Sugarcane Magazine ™| The Global African Stage

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is proud to present the South Florida premiere of critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter SOLANGE. As part of the Center’s 2012-2013 Live at Knight Series, SOLANGE and her twelve-piece band will perform a rare concert complete with hits and songs from her sleek new EP, True, on July 5 at 8:30 p.m. inside in the acoustically superb John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall.

Tickets to SOLANGE are $25, $40 and $50*. A $150 VIP package option includes a pre-concert reception, premium seating, and a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with SOLANGE. Tickets are available to Arsht Center members now and to the general public on June 6. Tickets may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org.

“For her South Florida debut, SOLANGE will make a memorable first impression as she takes her show from the nightclub and festival grounds, to a world-class concert hall stage – a rare performance ultimately poised to please local fans with a synthesized, retro-soaked symphonic sound led by the artist’s beautiful vocals and lyrics,” said John Richard, President and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center.

SOLANGE is currently enjoying critical success from her first and recently released EP album True (2012). Produced by musician-producer and longtime collaborator Dev Hynes aka “Blood Orange,” True “has sent ripples across the music world, pleasing fickle bloggers and established critics alike (Vogue.com),” as well as attracting a large new set of fans. The EP’s addictive lead single “Losing You” is reflective of SOLANGE’s journey as an artist, bringing listeners a charmingly fresh sound, “with a breezy fusion of singer-centric R&B, 1980’s pop, and lanky mid-tempo hip-house beasts,” as described by Spin Magazine.

Along with her success as a jet-setting DJ, SOLANGE has also worked with legendary female group Destiny’s Child and penned smash-hit songs such as “Get Me Bodied” and “Upgrade You” for her sister Beyoncé. In addition, she’s earned BET Award and Soul Train Music Award nominations and three consecutive singles – “I Decided,” “Sandcastle Disco,” and “T.O.N.Y.” – notched at the number one spot on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play. SOLANGE’s previously released albums include Solo Star (2003) and Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams (2008), which entered the top ten of Billboard’s 200 chart.

Most recently, SOLANGE took to Twitter to announce the launch of her own record label named Saint Records, which she will be using to release her upcoming third full length album. “I’ll be releasing my music and other projects distributed through Sony! Through Saint Records, I will have 100% creative/artistic control and continue to passionately pursue my footing in this new musical movement,” said the artist.

Sugarcane Magazine , the global African stage presents episode two of Sugarcane Magazine:Sugarcane Studio on May 30, 2013. Sugarcane Studio is an art show featuring African creatives from all over the globe, hosted by Melissa Davis. The second episode debuts on both http://sugarcanemag.com and our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/SugarcaneMagazine . This months episode pay tribute to Haiti by featuring Haitian American author Edwidge Danticat. Ms Danticat discusses her upcoming book, her love for Haiti and the projects that promote creativity on her beloved island home. Sugarcane also sits down with the multi talented Gelan Lambert. Mr. Lambert, of Haitian descent shares how a young , curious boy becomes a sensation on the Broadway stage in the hit musical Fela !.

Sugarcane Studio fills a void in not only the art world, but in the media, by focusing on the African artist on a global scale, not through a regional lens. Melissa Davis, Executive Producer and show creator says “Sugarcane Studio is excited to create a space for the creative African. We welcome the opportunity to be a catalyst for unveiling the arts through the African perspective. ” Sugarcane Studio will be a monthly series with episodes airing on the 30 of every month.
Sugarcane Magazine, the global African stage, was founded in 2006 as a platform for African Creatives . Sugarcane features artist of Africa and the Diaspora from all genres of art including fashion and film. Sugarcane also offers Sugarcane Media, a full service film and videography service. To learn more about Sugarcane Magazine visit http://sugarcanemag.com .

‘Da Banda’s, Kuduro superstars plan to make history when they descend on clubbers paradise Ibiza for the first time.
Originating from Angola, Eddy Sex, Fogo de Deus, Manda Chuva and DJ’s Ketchup, Satelite and Silyvi ‐ a troupe of Kuduro musicians, dancers and DJ’s under the Da Banda umbrella, will showcase their vibrant mix of Kuduro, Afrobeats, Electronica and Kizomba at the International Music Summit Grande Finale on May 22, Savannah’s on May 24 and Sands on May 25.

Kuduro first appeared in Angola in the early 1990’s in the clubs and ‘back yards’ of Luanda and has since been transported round the globe to be enjoyed nowadays in Europe, different parts of Africa and Brazil. Thousands of clubbers in Ibiza, one of the world’s most popular party destinations, will enjoy the frenetic beats and see ‘the real thing’ as an expert team of Angolan Kuduristas showcase their styles.

Although familiar to the party island, with Kuduro music reaching the top 40 most popular dance tracks in Ibiza, the island has never before seen real Kuduristas from The streets of the Angolan capital, Luanda, play to massive audiences.

Over the past 20 years, Kuduro has increased its popularity and is inspiring artists around the world. It’s a mix of Angolan traditional music with tribal beats flavoured by house and techno and has become the latest sensation within the dance genre.

Its sounds have been described as ‘infectious and pulsating, racing along at 140 beats per minute’ plus ‘fast and freaky, with mental dance moves’Already the Da Banda troupe are being welcomed to Ibiza with international festival and Ibiza favourites, The Cuban Brothers, planning to collaborate with the Kuduristas.

Cuban Brothers front man Mike Keat says: “It’s a great idea to have them in Ibiza. Some of their stuff is really raw and captivating and the dancing is off the scale.” The mastermind behind Da Banda is the popular singer and executive producer, Coréon Dú, who has made it a personal quest to forge a bigger place for Angola on the international music and dance scene.

He says: “Kuduro dance is rooted in Angolan carnival and urban dance as well as traditional Angolan dance moves from the rural areas. It also draws on international dance styles.” African Kuduro superstar, DJ Silyvi, states: “A Kuduro beat is different to any other beat. We adapted techno to our rhythm, our way of dancing and our way of being. When you listen closely it has the essence of carnival.”

Fogo de Deus, musician and famously known as the best Kuduro dancer in Angola adds: “A big surprise has been the ‘dance‐off battles’ we get into cities all over the world. It’s just fabulous to go up against some of the best dancers in the world and show how Kuduro is up there with the rest of them. I can’t wait to perform in Ibiza, which is A dream for me.”

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is proud to present the much-anticipated return of electrifying, Grammy Award-winning African vocalist ANGELIQUE KIDJO. Currently traveling the globe as part of her “Spirit Rising World Tour,” ANGELIQUE KIDJO will close her U.S. tour in Miami on March 28, 2013, at 8:30 p.m. at the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall.

Tickets to ANGELIQUE KIDJO range from $35 to $65*, and will go on sale to Arsht Center members beginning March 21, 2013 and the general public beginning March 28, 2013. Tickets may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org.

As the latest addition to the Arsht Center’s inaugural Live at Knight Series, ANGELIQUE KIDJO will bring her unique blend of African and Western music to Miami for a night that celebrates the beauty of diversity, as well as the unity of cultures. Her lush sounds meld the rhythms of Africa with a soaring dramatic voice, creating an internationally-acclaimed repertoire of rich music and sweeping melodies. Her engagement at the Arsht Center will feature new songs and audience favorites such as “Agolo,” “Afirika,” and “Batonga” – all included in her first live album, Spirit Rising.

Spirit Rising was recorded in Boston when Kidjo partnered with Boston’s public television station, WGBH, for a captivating live concert featuring special guests Josh Groban, Dianne Reeves, Branford Marsalis, and Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend). The record features a collection of Kidjo originals and covers including the Curtis Mayfield classic “Move On Up.” The Boston Globe said of the performance, “The special captures the African singer in fierce form…Kidjo’s appeal cuts across not only genres, but also generations…Kidjo proves she can rattle the rafters.”

Born in the West African country of Benin, ANGELIQUE KIDJO is a critically acclaimed recording artist deemed “Africa’s premier diva” by TIME Magazine. Kidjo was included by the BBC in its list of “Africa’s Most Iconic Figures” and The Guardian has listed her as one of the “Top 100 Most Inspiring Women in the World.” In October 2011, Forbes listed Angelique as the first woman in their list of the “40 Most Powerful Celebrities in Africa.” Kidjo’s 2008 album Djin Djin won the Grammy for “Best Contemporary World Music” album at the 50th Grammy Awards and the NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding World Album” in 2008, while her 2010 release OYO was nominated in the same category at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards ceremony. Kidjo’s internationally celebrated repertoire includes collaborations with artists including Carlos Santana, Peter Gabriel, Alicia Keys, Joss Stone, and more.

Known for her dynamic and uplifting music, she has translated her distinctive work in the arts to that of philanthropy; by promoting education for girls in Africa through her foundation, Batonga, and as a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. Kidjo has participated in several global events including the first 46664 Concert in Cape Town hosted by Nelson Mandela, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Concert in Johannesburg.

A spirited spring tradition, DanceAfrica returns for the 36th year
with dance, music, art, film, and community events—as well as the beloved DanceAfrica
outdoor bazaar, taking place over Memorial Day weekend. BAM’s longest running performance
series, DanceAfrica was founded by Chuck Davis in 1977 and is the nation’s largest festival
dedicated to African dance. DanceAfrica 2013: Giya Africa/Mandingindira e Africa (which
translates to Rhythms of Africa in Ndebele and Shona, the primary languages of Bulawayo,
Zimbabwe)—features Umkhathi Theatre Works of Zimbabwe in its New York debut, Atlanta’s
all-female group Giwayen Mata, the Bronx’s Harambee Dance Company, and Brooklyn’s
BAM/Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble, performing for the 17th consecutive year. The
festivities kick off on Sunday, May 19 with a pre-Memorial Day performance featuring legendary
a capella ensemble SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK, as well as performances by Umkhathi and
the BAM/Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble.
DanceAfrica 2013 begins on Saturday, May 18 with a pre-opening ceremony at 10am at the
African Burial Grounds in Manhattan. This traditional ceremony, which includes dancing and
music by local artists, is an integral part of DanceAfrica that honors elders who have passed on.
The event is free and open to the public. The celebration will continue at Bedford Stuyvesant
Restoration Plaza (1368 Fulton St., Brooklyn) at 1pm with the annual community welcome for
the visiting company featuring free performances by students from Restoration who have
participated in the DanceAfrica Education program.
In addition to the dance performances at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House (May 19, 24—
27), the week-long celebration also includes the popular outdoor DanceAfrica Bazaar which
hosts nearly 300 vendors selling crafts, food, and fashion; FilmAfrica, a BAMcinématek film
series at BAM Rose Cinemas; master classes for families and adults; and BAMcafé Live
performances, complete with a Late Night Dance Party.
Additionally, 2013 recipients of the Samuel H. Scripps BAM Scholarship for post-secondary
education will be presented with their awards on the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House stage
at the May 19th Opening Celebration. Inspired by the spirit of DanceAfrica, BAM Trustee Richard
Feldman launched the Samuel H. Scripps BAM Scholarship Fund in 2008, in memory of former
BAM Trustee and arts patron Samuel Scripps. The scholarship exclusively benefits students
who have participated in BAM’s arts education programs, including the DanceAfrica Education Initiative.
To purchase tickets click here.

Join film lovers from all over the globe on May 9th for the kick off of the 2nd International HCX | Haiti Film Fest! Support Haitian Cinema, and rub shoulders with award-winning filmmakers and actors. Enjoy screenings of the festival’s best short films and a live performance by the legendary Emeline Michel.

⊱ HCX | Haiti Film Fest 2013 Exclusive Cocktail Reception
Includes preferred seating to screening & performance
6:00-7:30pm

Join the HCX | Haiti Film Fest advisory committee and co-chairs Michèle Stephenson & David Belle for a cocktail reception & hors d’oeuvres with featured industry guests. Meet filmmakers and actors attending the festival and stick around for the evening’s screenings & performance by Emeline Michel.

⊱ General Admission
Doors open at 7:30pm

Enjoy screenings of the festival’s best short films and a night of music and dancing as legendary Haitian singer Emeline Michel performs songs from her newly released album Quintessence: The Healing Songs of Haiti. For more information on tickets click here.

Treasuring African stories and wanting to enable talented filmmakers to reach a larger amount of viewers, the independent film production company ONE FINE DAY FILMS developed with DW Akademie and GINGER INK a training workshop concept called One Fine Day Film Workshop.

The training is closely adapted to the individual requirements of African film enthusiasts today and aimed at the professionalization of the craft of filmmaking. It provides the instruction of young filmmakers in various departments by professional filmmakers, as well as the realization of a feature film as an on the job training that conveys filmmaking in practice.

During the workshop a chosen group of talented Africans will get in contact with professional filmmakers from all over the world who are pleased to share their know-how and knowledge with them.

The participants will be guided and taught in developing and realizing their own visions and supported to attract attention with their films not only in Africa, but also in the international market.

This hands-on seminar enables the participants to learn how to make a film on their own and enhances their cinematographic and creative know-how.

By sharing the same experience during the workshops and the making of a film as a group of individuals not only a lot of exchange but the enthusiasm to continue is assured.

Zen Marie and Andrew Lamprecht consider seminal writings on cricket in a discussion as part of GIPCA’s Great Texts public lecture series, on Thursday 16 May at Hiddingh Hall.
Marie and Lamprecht will examine two books about cricket written over a century apart and very different in intent, style and content, yet in a peculiar way tied together by the narratives and realities of colonialism, class, and agency.
K.S. Ranjitsinhji’s The Jubilee Book of Cricket (1897) and Herschelle Gibbs’s To the Point (2010) form the basis of their investigation. The former is a homage to the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria, the ‘Empress of India’, and the noble sport of cricket. It was written by Ranjitsinhji, an Indian prince who played for the English national team, becoming the first ‘non-indegene’ to represent a nation in sport. The latter book, a ‘ghost written’ autobiography, describes a contemporary South African figure who perhaps needs less introduction, having achieved as many accolades as he as courted controversy.
Their presentation will take the form of an exchange of readings and ideas that will seek to go beyond the boundary that cricketing literature conventionally occupies. The cross-readings will tease out connections and contradictions inherent in the form of cricket – and beyond over the hundred years that separate the two books.
The discussion will be framed by the work of C.L.R. James – influential Tinidadian-born social theorist, political activist, historian and journalist. James’s Beyond a Boundary, first published 50 years ago and still considered a seminal work on cricket, asks in the Preface: “What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?”, taking up the challenge of commenting on the game in social, historical and autobiographical contexts.
Zen Marie lectures at the WITS School of Arts, where he tutors senior undergraduate students and supervises Masters students. He studied photography at the Market Photo Workshop and thereafter completed a BAFA degree at the University of Cape Town. Alongside this artistic training, Marie went on to pursue two post-graduate studies: a two year studio residency at de-ateliers in Amsterdam, and a Masters degree at the Amsterdam School of Cultural Analysis, based at the University of Amsterdam. Marie works on projects and exhibtions, both locally and abroad, that use performance, installation and writing to explore a range of ideas relating to city and nation.
Andrew Lamprecht is a Senior Lecturer in at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, University of Cape Town. He is well-known as a writer, critic and curator, with a special interest in Contemporary South African Art and the intersection of history and art practice. Lamprecht serves on a number of committees and boards, including the ISANG Acquisitions Committee, SARAH Advisory Committee and as a Commissioner for Freedom of Expression for the Paris-based, UNESCO-affiliated International Association of Art Critics (AICA). As a curator, he has curated three exhibitions for Iziko, most recently, Tretchikoff: The People’s Painter.
Great Texts lectures will take place on Thursdays for the month of May. This lecture will take place on Thursday 16 May 2013 at 17:30 at Hiddingh Hall, University of Cape Town (UCT) Hiddingh Campus, Orange Street, Cape Town; and is free. Refreshments will be served from 17:00; no booking is necessary. For more information on the Great Texts series, please contact 021 480 7156 or fin-gipca@uct.ac.za.

May 1st marks the first day of Haitian Heritage Month, a celebration of the Culture of the first all black republic in the Americas. Sugarcane kicks of an exciting month of pride filled events centered around the theme L’Union Fait La Force (French, “Unity Is Strength”). To start this month off in a festive way enjoy this video by African group Bella Mondo as they pay homage’ Kompas :

Sugarcane is proud to present our first episode with mayor Oliver Gilbert of the great city of Miami Gardens, Visual Artist Baye El and poets Will Seri’us and G.S. Cole