The Skirball Cultural Center presents a special double-bill of music featuring Masanga Marimba performing music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe and Francisco Aguabella performing Afro-Cuban music.

Saturday, June 9, 2007
12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 North Sepulveda Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049

Schedule:

12:00–2:00 PM  --  MASANGA MARIMBA ENSEMBLE, African

• Known as the only Zimbabwean marimba ensemble in Southern California, the members of Masanga Marimba met at California State University, Northridge, where they studied the traditional music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe under the instruction of Dr. Ric Alviso [UCLA Ethnomusicology alum]. The group's nine members use drums, saxophone and trumpet, in addition to four sizes of marimbas (xylophones) to create their unique sound. 

2:30–4:30 PM  --  FRANCISCO AGUABELLA, Afro-Cuban

• Widely recognized as a master conguero (conga drum player), Francisco Aguabella left Cuba and settled in the United States in the late 1950s after touring Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Since then, Aguabella has delighted audiences with his powerful rhythms on the conga drums. He has performed with many great artists, such as Peggy Lee, Tito Puente, Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Palmieri, Carlos Santana and more. Currently, Aguabella is an adjunct assistant professor in the UCLA Department of Ethnomusicology. 

Other Related Events at the Skirball:

Saturday, June 16  --  12 - 2 PM

ASHLEY MAHER, World/folk

Inspired by Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, Ashley Maher is a singer and songwriter known for her golden voice and eclectic world rhythms. Five years after signing with Virgin UK in London, Maher returns to the United States to share her unique sound—which has been classified as a fusion between world, folk and jazz music—in her hometown of Los Angeles. She has collaborated with West African and Latin musicians in Paris, London and Los Angeles on four albums. She appears at Café Z with Cameroonian producer Andre Manga on bass, Michael Ripoll on guitar, and Puerto Rican drummer Walter Rodriguez.
 
Saturday, June 23  --  12 - 2 PM
ANDREA FERRAZ, Brazilian
Brazilian singer and composer Andrea Ferraz combines the sounds of Brazilian popular music, samba-jazz and bossa nova to create a sound all her own. Born into a family of musicians, she started her career as an opera singer in Los Angeles. Bringing together a host of reputable musicians and producers from Brazil and the United States, Ferraz is currently working on her first professional album, Bossa Nova Brazil. As part of her trio, Ferraz will perform with two members of the Sergio Mendes band, Kleber Jorge and Gibi.
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FILM SERIES
SISAI and MELTING SIBERIA  --  Documentary Double Feature
Tuesday, June 12, 7:30 PM
$8 General, $5 Skirball Members and Full-Time Students
Advance tickets: (866) 468-3399 or on site at the Skirball Admissions Desk or through Ticketmaster at
http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=175701

In Sisai, the title character, an Ethiopian Jew living in Israel, learns the whereabouts of his biological father in Ethiopia. Together with his adoptive father and his brother, filmmaker David Gavro, Sisai embarks on an unforgettable journey that illuminates his immigrant identity. First-prize documentary winner at the Jerusalem International Film Festival. (2005, 54 min. In Hebrew and Amharic with English subtitles.)
 
Melting Siberia tells the story of Marina Haar, who is content in Israel not knowing the identity of her Russian father. But when her grown son, Ido Haar, the film's director, asks to locate his grandfather, a single phone call melts away the distance between Israel and Siberia. (2004, 75 min. In Hebrew and Russian with English subtitles.)

No reservations necessary.

Cost : Free and open to the public; check with the Skirball regarding parking charges.

www.skirball.org

Sponsor(s): Skirball Cultural Center. Information about non-ASC events is posted for informational purposes and does not necessarily reflect opinions of or endorsements by African Studies personnel.