Toumani Diabate - Legendary Kora Collaborator Interview
Release Date: 03/02/2009
Edo Mor - Founder of the World Music Collider series, Co-Founder of the Barbes in the Woods festival, and Partner with Laudable Productions
MergingArts Conversations
is the founder of the series taking place in Western MA and oriented towards dance rather than traditional concerts and a partner with , a creative agency based in Easthampton, Massachusetts in the US. most recently co-founded , a new global music festival taking place in August in rural Western MA, inspired by the unique club, , in the Park Slope area of Brooklyn, NY.
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Bob Francois - President and Booking Manager of Rara Bel Poze - 33rd Lowell Folk Festival
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, a traditional Haitian street band that plays a mix of Haitian traditional music, gospel music, and American music with acoustic instruments along with custom Haitian horns, performing at the 33rd Lowell Folk Festival. The takes place each year, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, of the last full weekend in July that takes place in Downtown Lowell, Massachusetts. It is the longest running free folk festival in the United States.
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Dawn Avery - Cellist, Composer, Vocalist, Educator - Mohawk/Sufi - Our Fire, Ajijaak, Beloved
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and nominated, has worked with musical luminaries , , , , and . She has toured the world playing Delta Blues with the and Sufi Persian Funk with , and Jazz masters and , to Indian electronic master, . She worked in musical theatre and global music performances, including with . She made several acclaimed albums, including working with Guitarist . Dawn's original soundtrack and recording, , is part of the show , produced by . story puts forward visions from indigenous communities to reach the next generation of storytellers and change-makers. ...
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Mu Qian, Company Manager of the Zhou Family Band, at the 2018 BU Global Music Festival
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plays traditional wind and percussion music that has accompanied birth and death of people in Central-Eastern China for more than 600 years. Coming from Lingbi, Anhui Province, the Zhou family have been musicians for seven generations, and are bearers of a tradition that represents the this Chinese folk music with Bolin Laba, a national intangible cultural heritage of China. We spoke about the band’s origin, instrumentation, members, and performances, including the 2018 . The takes place in October on the campus of , in partnership with the .
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Jose Ibanez from Orchesta El Macabeo at the 2018 BU Global Music Festival
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is the bassist and band leader of , a Puerto Rican salsa group created in 2008 in Trujillo Alto and part of their particular sound is based on the fact that the group is made up mostly of musicians who played in rock, punk, ska and reggae groups. We chatted about the band’s music, his record label , and performing globally, including the 2018 , where the band will be performing in its 10th anniversary tour. The takes place in October on the campus of , in partnership with the .
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Marie Abe - Professor of Music, Musician, and Artistic Director of the BU Global Music Festival
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is an Assistant Professor of Music in the at . is the founder of , aiming to bring artists steeped in folkloric, popular, and traditional music around the world, for and Boston area communities. As an active performer and improviser of the accordion, performs and records with artists around the world. She performs with the Boston-based Ethiopian music collective, . serves as the Artistic Director of the which takes place in October on the campus of , in partnership with the .
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Ty Furman - Managing Director of the BU Arts Initiative on the 2018 BU Global Music Festival
MergingArts Conversations
began as the Managing Director of the in 2012. Prior to that, he was the Director of the at the and served as Managing Director of the winning . We chatted about the 2018 inaugural edition of the . The takes place in October on the campus of , in partnership with the .
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Brian Keigher of People of Rhythm Productions, Co-Producer of the 2018 BU Global Festival
MergingArts Conversations
founded by serves as a performing arts presenting organization, a record label and a creative music production company. Serving various music needs on all levels from event production to providing live, original or licensed music for ad agencies and brands. He specializes in live music event programs and music event series and presenting and providing free arts programs and arts education to the public whenever possible, with over 20 years of experience. The takes place in October on the campus of , in partnership with the .
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Kevin Dwyer - Executive Director of the Lowell Festival Foundation - 32nd Lowell Folk Festival
MergingArts Conversations
, Executive Director of the Lowell Festival Foundation, chatted with us about the Lowell Folk Festival history through the 32nd edition of the festival. The takes place each year, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, of the last full weekend in July, providing the best in traditional folk music around the world, artisan crafts, and international foods created and supporting area community groups. The festival is produced by along with the , the , and the . This interview has aired leading up to the festival in Kingston, RI on and in Boston, MA on both on 90.3 FM.
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Andrew Collins Trio - Pushing Musical Boundaries in Canada - MergingArts Conversation
MergingArts Conversations
, who is comfortable on mandolin, fiddle, guitar, mandola and mandocello – is zeroing in on the work he does with his beloved trio: fellow string guru , whose versatility shines through on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and mandola, and in-the-pocket , holding it down on the bass, mandocello and vocals, together as . Showcasing a popular collision of acoustic roots, folk, newgrass and jazz, not to mention a dizzying number and energetic interplay of instruments on stage, appear to live by the old adage, “idle hands are the devil’s workshop” likely keeping them just ahead of his...
info_outlineWe were fortunate to catch up with the kora playing legend, Toumani Diabate, during a tour with his symmetric orchestra on a stop at the University of Rhode Island as part of the 10th anniversairy of the URI Pangea Roots music series back in 2008.
He performs solo, with the symmetric orchestra, and on special projects like his most recent collaboration and tour with Bela Fleck.
Toumani chats us up on his family of kora players, the connection of his sounds seen in American music, and blending with other types of musicians like Bjorkwhile keeping his original sound.
We highly recommend you experience Toumani Diabate and check out his latest tour and his CD releases!