Promoting Chicago as a global cultural destination
Eva Ayllon is one of the foremost Afro-Peruvian singers and is coming to Chicago tonight to celebrate her 40 year artistic career. If you have never listened to her music, click on this link for a sample of her most famous songs. http://www.myspace.com/evaayllonmusic. More info about tonight’s show and about Eva http://ow.ly/5JWK5 and http://ow.ly/5JWYJ
Tonight: Bachaco is in Chicago! World-class fusion of Reggae, Dancehall and Cumbia with Ska and Hip-Hop. http://ow.ly/5BlKt
Summer is now in full swing in Chicago and there are many world music and dance activities going on in the city. My pick for this weekend is the Chicago Folk and Roots Festival. This festival is a two-day celebration organized by the Old Town School of Folk Music, an institution committed to teach and celebrate music and cultural expressions rooted in the tradition of diverse American and global communities. The festival attracts 30,000 people for a spectacular array of music and dance performances from around the world. The festival also offers dance workshops, children’s activities, food, drink, and retail vendors. This year, I will have the pleasure to participate in this great celebration as a dancer with Peruvian Folk Dance Center. If you are interested in seeing this performance, come by 3:30 pm today. There is a $10 donation to get in the festival ($5 for seniors, 65 and over, and $5 for kids). For more information about other performances and dance workshops, go to http://www.chicagofolkandroots.org/. Hope to see you there!
If you have never heard of Afro-Peruvian music, you should consider an introduction to this great musical genre by Novalima, a Peruvian band that has successfully blended traditional Afro-Peruvian music with Electronica, Latin American beats and other contemporary genres. I got the chance to see them perform a couple of years ago at the Music Without Borders series at Millenium Park. They brought the house down on that occasion and put everyone to dance with their highly danceable rhythms and great energy . In 2006, Novalima was awarded with the IMA (The Independent Music Awards) for Best Album in World Fusion category and in 2009 they were nominated to the Latin Grammy Awards. In 2010, their song “Machete” from the album “Afro” appears in the film Machete. Here is a video of that song:
Our friends from Sound Culture and Aguzate had the brilliant idea to bring Novalima back to Chicago. The concert will take place on July 12 at Mayne Stage. Check the flyer below for information about this concert. Also, I have two tickets for this show to give away. The person that gets the most subscribers to my blog or Facebook page until Sunday gets these tickets. Just send me a list with the names of the people who subscribed. I will announce the winner on Monday. Thanks and good luck!
Here is the Chicago world music and dance agenda for this weekend! http://ow.ly/5v0II
I have to share with you an amazing world music experience that I had last night. Coincidentally, it happened during the severe thunderstorm that affected Chicago (for some reason, the best Summer memories that I have of this beautiful city have always happened under the rain). I went to see Brazilian musician Diogo Nogueira at the Music Without Borders series at Millenium Park. The Music Without Borders is a series of free outdoor concerts that explore music from cultures spanning the entire globe. The music was great and Diogo was able to connect with the audience really well, but what I most enjoyed about last night was the spirit of the people who attended the event. Many of them were familiar faces, locals from different parts of the world that love Brazilian music as well as musicians and dancers that tend to frequent Barra N on Tuesday nights. Despite the bad weather, we managed to have a fabulous time. We were dancing and cheering for Chicago even at the worst moment of the storm, when wind gusts were reaching 81 mph. Chicago definitely has the coolest people in the world! Here is a visual report of what happened last night. And if you have not experienced going to a Music Without Borders concert, I highly recommend you doing it. Gather some friends, bring a picnic blanket and some food, sit on the grass, and enjoy the performances of some incredible world musicians at one of the most beautiful places that we have here.
Good morning Urbanites!
Today I have an excellent free show for you to check out. If you are looking for options on how to spend your afternoon, go to the Pritzker Pavillion at Millenium park at 6:30pm for the Hip Hop Chicago show that my good friend and excellent B-boy dancer Kid Jungle from T.A.F. dance is directing. This is a free and family friendly event that is built on the hit show that blew audiences away at the Shanghai World Expo 2010.
Hip Hop Chicago is an hour and a half long music and dance show that brings together 26 local artists to celebrate the best of Chicago hip hop culture with a showcase of authentic beats, rhymes, and moves that blend signature hip hop elements with American and international influences. The theme of the show is the portrayal of POSITIVE Hip Hop Culture and includes Breakdancing, Popping, Locking, African, and Capoeira dancers. African and Capoeira have been added to show some of the roots of Hip Hop dance. There will be musical pieces performed by Hip Hop Bands Sidewalk Chalk and St. Bagu.
This is a production of the Center for Asian Arts and Media at Columbia College Chicago,in conjunction with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
You can find more information about this show at www.hiphopchicago.org.
Check my Chicago World Music/Dance calendar for this weekend! http://ow.ly/5pGvu
Come to the Flamenco Passion show tomorrow with me! 3 first persons to leave a comment in my blog post about this event get a free ticket. Click on http://ow.ly/5oRhE
Whoever is interested in Flamenco and lives in Chicago has heard of The Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater. For 35 years, this company of forty dancers, singers, and musicians led by artistic Director Dame Libby Komaiko, has been presenting and promoting Spanish dance and culture in all its forms. To celebrate this big accomplishment, the company is presenting a series of “Flamenco Passion” gala performances that will take place at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie, IL 60077. Live music for “Flamenco Passion”gala performances will be performed by guest musicians Manuel Palacín (Flamenco singer, National Ballet of Spain, Madrid); Paco Fonta (Flamenco singer and guitarist, Jáen/Miami) and Antonio Gabarri Jiménez (Flamenco guitarist, Madrid). Performances are Friday, June 24 and Saturday June 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 26 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $26-$46. Free parking is available. .On Saturday, June 25 there will be a special “Meet the Artists” benefit reception immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance in the lobby of the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. The reception will provide an opportunity to meet and greet Dame Libby Komaiko, Irma Suarez Ruiz, company dancers and guest artists. Spanish tapas by Café Marbella will be served along with wine, music & silent auction. Tickets are $60 and include entrance to the “Flamenco Passion” Saturday, 7:30 p.m. concert. For tickets or more information call 847-673-6300 or visit northshorecenter.org
Here is a sample of what you will see at this show. This style of Flamenco is called “Alegrias“, one of my favorite styles, specially when it is danced with the Bata de Cola. Ole!
Chicago Urbanite 