GLOBAL MUSIC: ROCK THE CASBAH & AN AFRICAN PROM

JUNE 12 GLobAL Music: Rock THe cAsbAH & An AFRicAn PRoM

WiTH béLA FLeck / THe AFRicA PRoJecT FeATuRinG bAssekou kouYATe & nGoni bA, TonY ALLen, And MAnY MoRe

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba

Grammy winner Béla Fleck is just one of the stars in this free all-day musical extravaganza featuring artists from around the globe.

Reflecting this year’s East/West theme, this opening weekend day of music is sure to stir your body and soul. Rock the Casbah includes performances by Montreal banjo maestro Karim Saada, as well as the Maryem Tollar Ensemble, and culminates in a sizzling set by Algerian-born rocker Rachid Taha, whose ferociously energetic musical style infuses his North African roots with the rebellious spirit of punk.

The evening segues into An African Prom, which includes the Toronto debut of Nigeria’s Tony Allen, one of the founding fathers of Afrobeat, plus the onstage reunion of two musical collaborators from different continents: Mali’s Bassekou Kouyate and American banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck. Renowned for his mastery of the ngoni, the banjo’s African ancestor, Kouyate was one of several contributors to Fleck’s film and recording project Throw Down Your Heart – a screening of which you can catch the same day at the Isabel Bader Theatre (see page 48).

Food and drink are available throughout the day at the on-site Mill Street Pub – so come early and stay late.

Béla Fleck Meet the artists at a panel discussion. See Illuminations (page 48-49).

Major Media Partners: With support From:

June LocATion TickeTs

Fr 11 sa 12 su 13 Mo 14 Tu 15 We 16 Th 17 Fr 18 sa 19 su 20

FREE