African Winter
Featuring Balla Tounkara & Groupe Spirit
Saturday, December 6, 2008, 8pm
98 George P. Hassett Drive, Medford Square
Tickets: $19 General, $16 Student/Senior (Series Subscription Packages also available)
To purchase tickets, call 781.395.0402 or visit www.springstep.org
Medford — On Saturday, December 6th, 2008, the Springstep Performance Series is proud to present African Winter: Balla Tounkara and Groupe Spirit. Hailing from Mali, West Africa, Balla Tounkara is a master kora player and one of the most popular artists on the World Music scene. He and his band Groupe Spirit perform an exciting, spicy blend of danceable music fusing African, Latin, Funk, Reggae, Jazz, and Blues musical stylings.
Tounkara's ancestors were African bards known as "griots" who passed on the history, traditions, songs, and stories of the Mendeng people in the oral tradition. Known himself as "The Griot of Boston," Tounkara learned to play the kora (the original 21 string harp of Africa) as a child and honed his skills through years of strict discipline and commitment. Under the tutelage of his internationally acclaimed grandfathers, Batrou Sekou Kouyate and Samakou Tounkara, he learned to respect the significance of this royal music, becoming a master kora player and vocalist in his own right.
In keeping with the new format of Springstep's Performance Series, this eclectic show will be followed by interactive time with the artists, and a chance for audience members to learn a little African dance and music themselves!
Never seen or heard an African kora?
Watch a video clip of Balla Tounkara on our website!
http://springstep.org/?q=programs/performanceseries/African_Winter
About the Springstep Performance Series
Designed to be both entertaining and educational, Springstep's annual Performance Series presents traditional and contemporary music and dance from a diverse array of cultures. Upcoming shows in the 2008-2009 Season include:
January 31: Burning Down the House - Scottish music & whiskey tasting,featuring Parcel of Rogues
February 14: Flamenco on Fire, featuring La Conja with Aaron Larget-Caplan (Special Valentine's Day Wine & Tapas Event)
April 4: Revolutions: Martial Dance from Brazil, India & China,featuring Brazilian Capoeira, Indian Kalari Ppayattu, and Chinese Wu-shu
May 16: Triptych: Celtic Song & Dance, featuring Kieran Jordan, Laura Risk, and Paddy League
For more information, call 781.395.0402 or visit http://springstep.org/?q=programs/performanceseries
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