stay in their seats for the entire performance – Fela’s music and those bad-ass dancers are likely to inspire some holy-ghost conniptions.

Check out the video below for a first glance at the musical with commentary by Bill T. Jones. Watching the actor who portrays Fela, I literally got chills. This guy looks and moves and sounds just like the man himself – a great choice.

(sigh) it’s times like this I wished in lived in ‘the city’. Ah well, hopefully Fela! will go on tour and come to Atlanta before long. Or maybe somebody can hook me up with a cheap flight.Until then…

cheers,

k

The little lost girl that sangs them blues will perform at this month’s Harmony in Life at Sugarhill.

Previously a background singer for Erykah Badu, N’dambi has made her own mark on the soul scene with her raw, earthy vocals and the lush instrumentation on her two solo albums: Little Lost Girls Blues and Tunin’ Up & Cosignin’.

If you’ve never heard of N’dambi, get your free online education below the flyer.

Final exam starts at 9pm on Saturday. $10 pre-sale; $15 at the door.

cheers,
k

Don’t know about you, but I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the coverage of the Beijing Olympic games (at least the bits and pieces I’ve been able to catch ) over the last week.

So far my absolute favorite performance to date has come from Bela Karolyi. Take a look at some of his behind-the-scenes moments below. Or watch the video clip of Bela’s reaction to Nastia Liukin’s gold-medal performance on floor….PRICELESS!

oh - and by the way…NBC sucks for not allowing posting / emedding of clips - damned communists!

cheers,

k

I leave for Canada tomorrow night for a 4.5 day work trip and I’m already feeling a little homesick.Wait. Don’t say it. I know what you’re thinking.
What? The urban bohemian that loves to stay on the go, and longs to see the world is reluctant to leave home?

It’s kind of funny, but my starting this blog also marked the start of a new relationship with this city, so my imminent departure feels sort of like the first extended absence from a new beau. To ease the pain of parting, I decided to spend the last bit of my weekend in town at one of my more recent favorite finds – Cameli’s Pizza.

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Did anyone happen to catch Black in America on CNN last night?

Last night was the 2nd installment in the groundbreaking series presented by CNN that explores the current situation and issues facing African-Americans 40 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

The first part of the series, entitled ‘Eyewitness to Murder: The King Assassination’ premiered back in April. Part 2 – ‘The Black Woman and Family’ aired last night and Part 3 – ‘The Black Man’ will premiere tonight at 9pm. The series is hosted by CNN’s Soledad O’Brien.

I usually cringe every time I hear about a show that strives to encapsulate the ‘black experience’ in the span of a few hours. Generally, I find such efforts either way too myopic or too sappy and trite, laden with a ‘we-shall-overcome-negro-spiritual’ tone that just seems outdated and irrelevant. So when I tuned in last night, I had a high amount of anticipation mixed with a healthy dose of skepticism.

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The gods of music have really been smiling on me as of late.

In the past few months, I’ve been engaging with more music heads, DJs, and just stumbling across a lot of new blogs and magazines that have helped me take my little music collection from respectable to downright formidable!

One recent gifting came from my new fam in Toronto, the lovely Gentle Aura, who gave me a copy of a Lars Behrenroth mix that has been in heavy rotation with me for the past few weeks. One track in particular, titled ‘Kissing Strangers’, seems to have irreversibly lodged itself in my brain.

It’s a classic, danceable house tune with an infectious mix by Frankie Feliciano, killer vocals from Monique Bingham, and a message that I’m sure all of us have related to at one point in our lives.

You can listen to the track on Imeem:
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or download the entire Lars mix featuring Kissing Strangers at Deeper Shades of House.

Here’s to kisses you can feel!

cheers,

k

This year is the 20th anniversary of the cultural festival that showcases an amazing variety of works and artists from all different genres: dance, music, visual arts, theater, you name it, they got it. If you’re a fan of the arts in any way, the NBAF provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the African-American arts scene in an up-close and interactive way.There’s so much good stuff going on, I have no idea how I’m going to fit all the things I want to see / hear / do in, but dammit I intend to try. If this weekend was any indicator, I’ve got my work cut out for me.Below are some of the events that I plan on checking out over the next few days, followed by a longer listing of other events gleaned from the NBAF’s Highlights Guide.For more information, visit the NBAF’s website at http://www.nbaf.org. Or add them as a friend on Facebook or Myspace Hope to see you out and about!

Ksolo’s NBAF Itinerary:
July 18 - Jazz at the High NBAF Edition & Latin Dance Party
July 19 - Hot Ice International Groove Lounge; www.centerstage-atlanta.com
July 25 - Art, Beats, and Lyrics; Foundry at Puritan Mills; www.occasionalsuperstar.com/abl/
July 25, 26, 27 - World Music Festival at Centennial Olympic Park; Free (codeword: It’s Going DOWN)
Through Aug 1 – Carrie Mae Weems, “Constructing History: A Requiem to Mark the Moment”; Free
through August 10: Young Americans – Photographs by Sheila Pree Bright
Road to Freedom – Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement; www.woodruffcenter.org 

Other NBAF Highlights:
July 25 - Vinx and the Soul Kitchen Redux ; Hyatt Hotel, $15
July 26 - Follow the Sun Carnival (great for kids!)
July 26 - FunkJazz Kafé; www.funkjazzkafe.com ; $25
through July 27 - Something Like A Fahamenon; www.fahamupecouart.com/FAHAMENON
through August 3 – “The Amen Corner”; www.truecolorstheatrecompany.com or
through August 3 - “Oprah Winfrey Presents The Color Purple”; www.theaterofthestars.com/colorpurple

cheers,

k

Hi there boys and girls!

I know, I know. It’s been a long time since I last posted and I’ve been feeling terrible about it. But hey, it’s a busy time for the empire so I hope you’ll forgive me for slacking. Anyway, I thought I’d make it up to you by catching you up on all the goings-on with me over the last couple of weeks. Ready? Here goes.

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