photos by Kyle Dean Reinford

Konono No. 1 headlined the free annual Celebrate Brooklyn African Festival in Prospect Park on Saturday, July 17th. Other free music in Brooklyn that day included Siren Fest and Jelly's party at the Rock Yard.

"Despite the other big names on the bill, it seemed the crowd in Prospect Park was waiting all day to see Kinshasa group Konono No. 1, since a swell of people appeared close to the stage around the time the sun started to go down over the Bandshell and the group appeared on stage. Despite Konono being over thirty years old, they had all the buzz and jittery eagerness surrounding them on Saturday that a crowd usually reserves for new, up and coming groups of 20-somethings. That's because this music--distinct for its three electric likembé, or thumb pianos--is appealing on so many levels. Their rough, DIY aesthetic is arguably the dominant mode du jour in independent music (just take a gander at a recent Pitchfork review of a Wavves or Ariel Pink album). Also, they are just damn cool with their cowboy hats, stone-faced execution of ten-minute songs, and giant horn-shaped amplifier made of car parts. Finally, this music has been out of reach for far too long and has only reached a large number of American ears in the last few years, so it has the unique combination of sounding brand new and comfortably worn in. And it's about time this music has made it to our shores, because it's exotic and entrancing in a way that exemplifies the best of African culture." [The Afropop Blog]

Konono No. 1 played the next night at (Le) Poisson Rouge as well.

More pictures from the day, which also featured sets from Omar Pene & Super Diamono, Chiwoniso, Meta & the Cornerstones, Garikayi Tirikoti and Djarara, are below...

Continue reading "the 2010 Celebrate Brooklyn African Festival in pics (Konono No 1, Omar Pene & Super Diamono, more) "

"Our annual celebration of African music, food and culture builds to an ecstatic crescendo with the distortion-fueled trance music of Congolese thumb-piano wizards Konono No. 1. Dakar heavyweights Omar Pene & Super Diamono, seminal figures in the birth of the modern Senegalese sound, add a jolt of energy to the proceedings, while the distinctive voice of Zimbabwean Afro-soul diva Chiwoniso, the pan-African reggae of Meta & The Cornerstones, and the festival horns and drums from Haiti's Djarara bring other unique flavors to the day."

Konono No 1
Omar Pene
Chiwoniso
Meta & The Cornerstones
Djarara

As previously mentioned, the great Konono No 1 will headlines the annual free Celebrate Brooklyn African Festival in Prospect this Saturday (July 17, 2010 2 - 9 p.m. Gates open at 1 p.m. @ the bandshell). If you miss it, possibly because you're at the Siren Festival, there's also Le Poisson Rouge on Sunday. That indoor Manhattan show is being opened by Javelin and tickets are still on sale.

Konono are currently touring in support of a new album. They also recently contributed the track "Nsimba & Nzuzi" to a charity compilation called "Raise Hope For Congo". Click the link to check it out. The full tracklist, along with updated tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Konono No 1 on tour (African Fest Saturday, a show w/ Javelin Sunday) , on the 'Raise Hope For Congo' comp"