Salon Africana at The Africa Center.

1280 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Doors at 8pm. Performance at 8:30pm. $25 Tickets HERE.

We are pleased to announce a very special edition and the first 2020 program of our series at The Africa Center featuring Salon Africana founder and artist Somi with her band. Concert followed by a 15 minute moderated Artist Talk.

ABOUT SOMI. Acclaimed vocalist and writer Somi was born in Illinois to immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda. She is known for her wide-ranging vocal technique, her original blend of modern jazz with African musics, and the innate poetry of her songwriting that often gives voice to issues of social justice, transnationalism, womanhood, and global constructions of Blackness. Her latest recording, Petite Afrique (Sony/OKeh), which recently won a 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album is a timely song cycle about the dignity of immigrants and the gentrification of Harlem’s vibrant West African quarter. Her previous album and major label debut, The Lagos Music Salon (Sony/Okeh) debuted at #1 on international and U.S. jazz charts. Guest collaborators on her albums include Common, Angelique Kidjo, Hugh Masekela, and Aloe Blacc. Somi is a TED Senior Fellow, a USA Doris Duke Fellow, a 2018 Soros Equality Fellow, and a Sundance Theater Fellow. Currently, Somi is developing a modern jazz play that she wrote about legendary singer-activist Miriam Makeba that will premiere in Spring 2020. Her new album, also about Makeba, will be released in Summer 2020.

Salon Africana at The Africa Center.

1280 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Doors at 8pm. Performance at 8:30pm. $25 Tickets HERE.

We are pleased to announce a very special edition and the first 2020 program of our series at The Africa Center featuring Salon Africana founder and artist Somi with her band. Concert followed by a 15 minute moderated Artist Talk.

ABOUT SOMI. Acclaimed vocalist and writer Somi was born in Illinois to immigrants from Uganda and Rwanda. She is known for her wide-ranging vocal technique, her original blend of modern jazz with African musics, and the innate poetry of her songwriting that often gives voice to issues of social justice, transnationalism, womanhood, and global constructions of Blackness. Her latest recording, Petite Afrique (Sony/OKeh), which recently won a 2018 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album is a timely song cycle about the dignity of immigrants and the gentrification of Harlem’s vibrant West African quarter. Her previous album and major label debut, The Lagos Music Salon (Sony/Okeh) debuted at #1 on international and U.S. jazz charts. Guest collaborators on her albums include Common, Angelique Kidjo, Hugh Masekela, and Aloe Blacc. Somi is a TED Senior Fellow, a USA Doris Duke Fellow, a 2018 Soros Equality Fellow, and a Sundance Theater Fellow. Currently, Somi is developing a modern jazz play that she wrote about legendary singer-activist Miriam Makeba that will premiere in Spring 2020. Her new album, also about Makeba, will be released in Summer 2020.

Salon Africana at The Africa Center.

1280 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Doors at 7:30pm. Performance at 8pm. $30 Seated Tickets HERE.

We are pleased to announce the second installation of our quarterly music series at The Africa Center featuring Senegalese chanteuse Julia Sarr and South African vocalist-guitarist Zoë Modiga.

Julia Sarr, one of the most original vocal artists to emerge from francophone West Africa. Initially making her mark in the Paris music scene as an A-list backing vocalist for luminaries such as Salif Keita, Marcus Miller, Oumou Sangaré, Alpha Blondy, and the legendary Miriam Makeba, Julia Sarr is a singular and incomparable voice in her own right. Her debut album “Set Luna” featured her long time mentor Youssou Ndour as a special guest and was heralded widely by the international music community. Most recently, Sarr released the acclaimed "Daraludul Yow”, an intimate and magical collection of songs that evoke nostalgia for her native Senegal, where she grew up.

Zoë Modiga is an artist who represents the present and future of African music while challenging the status quo and inspiring a new generation. She draws from the roots of African storytelling, Jazz composition and Motown soul but creates a sound entirely her own. Zoë’s debut album was nominated for Best Jazz Album and Best African Artist for the 24th South African Music Awards 2018 and was awarded with the Mbokodo Award for music in 2018. Zoë was in the TOP 8 of The Voice SA, 2016.

Salon Africana at The Africa Center.

1280 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Doors at 7:30pm. Performance at 8pm. $30 Seated Tickets HERE.

We are pleased to announce the second installation of our quarterly music series at The Africa Center featuring Senegalese chanteuse Julia Sarr and South African vocalist-guitarist Zoë Modiga.

Julia Sarr, one of the most original vocal artists to emerge from francophone West Africa. Initially making her mark in the Paris music scene as an A-list backing vocalist for luminaries such as Salif Keita, Marcus Miller, Oumou Sangaré, Alpha Blondy, and the legendary Miriam Makeba, Julia Sarr is a singular and incomparable voice in her own right. Her debut album “Set Luna” featured her long time mentor Youssou Ndour as a special guest and was heralded widely by the international music community. Most recently, Sarr released the acclaimed "Daraludul Yow”, an intimate and magical collection of songs that evoke nostalgia for her native Senegal, where she grew up.

Zoë Modiga is an artist who represents the present and future of African music while challenging the status quo and inspiring a new generation. She draws from the roots of African storytelling, Jazz composition and Motown soul but creates a sound entirely her own. Zoë’s debut album was nominated for Best Jazz Album and Best African Artist for the 24th South African Music Awards 2018 and was awarded with the Mbokodo Award for music in 2018. Zoë was in the TOP 8 of The Voice SA, 2016.

Salon Africana at The Africa Center.

1280 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Doors at 7:30pm. Performance at 8pm. $30 Seated / $15 Standing Room Tickets HERE.

We are proud to announce our inaugural program and quarterly series at The Africa Center. The series will kick off with a performance by acclaimed South African artists Thandiswa Mazwai and Nduduzo Makhathini as they present works from their indelible collaborative album “Beleda” (2017).

Vocalist Thandiswa Mazwai is one of the most influential South African musicians of her generation, straddling the urban and the rural, effortlessly melding the traditional with the modern. Her compositions include traditional Xhosa rhythms, mbaqanga, kwaito, and jazz.

Pianist Nduduzo Makhathini is fast becoming one of the most important jazz musicians on the African continent, playing with a bright lyricism and a full sound pallet that gives him a markedly wide melodic vocabulary. He’s a prolific songwriter, currently working on his ninth album. He has received two South Africa Music Awards for Best Jazz Album (2017 and 2018) in addition to numerous other awards and accolades.

Salon Africana at The Africa Center.

1280 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029

Doors at 7:30pm. Performance at 8pm. Tickets at $30 available HERE.

We are proud to announce our inaugural program and quarterly series at The Africa Center. The series will kick off with a performance by acclaimed South African artists Thandiswa Mazwai and Nduduzo Makhathini as they present works from their indelible collaborative album “Beleda” (2017).

Vocalist Thandiswa Mazwai is one of the most influential South African musicians of her generation, straddling the urban and the rural, effortlessly melding the traditional with the modern. Her compositions include traditional Xhosa rhythms, mbaqanga, kwaito, and jazz.

Pianist Nduduzo Makhathini is fast becoming one of the most important jazz musicians on the African continent, playing with a bright lyricism and a full sound pallet that gives him a markedly wide melodic vocabulary. He’s a prolific songwriter, currently working on his ninth album. He has received two South Africa Music Awards for Best Jazz Album (2017 and 2018) in addition to numerous other awards and accolades.