Festival International Nuits D’Afrique: Top 5 picks & Champions of the Local Scene: Wed @ 6pm

Want to check out Festival International Nuits D’Afrique 29th Edition July 7 – July 19, 2015 but don’t know where to start?! Look no further, Emily Brass’ TOP PICKS are here for you! With more than 100 concerts and activities, free outdoor events, and a Village Nuits D’Afrique, we are happy to help you plan your festival days! And if that were not enough, Emily will also be hosting “Champions of the Local Scene” Nuits D’Afrique special this Wednesday, July 8th 6-7pm on CJLO! Be sure to tune in, for your chance to win tickets to such Nuits D'Afrique shows as Le Grand Méchant Zouk, Famalé, and more! 

Emily Brass’ TOP PICKS for Festival International Nuits D'Afrique:

1) Le Grand Méchant Zouk at Métropolis at 59 Ste-Catherine Est (corner St-Laurent), July 12, 2015 – 08:30 PM

Kassav’ often puts on the hottest show at Nuits d’Afrique. Literally. The Antillean zouk legends pump out pulsating rhythms and upbeat vibes that get the crowd rocking so hard, dancers beg for mercy. Start to move, and you won’t be able to stop, even as your feet ache and your clothes are drenched with sweat.

Le Grand Méchant Zouk was conceived by Kassav’ member Jacob Desvarieux. The festival describes the happenings as a “cult-like scene in France, where each show unites thousands of spectators in a feverish atmosphere.”

More than twenty musicians will take the stage, as the band’s key players join forces with other zouk heavyweights, including Luc Leandry and Shoubou of Tabou Combo.

Guaranteed to get the temperature rising!

2) La Nuit de la Kora at Le Gésu, 1200 de Bleury, Montréal (Qc) Canada H3B 3J3, July 10, 2015 – 08:00 PM

No instrument is more mesmerizing than the kora. A predecessor of the banjo, the 21-string harp made of a hollowed gourd and cow skin has a sound that transports you to an oasis of musical bliss. Unlike the soft, silky tones of an orchestral harp, the kora also has a percussive edge to it, making it stand out from the guitar and hand drums that often accompany it.

La Nuit de la Kora will feature two masterful players, West African Quebecer, Diely Mori Tounkara, and Djeli Moussa Diawara, on tour from Guinea. Both are schooled in the tradition of the griots, the traditional minstrels of West Africa.

Prepare to voyage to a mystical place that will awaken your heart and soothe your soul.

3) Chico Trujillo at Scène Loto-Québec – Parterre du Quartier des Spectacles, July 15, 21:30

One of the most original bands on the roster, Chico Trujillo is a nine-piece groove unit from Chile that throws everything from cumbia to reggae to Andean folk into the musical pot, while adding a little hip-hop and punk for extra flavour. The music is bold and infectious, even psychedelic, while staying true to the Latin roots that nurture the band’s unique sound.

They also look like a lot of fun to party with! A free show, and bound to be a hot one.

4) Bongeziwe Mabandla at Club Balattou, July 8 – 21:00

With silky smooth vocals, Bongeziwe Mabandla blends sweet South African sounds with hip-hop rhythms, laying down catchy choruses to make you smile as you move your feet. He sings in English and Xhosa, and an enrapturing vibe emerges as he sings haunting solo songs on top of soulful acoustic guitar.

An intimate set at one of the festivals smaller venues, don’t miss this chance to get acquainted with a young, up and coming talent.

5) Antibalas at Scène Loto-Québec – Parterre du Quartier des Spectacles, July 17, 21:30

American Afrobeat army Antibalas wield a funky, full-on soul offensive, with masterful, multifaceted instrumentations that harken the ghost of Fela Kuti. The multicultural, melting pot ensemble has been hitting the circuit for years, delivering top-notch, throbbing grooves to bring down the house in the US and Europe, most recently while on tour with Zap Mama.

It’s the kind of show you can lose yourself in, shaking parts of your body you may have never shaken before. This is a free show at the outdoor site, sure to be one of the most fiery sets at this year’s fest!