The recording artist and singer, Concha Buika, is a unique phenomenon in the contemporary, globalised music milieu. She was born in Spain, on the island of Mallorca. Her parents were political refugees from the former Spanish colony of Guinea Equatoreal.
The Buika family was the only African family in the neighborhood where they lived. It was with the local Gitano community that Concha found a second home. Strange as it may seem, learning to sing flamenco and absorbing the outsider culture of the Gitanos was what helped her to find a path to self-acceptance.

SKOTO GALLERY

Presents

Selections 2011

January 27th – February 26th, 2011

SKOTO GALLERY 529 West 20th Street, 5FL.
New York, NY 10011 212-352 8058

info@skotogallery.com www.skotogallery.com

January 26, 2011 – RiseUp: Reggae Underground by Luciano Blotta

February 2, 2011 – Uprooted by Juan Mejia Botero & Sanza Hanza: King Surfer by Nadia Hallgren

Febrauary 9, 2011 – Mrs. Goundo’s Daughter

All Films Premier at 7:00 PM on World, the 24-hour documentary channel.

Please check your local listings for air dates on World and on additional public television stations.

From a perspective of an outside observer of the worldly politics, including that of the USA,  it is not too hard to become disillusioned by an unending inter-party bickering while those who really need change remain excluded.  That view is also eloquently reflected by the author of the below post, which was reprinted from Exile Writer Blog The author, Sakabaka, is a writer who originates from a multitude of backgrounds; He was born in the Soviet Union (Moldova), raised in Rwanda, fled the genocide in 1994 to Zaire (now DRC),  …

Mozambique’s best known visual artist, the charismatic Malangatana Ngwenya (Mah-LANG-gah-tah-nah en-GWEN-yah), known by his first name and named UNESCO Artist for Peace in 1997, died last Wednesday, January 5th, 2011, in The Pedro Hispano Hospital in Matosinhos, Portugal, after a prolonged illness.

It’s that time again. Time to make the obligatory, end of the year “best of” list and please people with my choices and comments or annoy people who didn’t see CDs from their country or by their favourite artists on it.
Well, let’s say for starters that this is a list that contain CDs that I have received this past year. Needless to say, I have not received or reviewed every CD release of African music in the past 12 months. CD sales are down and it harder than ever to get some record labels to send music to radio stations.

The ImageNation Cinema Foundation will honor actress Ruby Dee and other trailblazing members of the entertainment, business and political worlds at its 2010 Revolution Awards Gala Reception on December 2. Georgia Congressman and civil rights hero John Lewis; BET Chairman and CEO Debra Lee; producer Lisa Cortés (executive producer of Precious); Burrell Communication Group Chairman Emeritus and author of Brainwashed Tom Burrell; and filmmaker and activist Iris Morales.

WHERE: The Film Society of Lincoln Center,
165 W. 65th Street, Plaza Level, near Amsterdam Avenue
WHEN: Thursday, December 2, 2010 TIME: 7:00 pm

Ever since the death of Bob Marley, reggae music has found itself in a downward spiral musically and lyrically as it transformed itself into dancehall. Where once there was melody and harmony, there is now aggressive, rhythmic monotony. Where once there were odes to pan-African unity and universal love, there are now sexually vulgar lyrics and incitement to murder, specifically of gays.
Things have started to turn around. It began with boycotts and protests of the “artists” who attempted to tour in North America and Europe. Human rights groups such as Outrage, J-Flag and the Black Gay Men’s Advisory Group …

This past year saw some great African music released. I’ve been privy to rumblings of discontent on this point but I feel that if any deejay or critic is not seeking out music and waiting instead to be spoon fed with masterpieces from Putumayo, or if they only include American releases of African music on their lists, well that’s just lazy and there will naturally be disappointment.
Throughout the year, I have procured music from Europe and Africa to access, air and share. That’s what real music enthusiasts do and therefore, …

Wunmi Olaiya is a British born Nigerian singer, dancer and fashion designer. She grew up Lagos in the shadow of her uncle, the great highlife maestro and one of Nigeria’s leading musicians Victor Olaiya. Inside Out’s producer and presenter, Steve White speaks with Wunmi. The conversation was broadcast on AfrobeatRadio on WBAI PACIFICA Radio (99.5 FM).