Cultural fusions showcased at All Over The Map: A Feast of Global Sounds at Harbourfront Centre (July 15 to 17)
TORONTO, July 5, 2005 - A sundry assortment of music and culture is
showcased at one of Harbourfront Centre’s newest festivals, All
Over The Map: A Feast of Global Sounds from July 15 to 17.
The festival highlights
artists whose music and culture are composite ideas bred from their
native
lands and influenced by other cultures (including Western ones) due to
the rapid
advancements in communication, technology and travel. All concerts and events
are free
admission. More information is available at www.harbourfrontcentre.com
or by calling our infoline at 416-973-4000.
Putting
these
scintillating hybrids front and centre, the festival features
Friday evening at 7 p.m. Yukado's (Toronto/Japan) monumentally energetic taiko drum performance shakes the foundations of the Toronto Star Stage. At 8 p.m. on the CIBC Stage, Senegalese hip-hop group Daara J unleashes their flow of lyrics referencing American and French Rap, Soul, Reggae, Latin rhythms onto a bed of percussive beats. The group won best Africa artists at the 2004 BBC World Music Awards and their 2003 album Boomerang featured Malian diva Rokia Traore and brought forth the amazing single Esperanza (arranged by Cuba's Sargeant Garcia). At 9:30 p.m. Malian Sahara blues group Tinariwen perform with electric guitairs, hypnotic percussion and undulating vocals. Pioneers of the Tishoumaren music style since their formation in 1992 - the group sonically represents the exile and struggles of the Tuareg people who suffered through a hard fought civil war in the 1980's and 1990's and have since risen to global musical acclaim.
On Saturday, Venezuelan-born Toronto singer Eliana Cuevas lends her sultry latin vocals for a 2 p.m. performance on the CIBC Stage. Chicago's Funkadesi bring in a funky fusion music filled with Indian and Jamaican influences at 3:30 p.m. on the CIBC Stage. Sotto Voce, a free vocal workshop featuring Rosina Kazi from LAL, latin singer Eliana Cuevas and Martina Sorbara from Dragonette runs from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Lakeside Terrace.
The CIBC Stage's 8 p.m. performance is launched by the powerful singing of West African vocalist Daby Touré, often referred to as the 'African Nick Drake.' His 2004 Real World debut CD Diam opened the door to working with Peter Gabriel. His style, influenced by his new home in Paris France, is similar to world music peer Baaba Maal.
Grammy nominated artists and self-proclaimed "urban island dwellers" Yuerba Buena (US) make their Toronto debut at 9:30 p.m. on the CIBC Stage. The group, hailing from the island of Manhattan, remind audiences and pay tribute to the US' exploding Spanglish populace. Their debut album, Island Life, set to release July 26th, features collaborations with John Leguizamo, El Cigala, Les Nubians, Fulanito, Orishas, Joe Bataan, M1 of Dead Prez, Peret & Ile Aye, Rossy de Palma and more.
The Brigantine Room heats up at 11 p.m. with some 'Jazz from Canada' as Toronto DJ John Kong's Do Right! Music CD Release party for Ready or Not: Deeps Jazz Grooves from The CBC Radio Canada Archive 1967-1977 steps up a lively rhythm. Special guest appearances for the evening include saxophone player Billy Robinson & the Reference 4, and film composer Kathryn Moses; DJ John Kong takes to the decks himself to unearth Latin and Brazilian nu-jazz gems throughout the evening.
On Sunday, self-taught Montreal
artist/producer Qbanito rhymes Cuban-style on the CIBC Stage.
Mali's Issa Bagayogo takes to the stage at 4:30 p.m.
Well-known for his 2002 Six Degrees
release Timbuktu where he mixed Electronic
with funky Malian rhythms and traditional African music styles, his
latest release Tassoumakan finds Bagayogo
dominating the technology with gentle vocals and superb mastery of the
kamele n'goni
(young man's harp).
Musician Victor Gama was born in Angola of Portuguese origin and learned to play the Kissange thumb piano and the Hungo musical bow. This initial experience inspired him to create Pangeia Instrumentos- original contemporary instruments designed and built with traditional materials. He performs three performances throughout the weekend on these unique instruments, at 8 p.m. on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2:15 p.m. All performances take place in the Studio Theatre. Victor's gorgeously crafted instruments will be exhibited within an exhibition called Sounds like in the Marilyn Brewer Community Space throughout the weekend alongside unique musical installations by Dave Hind & Iner Souster. Join all three artists as they lead an interactive artist talk for interested guests on Saturday afternoon at 6 p.m.
DANCE: At the Toronto Star Stage, over two weekend afternoons (July 16 & 17) All Over the Map focuses on the seamless fusion of music and movement - illustrating how each informs the other and how both are shaped by the geography that they come from.
Toronto's Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre performs the Canadian premiere of Distances, Consonance and Diversity, From Persia to Turkistan on Saturday July 16 at 7 p.m. and Sunday July 18 at 5 p.m. at the Studio Theatre. Accompanied by musician Pirouz Yousefian, this new work is a blend of ritualistic and traditional dance forms inspired by the mysterious Caucasus Mountains and the desert nomads of Central Asia. The dance styles of Classical Persia, Azerbaijan, Daghistan, Chechnya, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan create a poetic portrait and an eclectic tapestry of diversity in these regions. Founded in 1993, the Sashar Zarif Dance Theatre has toured intensively across Europe and North America.
Saturday afternoon, Folklorico Filipino present traditional and varied regional dances on the Toronto Star Stage at 1:30 p.m.. Korean drum and dance company Jeng Yi perform at 3 p.m.on the Toronto Star stage. The group specializes in a musical genre called samulnori; the folk music tradition of Korea. Samulnori literally means "to play four things" referring to the four percussive instruments used in folk performance: a small gong, a large gong, the hourglass drum and a bass drum. They also perform Sunday at 4 p.m.on the Toronto Star Stage. Caribbean Folk Performers uplift the Toronto Star Stage at 5 p.m. with their signature traditional African and Indigenous dancing, drumming and storytelling.
Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. the Habeeba Hobeika Egyptian Dance Company perform authentic Egyptian Belly Dancing to the music of the George Sawa Ensemble (comprised of Dr. George Sawa, Suzanne Meyers Sawa and ud player Bolbol Shehadeh) on the Toronto Star Stage.
Focusing on dance styles from the Central, North and Southern regions of Chile as well as Easter Island, Grupo Chile gets inspiration from the diverse geography of their country and infuses it into their choreography at 5:30 p.m. on the Toronto Star Stage.
LITERARY: International Readings at Harbourfront Centre and Mable's Fables Bookstores present the Slytherin House Party celebrating the launch of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The evening rolls out from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m. and is a free event in the Lakeside Terrace that features DJ performances, Toronto's own
FOOD: Two afternoons of chef demos and delicious food dominate the Lakeside Terrace Tent (July 16 & 17 - food samples $1).
Saturday afternoon, the culinary
demonstrations are from Taiwan, China and the Middle East. Chef David
Chung is originally from Taiwan and achieved the
rare honour of being accepted as an apprentice in Japan. Several cities
and five
languages
later, Toronto is home to this revered master Sushi maker. At 2 p.m.,
this gentle
master will guide us through the time honoured tradition of making vegetarian
sushi.
On Sunday, Cookbook Author and Chef Smita Chandra cooks up a delicious dish of warming South Asian food at 3 p.m. in the Lakeside Terrace Tent.
The final Feast for Two culinary demo of the weekend is led by Chef Jake Lopez of Roncesvalles-located River Restaurant. In line with their mandate to create paths to employment for Torotno's homeless and at-risk youth by training them with real world skills, the not-for profit restaurant sends along a recent graduate, Sharon Lopez to guide the demo at 4:30 p.m.
MEDIA SITE:http://www.harbourfrontcentre.com/summerfestivals/media.phpAll Over The Map: A Feast of Global Sounds
Complete Event Listings - Friday July 15 to Sunday July 17 2005
NEW Harbourfront Centre 2005 summer festival
235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Canada
Info: 416-973-4000 or www.harbourfrontcentre.com
Friday July 15
Visual Art - Sounds like exhibition: Victor Gama, Dave Hind & Iner Souster and their unique musical installations (10 a.m. to midnight - Marilyn Brewer Community Space)
Dance - Sashar Zarif Dance Company with Pirouz Yousefian (5 p.m. - Studio Theatre)
Music - Yukado (7 p.m. - Toronto Star Stage)
Music - Victor Gama (8 p.m. - Studio Theatre)
Music - Daara J (8 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Music - Tinariwen (9:30 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Literary - International Readings at Harbourfront Centre and Mable's Fables Bookstores present the Slytherin House Party celebrating the launch of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Feat. special guests (10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Lakeside Terrace)
Music - TBA (11 p.m. - Brigantine Room)
Saturday July 16
Visual Art - Sounds like exhibition: Victor Gama, Dave Hind & Iner Souster and their unique musical installations (10:30 a.m. - Marilyn Brewer Community Space)
Kids - Kids "Make & Take" - animal music shakers with artists Liliana de Irisavri (1 p.m. to 5 p.m. - Kids Zone tent)
Dance - Folklorico Filipino (1 p.m. - Toronto Star Stage)
Music - Eliana Cuevas (2 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Food - Feast for Two culinary demo by Sushi master David Chung (2 p.m. - Lakeside Terrace Tent)
Dance - Jeng Yi (3 p.m. - Toronto Star Stage)
Music - Funkadesi (3:30 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Food - Feast for Two culinary demo by Oriental food specialist Florence Kwok (4 p.m. - Lakeside Terrace Tent)
Music - Victor Gama (4:30 p.m. - Studio Theatre)
Music/Workshop - Sotto Voce: Vocal Workshop featuring Rosina Kazi (LAL), Eliana Cuevas, Martina Sorbara (Dragonette) (5 p.m. - Lakeside Terrace)
Dance - Caribbean Folk Performers (5 p.m. - Toronto Star Stage)
Visual Art/Talk - Victor Gama Artist Talk (6 p.m. - Marilyn Brewer Community Space)
Food - Feast for Two culinary demo by Persian Chef Aazan Alexanian (6 p.m. - Lakeside Terrace Tent)
Music/Workshop - Music Workshop featuring David Hind, Iner Souster & Victor Gama (6 p.m. - Lakeside Terrace)
Dance - Sashar Zarif Dance Company with Pirouz Yousefian (7 p.m. - Studio Theatre)
Music - Daby Touré (8 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Music - Yuerba Buena (9:30 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Music - Do Right! Music CD Release party for Ready or Not: Deeps Jazz Grooves from The CBC Radio Canada Archive 1967-1977 (11 p.m. - Brigantine Room)
Sunday July 17
Visual Art - Sounds like exhibition: Victor Gama, Dave Hind & Iner Souster and their unique musical installations (noon to 6 p.m. - Marilyn Brewer Community Space)
Kids - Kids "Make & Take" - animal music shakers with artists Liliana de Irisavri (1 to 5 p.m. - Kids Zone Tent)
Dance/Music - Habeeba Hobeika Egyptian Dance Company perform with the George Sawa Ensemble (1:30 p.m. - Toronto Star Stage)
Music - Victor Gama (2:30 p.m. - Studio Theatre)
Music - Qbanito (3 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Food - Feast for Two South Asian culinary demo by Chef Smita Chandra (3 p.m. - Lakeside Terrace Tent)
Dance - Jeng Yi (4 p.m. - Toronto Star Stage)
Music - Issa Bagayogo (4:30 p.m. - CIBC Stage)
Food - Feast for Two culinary demo by River Restaurant Chef Jake Lopez with Sharon Lopez (4:30 p.m. - Lakeside Terrace Tent)
Dance - Sashar Zarif Dance Company with Pirouz Yousefian (5 p.m. - Studio Theatre)
Dance - Grupo Chile (5:30 p.m. - Toronto Star Stage)
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Rebecca Webster, 416-973-4518, rwebster@harbourfrontcentre.com
Shane Gerard, 416-973-4655, sgerard@harbourfrontcentre.com
Bill Bobek, 416-973-3442, wbobek@harbourfrontcentre.com