You don’t want to miss this! Jazz and More!

16 days and counting …

The Cape Town Jazz Festival is called “Africa’s Grandest Gathering.” No wonder! For two days – April 3rd and 4th – on five stages, thousands of jazz enthusiasts will meet under the magic of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa to hear more than 40 international and local artists — from 29 yr-old rising sensation Lira….to legend Vusi Mahlasela — from George Benson with a 28 piece orchestra….to pianist/composer Jason Moran and The Bandwagon.

You can’t join the 32,000+ visitors in person? No problem! Check out Africa.com’s Radio page during the week of March 29th to hear the artists booked for the Festival. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite!

Africa.com Launches Weekly Music Contest – Bringing African Music to Global On-line Audience

Africa is the birthplace of civilization. Anthropologists and geneticists, pouring over fossil evidence, are telling us that modern humans evolved in southern Africa some 200,000 to 100,000 years ago.

Today, musicians too are pointing to Africa as a wellspring of civilization, whether the form is hip hop, dancehall, traditional or R&B. Even outside Africa, creativity is being inspired by artists who have experienced the jangle of influences pulsing through the continent.

This Week on Africa.com TOP 20

The artist at the top of this week’s TOP 20 count-down is Thandiswa Mazwai with “Nizalwa Ngobani (Do You Know Where You Come From?)”.

After shooting to fame as part of one of Southern Africa’s most legendary groups, Bongo Maffin, Thandiswa Mazwai has proven to be an important and enduring performer in the South African music scene. In the Number One spot this week, “Nizalwa Ngobana (Do You Know Where You Come From?)”, from Thandiswa’s 2005 debut album “ZABALAZA”, is a song that layers a string of questions in an attempt to remind the people of Africa where they come from. Composed by Thandiswa herself, “Nizalwa Ngobani” is a traditional mid-tempo piece layered with the Maskandi guitar style and infused with Thandiswa’s soulful Xhosa trademark – a.k.a. the click language – singing, occasionally accompanied by a hint of the English language.

Meet Simon Kashama, where music meets making a difference

There has been a lot of talk lately about turning pain into power and oppression into opportunity. Simon Kashama is turning devastation into music, inspired by the strength and resilience of his sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Resigning from Goldman Sachs to Return Africa’s Embrace

A lot of quizzical looks have come my way as news of my resignation from Goldman Sachs has spread. Why am I leaving a lucrative career as a managing director at a prestigious firm and one of the few senior African-American investment bankers on Wall Street to devote my full energies to the high risk dot.com world? Why am I not just outsourcing the re-launch of Africa.com, the Internet portal that I’ve owned for almost a decade?

El Anatsui at Jack Shainman Gallery

Anatsui transforms simple materials into large shimmering forms by assembling elements into vibrant patterns with a unique visual impact. An astute observer, he composes his sculptures with meticulous orchestration, masterfully managing material and color. In the current exhibit, his palette ranges from black and red to silver and gold.