TONITE SUNDAY LIVE MUSIC- TOTTENHAM

One of the most fascinating and exciting spots in town run by multi talented musician JJ Adamson of  AilTV.com
Lights, camera, sound....all there plus fantastic crowd of musicians. I shall be rocking...!

HIGH COMMISSIONER DR ASHA R MIGIRO MEETS UK BASED TANZANIAN ARTISTS

Constancy and continuity they say are best ways of achieving tasks, efficiently. Sporadic intense,  activity does not really deliver.

And it is the consistency that adds to quality. Ever since she arrived in the UK three months or so ago, Dr Asha Rose Migiro, new Tanzanian envoy has kept that pulse. That Drizzle.

UNREPORTED STUFF...

London - Saturday, 16 July, 2016
Not reported in the media....

Remembering Srebrenica

Concert for SREBRENICA victims

 In 1994 Rwanda experienced genocide that shocked the world. Almost a million deaths.
On 11 July 1995, another part of the world went through the same horror.
 8,372 people were killed in Srebrenica....
A memory of those victims will be held through music and poetry in London...
More info visit HERE

BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI'S LEGACY IS STRONGLY FELT IN AFRICA

When I was still in secondary school boxer Muhammad Ali was a big hero in Africa. In 1974 he fought George Foreman in Kinshasa, Congo DRC. That was gigantic and explosive. WE stayed all night to listen to the duel on the radio as there was no TV in Tanzania those days. Ali inspired us so much in his pride, athleticism, political awareness, poetry, liberation and so on. 

Youth and Fitness. At Mzumbe Secondary School we had a boxing team galvanized  100%  by Ali. From left with a fist salute, is the late Professor Chachage S Chachage- died in 2006. Second with hat is author. Third is the late Hussein Laiser, died in 1994. The rest, Msuya and our coach at the back  with arms folded, John Kihampa, I have failed to trace ever since.

Ali visiting Tanzania in 1980. Big event. Pic by legendary photographer Vincent Urio.

 During that year, Reggae star, Bob Marley also visited Africa and played at Zimbabwe independence rally in Harare. Musician James Brown likewise, came to Africa. Those were great links between African Americans and Africa....In the same year, 1980,  legendary Guyanese historian Professor Walter Rodney who had lived in Tanzania teaching history was assassinated in his homeland.
Compare this with what boxer Floyd "Money" Mayweather said about Africa in May 2015. That Africa has done nothing for him so he does not what? READ THIS.

PERCUSSION FOR SHAKESPEARE

Ongoing "Bards without Borders " TOUR-  next event Mathew's Yard, Croydon.... 
 Friday 20 May, 2016.

More details HERE

AWARDS, LONDON ARTS EVENTS, BWBs, AND THINGS....

Flame Lily Arts singer do a catchy, impromptu Acapella song during Africa Awards ceremony at the African Caribbean Centre in Plastow, East London, April 30. Pic by J Kissamo...

ONLY TIME I EVER FELT JEALOUS WAS DURING A PRINCE CONCERT IN 1987...

I am  not a jealous person.
I believe so much in myself and my talents that I never feel threatened. However, during Prince concert somewhere in Germany in 1987 ( "Sign of the Times" tour)   I couldn't face it.  Prince was magnificent. Fans were fainting. The music was exhilarating. He played, he sang, he danced, his clothes were superb;  the band grooved and songs were just out of this world. Half way I matched out.

                                                 Prince- pic by Ironing Board Collective

"Why are you leaving? Don't you like it?"
The person I was with, wondered
I couldn't hide my envy.
I had to evaporate. Hide. 
Did not sleep well for days.
But later I was so, so, so inspired, I regained my composure. The last time I saw Prince was in Rio De Janeiro...at a private gathering in Leblon, near the beach.  He was surrounding by these huge bodyguards. He was so tiny. I did not feel green at all. No envy. I felt this legendary, great artist had no freedom. 

JACKFRUITS IN LONDON

 Lately,  Jack-fruits are plenty.. N... the fruit in season across London. But you have to know where to find them.

SHAKESPEARE 400 YEARS ANNIVESARY PREPARATIONS

Quick peep at BARDS WITHOUT BORDERS last weekend..

Poets rehearsals and planning at Kings College, London Saturday 2nd April 2016.

It was a painstaking session but worth every second.
An afternoon of braincraking. Final structuring of  upcoming show at Rich Mix and beyond

BEDROOM BAR- Monday 4th April

Live music was kicking at Bedroom Bar last night. It was packed and mellow and...

As usual it was an international vibe...
Our Monday Open Mic had acts from France, Germany, Nigeria, UK, etc.
There was a variety of female, black, white, young and older musicians. Some came from Bath. Some were seasoned buskers  like Dave Etherington (pic below), who is originally from Guernsey. 

Or very interesting...
Titus Waldfenfels for example all the way from Munich had a variety of instruments- a few self made others improved from old. Titus  created an amazing array of sounds. No singing. Which was a good contrast from the norm. Sometimes it is heart warming to get away from too much speaking and singing. Music is sound. Any sound. All kinds of sounds... 
here were the fantastic acts

1. Alex Dobson
2. Djinn Cover - French Blues man
3. Titus Waldenfels- master craftsman
4. Zarina- Young upcoming London songwriter
5. Bee Bakare- Amazing singer from Bath via Nigeria
6. Josh Williams - Main act of the evening all the way from Edmonton , Canada
7. Dave Etherington- Street musician from Guernsey

If you want to be considered just send us an Email
magda@bedroom-bar.co.uk
or
gmacha52@gmail.com

SHAKESPEARE'S 400 YEARS AT RICH MIX LONDON- APRIL 23

Looking forward to Rich Mix show on 23 April 2016.
Exactly 400 years after the bard died...on 23 April 1616.
It was a coincident that he was also born on the same date
Rehearsals keep on going....this is the Green Room at Rich Mix...

BARDS WITHOUT BORDERS KEEPS ON GOING

Shakespeare 400 years updates

After gig at Arcola Theatre on January 30,  Bards Without Borders appeared at the Poetry Cafe on Monday February 1 ...then at the Senate House - Thursday 10th March 2016. In between some of the BWB  performed at the Refugee Awareness moments - all in February.  And the women International evening in Gants Hill organised by Exile Writers Ink through Shamim Azad. 

SWAHILI WORD PLAY - Lost in Translation

These days if you are on WhatsApp you would constantly receive pics and clips from everywhere.
Most of the time credits are not given. WhatsApp is not that sort of place. However, let me salute whoever made up these words.
In Swahili there are three different words expressing the process of making and eating rice.
Its not like in English where rice means rice. Cooked, raw, etc, is just rice.
In Swahili you have rice in its farming stage i.e. in a  Paddy-field.

BARDS WITHOUT BORDERS - JANUARY SATURDAY 16th

Diary of 400 Years Shakespeare

 New Year....mid January.
We met again. Arcola Theatre. A different room. The floor had an unusual colour...
As usual, ready and forthcoming...here again were The Three Facilitators, Tom Green, Arne Pohlmeier and Laila Sumpton
The room was cold, the room smelt of paint, the room was....secluded....away from the main Arcola hassle and bustle....but the meeting buzzed, chimed, synced... Everything was so soooo Inspirational.

After December's first gig, we are ready for Arcola 30th January and Poetry Cafe on Monday 1st February.

RECALLING SOME GIGS END OF 2015....

Two eggs stuck on my head's lawn....

One is the poetry reading and performance at Keats House in Hampstead , north west London. What a place. Historical.

 Plus....  the Brazilian rock group, Moondogs,( see joint pic with the  Rockers,  afterwards, author has a black hat and Bob Marley T shirt) who rounded up gigs at Bedroom Bar. What a fantastic 30 minutes. Most people expect Brazilians to sing in their native Portuguese. However, these guys, who had two other bands (i.e. three in one) rubbished the stereotype and shocked, awed and mesmerized us...in English but in their own Brazilian style.