World Music Institute Announces 2016-17 Fall/Winter Season
By: BWW News Desk Jul. 15, 2016
World Music Institute announces the fall and winter portion of the 2016-17 Season. In its second season under Artistic Director Par Neiburger and Executive Director Gaby Sappington, WMI will be curating a uniquely wide range of world music, from traditional and folkloric to the experimental and avant-garde.
New this year are partnerships with SummerStage, National Sawdust, Merkin Concert Hall, Littlefield in Brooklyn's Gowanus, and Commend on the Lower East Side. WMI will continue to work with the 92Y, Apollo Theater, BAM, Drom, French Institute Alliance Française, (Le) Poisson Rouge, Met Museum, Storm King Art Center, Symphony Space and The Town Hall.
Four new series include the fascinating Desert Blues, plus Origins, Counterpoint, and Collaborations.
Artistic Director Par Neiburger on the new season: "In my second season as Artistic Director for World Music Institute, we continue the programmatic vision started last season to not only feature artists who represent traditional and folkloric music and dance, but to expand our programming to also include artists who are at the contemporary forefront and cutting-edge of the international arts community. In addition, many of the concerts this season will showcase unique cross-cultural artistic collaborations and explorations that reflect our mission to bridge cultural barriers through the arts. We continue to offer New York audiences performances by well-known master artists from different cultures (such as King Sunny Adé who just launched our season at SummerStage in front of 5,000 people) as well as lesser known, and rarely seen performers (such as master drummer Gideon Alorwoyie, whom Steve Reich studied with during his life-changing trip to Ghana in 1970 and who greatly influenced Reich's subsequent seminal work Drumming). We are hopeful and confident that audiences will enjoy and embrace the scope and artistic quality of the program we've prepared for WMI's 2016-2017 season. Due to the increase in performances during this season, we are splitting the program calendar into a Fall/Winter announcement, published now, to be followed by a Spring/Summer announcement to be made in January."
THE FALL/WINTER SEASON:
THE MASTERS SERIES
WMI's collection of Masters Series brings legendary artists from across the globe to NYC. This year features Masters of African Music, Masters of Brazilian Music and Masters of Indian Music.
Masters of African Music
Mulatu Astatke
Friday, September 9, 2016, 7:00pm
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing, 1000 Fifth Avenue
Tickets: $65 and up
Presented in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Known as the father of Ethio-Jazz, composer and multi-instrumentalist Mulatu Astatkerose to international fame in the '70s and '80s with his unique mix of traditional Ethiopian and Western music, gaining admirers such as Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. His music became even more well known amongst Western audiences in the past decade when it was prominently featured as the main score to the Jim Jarmusch film Broken Flowers. The roots of Ethiopia's jazz tradition can be traced back to the 1950s with Nerses Nalbandian, who when tasked to compose music for Ethiopia's National Opera Theatre, had to figure out how to harmonize local sounds in big band arrangements without destroying the music's authenticity. Ingeniously, Nalbandian set about solving this complex task-given Ethiopian music's unique scales-by borrowing from Western instrumentation. Mulatu Astatke later expanded upon these developments by combining the unusual pentatonic scale-based melodies of traditional Ethiopian music with the 12-note harmonies and instrumentation of Western music, giving birth to Ethio-Jazz. Mulatu Astatke, a truly legendary and influential artist in African music, has since gone on to inspire generations of musicians, and it will be a unique thrill to see him perform in the Temple of Dendur.
Masters of Indian Music
Ikhlaq Hussain
Sunday, September 11, 2016, 2:00pm
Storm King Arts Center
1 Museum Road, New Windsor, NY
Free with Museum Admission
"Ikhlaq Hussain seems to have music in his genes, in his DNA and he uses it as a magical, mystical form of communication with his audience" - Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee
Ustad Ikhlaq Hussain Khan is a sitar virtuoso from a centuries-long line of influential musicians of the Delhi Gharana, dating back to the creator of the sitar and tabla in the early 13th century. Ikhlaq Hussain was taught by his father Ustad Imdad Khan and by Ravi Shankar. Ikhlaq plays in the Gayaki Ang style, reproducing the precise nuance of the human voice on the instrument, which is perhaps the most difficult form of playing the sitar. He has been captivating audiences worldwide with his highly artistic sensibilities and skillful playing since he was 14 years old.
Masters of Brazilian Music
Bebel Gilberto
Tuesday, October 4, 2016, 10:00pm
Wednesday, October 5, 2016, 10:00pm
Thursday, October 6, 2016, 10:00pm
National Sawdust
80 North 6th Street, Brooklyn
Tickets: $45 / $65 VIP
Co-presented with National Sawdust
As one of Brazil's top-selling artists and with multiple Grammy nominations, world-renowned singer-songwriter Bebel Gilberto has captivated fans and earned critical acclaim worldwide as the torchbearer of Brazil's Bossa Nova tradition. She is the daughter of Brazilian music icon João Gilberto, one of the artists to first establish the genre of Bossa Nova in the country. Her mother is acclaimed vocalist Miúcha, and her uncle the legendary Chico Buarque. Coming from this rich family tradition of Brazilian masters, Bebel's influences are vast and eclectic. Her penchant for sonically transporting listeners to Brazil, with bright, incandescent Bossa Nova-infused melodies, lyrics about love, and her lilting performance style have earned her rave reviews of her live performances and a strong following among music enthusiasts.
These intimate performances at National Sawdust will hold only 240 Audience members per night, for a three-night engagement. This is a rare opportunity to see Bebel Gilberto up close and personal. A pre-show talk with folklorist Naomi Sturm of Staten Island Arts takes place on October 4 at 9:00pm.Masters of Brazilian Music
Seu Jorge: The Life Aquatic
A Tribute to David Bowie
Friday, November 11, 2016, 8:00pm
The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street
Tickets: $45/ $55 / $75 / $85
Co-presented with (Le) Poisson Rouge
new level of beauty which he has imbued them with." - David Bowie
Seu Jorge, one of Brazil's most talented contemporary singers, rose to international fame in the Wes Anderson film The Life Aquatic. In his acclaimed role as Pele? dos Santos, a singing sailor, Seu Jorge performed several of David Bowie's songs in the film. But in a twist, he did it in Portuguese, accompanying himself simply on acoustic guitar. Seu Jorge's adaptations in Portuguese of David Bowie's music underscore the breadth and depth of his compositions and have gone on to have a significant cultural impact. In commemoration of David Bowie's recent passing, Seu Jorge performs a special tribute to him while recreating the set to the film The Life Aquatic on stage alongside screens crafted as boat sails that will display images from the film.
DESERT BLUES
WMI's new Desert Blues series features artists from the Saharan region of Africa who are torchbearers of an African musical tradition, traced by ethnomusicologists as having existed there for centuries. The late Ali Farka Toure? once said of the desert blues tradition in his country: "We've been playing this music for hundreds of years. The guys in Mississippi are playing American-Malian music, not the other way around."
Vieux Farka Touré
Saturday, October 1, 2016, 8:00pm
(Le) Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
Tickets: $30 in advance / $35 at the door
Often referred to as "The Hendrix of the Sahara," Vieux Farka Touré is the son of legendary Malian guitar player Ali Farka Touré, the artist mainly responsible for introducing Africa's desert blues tradition to audiences around the world. Despite his father's initial discouragement, Vieux secretly took up the guitar. His first album featured tracks recorded with his late father as well as as African kora legend Toumani Diabate. Vieux subsequently branched out and developed his own sound while remaining true to the roots of his father's music. He has gone on to receive critical acclaim from across the globe, moving out of his father's shadow and garnering a loyal, worldwide fan-base.
As part of its careful curation, World Music Institute has chosen to kick off the Desert Bluesseries with family lineage, just as it does with the Masters of Brazilian Music series (like Vieux Farka Touré, Bebel Gilberto comes from musical royalty, with a father who essentially invented their musical tradition).Rokia Traoré
Sunday, October 30, 2016, 8:00pm
Symphony Space
2537 Broadway
Tickets: $35 / $45 / $55
Presented in association with SummerStage
Rokia Traoré is quite possibly one of the most talented female singer/songwriters to ever come out of Mali, one of Africa's most musically rich countries. Her incredible musicianship and persuasive vocal skills allow her to effortlessly blend the sounds of Mali with desert blues, folk, and other traditions. One of the most inventive artists in Africa today, Rokia is remarkable not just for the range of her powerful and emotional voice but also for her stunning live performances. On her 2016 release, Né So, Rokia turns to friends John Parish (PJ Harvey, Eels), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), and Devendra Banhart to help her express her deep sadness at the state of turmoil in her native Mali. Lamenting her homeland's loss of life, culture, and traditions, Rokia draws audiences in with a striking translation from emotion to song, including transcriptions of some of Toni Morrison's prolific writings.
Boubacar Traoré
Friday, December 2, 2016, 7:00pm
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Grace Rogers Auditorium, 1000 Fifth Avenue
Tickets: $50 and up
Presented in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Legendary Malian superstar, master singer, songwriter, and guitarist Boubacar (aka "Kar Kar") Traoré rose to fame in the '60s with his desert blues performances, fusing Malian and Arabic music. Renown, however, didn't lead to riches, and following a 1968 coup, Boubacar dropped out of sight. Personal tragedy led him to move to France, where eventually, he was rediscovered. His 1990 album Mariama (his very first!) finally put him back on the international stage. Today, along with the late Ali Farka Touré, Boubacar is considered one of the most pivotal figures in the African desert blues tradition. This is a rare opportunity to see and experience this elusive genius live.
Noura Mint Seymali
Friday, February 24, 2017, 8:00pm
(Le) Poisson Rouge
158 Bleeker Street
Tickets: $20 in advance / $25 at the door
Noura Mint Seymali is one of Mauritania's foremost musical emissaries and a national star of the West African country. Born into a lineage of significant moorish griots, a class of traveling poets, musicians, and storytellers who maintain a tradition of oral history in parts of Africa, Noura's career began at age 13 as a supporting vocalist to her legendary step-mother Dimi Mint Abba. Her grandmother trained her in musical technique and Noura mastered the ardine, a traditional 9-string harp reserved for women. Having performed on stages across the world, and by collaborating with African music greats, Noura Mint Seymali has established herself as one of the next generation's most promising artists and an unforgettable voice of Africa.
COLLABORATIONS
WMI's new Collaborations series presents cross-cultural musical explorations. It reveals the ways that the music of artists from one culture have influenced the music of another, or the ways in which music of seemingly widely varying cultures can be strikingly similar or complementary.
Meredith Monk & Ani Choying Drolma
Thursday, November 17, 2016, 7:00pm & 9:30pm
National Sawdust
80 North 6th Street, Brooklyn
Tickets: $45 / $65 VIP
Co-presented with National Sawdust
WMI's Collaborations series opens with the world premiere of Meredith Monk and Nepalese singer Ani Choying Drolma performing an evening of works, each offering an engagement with art as spiritual practice. Meredith Monk is a composer, singer, director, choreographer, filmmaker, and creator of new opera, music-theater works, films and installations. Considered one of the most significant creative forces in the performing arts of the past fifty years, she is a pioneer of what is now called "extended vocal technique" and "interdisciplinary performance." Celebrated internationally, her work has been presented at major venues throughout the world. In September 2015, Ms. Monk received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama. Ani Choying Drolma is a Nepalese Buddhist nun who performs worldwide singing traditional and modernized Buddhist chants as well as Nepali and Tibetan songs to support her numerous humanitarian efforts including the education of young girls, care of the elderly, and providing medical services for the underprivileged and dispossessed through her Nun's Welfare Foundation. Her autobiography, Singing for Freedom, is an international bestseller and she is Nepal's first ever appointed UNICEF ambassador. Meredith Monk and Ani Choying Drolma first met in 2005 while performing at the opening of the McGuire Theater at the Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis, MN.
Steve Reich Celebration: Repercussion
Gideon Alorwoyie
& Mantra Percussion Ensemble
Sunday, December 10, 2016, 7:00pm
National Sawdust
80 North 6th Street, Brooklyn
Tickets: $45 in advance / $50 at the door
Co-presented with National Sawdust
In 1970, Steve Reich embarked on a trip to study music in Ghana with Gideon Alorwoyie, the resident master drummer of the Ghana Dance Ensemble. From this experience in Africa, Reich drew inspiration for his piece Drumming, which he composed shortly after his return. Composed for a nine-piece percussion ensemble with female voices and piccolo,Drumming marked the beginning of a new stage in his career, for around this time he formed his ensemble, Steve Reich and Musicians, and increasingly concentrated on composition and performance with them. In celebration of Steve Reich's 80th birthday year, the Ghanaian master Gideon Alorwoyie will play alongside Mantra Percussion Ensemble, who will perform selections from Drumming to explore this modern music masterpiece and the Ghanaian music by which it was inspired. This concert is co-curated with Sruly Lazaros.
Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal
Friday, March 3, 2017, 8:00pm
French Institute Alliance Française
Florence Gould Hall
22 East 60th Street
Tickets: $35
Co-presented with French Institute Alliance Française
When Ballake? Sissoko and Vincent Se?gal released their first collaborative album,Chamber Music, they caught the music world by surprise. Everything about this duo was unexpected: the Malian master of the kora; the French cellist with the unlikely background in trip-hop; and the elegant, soulful music they made together. Sissoko and Se?gal have created their own cross-cultural hybrid tradition, one that draws on the ancient well of West African troubadour songs, the rich heritage of Baroque music, and an elusive but somehow clearly modern sensibility. In 2015, these two masters returned with Musique de Nuit("Night Music") - an album even more spellbinding than its predecessor.
A pre-performance Q&A (7:00pm) with the artists will be moderated by music writer and producer Banning Eyre of Afropop Worldwide.ORIGINS
WMI's new Origins series highlights artists who delve into the folklore and roots of their respective culture's music to tell the story of their origins, preserving and affirming cultural identities and legacies.
Carlos Núñez (Left) and Javier Limón (Right)
Javier Limón
Flamenco Orígenes
Saturday, February 11, 2017, 7:30pm
Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center
129 West 67th Street
Tickets: $25 / $35
Co-presented with Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center
Acclaimed Spanish composer, guitarist and internationally recognized producer, Javier Limo?n presents Flamenco Ori?genes, a journey back in time, exploring the origins of Flamenco music. The roots of Flamenco go back to Sephardic music; Arabic music - which is an essential part of the history of the Iberian Peninsula and undisputed pillar of the melodic and rhythmic legacy of the Andalusian music; and Gypsy music, with its origins in Northern India. Flamenco Ori?genes features four extraordinary singers representing these musical traditions that exemplify the origins of Flamenco: Christiane Karam (Beirut, Lebanon), Genara Corte?s (Malaga, Spain), Tali Rubinstein (Israel) and Shilpa Ananth (Kerala, India).
Ten-time Latin Grammy winner Javier Limo?n is known for his collaborations with Paco de Luci?a, Bebo and Chucho Valde?s, Anoushka Shankar, Wynton Marsalis, Buika, and Avishai Cohen among others. Through his long and esteemed career he has established himself as an indispensable figure in the genre of Flamenco and beyond. He is currently the artistic director of the Berklee Mediterranean Music Institute and Berklee Latino. Post-show Q&A with Javier Limón.Carlos Núñez
Saturday, March 18, 2017, 7:30pm
Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center
129 West 67th Street
Tickets: $25 / $35
Co-presented with Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Music Center
Few artists pack as much energy, virtuosity, imagination, daring, and charisma into their concerts as Galician multi-instrumentalist Carlos Nu?n?ez. He is the world's most famous player of the gaita, the bagpipes of Galicia, Spain's northwest region, which is rich in vibrant Celtic traditional music.
Nu?n?ez respects and seeks to safeguard Galicia's musical legacy while skillfully exploring fresh, fascinating realms of new possibilities for it. He has collaborated with a wide variety of artists including Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Laurie Anderson and of course The Chieftains, who first introduced Nu?n?ez to larger, international audiences. Nu?n?ez's music draws on influences that range from ancient Celtic music (with a unique Spanish touch) to Medieval and Baroque, and also incorporates sounds and styles of the places where Galicians have settled, including Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, even the United States. Special guests: Banda de Gaitas "Terra Nosa" from Casa Galicia New York.COUNTERPOINT
WMI's Counterpoint series showcases contemporary artists who push the boundaries of what "world music" can mean as the divisions between cultures become less prominent in the 21st century.
Laraaji (Left) and Alan Bishop (Right)
Laraaji
performs Day of Radiance
Saturday, October 29, 2016, 9:00pm
BAM Café
30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn
Free
Presented in conjunction with BAM Café
Ambient icon Laraaji began playing music on the streets of NYC in the late '70s, improvising trance-inducing music on a modified zither/autoharp processed through various electronic effects. Brian Eno "discovered" him playing in Washington Square Park and the result was Laraaji's most widely recognized release, Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, the third installment of Brian Eno's Ambient series. Laraaji went on to release a series of albums, captivating audiences worldwide. Laraaji's music is a prime example of "fourth world" music, a blend of traditional music from around the world with Western forms and modern electronics, resulting in a kind of contemporary folk music from "unknown and imaginary regions," as described by composer Jon Hassell. In recent years, Laraaji has been collaborating with a new generation of musicians, most notably on the 2011 recording for the acclaimed FRKWYS series with Blues Control, released by RVNG Intl. His career was celebrated with the retrospective Celestial Music and he performed live at the Deerhunter-curated All Tomorrow's Parties festival.
A pre-show Q&A with Laraaji will be moderated by Matt Werth of RVNG Intl. on October 29 at 3pm at Commend, 172 Forsyth St, Manhattan.Sublime Frequencies
Alan Bishop DJ Set
Friday, February 3, 2017, 9:00pm
BAM Café
30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn
Free
Presented in conjunction with BAM Café
Alan Bishop is a founding member of Seattle's avant-garde and genre-defying Sun City Girls, as well as co-founder of the Sublime Frequencies record label. Through the SF prism, Bishop has released over 100 records, introducing previously ignored musical genres from Syria, Burma, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Morocco, Egypt, Western Sahara, Cambodia, Algeria, Turkey, etc. His DJ sets feature retro 60's and 70's Hybrid-Pop, Rock, Folk, Yeh-Yeh, Go-Go, Freak Beat, Psychedelic, Surf and traditional styles from North Africa, The Middle East, South and Southeast Asia that listeners most likely have never heard before.
GLOBAL/LOCAL
WMI's Global/Local initiative is dedicated to discovering and celebrating the international richness of the musicians and dancers living in the New York area. This series exposes these artists to wider audiences while celebrating the diversity of our city.
Above: Brooklyn Raga Massive
Brooklyn Raga Massive
John Coltrane Birthday Celebration
Friday, September 23, 2016, 8:00pm
Littlefield
622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn
Tickets: $20 in advance / $25 at the door
In celebration of John Coltrane's 90th birthday, the dynamic and hugely popular Brooklyn Raga Massive, a collective of forward thinking musicians rooted in and inspired by the classical music of India, pay tribute to his legacy through their interpretation of his music. John Coltrane remains a pivotal force in the styles of modal jazz, avant-garde jazz, hard-bop and world music. Through his truly unique music, Coltrane bridged seemingly disparate cultures the way only few figures in modern music ever did. With records like Omand songs like India, Coltrane and his legacy have led a movement towards bringing Indian music influences closer to the world of Jazz music.
Brooklyn Raga Massive will be joined by a special guest, the highly revered post-bop jazz pianist Marc Cary.AFRICA NOW!
presented in partnership with Apollo Theater
Now in its fifth season, this annual concert presented in partnership with Apollo Theater celebrates the best of today's African music scene showcasing emerging and established artists who have drawn from their roots for inspiration. This season's concert takes us on a musical trip across the continent from the Congo's new generation of musicians who embody the concept of change with Mbongwana Star, to exploring the rich culture of the island of Cape Verde through the vibrant music of Lura, to Mali's Songhoy Blues blending traditional and modern, and lastly DJ Nenim who hails from Nigeria.
Top: Mbongwana Star; Bottom (left to right): Songhoy Blues, Lura, DJ Nenim
Mbongwana Star
Songhoy Blues
Lura
DJ Nenim
Saturday, March 11, 2017, 8:00 p.m.
Apollo Theater
253 West 125th Street
Tickets go on sale September 1, 2016
The band Mbongwana Star hails from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo-a network of shantytowns and night shelters where founding members Coco Ngambali and Theo Nzonza (of Staff Benda Bilili fame) pulled together members of a new generation of Kinshasa musicians embodying the concept of "mbongwana," or "change." Along with maverick Parisian producer Doctor L (Tony Allen, Stomy Bugsy), the band has created a sound that embodies the "smashed-together" nature of the surroundings from which it was born-a sound that fuses traditional Congolese rhythms with European post-punk bass and busted electronics from recycled and reconstructed instruments miked and distorted in unexpected ways.
Produced by Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) and Marc-Antoine Moreau (Amadou & Mariam, K'naan), Songhoy Blues' first album Music In Exile marks the arrival of a powerful and truly unique new band. Though their music bears elements of contemporary rock and hip hop, at its heart is Songhoy Blues' deep attachment to the homegrown songs and dances of Mali's Songhoy people as well as iconic West African guitar heroes such as Baba Salah and Ali Farka Toure?. Songhoy Blues blends the traditional and the modern, the homegrown and the foreign, the youthful and the ancient. Lura is a singer and musician of Cape Verdean descent, who has a truly unique voice with fantastic power. Her music is vibrant, tremendously danceable and truly Cape-Verdean, as her latest album focuses on the archipelago's energizing up-tempo funana beat. As one of the most melodious, charismatic singers of an entire generation of Cape-Verdean artists, Lura gives her audience the opportunity to re-explore the rich culture of Cape Verde and its people, traditions and music. Lura's songs remind us just how the essence of multiculturalism and traditional Creole music have given rise to a universal vocal genre at the heart of Africa's best-kept secret: Cape Verde. DJ Nenim grew up in Lagos, Nigeria where he made his way to DJ at the biggest clubs in Nigeria. His sets are usually geared towards Afrofunk, Afrobeat, Jazz, Funk & Soul with very eclectic playlists. He recently started his own record label "5th Circle Records."Tickets for all World Music Institute events are available for purchase online at www.worldmusicinstitute.org, or by calling 212-279-4200.
Season passes are available for $400 with access to all 14 concerts (not including the three free shows) this Fall/Winter Season (a $510 value) if purchased before September 2, 2016. Valid for least expensive ticket category of each show. One can upgrade per show, if available.
Discounts are also available for members of WMI's new World Citizen Membership Program starting at $100 for individual memberships, and $70 for students and seniors.
ABOUT WMI - Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit, World Music Institute (WMI) has served as the leading presenter of world music and dance within the United States.
WMI is committed to presenting the finest in traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world with the goal of inspiring wonder for world cultures through music and dance. WMI aims to enrich the lives of people living in New York by promoting awareness of other cultures and their traditions. WMI collaborates with community organizations and academic institutions in fostering greater understanding and appreciation of the world's cultural traditions and presents at venues throughout the city. Under new leadership since 2015, its 30th anniversary season, World Music Institute has introduced an ambitious expansion of concert offerings that include contemporary, experimental and avant-garde presentations, as well as the traditional music that WMI has long been known and admired for. In addition, the institution is thrilled to have launched new partnerships with BAM, 92nd Street Y, SummerStage, Merkin Concert Hall, National Sawdust, Storm King Art Center, Le Poisson Rouge, Littlefield and Drom-while continuing partnerships with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Town Hall, Symphony Space, French Institute Alliance Francaise, and Apollo Theater (the annual Africa Now festival). WMI has presented more than 1,500 concerts and events featuring artists from more than 100 countries across all continents. Through powerful programming, WMI is creating a movement that promotes awareness and engagement of other cultures, helping to encourage deeper understanding of communities around the globe.
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