Batuki Music Society is proud to present the fourth annual Habari Africa Festival from Friday August 11 – 13, 2017. This multi-disciplinary African arts festival is co-produced with Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.
Habari Africa is a multi-disciplinary arts festival that displays the rich and diverse cultures of Africa. The festival will display an authentic African experience through presentations and workshops that celebrate the uniqueness, wealth and diversity of African music, dance, film, fashion, workshops, arts and culture.
The artists featured will represent an array of music genres and dance styles from; Congolese rumba, Ethiopian eskista, Eritrean Tigrinya music, Senegalese griot traditions, traditional and contemporary West African sounds, Malagasy salegy, East African gospel, blues and jazz, Sudanese folk music to the modern sounds of hip-hop. The festival will also have activities for children of all ages, workshops, drumming, films, fashion, literature, vendors with crafts, as well as delicious cuisine from the World Café.
A sample of the festival line-up includes the following artists:
Noumoucounda Cissoko, hailed as the Jimi Hendrix of the kora, cleverly moves between genres; from blues, jazz, hip-hop, fused with his griot traditions and Senegalese mbalax.
Africa Sings is a collective of African artists that have contributed greatly to the musical landscape of Canada. A memorable gathering of artistic talents especially curated for the Habari Africa Festival.
Rhythm Umurisho captivates the audience with their intoxicating rhythms and intricate stick handling techniques, representative of Burundi folklore.
Neema Children’s Choir represent children in Uganda orphaned due to civil war, AIDS and poverty. They raise their voices in songs of love, gratitude and praise.
Blandine is a talented singer/songwriter from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her music encompasses traditional Congolese rumba, soukous, mutuashi, jazz, Afropop and Afrobeat.
Mande Foli Kan or Mandingo Music Groove brings to life the musical traditions of the ancient Mandingo Empire in a rich polyrhythmic conversation between master drummer Amadou Kienou and balafonist Adama Daou.
Nhapitapi Mbira is a dynamic ensemble of Zimbabwe musicians who expertly weave ancestral rhythms and melodies with contemporary African flavours, conjuring musical magic in their midst.
“Professor” Adam Solomon is a master guitarist and composer whose music combines acoustic African blues and jazz, spiced with traditional East African coast rhythms.
Daniel Nebiat is an innovative Eritrean krar player and member of the JUNO award winning Okavango African Orchestra. Tiruedel Zenebe is a popular singer of Ethiopian music.
Dieufaite Charles music style is a mix of his Haitian roots with African rhythms which he calls ‘African Soul’ or “Zantray Dafrik” in his Creole language.
Lanaya Cultural Group presents traditional dances and drumming styles from Guinea West Africa.
DJ Moussa will deliver an intoxicating mix of African sounds, joined by Fumu Jahmez who will heat up the stage with his high energy dance moves.
Sebseb Belu with Emman the Warrior is a group of young Ethiopians who have come together to display the beauty and rich traditions of their cultural dances and music.
Diblo Dibala & Matchatcha – A virtuosic approach to the guitar has made Diblo Dibala one of the top instrumentalists of modern African music. Known as ‘Machine Gun’ for his speed and skill on the guitar, Diblo Dibala was born in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo. This is music for the dance floor!
There will be various workshops including:
Balafon Village with Adama Daou will introduce festival goers to the African wooden xylophone, a masterpiece of the intangible heritage of Mali.
Ndombolo Dance with instructor Greg H’Side teaching this popular dance style from Central and East Africa, and a hallmark of the Congolese music scene.
Afrofusion is a blend of African and Caribbean styles including azonto, coupe decale, dancehall, soca, Afrohouse, hip-hop and more, featuring instructor Esie Mensah.
Kpanlogo Dance with Isaac Akrong shares the traditional dance steps depicting the fishing trade of the Ga people in Ghana.
Let’s Drum and Dance for Life with Njacko Backo brings together all ages to learn about percussion, African culture and cooperation.
Sangele Head-Wraps with Sani Abu of ijovudu Dance International will share the creative art and cultural traditions of “SANGELE” African head-wraps.
Three films will be screened at the festival namely: Two Ways to Heaven, Ghosts of our Forest and Mali Blues.
Two Ways to Heaven – A case of two missing youth joins the fates of a group of Ethiopian immigrants, a low-level drug dealer, a corrupt cop and a business tycoon during the most scandalous time of the city and its mayor.
Ghosts of our Forest – After an indigenous tribe is violently removed from its forest home, the survivors are left to reconcile with the ghosts of their ancestors as they struggle to maintain their cultural identity.
Mali Blues tells the story of four musicians from Mali who espouse with their music a tolerant Islam and a country at peace. Mali Blues is a powerful testament to Mali’s music and a tribute to the resilience of its people.
A fashion show by Africanish Style designers Diellia Toure & Penda Soumare will present the latest trends in African clothing, jewellery and shoes.
Join us for a weekend of exploration and engagement with the art, sounds and tastes of the continent.
Habari Africa Festival 2017
Venue: Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, M5J 2G8
Dates/Times:
Friday August 12: 7:00pm – 11:00pm - FREE
Saturday, August 13: 12:00pm – 11:00pm – FREE
Saturday August 13: 10:30pm – 2:00am – $15 tickets Diblo Dibala & Matchatcha
Sunday, August 14: 12:00pm – 6:00pm – FREE
For additional information and complete event listings please visit:
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Call the information hotline at 416-973-4000.
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Facebook Event Page:
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Tickets $15 for Diblo Dibala & Matchatcha call 416-973-4000 Press 1
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Batuki Music Society gratefully acknowledges support from the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canadian Heritage, AS Business Center, and media sponsors CIUT 89.5 FM and CHOQ FM.
