33th Africa Festival (2022)

Thursday, May 26th, 2022

Evening concerts

AWA LY

SENEGALESE JAZZ, SOUL AND FOLK ROOTS

Born in Paris, the daughter of Senegalese parents, she has long since found her new home in Italy. Musically, however, she has always remained true to her West African roots. At a meeting in Dakar in 2016, she wrote and sang “Here” with Faada Freddy from Daara J Family – a poignant song about the fate of the boat refugees in the Mediterranean. Otherwise, she is a versatile and exceptional artist who has also acted in various films such as “Black And White” (2008). Her first solo album “Five And A Feather” was released in 2017. This time, she will also present songs from her new, current work. An exciting musical journey awaits us, in which the borders of African folk roots merge with modern jazz, soul and Afro pop. © B. Benant

ANGÉLIQUE KIDJO

A TRIBUTE TO THE QUEEN OF SALSA CELIA CRUZ

The triple Grammy winner and award-winning artist from Benin has repeatedly returned to her early musical influences in recent years. Sometimes with a concert homage to the great ´Mama Africa´ Miriam Makeba, sometimes with her interpretation of the Talking Heads album “Remain In Light”. Now she remembers her first listening experiences in the 60s in Benin and her later encounters with the unforgettable “Queen of Salsa”, the Cuban “Azúcar” Celia Cruz. Angélique enthusiastically discovered the traces of her own West African music culture in her songs. This was reason enough for her to revive her songs with Afrobeat, Juju Style and Yoruba Music and to pay tribute to the singer who died in 2003.

---

Friday, May 27th, 2022

---

Evening concerts

Mit dem Laden des Videos akzeptieren Sie die Datenschutzerklärung von YouTube.
Mehr erfahren

Video laden

YouTube immer entsperren

GUINÈE MUSIC ALL STARS

WESTAFRICAN TRADITIONAL ROOTS AND URBAN SOUNDS

Moh Kouyaté, probably the most well-known singer, guitar player and songwriter from the small West African country Guinea at the moment, finally found the time – after his last outstanding solo album „Fe Toki“ – to realise a heartfelt project. In his city of birth Conakry, as well as in his adopted home Paris he combined many old and new companions in the studio and founded the `Guinée Music All Stars`. Part of it, amongst others,  Sékouba Bambino (Africando / Bembeya Jazz International), as well as singer and dancer Adame Kouyate. With this large ensemble he connects the traditional Mandinka music of his country with new urban sounds from Conakry and black Paris. His musical journey will lead us from Afro-Punk across Afro-Blues to the fine and tender sounds of the Kora, played by his brother Abdoulaye Kouyaté.

Moh Kouyaté, probably the most well-known singer, guitar player and songwriter from the small West African country Guinea at the moment, finally found the time – after his last outstanding solo album „Fe Toki“ – to realise a heartfelt project. In his city of birth Conakry, as well as in his adopted home Paris he combined many old and new companions in the studio and founded the `Guinée Music All Stars`. Part of it, amongst others,  Sékouba Bambino (Africando / Bembeya Jazz International), as well as singer and dancer Adame Kouyate. With this large ensemble he connects the traditional Mandinka music of his country with new urban sounds from Conakry and black Paris. His musical journey will lead us from Afro-Punk across Afro-Blues to the fine and tender sounds of the Kora, played by his brother Abdoulaye Kouyaté.

VALÈRIE ÈKOUMÈ

THE BEAUTIFUL VOICE FROM CAMEROON

Already as a child she grew up in her family with the sounds of traditional and modern music from her home country Cameroon or listened to the magic voice of Miriam Makeba. It was precisely through the influence of ‘Mama Africa’ that the artist, who lives in France, became enthusiastic about singing and finally, in 2004, had the great honor of being part of the ‘Soul Makossa Gang’ of the unforgettable Manu Dibango for over eight years as a back vocal singer. She lent her voice to artists such as Meiway, Papa Wemba, Coco Mbassi and MC Solar. Since her debut album “Djaalé” in 2015, she is now on the road herself with her own band. Her current and third album is called “Monè Monè”, on which she will now also take us ‘live’ deep to her roots in Cameroon with the rhythms of Essèwè, Assiko or Bikutsi.

---

LURA

COOL GROOVES FROM THE CAPEVERDIAN ISLANDS

Maria de Lurdes Pina Assuncao was a talented swimmer who wanted to study sports, but when Juka, a well-known singer in Sao Tome & Principe, invited her to sing a duet with him, her musical career began at the age of seventeen. Today, under her stage name Lura, she is considered one of the most successful singers from Cape Verde. Like no other, she succeeds in combining the traditional Batuku, Morna and Fuaná music of the islands with West African and modern elements, thus breaking out of the often melancholic harmonies of the island world. Their successful album “Di Korpu Ku Alma” (‘About Body and Soul’) with the hit “Na Ri Na” from 2004 is still considered indispensable in every West African record collection.

HABIB KOITÉ & BAMADA

BACK TO MALI ROOTS

The exceptional guitarist from Mali took more than five years to record his current album “Kharifa” directly in his hometown Bamako. His compatriots like Toumani Diabaté, Amy Sacko – wife of Bassekou Kouyaté and member of their band “Ngoni Ba” – but also family members like his son Cheick Tidane Koité stood by his side. In the spirit of the Griots, he delved deep into the traditions and musical treasures of his country and recorded a total of twelve new songs. With this new program, the sympathetic songwriter will surely fascinate and enchant the Africa Festival audience again, without forgetting his hits like “Muso Ko” or “No Cigarette Abana” from his 1995 debut album.

---

Sunday, May 29th, 2022

---

Evening concerts

NKULEE DUBE

ETHNO SOUL, JAZZ, REGGAE AND RAGGA FROM JO´BURG

The violent death of her father in 2007, the unforgettable South African reggae legend Lucky Dube, was more than just a shock for the likeable singer, but at the same time it was also an impulse to take on her father’s legacy and carry the memory of him further out into the world. Since the release of her debut album “My Way” (2011), she has further developed her own style, which she calls “Ethno-Ragga”, and just finished the recordings for her second album “The Journey”. With a great deal of stage experience, which she gained at festivals in Europe, Africa and the USA in the meantime, she is now, since her debut at the 23rd Africa Festival in 2011, on stage for the second time in the main tent to celebrate with her audience another South African party.

Mit dem Laden des Videos akzeptieren Sie die Datenschutzerklärung von YouTube.
Mehr erfahren

Video laden

YouTube immer entsperren

PATRICE

ROOTS REGGAE, AFROGERMAN SOUL AND FUNK

Patrice Babatunde Bart-Williams, born in Cologne, son of the writer Gaston Bart-Williams from Sierra Leone and his German mother, gained his first musical experiences in the Cologne hip hop scene and was inspired at home in Kerpen, on the sofa, by the albums of Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and other soul greats. Since his debut album “Ancient Spirit” (2000), he sings in a cosmopolitan English or Patois and has matured musically, as in his last works “The Rising Of A Son” (2013) and “Life´s Blood” (2016), sometimes on roots reggae, sometimes on African-influenced funk or soul paths. In Jamaica, at home in New York, Paris, Cologne or Sierra Leone, the Africa Festival is happy to celebrate a brilliant closing party with the sympathetic songwriter!

---

We celebrate DJ culture

This year we will again present modern African club sounds every day. For this we have invited DJs from the Berlin and Cologne “Freak de l’Afrique” movement. They are a team of DJs and MCs who share a passion for modern African club sounds like Afrobeats – Afro-House, Coupé Décalé, Kuduro and Kizomba. Please do not confuse this with the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti.

---

FOTOAUSSTELLUNG – KÖNIGREICHE IN AFRIKA

The exhibition shows photos of kingdoms in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, the Republic of Congo, Kameroon and Swaziland. The photos were taken by internationally renowned photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher during their 40 year journey through Africa.

Some of the images were also published in their two most recent books “African Twilight”. The exhibition consists of 26 colour photographs and will be shown at the University of Würzburg (Sanderring 2, 97070 Würzburg) from 13 May to 25 July 2022 (opening hours: Mon-Fri 08:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.).

---

FASHION MADE IN AFRICA

The fashion designer Rama Diaw from Saint Louis (Senegal) has been creating modern African fashion and accessories for a few years now and uses native techniques and materials like batik and indigo fabrics. All materials she uses are purchased directly from Senegal, Mauretania and Mali. Because of her passion for fashion she created the federation “Aissaitou”, which brings together underprivileged dressmakers, sewers and cloth dyers in the countryside to offer them work. In order to support this project, Afro Project again provides a tent and catwalk free of charge and organises a fashion show with the creations of Madame Rama. By mixing wax (a modern fabric) and rabal (a traditional fabric) Diaw combines the subtlety of forms and the robustness of matter. Senegalese and African Women are subtle and persevering. With her new fashion show “PERSEVERANCE“ Madame Rama wants to emphasize the status of African Women in society. 

The fashion show will take place Thursday at 12:00 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. and at 06:00 p.m.

---

Childrens Programme

---

AFRICA IN GLOBAL CHANGE

This year’s exhibition of the University of Würzburg focuses on issues surrounding global change. Researchers will provide information about climate change, scarce resources, migration and the return of African cultural assets. Another question is whether new remote sensing techniques can help people in West Africa adapt better to climate change? Can drones be used for the efficient transport of aid on the African continent?

---

Social and innovative Projects

The 33rd International Africa Festival will again present social and innovative projects as well as print media. The start-up company “Africa GreenTec” will be there with their Solartainer® and will present, among other things, how they are building up electricity supply, especially in remote rural regions in Africa. The “Freundeskreis Ombili” will again inform about its project with the Bushmen in Namibia. The non-profit organization “Agerto” has set itself the task of providing young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds with high-quality vocational training. Also the organization “Ein Dollar Brille” will be represented, they want to achieve that there is a continuous and independent basic ophthalmic care in developing countries. The “DKMS” will be present with a booth to find stem cell donors. The “Erden Project” makes an important contribution in the fight against climate change by trying to plant as many trees as possible in Africa. The association “Take a Maleika” wants to enable young women and mothers to live an independent life by giving them the opportunity to work. “Doctors without Borders” will also run a booth on site again. Furthermore, the African print magazine LoNam and the taz, which present the festival, will be on site with an information booth. The information booths will be open daily from 11 am – 6 pm.