UpNorth Concert Hall: World Music

This outdoor concert at Asgaard Farm features four performers from the UpNorth Music project: bluegrass with Althea Jean, Caribbean drums with Dan Hammond, blues with Mark Tostrup, and ska and jazz with Shu. We select highlights from their live performances.

Performed by The Mzuzu Youth Choir of Malawi at First Presbyterian Church of Watertown, NY.

Performed by The Mzuzu Youth Choir of Malawi at First Presbyterian Church of Watertown, NY.

Performed by The Mzuzu Youth Choir of Malawi at First Presbyterian Church of Watertown, NY.

Performed by The Mzuzu Youth Choir of Malawi at First Presbyterian Church of Watertown, NY.

Performed by the Northern Choral Society with the Mzuzu Youth Choir at First Presbyterian Church in Watertown, NY.

Performed by the Mzuzu Youth Choir at First Presbyterian Church of Watertown, NY. This was at the end of the concert and attendees spontaneously proceeded to the front of the church to lay money at the alter. More than $1500.00 was raised in just a few minutes. All of it went back to Malawi to pay for the drilling of wells and other building projects.

Thirteen members of the Mzuzu Youth Choir from Malawi perform spiritual music, including their own styling of the traditional Amazing Grace.

Performed February 16, 2007 by the Akwesasne Women Singers for UpNorth Music.

Performed February 16, 2007 by the Akwesasne Women Singers for UpNorth Music.

Performed at the Akwesasne Cultural Center by Bear Fox for UpNorth Music. February 15, 2007.

Performed at the Akwesasne Cultural Center by Bear Fox for UpNorth Music. February 15, 2007.

Performed by Piquant! for Upnorth Music on January 20, 2007

Performed by Piquant! for UpNorth Music on Janaury 20, 2007

D Medley, performed by Dan Hammond for UpNorth Music. November 2006.

Drowsy Maggie, performed by Dan Hammond for UpNorth Music. November, 2006.

Among the many bands at the annual French Festival in Cape Vincent, July 9-10, 2005 was the Brockville Lions Steel Band, shown performing here on their parade float. David Sommerstein snapped this picture and sampled one of their tunes while enjoying the festival.

As part of a special week of coverage celebrating the arts and artists of the North Country region, the musicians of Piquant were our guests live in the NCPR studio, the evening of January 22, 2004. In addition to sharing their unique blend of tango, cha cha, and other dance-music styles they dub "bistro music," the five talked with hosts Todd Moe and Martha Foley about the origins of their group, the state of live music in the North Country, and their educational collaboration with Todd (when wearing his tango instructor hat), Tango with Todd.

Playlist:
I Declare, Tony Dumas
Rolling Blackout, Matt Bullwinkel
Last Tango Up To The Ames(es), Matt Bullwinkel
Cafe au Lait, Tony Dumas
Song for Christie, Tony Dumas
When Zero is Warm, Matt Bullwinke
Chicken on Wheels, Beth Robinson
A spontaneous outbreak of Cha Cha
Rhonda, Tony Dumas

The Little River Trio joined Todd Moe in the studio for music, from ragtime to klezmer, in January 2004. The trio includes Warren Wisner on clarinet, David Katz on bassoon and string bass, and Betsy Kepes on keyboard.

Flamenco guitarist Maria Zemantauski in concert with dancer Rebeca Byam at St. Lawrence University in Canton, 11/2/03.

Playlist:
Sevillanas Paco Pena
Adagio
Malaguena trad., arr. M. Z.
Tango, M. Zemantauski
Siguiriya, M. Zemantauski
Chatingo. M. Zemantauski
Rioja Negra, M. Zemantauski
Rosita M. Zemantauski
Farruca, Sabicas
Alegrias, trad., arr. M. Z.
Bulerias, trad., arr. M. Z.
Tango de Navidad, M. Z./R. Byam

The HOW Taiko Drumming Group from Nagoya, Japan performed in St. Lawrence University's Gunnison Chapel October 24, 2002. NCPR's Joel Hurd recorded them live. We hear Stacking Straw Rice Bag Song and Spring Mountain Melody/Hachijo Island Taiko Duet.

Brian Mann recorded the Keepers of the Eastern Door at SUNY Plattsburgh during a September 2001 performance. They are Mohawk singers and dancers from Kahnawake in Quebec on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. They perform Women's Corn Shuffle Dance and Alligator Dance.

Al-Haji Papa Susso is a griot and master kora player from Gambia, now living in the Bronx and visiting the North Country to teach and perform. Griot is a word of French origin for a traditional storyteller/singer of the Mandinka culture in West Africa. David Sommerstein interviewed Susso while he played and sang in the NCPR studio. He described the three songs recorded here as: a song about saying no to enemies and slavery, a favorite song (though they are all favorites) and, a song celebrating peace and those who fought slavery.

A delegation from Malawi is visiting the region this month, sponsored by the Presbytery of Northern New York. Members sing three songs from the Hymnal of the Presbyterian Synod of Livingstonia.

Singers: Rev. Maurice Chauka Munthali, Lincian Ardwell Sambo (nee Nyanthala), Unious Lomdaka Jenda, Margaret Kasambara (nee Mtika)

Sixteen-year old Tuvan throat singer Ional Sam toured the Adirondacks in December 2000 as part of a visiting Russian delegation. Brian Mann recorded him in Ray Brook.