Top artists for Awesome Africa arts fest
The Awesome Africa International Arts Festival will be a celebration of 20 years of Freedom and Democracy in South Africa.
AS a fitting finale to the Celebration of 20 years of Freedom and Democracy in South Africa, the Awesome Africa International Arts Festival will kick off with a gala concert at The Playhouse on Sunday, 26 April and followed by a full day at the Sibusisiwe Community Hall and Lovelife Centre in Mandeni, on Monday, 27 April.
The festival will feature a host of world-renowned performers across a number of genres.
For the Playhouse concert, doors open at 5pm and the concert begins at 6pm. Headlining the festival is the legendary Salif Keita from Mali, the Golden Voice of Africa whose place in the pantheon of African music has been well documented and revered. He performs with his dynamic 13 piece band from Dakar. The award winning South African hip hop artist Khuli Chana in collaboration with MuzArt will also perform at both venues.
Awesome Africa has become known for its unique collaborations in the past, and this year’s festival is no exception. The Freedom Suite collaboration, which will perform at both venues, brings together the extraordinary talents of South African living legend Ray Phiri together with the Jimi Hendrix of the kora N’Faly Kouyate from Guinea in West Africa, who besides fusing storytelling, jazz, dance and traditional griot music is also known for his collaborations with the Afro-Celt Sound System which blend Irish Celtic music with that of West African countries. The powerful and trance-like Drummers of Burundi from Central Africa will also form part of this unique collaboration.
Other featured artists are Christine Salem, the maloya superstar from Reunion Island, award-winning guitar maestros Nibs van der Spuy and Guy Buttery, the alluring maskandi duo Qadasi and Maqhinga Radebe, and a 72nd birthday homage to Steve Fataar who will perform with master Cape Town guitarist Errol Dyers. Pride of the Zulu will also serenade the audience with their accapella styled traditional melodies.
Tickets for both the Playhouse and Mandeni events are R150 available via Computicket and Shoprite Checkers. Tickets will be available at the door but it is preferable to book early. Visit www.awesomeafrica.co.za, or call Gabi on 081 419 4509.
