Nelson Mandela Birthday Party Tour -
A musical tribute from African artists in Scotland
Nelson Mandela is one of the very few people whose name is truly recognised and respected
world-wide, even by people with different political views; his reputation as a
campaigner for peace and justice is unrivalled.
A key member of the ANC in his youth, 27 years as a political prisoner,
the first democratically elected State President of post-apartheid South Africa and Nobel Peace
Prize winner, his 90th birthday is being marked at official levels around the
world and with big events such as the concert in Hyde Park.
Scottish-based
African musicians Samba Sene (Senegal/Edinburgh) and Jerry Boweh (Liberia/Glasgow) decided they wanted to mark Mandela's birthday in a more
personal way, one that could involve ordinary people from all communities, and
would be a symbolic present from the African communities to Mandela and Scotland. A celebration with music and dance
was definitely called for! They realised
that the date coincided with Samba's monthly club night - Ndaje: African Connections - and a visit by
Berlin-based multinational Senegalese Reggae band Louis-Jean & the Irie Rainbow...
The idea quickly
evolved into a 3 date/3 band African party on tour (in Glasgow, Edinburgh and
Aberdeen), which will culminate in a concert at the Classic
Grand in Glasgow on Sun 20th July, the finale of which will involve more than
50 musicians and dancers - including the Glasgow Gospel Choir and Ayawara
Drummers - in a climactic ensemble performance at midnight. There will then
be a DJ Highway Competition with 4 DJs
vying with each other to keep the
audience on its dancing feet with a variety of dancebeats and grooves till 3am.
Now THAT'S a celebration! Jaame
ak jaame.
Louis-Jean and the
Irie Rainbow is a
Senegalese Reggae band from Berlin.
Their first CD (Dakar-Johannesburg-Berlin)
was recorded with musicians from South African music legend Lucky Dube's band,
at his studio in Johannesburg. Samba
Sene & Diwan combine Senegalese mbalax fusion with passionate vocals,
original songs and irresistible dancebeats; Diwan are also performing at
Glasgow City Council's official reception for Mandela on Fri 18th July. Zuba Bassabeat is a multinational band which fuses African pop,
folk and reggae with a Celtic twist. Their second CD Allez won JTP African Best Album 2006 Award. The performers -
musicians, dancers, poets, artists - are
from a wide variety of countries including Senegal, Liberia, Cote D'Ivoire, Nigeria, South Africa, Scotland, England, Holland, New Zealand, USA, Germany, France and Argentina.
FLAGGING
IT!
The organisers
want to decorate the venues with flags from as many different countries as
possible - the events are about celebrating human rights and justice across the
world. We need donations - bring us your flags! Any size, from any country in the world whose
people are proud to stand up for these principles. If people want to make and design their own
banner with an appropriate message these are also very welcome. Drop off at the venues in Edinburgh and Aberdeen and at Cafe Rio, Hyndland St in Glasgow
For more
press information, photos, CDs to arrange interviews etc call Morag Neil on 0771 288 0965 email [email protected]
- Log in to post comments