Wanda's Picks Radio

Briget Boyle, "Kitka" Vocalist, Ensemble Manager, speaks about Kitka’s “Singing through Darkness: Voices of Wartime,” Thursday, June 24-27, at Satya Yuga 954 60th Street, Oakland, CA www.kitka.org 800 838-3006. "Sarazino" is the brainchild of Lamine Fellah, our next guest, a musician, songwriter and producer whose nomadic life is reflected in the multicultural influences in his songs. Fellah is a true child of a globalized world and Sarazino’s music draws on reggae, Latin and African grooves, Arabic music and catchy, international pop. This summer, Sarazino tours North America for the first time, performing at celebrated venues including San Francisco’s Stern Grove Festival, with Angélique Kidjo, Sunday, June 20, 2010, 2 PM. Michael Wanguhu – Producer / Director , whose latest film, "Ni Wakati" or "It's Time," screens June 19, 2010, 9:20 PM at the San Francisco Black Film Festival, at Opera Plaza Cinema, 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102 www.niwakatthemovie.com & http://www.sfbff.org/ We close with a conversation with, Julia Tsitsi Chigamba, founding director of The Chinyakare Ensemble and two company members. Under the direction of Julia Tsitsi Chigamba, Master Dancer, singer, and instrumentalist from Zimbabwe, the ensemble performs closing weekend, June 26-27, 2010, (2/8 PM Sat., 2 PM Sun.), at the Ethnic Dance Festival at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The Chinyakare Ensemble is recognized for its authentic presentation of Zimbabwean music and dance. Julia founded Tawanda MuChinyakare (“we are in the deep traditions of our ancestors”) in 2000. Visit www.chinyakare.com, http://www.worldartswest.org/ We want to congratulate Julia on the reunification with her three children later today, June 18, 2010. We feature music from Kitka's The Rusalka Cycle: "Awakening" & from The Vine "Zaplakala E. Gorata"; from Sarazino's Yo Foy: "No Soy Mandela;" and Chinakare Ensemble's music for the Mhande dance, performed usually during the first rains.