Arte & TV5 at 'Le Jardin du Luxembourg', Paris - organised by " le guerrier mandingue" Cheik Tidiane Seck, in aid of the people of the Sahel (www.jamsahel.org) - www.myspace.com/chameleoneye

main stage performers - 2 days in under 90 seconds... ref song: Samba Mapangala & Orchestra Virunga - Malako

slideshow - music: Fitiço di Funana (M’bem di Fora, 2006 Lusafrica), a dance from the island of Santiago, where Lura’s father was born.

show promo - July 5, 2007 @ Harbourfront Centre: Afrofest 2007 Launch concert / Co-presentation of Music Africa / Opening: Guinean griot Katenen Dioubaté / Tickets on sale now at the Harbourfront Centre Box Office....................

show promo - June, 29, 2007 @ Harbourfront Centre - a co-presentation of Music Africa / Opening: Eritrean krar virtuoso Daniel Nebiat / Tickets on sale now at the Harbourfront Centre Box Office.................... Seun Kuti & Egypt 80: the power of a political message, wrapped in an infectious afrobeat lives on as the legendary Egypt 80 band finds the perfect new leader in Seun Kuti, Fela's youngest son. In commemoration of the 10 year anniversary of Fela Kuti's passing................ sources: sound - Think Africa beats track / pix (primary) - www.fmm.com.pt

en concert au Reservoir - A virtuoso guitarist with a suave and persuasive voice, Nya Soleil derives his music from his Bamileké roots and Bantou polyrythms. With a warm and natural approach that transcends borders, his guitar riffs enchant crowds to the sounds of condrey music : Benskin, Mangambé, Afrobeat, the whole flowing with a universally World feeling : Afro-jazz, funk, salsa, reggae. The artist's musical openness, authenticity and heat on stage are also confirmed on his latest album «Soleil Pour Tous » as he transports audiences with rhythms evoking the pleasures of African dance. -- http://nyasoleil.com

Samba Squad has risen from a community based drumming group into one of the most dynamic and sought-after acts on the Canadian world and Latin music scenes. Samba Squad was awarded the UMAC (Urban Music Association of Canada) Award for Best World Recording of 2001 for their self-titled release. The colourful thirty-plus member drum group performs a variety of samba-based West African, Caribbean and Afro-Cuban styles of Carnival rhythms on traditional Brazilian percussion instruments and has become one of the most exhilarating live music experiences in Canada. Led by award-winning percussionist Rick Shadrach Lazar (Montuno Police, Loreena McKennitt) Samba Squad has performed over 200 festivals (Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival, Roots & Blues Festival Salmon Arms B.C., London’s Sun Fest, Ottawa Jazz Festival and Muhtadi’s International Drum Fest in Tobago) concerts, benefits, special events, sporting events (Toronto Raptors, Toronto Argos and Blue Jays half-time shows) and television appearances (Governor General Awards CBC Television, The Toronto Show Toronto 1, Breakfast Television CITY TV, Open Mike with Mike Bullard, CTV). Samba Squad recently opened for Grammy and Juno award winning singer Sarah Mclaughlin and is a regular guest performer for Canadian flamenco phenomenon Jesse Cook. The group has also performed with other international acts such as Antibalas. Samba Squad can be seen on CITYTV in an award-winning promo, a sensational collage of Toronto photography seen through time-lapse and fish-eye lens. Samba Squad performs the sound track composed by Rick Lazar. Samba Squad released its long-awaited sophomore album Batuque in September 2006. Batuque (baa-too-kee): From the Afro-Brazilian tradition, a spontaneous street party – a celebration of life with drumming, singing and dancing. Batuque is an evolution of Samba Squad’s musical journey: the path of the drum. Based on the Brazilian tradition of Samba, the Squad takes you on a dance-till-you-drop tour of global grooves. www.sambasquad.com

An authentic African griot, or storyteller, Zale Seck is a vibrant exponent of Senegalese song and oral traditions. His unique voice conjures up African landscapes and evokes images of the Lebou people, and the rhythms and sounds of instruments such as the kora and the balafon enthrall audiences wherever he performs. --- www.zaleseck.com

Nawal has gained international praise as a self-produced artist with her powerful voice and socially progressive commentary. Nawal has performed professionally for 20 years, and as a multi-instrumentalist she plays the gambusi (Comoran banjo-like instrument, cousin to the oud), the daf (Iranian frame drum), and guitar, among others. Her first full-length album, Kweli (Truth), was released in 2001 and was well-received by fans and the press. Putumayo featured Nawal’s song “Hima,” recorded with Donna Africa, on the Women of Africa compilation released in 2004. She is also featured on the albums of Touloulou (2005 / 1998) and Malgache Connexion (1992). Nawal always enjoys engaging herself in numerous collaborations with artists of different horizons and media. Nawal is currently touring with the release of her new album Aman (2007). Along with Nawal, the trio includes Idriss Mlanao on contrabass and Melissa Cara Rigoli on mbira and percussion. Nawal is the first artist from Comoros to appear at Afrofest. - http://www.nawali.com

The band’s music blends in as colorfully as the population of the exotic island. No rhythm resounds twice. The hot program’s rainbow stretches from Malagasy salegy, bahoejy, and antosy to beats originating on the African mainland and hot grooves from South America as well as reggae. The most important thing is that it’s an unbelievable pleasure for the whole band, but one that would not be half as joyful if its members could not share it with the public. Without a doubt, that’s the perfect basis for a successful festival. Or rather, a proper “dust ball”! Afrofest is proud to present HAJAmadagascar for his first concert in Canada...... an edited bio/promo - more info: http://www.myspace.com/hajamadagascar http://www.hajamadagascar.com

Discover Africa in the Heart of Toronto! Souvenir of the 18th Annual Afrofest, July 8 & 9 2006 in Queen's Park, Toronto, Canada. Many thanks to the volunteers, artists and audience who made this year's festival a great success! Visit our website at www.musicafrica.org --- Video produced by JenSeo Design.

Discover Africa in the Heart of Toronto! Souvenir of the 18th Annual Afrofest, July 8 & 9 2006 in Queen's Park, Toronto, Canada. Many thanks to the volunteers, artists and audience who made this year's festival a great success! Visit our website at www.musicafrica.org --- Video produced by JenSeo Design.

Music Africa has specially commissioned for AFROFEST 2007 a presentation by the African Dance Ensemble (ADE) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence. The African Dance Ensemble (ADE to tell in Ga) is a unique group that researches, teaches and performs the roots of African traditional practice as an embodiment of social and ethnological phenomena including African music,drumming, dance and culture. The founding director, Isaac Akrong holds a M.A. in Dance and is currently a 3rd year Ph.D. Candidate, Ethnomusicology programme at York University. Many of the members are current York University students and alumni and reflect a diverse microcosm of cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Our live performance is something that no text can represent but the experience of interaction between our performers and the world is what tells “ade” our story better. After this experience you will have your own version of this story to tell the world. -- www.afridance.com

Muhazi is the name of a lake in eastern Rwanda. It is a magical place, and the making of this CD was full of magical moments and coincidences: my experiences studying music in Rwanda with the Batwa and with master guitarist Ibrahim, the unexpected arrival of friends like Tanga and Vitas from various corners of the world to record with me, my good fortune in getting exactly the great guest artists I wanted into some wonderful (and unlikely) studios (how many Guinean balafon players lay down tracks after midnight in Whitehorse?) ... I feel a deep emotional connection to these songs and a 'rightness' about how they came to be that goes beyond anything I've felt before. Enjoy!......... Mighty Popo, from CD liner notes. www.mightypopo.ca

Nawal has gained international praise as a self-produced artist with her powerful voice and socially progressive commentary. Nawal has performed professionally for 20 years, and as a multi-instrumentalist she plays the gambusi (Comoran banjo-like instrument, cousin to the oud), the daf (Iranian frame drum), and guitar, among others. Her first full-length album, Kweli (Truth), was released in 2001 and was well-received by fans and the press. Putumayo featured Nawal’s song “Hima,” recorded with Donna Africa, on the Women of Africa compilation released in 2004. She is also featured on the albums of Touloulou (2005 / 1998) and Malgache Connexion (1992). Nawal always enjoys engaging herself in numerous collaborations with artists of different horizons and media. Nawal is currently touring with the release of her new album Aman (2007). Along with Nawal, the trio includes Idriss Mlanao on contrabass and Melissa Cara Rigoli on mbira and percussion. Nawal is the first artist from Comoros to appear at Afrofest. - http://www.nawali.com