San Francisco (California), USA – For the first time in two years Senegalese master musician Baaba Maal will bring his unique blend of traditional West African song, Senegalese pop, reggae and dance to the U.S. In 2004 Maal toured with his acoustic ensemble, but this year he will perform with Daande Lenol, his full 13 piece electric band featuring blind griot Mansour Seck, who have not performed in the U.S. since 2002. The tour kicks off in Denver on June 13 and culminates in New York on July 2nd.
At the Jammy awards at Madison Square Garden in April 2006, Baaba was the first recipient of the Jammy World Music award, presented by Global Rhythm magazine.
As part of its ongoing Palm World Voices series, in 2005 Palm Pictures released Palm World Voices: Baaba Maa . This deluxe CD, DVD, book and map set provides an
intimate, engaging and comprehensive portrait of Baaba’s life, music and diplomatic work at home and abroad, the centerpiece of which is a 40 minute video documentary shot in Senegal and Mauritania.
With a dozen solo and collaborative albums behind him, Baaba Maal is a man with a mission beyond his music. In his role as Youth Emissary for the United Nations’ Development Program, Baaba Maal is committed to the concerns of families, young people and the future of his continent. When he tours the world, his role as a representative of the United Nations’ Development Programme is never far away. Both elements come together when Baaba features in musical projects such as the Fela Kuti Tribute
Red Hot and Riot ,” put together by HIV/Aids awareness campaign group The Red Hot Organisation.
In February 2005 Baaba was the special guest speaker for a lecture at the British Museum where he gave his views on Africa, speaking passionately and eloquently of the continent’s strengths and its challenges. On April 1st 2005 he sold out a special performance at the UK’s Royal Festival Hall. He was then invited to headline Glastonbury’s Jazz World Stage on June 25th and also to lead a show of solidarity with the Make Poverty History Campaign with Bob Geldof. On July 2nd Baaba made a speech in support of Make Poverty History in Edinburgh, and addressed the rally in advance of the G8 Summit at Gleneagles.
Tour Dates
June 13 Denver CO Botanic Gardens
June 14 Boulder CO Chautauqua Auditorium
June 16 San Francisco CA SFJAZZ Festival (Masonic Auditorium)
June 17 Los Angeles CA Playboy Jazz Festival (Hollywood Bowl)
June 18 Santa Barbara CA Live Oak Music Festival
June 19 San Diego CA Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
June 21 Santa Cruz CA Rio Theater
June 22 Lake Tahoe CA Crystal Bay Club
June 23 Boonville CA Sierra Nevada World Music Festival
June 24 Seattle WA The Showbox
June 25 Vancouver WA Center for the Performing Arts
June 26 Victoria BC Royal Theatre Jazz Festival
June 27 Roseburg OR Music on the Half Shell
June 28 Portland OR Oregon Zoo
June 30 Boston MA Somerville Theatre
July 1 Montreal QC Le Spectrum Jazz Festival
July 2 New York NY Irving Plaza
For more information, visit Baaba Maal
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
