Following MSU’s public presentation and reception for Miguel Fraga, first secretary of the Cuban Embassy, a benefit concert with local African and Cuban Latin jazz group BoZambique will be presented at the Cikan Residence on Friday, February 24th at 7pm. Fraga will offer greetings to those in attendance. Doors open at 6:30pm and beverages will be available. Tax deductible donations of $15–$20 will fund community education programs about Cuba.
BoZambique covers songs that came out of Ghana and West Africa between the late ‘60s and early ‘80s. The music from this time period was originally inspired by the Delta Blues, R&B, and American rock ‘n’ roll of the ‘60s and ‘70s that migrated through the UK and, in turn, was adopted by West African musicians mixing the electric sounds of the guitar, organ, and brass with the organic African rhythms played on traditional drums. Since many of these rhythms originally emanated out of Africa and traveled with slavery through the Caribbean, Cuba, and Brazil, BoZambique adapts the feel of their own North American rhythm and blues with the dynamic feel and grooves of mozambique, rhumba, son, mambo, samba, and bossa nova into originals, as well as other latin jazz standards. With a variety of time signatures and tempos played on cajon, wood block, bells, congas, tambora, and shakaree, you will hear smooth melodic lines played on sax and flute backed by rhythm and leads on electric guitar supported down low—surprisingly deep and warm—by a ukulele bass. These are the sounds of BoZambique. BoZambique is comprised of Loren Block (Uke bass), Aaron Banfield (guitar), Matt Sloan (saxophone), Jelani Mahiri (percussion), and Doug Wales (congas). Come and enjoy an evening of friends, culture, and wonderful live music. The performance is open to all, but seats are limited.
Please RSVP to Dana Williams at djwinbozeman@gmail.com. The Cikan Residence is located at 31 Hitching Post Rd., just on the edge of Bozeman. •