Manifesto presents Mosi Conde & Kaira Kora Africa

Mosi Conde & Kaira Kora Africa are making their mark on the vibrant music scene in London and beyond, delighting both aficionados of African music and those who come from other grooves with their fresh vibes, good traditional music,with a London Twist.

MOSI CONDE is a young griot from Guinea Conakry's leading family: Sekouba 'Diamond fingers' Diabate is his uncle and his family are the inspiration for extented family and friends from Mory Kante to Salif Keita. As a soloist Mosi has played at WOMAD, for NELSON MANDELA and at numerous festivals.

KAIRA KORA AFRICA gather the crowds and make them dance, sing and enjot themselves. "They are stupendous! I never expected to find such good music in London", 'Killer Tracks' recently commented. Kaira Kora Africa led my Mosi Conde play Mosi's own irresistibly danceable compositions from his strong traditional background with urban city flavour.

This will be a tremendously enjoyable evening taht should appeal to anyone looking to experience one of the most'infectiosly danceable forms of music in the world!'

Joining them will be resident DJ's spinning music from a variety of African genres. Alberto Tavares opens the evening with his mellow eclectic mix on the decks. Later in the evening DJ Todd Hart hits the turntables with his inimitable, sassy and sexy spin on dance African style.

Manifesto Acoustic is a concept whereby live music, Afro-beats and DJ sessions intertwine. Manifesto team in collaboration with the Double Club, one of the hippest, vibrant and eclectic clubs in London, look forward to seeing you.

Manifesto: a means of expression

Tajudeen Abdul Raheem: a giant is lost on African Liberation Day

In Memoriam: Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, 1961-2009
The 25th of May was Africa Liberation Day. What a day to learn of the terrible news that one of the leading proponents of Africa’s liberation – Dr. Tajudeen Abdul Raheem - should be so tragically lost in a senseless car accident in Nairobi.

Tajudeen led Justice Africa’s work with the African Union since its early days. He combined this with his role as General Secretary of the Pan-African Movement, chairperson of the Centre for Democracy and Development, the Pan-African Development Education and Advocacy Programme, and was a fighter in the struggle to get the UN’s Millennium Development Campaign to support meaningful programmes. There was hardly a pan African initiative that took place without Tajudeen’s inimitable presence, support, humour and perceptive political perspectives. It remains a mystery to us how he managed to combine all of this with writing his weekly ‘Pan African Postcard’ that were published regularly in Pambazuka News and in several newspapers including The Monitor (Uganda), Weekly Trust (Nigeria), The African (Tanzania), Nairobi Star (Kenya) and the Weekly Herald (Zimbabwe). You could always rely on Tajudeen to draw our attention to the most significant aspects of the latest political event in Africa - just as you could rely on him to provide guidance and encouragement during hard times, restoring in us the courage for the longer struggles ahead for emancipation of the continent.

Tajudeen’s departure leaves a massive hole in all our lives. But if his life is to mean anything, we must follow his voice in the signature line of his every email – ‘Don’t agonise, Organise!’

Pambazuka News

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/

Manifesto: a means of expression

Chioma and Oluchi Ogwuegbu's journey across Africa!

The adventure, dubbed ‘Celebrate Africa’ started with Chioma’s dream to travel across the globe, which later became a dream to travel across Africa to show Africans and the world the positive things in Africa. She believed that this would be more purposeful and her drive and determination rubbed off on her younger sister, Oluchi who joined her on this once in a lifetime adventure.

They have been travelling by road since July 2008 and will continue until November 2009 throughout West Africa, and documenting their experiences with photos and articles on their website, www.celebrateafrica.net

The pair has been to Ghana, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Sierra Leone to showcase its unique and positive side to the world. Their odyssey is being blogged online at www.Celebrate Africa.net with tons of pictures. What a rare, spunky and ambitious journey by these young Nigerian women. Let us support them in whatever way we can.

Manifesto: a means of expression

Portraits from Africa

Pictures of reclusive tribesmen in remote African hideaways.

Jonh Kenny, who took up photography when he started snapping shoppers in Portobello Road, west London tracked down members of the most isolated rural communities on the continent and persuaded them to pose for a series of striking portrait shots.

The Images capture their traditions dress, piercings, facial scarring and they nomad way of living.

Jonh Kenny is showing is work at the 3 Bedfordbury Gallery in Covent Garden,central London,
until Saturday.

Not to be missed

Manifesto: a means of expression

Manifesto presents ZongZing All Stars

Bridging the Atlantic, from Congo to London


Manifesto is bringing a 8-piece band featuring top Congolese musicians to perform at The Double Club on Thursday 4th June 2009. The band - ZongZing All Stars - have been exploring and nurturing the ‘Soukous’ music from The Democratic Republic of Congo throughout the UK and further afield for the past years, they have played many venues and festivals, never failing to get audiences up and dancing to their spiritually uplifting sound.

ZongZing All Stars music is colourful and joyous and combines intricate guitar picking with a raw harmony singing style. The exciting interplay between the musicians epitomizes what great live music is all about. Band members are Fiston Lusambo on Lead and Mi Lead guitar, Ladi Mbala on Rhythmic Guitar, Declo on Bass, and Burkina faso on Lead Guitar and Mi Lead Guitar, Aimee Bongongo Vocal, Gianni Calugi on Vocals, Saidi Kanda on Conga and Gires on Drumers.

This will be a tremendously enjoyable evening that should appeal to African music devotees and also an entirely new audience looking to experience one of the most ‘infectiously danceable forms of music in the world!’

Manifesto Acoustic is a concept whereby live music, afro-beats and DJ sessions intertwine.

Manifesto: a means of expression

ADAD THE BLOOM FESTIVAL OF DANCE OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

Presented  by the association of Dance of the African Diaspora, this festival sees dance of the African Diaspora springing up all over Southbank Centre during two days of performances, workshops, film and talks.

Free events include a Kizomba Jam on Saturday 6 June and a Caribbean dance masterclass on Sunday 7 June, both in The Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall.

The highlight is an exciting mixed bill including works from up-and-coming black choreographers, dancers and companies including Freddie Opuku-Addaie, Mohammed Dordoh, Vocab Dance, Tolo Kolo, Imani Jendai and Avant-Garde Dance.

Not to be missed.

Manifesto : a means  of expression.

Viviane Sassen, photographer

"I was really taken with Amsterdam-based photographer Viviane Saasen and i would like to share with you her work.

Her photographs, taken in Uganda, Zambia, Kenya and Tanzania, tease fashion conventions but with really witty and unexpected results, partly because her subjects are all young Africans who seem to have enjoyed collaborating with her.

She tends to treat the body as a sculptural element- a malleable shape that combines blocks of shadow and bright colours in arrangements that sometimes read like cut-paper collages, bold and abstract but full of vibrant life".

Manifesto: a means of expression