Help Save Our Wonderful Planet to the Beat of Global Rhythms: Drumming for the Planet Takes Place On: November 6th, Saturday @ 7:00 p.m.

Save the planet how? You may be asking. The answer is by reversing the global warming trend and the ghastly havoc it is wreaking upon our environment at this very moment. Yikes!!! This is a message which I have posted to the general public before and quite definitely is worth repeating time and time again as global warming poses as serious threat indeed to the well-being of our entire planet. Thanks to ethnomusicologist and world musician Warren Senders, he and his dedicated and talented colleagues now have a vehicle by which they can contribute to a cause  that they all feel very passionate about, which is to reverse this devastating environmental trend. “Drumming for the Planet” is the third installment of a benefit concert series which professor Senders, himself, has produced in order to employ world music as a catalyst in order to rally support for the efforts of 350.org, an environmental organization which is dedicated to lowering the levels of CO2 in our atmosphere. This should in turn eventually put an end to global warming. These special performances involve local world music artists  who represent various genres from all over the globe as this is indeed a world-wide crisis in the making. Quite simply what we have here is an evening of great world music supporting a great world cause.

 I have provided here some sound links so that you can get a quick sampling of what’s in store musically for the evening. Artists who will be “Drumming for the Planet” include:

 

Rakalam Bob Moses (video) – Currently a professor at the New England Conservatory of Music, Mr. Moses began his drumming career in contemporary/jazz music at age ten and rose to become one of the world’s top percussionists, having performed with likes of Charles Mingus, Pat Metheney, Abbey Lincoln, Terumasa Hino, Tsziji Munoz, and many many other international stars. As a composer and recording artist, he has received world-wide  critical acclaim in such heavily circulated publications as Downbeat Magazine. He is the founder of the highly successful world music funk ensemble Mozamba which has been delighting its audiences for over 20 years.         

 

Agbekor Drum and Dance Society (video) – Under the direction of Tufts University’s professor David Locke, this African drumming ensemble has been together for decades. They enthusiastically present to their audiences the indigenous music of the Ewe people of Ghana, Benin, and Togo. This music is highly characterized by its rhythmic intricacy and  performances also involve the addition of vocals and dancing.

     

Akshay Navaladi (with Sri Ravi Torvi) (video) – This tabla virtuoso began his highly successful career at an early age as a recipient of the Ugadhi Purashkar award (2002)  for child prodigies. Since then he has gone on to win additional national honors and has also appeared on Indian national television. He has performed with top artists of both the Hindustani and Carnatic disciplines including Shri K. N. Padmanabhan, Srimati Komala Varadhan, and Ustaad Iqbal Ahmad Khan. During his appearance at “Drumming for the Planet“, he will be accompanied on the harmonium.  

 

For further info about these exceptional performers visit this link. 

 

 

Last October, I had the fortune of attending an earlier concert, also put on by Mr. Senders for the same wonderful cause, this time in recognition of “International Climate Change Awareness Day.” As an ardent lover of world music, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire evening. Here is a summary of some of the highlights of that event, complete with photos. As I have said so many times before, it is truly a wonderful thing when world music can be employed as a catalyst in support of global well-being in any form. Kudos to Mr. Senders for giving us, the audience, yet another opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful project, complete with such exquisite music!

 

Event Details:

All proceeds of this event go to benefit the mission of 350.org.

When: Saturday, November 6th @ 7:00 p.m. 

Where: Emmanuel Church (Boston)

Tickets: $20.00 (General Admission) (Online purchase)/ $15.00 (Seniors and Students) (Online purchase)

Advance purchase options for tickets are available until 3:oo p.m. on the day of the concert   

More Info: 781-396-0734 OR warvij@verizon.net

(Area Restaurants)