Mali Comes to Somerville - Habib Koité & Bamada

Last night Habib Koité and Bamada played at the Somerville Theatre. We had great seats in the second row balcony center. It was an excellent show. Habib Koité is an excellent front man, singing, playing lead guitar and flute, and occasionally dancing. The band was very tight and they have boundless energy. Fassery Diabate (who played balafon - a type of Malian xylophone) and Mahamadou Koné (who played percussion including an amazing talking drum) were particularly fun to watch as they rocked out on their respective instruments. Band members would walk out into the audience and bring women up in the stage to dance. They played songs from their latest album "Afriki" as well as other songs from their 22 year history together. The show culminated with people dancing and clapping to their hit single from the early '90's "Cigarette A Bana."

We first saw them play at the Festival au Desert in Essakane, Mali in January 2009. We saw them locally at Somerville Theatre in April of 2009, and were so blown away by their performance that we just had to see them again.

Once again we were able to speak with Habib as he autographed CD's after the show. I mentioned that we had seen him at Essakane last year. He immediately perked up and gave us his full attention. I asked how the Festival was this year, since it was moved from Essakane to Timbuktu. "It was great!" he said enthusiastically. "People think it was in Timbuktu, but it was kilometers outside." He said that it was significantly away from the city, and that it felt like you could have been in Essakane after all.

We were interested to hear his perspective, as we had heard mixed reviews of the new location, in the press and from friends in Mali. The Festival had been moved due to security concerns, and some people had said that having it within 10 minutes of Timbuktu meant that people were able to stay in hotels, whereas in the desert everyone slept in tents pitched on sand dunes. People had to make a concerted effort to get to Essakane, and once you were there you were there for the duration. Some folks felt that this year it didn't quite live up to its reputation as the most remote music festival in the world (though that's not to say that Timbuktu itself isn't remote!) So it was good to hear Habib's take on it, and we were glad that he still considered it a big success.

Once again, Habib Koité and Bamada put on an excellent show at the Somerville Theatre. Catch them if you can!

Watch Video Montage (2:39)

Corey Harris and the 5x5 Band At Regattabar

We have been wanting to see Corey Harris in concert ever since we saw him perform a song with Henry Butler  at the 2001 Handy Awards in Memphis.  But whenever he has played in the area, we have been either out of town or had previous commitments. So when we heard that he was playing at the Regattabar, we were very excited. Craig and I arrived at the venue at around 7 o’clock for the 7:30 show. We were the first ones there and were seated at a front-row table about 5 feet in front of Corey Harris’ microphone. We knew we were in for a great night of entertainment, but we were hoping for the band’s sake that more of a crowd showed up.

More people did arrive, and there were probably about 50 or 60 people by the time they hit the stage. Craig and I were the only two seated at a four-person table, so there was plenty of room to sit comfortably. Corey and the 5x5 Band took the stage soon after 7:30. The band consisted of Corey on guitar, Ken Joseph from Trinidad on the drums,  Ralph DuJour on  bass, Gordon Jones on the sax, and Chris “Peanut” Whitley on keys and piano.

As they launched into their first tune, Craig immediately  recognized it as Bob Marley’s Redemption Song. It was a nice jazzy instrumental treatment. Then Corey took the mic as they launched into a medley of songs from the albums Downhome Sophisticate and blu.black.  Backlash was a standout. The band got into a groove immediately and blurred the lines between blues, reggae, and jazz. Brand new songs mingled with classic traditional fare like Catfish Blues.  Having such a great seat in such a small crowd was awesome because we could fully make eye contact with the band as they played. They were clearly enjoying themselves and seemed glad that the audience was having fun as well. The crowd wasn’t huge, but they sure were attentive.

Corey explained that Sista Rose was written for a an old girlfriend in Cameroon. He performed Mami Wata with a poetry slam feel. They also played a couple of other selections from Daily Bread, including the title track and Got to Be a Better Way.

Song after song was familiar to us. The band eventually took a break and Corey switched to his acoustic guitar. He sat down (once again 5 feet in front of us) and started to play. He played a song that he said he just recently wrote about Paul Bogle, a Jamaican revolutionary from the Morant Bay Rebellion . He then introduced Skip James’ Special Rider Blues by saying that he recorded it in Niafunke, Mali with Ali Farka Toure. It was a great little acoustic set.

Then the band came back and played a few more tunes. They finished up the night with Corey calling an audible for Sweatshop.  They finished at around 9:15, perfect for a weeknight show. We got to speak with Corey and talked to him a little bit about Mali. Craig apologized for the low turn-out and Corey said “Hey, not your fault. You did your part!” He signed our discs and we got a photo with him. We then spoke to Peanut and had him sign a disc for us as well (blu.black, which he produced). He was happy that we already owned the disc (which they were selling at the show) and had had a chance to hear it. He told us that they worked really hard on the album and that it took them several months to make it; that they would work on one song for a week at a time just to get it perfect. Craig said that we loved that they opened with Redemption Song and Peanut laughed. He said that they did that “to mess with people’s minds because we look like a reggae band and we wanted to have fun and challenge people’s expectations.” They did indeed look like a reggae band, three of them were sporting long dreads, and Corey’s were tucked up into a tall hat.  He’s a tall guy to begin with, but this made him look even taller.

Everyone we spoke to was incredibly nice, and really gracious. They really took the time to talk with us. On our way out we saw the drummer, Ken Joseph, sitting at a table. He had really noticed Craig grooving in the audience, and asked if he plays drums. He told Craig that “he has the hair for it”  (pointing to his own bald head). He shook our hands and said that sometimes they really prefer to play for smaller crowds than in giant halls. He thanked us for coming out and invited us to head down to the Narrows in Fall River on Saturday night to see them again.

If you are a music fan into blues jazz, or reggae, GO SEE THIS SHOW. You will not be disappointed. We were absolutely blown away.

Our new godchild Eddy Humberto

We recently visited Guatemala for the baptism of our second godchild, Eddy Humberto. It was wonderful to once again visit our dear friends Humberto and Paulina and their lovely family - daughters Vanesa, Paola, Yasmin, Yoselin, our goddaughter Aracely,  baby Eddy, and their cousin Rocio. They always treat us like family, and this was our fifth time visiting the family and staying at their home.

 

 Godparents and godchild

 Humberto, Craig, Eddy, Steph, and Paulina

 

The family at Eddy's baptism

  

Eddy on baptism day

Although the new school year usually starts in mid-January, it was delayed this year due to teacher contract negotiations. So the girls were around all day on weekdays as well, which was very nice for us. When we last visited in July, Eddy only had two teeth, and wasn't yet able to walk. But this time he was fully walking (and running) on his own, with a smile full of new teeth. And of course the girls have grown, also. Little Aracely is now as old as Yoselin was on our first visit. And the older girls now help Humberto to run his office. We are very proud of all of the kids. They are growing up before our eyes!

Paola, Steph, Aracely, Yasmin, Rocio, Craig, Yoselin, Vanesa, and Eddy

We like to bring small gifts for the children. On our last visit, the card game Uno was a big hit (the directions are easy to explain even in our broken Spanish). This time we brought Jenga, which was very well received. In addition to playing by the rules, they also used the wooden pieces as building blocks and dominoes. It provided for days of fun for young and old.

Playing Jenga! Craig, Yasmin, Vanesa, and Paulina

We went on numerous walks with the family, watching sunset over the volcano-ringed Lake Atitlan, and buying street-vendor churrascos for dinner. We went to the market with Paulina to buy the day's fresh food, and took a tuk-tuk home with the groceries. Our camera suffered an accident on the first night as I dropped it, which rendered its flash inoperable. So we  had the challenge of replacing it in Panajachel, being completely unprepared. We settled on a Canon PowerShot at Quick Photo on Santander Street. It took double A batteries and SD memory cards, so it would be compatible with easily available batteries and media. Of course, Quick Photo didn't sell SD cards, so we wound up buying those at the Fuji store. The new camera worked very nicely, and didn't have the 20-second video limitation of the previous camera. So everything worked out, and we got higher resolution photos and video during the remainder of the trip.

Vanesa and Paola - sunset at Lake Atitlan

Yasmin and Eddy

Eddy's baptism took place on Sunday January 24 at Iglesia de San Francisco in Panajachel. It was a very nice service. Eddy was dressed in an adorable little white suit with bow tie and pocket square. We walked home from church and then gathered with Humberto and Paulina's extended family at their nephew's restaurant, Restaurant Cafeteria Yulex. We had a lovely breakfast of huevos rancheros and black beans, and then later we had a delicious lunch of traditional pulique soup with chicken served with tomalitos. We had had this before at Aracely's baptism. It was a wonderful day, and we spent time playing with the kids' cousins, Loren, Laisa, and Yesmy, whom we had met in 2008. We got to spend time with Paulina's father and sisters Olga, Isabela, and Estela, their brother Carlos and his wife Vilma. We visited with Humberto's mother and his sister Juana. They are all so kind to us and treat us as part of the family.

Humberto, Eddy, and Paulina's father

Neli, Aracely, and Yesmy

  

Craig and Laisa

 

Cousins Loren and Aracely

On Tuesday, when it was time for us to leave, all of the kids begged to be able to accompany us on the 3 hour van ride to Guatemala City. Humberto was giving a tour that day, but Paulina agreed to accompany all of the kids (including cousin Rocio) on the ride. It was so sweet of all of them, especially given that the younger kids get car sick when riding on the windy mountain roads. But they all wanted to be able to spend those final hours with us before we headed back home.  After dropping us at the airport, they enjoyed lunch at Pollo Campero (a popular Guatemala chain of fried chicken restaurants) and then took the 3 hour drive back home. Now that's love!

 

 

 Aracely and Craig

 

 Eddy

 

Churrasco on Calle Santander

Paola and Eddy

Yoselin and Yasmin

 

Rocio and Vanesa

Thanksgiving in St. Thomas with Marty

Marty at Secret Harbour

Marty's Limin' Cooler

When Craig and I went to St. Thomas and first met Marty over Thanksgiving in 2000, little did we know that it would become an annual tradition, and that we would still be going there nine years later. Steve has been joining us since 2002, and we always stay at Secret Harbour near Red Hook, right on the beach. When we arrived on the island, we bought some groceries for our kitchenette and then checked into our first-floor room which opens right onto the beach. Marty arrived with his "limin' cooler" - a cooler which he has tricked out with a car stereo, car battery, speakers, wires, and gadgets that make men marvel. He left it in our room for the duration of the trip so that we had a way to listen to blues on Steve's iPod. I have to admit, it was a great addition! For the second year in a row, we ate an absolutely delicious Thanksgiving dinner at the Toad and Tart. Yum!

Toad and Tart - Roast Turkey Dinner

Cap'n Marty's Island Hop

As our tradition goes, we spent "Black Friday" partaking in our favorite island activity - Cap'n Marty's Island Hop. Marty, his roommate Scott, Craig, Steve, and I rented a boat for the day and Cap'n Marty took us around St. Thomas and St. John, to the BVI (Tortola and Jost Van Dyke). After a morning of boating, anchoring, and swimming in the exquisite turquoise waters, we arrived at the Willy T at around noon. We immediately saw our old friend from past visits - Zeus the bartender. After several rounds of Painkillers, the typical Willy T hijinks ensued. Though we were disappointed that the shot ski was out for repairs. Zeus had dubbed Steve "Milky" years ago, when Steve wasn't keeping up with the rest of us and milked his drink for a while. But this year Steve had no problems keeping up, and Zeus coined a nickname for Scott: "Sleepy." Let's just say that next time, Scott will think twice before passing out with Marty around. After leaving the Willy T, we headed over to Jost Van Dyke, anchored the boat, and swam to the Soggy Dollar for a final round before returning the boat. Once again, Cap'n Marty's was the highlight of our trip.

 

Taking a swim

Painkillers at the Willy T-
Scott, Marty, Craig, and "Milky"

Steph and her old pal Zeus at the Willy T

Craig, Marty, and Steve at the Soggy Dollar

On Saturday, we spent the day enjoying Secret Harbour's beach. We floated up to our necks in the refreshing water, Craig and Steve drinking cans of Heineken, looking back at our hotel on the shore. In the evening, we went to the Agave Terrace, one of our favorite restaurants on the island, for an exquisite dinner. Craig and Steve had delicious grouper with crab souffle, while I had Caribbean vegetable curry with jasmine rice, and we enjoyed frozen bushwhackers to drink.

Bushwhackers at Agave Terrace

Turtle Encounter, Coral World

In our previous eight years of going to St. Thomas, we had never gone to Coral World Ocean Park, though we had seen its underwater observatory right next to our favorite beach, Coki Point, every year. Several months ago, we saw a program on the Travel Channel which featured  Coral World's Turtle Encounter. It gives people the opportunity to interact with green sea turtles, and looked quite interesting. Having seen tortoises and green sea turtles up close and personal in the Galapagos, we were very interested in them and looked forward to the opportunity to interact with them. We had made reservations over the phone for Sunday, and we were happy that Marty decided to go with us. We met Erica, the park's marine biologist and turtle researcher. She taught us a lot about the turtles, and then took us into a natural stone pool of ocean water with 12 year old green sea turtles Duncan (male) and Chelonia (female). We stood at the stone wall at one edge of the pool, and the turtles swam past us again and again. They clearly enjoyed being near us, and kept circling around the pool. They would swim very close to us and brush up against us. Erica would gently guide them so that they didn't bump into us. They were very curious and at times even tried to swim behind us, though our backs were against the stone wall. Our 20 minutes in the pool with these beautiful, graceful creatures went by all too quickly. It was a great experience and we highly recommend it!

Download our video of the Turtle Encounter (2 min, 5 meg)

Green Sea Turtles Duncan and Chelonia

 

Coral World

Coral World

After our turtle encounter, we explored more of Coral World. We watched stingrays and sharks swim together in a tank. Erica got into one of the large open-air tanks to feed them. The stingrays would do tricks, spinning around up against the glass to get their food. There were also tide pools where you could touch starfish, sea cucumbers (which we still maintain look like they belong in a litter box, and felt really slimy and gushy), hermit crabs, etc. Next we went into a building which contained 21 salt water aquariums. We saw adorable sea horses, corals, and many types of fish. We saw an aquarium full of newborn turtles. They were so tiny yet were swimming around. Erica then appeared and told us about a study she was doing on a beach Wednesday night. Turtles had hatched from a nest, and once they had stopped emerging from the nest, she dug up the nest to study how many eggs had not survived. She found a newly hatched turtle with a broken front left flipper. She took him home with her and now he is at Coral World. She brought him out to show us. He was "in dry dock" in a small Tupperware container on top of a wet face cloth. He was all wrapped up with one flipper immobilized along the back of his shell. Erica had named him Burrito. He was so cute! We chatted with her until the park was about to close, and then we headed back to Secret Harbour after a wonderful day.

Sunset at Secret Harbour

Sunset at Secret Harbour

That night, Craig, Steve, and I went to Latitude 18 for dinner. We sat near the ocean looking across the bay to Red Hook. They had a band playing and it was very nice. We ordered Painkillers and their special: an amazing ribeye will carmelized onion sauce, au gratin potatoes, and fresh veggies. It was unbelievable!

Dinner at Latitude 18

Secret Harbour

On Monday we spent the day relaxing at Secret Harbour. Around lunchtime, Steve walked over to the Blue Moon Restaurant (just steps away from our room) and returned with a round of frosty Painkillers and some delicious conch fritters, which we ate on our patio. Marty came by in the evening and we had a great meal at the Blue Moon. We had a tuna sushi sampler for an appetizer. Craig and Steve got pan-seared wahoo with lemon truffle oil and an awesome risotto, and I got Sid's Pasta pomadoro. The vegetable of the day was haricots verts, which Marty dubbed "Freedom beans". Then we went back to the room to settle in for some Patriots Monday Night Football only to find that the island's cable company severed their connection with ESPN yesterday!! Football FAIL! Luckily Marty and Scott saved the day by recording the game for us so that we could watch it at their place the next day. We dubbed it "delay of game".

Dinner at Blue Moon

The next day we went over to Marty's to watch the game. Despite the Pats losing, it was great to be able to spend a couple more hours with Marty before we had to leave. At around 1 o'clock, we headed to the airport to catch our flight to Charlotte, and then from there back home to Boston. Thanks once again, Marty, for a fabulous time. Did we mention we appreciate how much you do for us? Miss ya, Cap'n!

India Photos Posted

We have finally finished looking through our 6000 photos from the India trip, and we have gone back and added photos to all of our India blog posts:

Spending Time in Agra, India 
Rajasthan
Jodhpur
Deogarh, Udaipur, and Delhi
Mukul's Gardens

It was a wonderful trip and we can't wait to return to India...

P.S. Happy birthday, Mukul! We miss you!