Preview: Africa Now @ OGR Officine Grandi Riparazioni (Turin, Italy; Saturday 22nd September to Thursday 18th October 2018)
The second most important city in Northern Italy, Turin is a place of hidden gems. One of them is a once-abandoned 18th-century railway repair building turned into a cultural hub: OGR (Officine Grandi Riparazioni). In less than a year, the majestic industrial building has become a central location of the city’s nightlife.
As the fall approaches, OGR brings the sound of warmer lands to heat up the body and the soul. Africa Now is a brand new music festival that presents the best of contemporary African music over three shows not to be missed.
The groovy beats of the Lagos-born drummer will meet up with Mills’ composing genius in a unique show that will please the listeners and the dancers.
On October 6th, it will be the turn of the soothing voices of award-winning Malian duo Amadou & Mariam, performing their only Italian date at OGR. Last but not least, on the 16th October, the desert blues of Bombino‘s guitar will bring a soft Saharan breeze to the northern industrial city.
Three important shows in a breath-taking location: there are just no excuses not to be there.
Out Of Africa – An in-depth trip throughout world music and global beats from an African perspective!! This show is a close up for 2021, another difficult year, yet, with so many blessings and so many things to be grateful for. This show is dedicated to all the people in…
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Check out the new collaborative single by the late afrobeat legend Tony Allen and London-based rapper Lava La Rue extracted from the Nigerian drummer’s posthumous album There Is No End out now on Blue Note Records: https://tonyallen.lnk.to/ThereIsNoEnd “I play yours, you play mine. The music never ends.” The wisdom of…
Every month, we bring you a collection of the best world music-related videos. That’s our way to give value to too often overlooked, rich and diverse artistic expressions. Listen with your eyes! Watch the full playlist: TweetSharePin0 Shares
With the very recent passing of Tony Allen, this set of recordings has special significance. He and South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela had been planning on making a record together for years and in 2010 this finally was about to become a reality. Producer Nick Gold got the two titans…
Tributes and homages to artists who recently passed away often sound trivial or trite if done by someone who wasn’t directly connected with them. That’s why we always repeat the mantra that we prefer to let the music do the talking and ask fellow musicians, who grew up and/or shared…
If you have attended any of the previous Africa Express shows, you know they never disappoint your thirst for music. For hours and hours, they stun you with a deluge of quality acts and unexpected collaborations, not only featuring the exceptional artistry of the musicians involved but also their welcoming…
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The sun is shining as people from all corners of the globe – including artists from six continents and fifty countries – come together for this year’s eclectic celebration of world music and dance culture. Families, friends and couples of all ages erect tents, blow up mattresses and boil water…
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Opening the evening was Mogadisco’s finest selection of African beats, thus setting the scene for the proceeding collusion of cross-border musicians. The left of the stage was set for a legendary Nigerian afro-beat drummer operating with Tony Allen’s full drum kit, whilst the symmetrical spotlight to the right shone upon…
Hot on the heels of his highly acclaimed EP, A Tribute To Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers, drumming legend Tony Allen returns with his wonderfully crafted jazz LP, The Source. Having never truly explored the genre before, Allen has married jazz with his first love, afrobeat, the results of…
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Azel is the name of a small town on the outskirts of the city of Agadez, in Niger, where the only Tuareg school in the country is located. Azel, however, is also a word of common usage in the Tamasheq language: it means namely ‘roots’ or ‘stems’ of a tree,…
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