Michael Pluznick » Africa

“Music In Mali: Life Is Hard, Music Is Good” Movie preview

admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 22:02:07 +0000

I am very happy and excited to tell you about an amazing new film documentary by Aja Salvatore called “Music In Mali: Life Is Hard, Music Is Good”. This feature-length documentary is about the musicians, dancers and everyday people of Mali who are creating inspiring heartfelt music in some of the most difficult living conditions of West Africa. [...]

Studying West African drumming in Mali part one

admin — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:27:47 +0000

My first trip to Africa was to Mali ,West Africa. I was always scared to go to Africa even though all my friends and students had already gone and the reports were always very positive. I was scared of getting sick. I heard the horror stories of people getting sick there, the poor hospitals, bad conditions and everything else. But in the back of my mind since I first started playing in the 70's I knew I would go, I knew I had to go. I was just waiting for the right timing, [...]

Studying in Guinee Part 1

admin — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:01:28 +0000

Many people often ask me "what was it like to study and travel in Guinee"? And "where did you like better Guinee or Mali"? I love both places to study and live but for different reasons. In Guinee I stayed with the late great Kemoko Sano and his family at his compound in Merveilles. I went to Guinea with an old friend who was traveling with me in Mali. But my friend did not like it there so he left after a few days to another compound. It was very interesting for me to stay in a place where no one spoke english except my teacher whose english was barely understandable at best. [...]

“No matter where you are in life there is always more journey ahead” Nelson Mandela

admin — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 05:16:27 +0000

"No matter where you are in life there is always more journey ahead" Nelson Mandela [...]

Memorial Day Weekend in Northern California: Carnaval 2010 and Mosswood Park, Oakland!

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:26:01 +0000

Memorial Day weekend was beautiful and truly “memorial” with Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco and also the well attended and amazing West African, Afro Cuban, Ewe (Ghana) and Brasilian (Brazilian) drum and dance party in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California!

function startGallery_42() { var myGallery = new gallery($("myGallery_42"), { timed: true, showCarousel: true, showInfopane: true, showArrows: true, embedLinks: true, slideInfoZoneOpacity: 0.80, delay: 5000, defaultTransition: "fade", textShowCarousel: "Show/Hide Thumbnails" }); document.getElementById("myGallery_42").style.display = "block"; myGallery.toggleCarousel(); } window.addEvent("domready", startGallery_42); Master dummers: Yagbe Onilu and CK Ladzepko

drummers acknowledge each other at West African drum and dance in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

CK Ladzepko

CK Ladzepko drumming in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Yagbe Onilu and CK Ladzepko

CK Ladzepko drumming in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Kinkini Fola: Big Surfer Ray Titus

Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

CK Ladzepko\'s students perform in park

CK Ladzepko drum group in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Yagbe Onilu

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , Californiaon Memorial Day 2010

singing,dancing and playing in the park

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Prince Johny Harstrup

Prince Johny Harstrup in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Yagbe Onilu performs on Shekere

Yagbe Onilu performs on Shekere at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Ray, dancer Cevie Tourre and Nick Ostis

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Ama

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Wade Peterson, Ray and Elan Vitale

in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

drum lesson

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

beautiful dancer

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

Maracatu player

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , California on Memorial Day 2010

dancer in the park

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , Califonria on Memorial Day 2010

bird in the sky

at drum and dance party and festival in Mosswood Park, Oakland , Califonria on Memorial Day 2010

nature California

Marin, California natural setting

Marin California natural setting

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco, California

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco California 2

Carnaval 2010 in San Francisco, California