Saturday 18th June 2011 Sunday 19th June 2011  
THE GANGBE BRASS BAND ZEWDITU YOHANNES
KAYRECE FOTSO AMKOULLEL THE FULA CHILD
MIRIEM HASSAN STEVEN SOGO & HOPE STREET
BONGA DAMILY
FATOUMATA DIAWARA KHAIRA ARBY
MARCIA GRIFFITHS SIERRA LEONE REFUGEE ALLSTARS



Marcia Griffiths
Yes! She is the Queen and nothing less. The Reggae Matriarch who never
fails to spark. Marcia appeals to one and all and soothes any age. Who can imagine
reggae without Marcia’s voice, from Bob Andy to Bob Marley she moves us all,
all over, and you dance, all over, Marcia Griffiths is simply reggae’s greatest
female icon. For more visit: marciagriffiths.net
Marcia Griffiths Marcia Griffiths Marcia Griffiths
Mariem Hassan and Kareyce Fotso
Mariem Hassan is a legend among her people. A magnificent singer who is
as wondrous on stage as any, anywhere. Powerful rocking music from the desert
lands that others have stolen from Miriem’s people. Mariem will sing for you
as you dance. For more visit: mariemhassan.blogspot.com
Mariem Hassan Mariem Hassan Mariem Hassan
A powerful voice, original, slightly tinged with a veil from scratchy blues and
African tradition, accompanied by a thumb piano, a wooden drum or sonailles.
The songs are sometimes serious, sometimes humorous, but always imbued
with emotions. Kareyce Fotso sings about women and their ways in this world.
She is an exceptional singer, and one to note for international stardom!
For more visit: myspace.com/kareycefotso
Kareyce Fotso Kareyce Fotso Kareyce Fotso
Master musician who almost by himself has come to represent the great music
of Angola. His early album recieved an arrest warrant from the Portuguese as
Bonga had wise songs about what was going on in Angola. A great artist who
played football at the highest level and had to flee for his life because of his music,
and you can dance to his music no bother at all.
For more visit: myspace.com/bongaangola
Bonga Bonga Bonga
Mali has some of the greatest female singers on our planet and Fatoumata
Diawara is one of them! Fatoumata was famous as a dancer in her teens before
she toured with that Empress of African song Oumou Sangare. Now she sings
her own songs, with her own band, and already an acclaimed talent highly
praised for her fine debut album. Another rising star at Oyé, definitely one
to watch for the future. For more visit: myspace.com/fatoumatadiawara
Fatoumata Diawara Fatoumata Diawara Fatoumata Diawara
The Gangbé Brass Band and Khaira Arby
Founded in 1994, The Gangbé Brass Band is a ten member Beninese musical
ensemble. The word ‘gangbe’means ‘sound of metal’. They blend West African
juju and traditional Voodou music with Western jazz and big-band sounds. Their
unusual instrumentation includes trumpet, trombone, tuba, along with West African
percussion and vocals. We bet you can dance to this mix of voodou and other
traditional stomps. For more visit: myspace.com/gangbebrassband
Khaira Arby has long gone her own way, turning the bright compliments and veiled
metaphors of traditional female praise and critique into hard edged calls for change
and justice. Her own life, discouraged by relatives who did not approve of her public
performances, has honed this message. Khaira Arby embraces her power through
words. Khairi’s great voice soars above a magnificent traditional band.
For more visit: myspace.com/khairaarby
Khaira Arby Khaira Arby Khaira Arby
Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars
These ‘Allstars’ met as refugees in Guinea from the civil war in their homeland,
they went home as a band in 2004. They started touring and profiling many
humanitarian causes, in their dancing style African reggae is boss, but there are
passing gumbe swings, and now and again a strong trace of that old palm wine
style under some boabab tree, swig it down and keep on dancing.
For more visit: refugeeallstars.org
Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars
Damily and Amkoullel
Have you come a long way? Not as long as these artists from the Malagasy
Republic who are 1000 kms from their capital city where they have to fill in visa
forms which are sent to Mauritius about 2000 kms away, and then it’s about
4000kms to Liverpool. Welcome them to Oyé, where they will play some of the
wildest guitar licks outside of hell, dance and belt out good songs as you dance
and stare at the sheer energy of it all. For more visit: damily.net
Damily Damily Damily
Amkoullel is recognised as the most talented and socially committed Malian rapper
who harmoniously combines the traditional and the contemporary global cultures
to promote social responsibility. Amkoullel was honoured at the Malian Hip Hop
Awards three times. In 2010 he released his 4th album NeKa Mali!! [MyMali!!]
of his fledgling career. A future star already shining bright! Meet him in the Oyé
Active Zone. For more visit: myspace.com/amkoullel
Amkoullel the Fula Child Amkoullel the Fula Child Amkoullel the Fula Child
Steven Sogo & Hope Street and Zewditu
Steven Sogo is the most promising singer to have emerged from the central
African country of Burundi in years. He sings about life, love and peace in a style
that mixes traditional Burundian music with jazz, blues and pop. He is a virtuoso
bass guitarist and a master of numerous traditional instruments. His song ‘Il Est
Beau Mon Pays’, a hymn to the beauty and vast human wealth of his ravaged country, was a huge pan-African hit. Steven will be performing at Oyé with his
aptly named band Hope Street. For more visit: stevensogo.com
Steven Sogo & Hope Street Steven Sogo & Hope Street Steven Sogo & Hope Street
Zewditu is a wonderful singer. A younger voice and a band that sways and rumbles. A lingering of a James Brown beat, an echo of the gigantic dance bands that had Addis Ababa swaying and rumbling. If you have never heard Ethiopian music live, this will be a real treat for you.