AfroCubism @ Royal Albert Hall
Monday 27 June 2011
Featuring: Eliades Ochoa, Djelimady Tounkara, Toumani Diabaté, Bassekou Kouyate and Kasse Mady Diabaté
With the current world wide tour receiving resounding reviews the extra one-night-only date gives audiences another rare and ‘unmissable’ (MusicOMH) opportunity to see Cuba and Mali’s finest musicians performing together in London’s finest venue.
AfroCubism was an idea originally conceived of in 1996 to bring the foremost Cuban musicians and their Malian counterparts together on one recording. As it turned out the Malians couldn’t make it to Cuba so an exclusively Cuban album was recorded instead. This went on to be the multi-million selling Buena Vista Social Club.
14 years later the 13 piece all-star cast of musicians reconvened in Spain and recorded AfroCubism. Released in October 2010 the album has universally lived up to the high expectations which preceded it.
'An elegant, gently exquisite album' The Guardian
'A cross-cultural tour de force' The Times
More info@
http://www.sphericalimages.com
He has recorded with Celia Cruz, Willy Chirino, Issac Delgado, Ignacio Berroa, Manolin and was the Conguero on Paulito FG's masterpiece "Con La Conciencia Tranquila". 
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, known by many as the "Music reserve of our nation" "Craddle of the Son" will be the ideal city to host the CUBADISCO 2011 in its fifteenth edition, from 14 to 22 May, dedicated to “Los soneros del Mundo (The Son singers of the World) and to Santiago de Cuba.
http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=11037 
With roots going all the way back to 
“We wanted to do a very concise record,” [Arrested Development's Speech says]. “A record we felt that was filling a void in the industry right now. There aren’t many people really talking about the things that are happening or have happened as far as worldly issues. We wanted to write about those issues. The reason we entitled the album Strong is because we feel it’s one of the strongest records we’ve ever done.” 
2010 Mobo nominee, M3NSA opens the evening with his unique fusion of true school hip-hop and West African homegrown hip-life. 
Set to live Cuban music courtesy of Cuba’s well-known son band Turquino, Havana Rakatan is a captivating journey through the dance and music of a truly unique country, and now finally ventures to the East End for three nights only. 
"A stunning slice of Havana life" THE INDEPENDENT
