Halloween Treat: West African/Jazz FREE SHOW TONIGHT (10/31) by The Brand New Life

The Brand New Life is blend of jazz improvisation and West African mbalax and Afrobeat. For a Halloween treat, the Greensboro band plays a FREE SHOW TONIGHT (10/31) at 11 pm at The Station in Carrboro.

To learn more about how this band got together, read my profile in The Independent earlier this year. The last time I saw them, at Shakori Hills in October, they were seriously on fire, with heavy mbalax grooves by their Senegalese talking drummer, Mamadou Mbengue, following on the heels of jazz tunes with crazy meters. Mamadou takes a solo at the end of this clip of the BNL live at 2011 Floydfest:



LINKS:

Facebook event page: Halloween (10/31) with The Brand New Life
Venue calendar: The Station in Carrboro

Tony Allen Afrobeat Orchestra @ UNC TUESDAY (4/19)

Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, a pioneer of the Afrobeat genre, brings his Afrobeat Orchestra to UNC tonight (Tuesday, 4/19).

Fela Kuti's musical director and drummer in the 1970s, Allen is still going strong and updating Afrofunk/Afrobeat with contemporary sounds.

It's an early show starting at 7:30 in Memorial Hall, tickets range from $20-$40; UNC students pay $10.

CONCERT LINK: Tony Allen's Afrobeat Orchestra at UNC, 4/19

Bio Ritmo in Raleigh

Catching up on my blogging...Bio Ritmo a week ago at The Pour House was one of their better shows, and I've seen many. The lady and gents seemed relaxed, rested and robust. Here is pianist Marlysse Simmons eating some mini tacos in Moore Square before the gig. Say hi, Marlysse!



Umoja Orchestra was an uplifting opener. So much hope. I had never seen a horn band with a banjo and accordion before. A little cumbia, a little Miami Sound Machine, a lot of afrobeat. It seemed to me that Umoja's musicians were mingling with the locals and dancing up a storm during Bio Ritmo's set, but don't quote me on that. Unity, indeed.

I did precious little filming on this gig, but here is one teaser from paradise. It's a new song, "La Muralla," for the upcoming album, with music by trombonist Toby Whitaker and lyrics by sonero Rei Alvarez. Marlysse uses Fender Rhodes, the Ponce Sound Machine, for the solo that opens the clip; "Mambo" Bob Miller busts chops on a trumpet solo.