Sistas’ Place, 456 Nostrand Avenue, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, where Jazz: A Music of the Spirit Lives and Culture is our Weapon, continues it’s 20th Historic Landmark Season. Saturday, April 2nd @ 9 & 10:30pm, we begin our Jazz:: A Music of the Spirit Festival with Awa Sangho’s Ensemble featuring Daniel Moreno, Gutavo Dantes, Bill Dotts, Yacouba Sissoko, Abou Diarurrasuba.

We begin our Music of the Spirit Festival by going back to two of the oldest West African cultures, the Songhai of Dire and the Mande of Malinke or Kayes from Mali. Awa Sangho’s family name, Sangho, indicates that she comes from the Mabo griots—musicial historians of the Songhai. Awa Sangho takes us back to the origins of this music by singing in her native tongue, dancing and generally informing the audience of the African roots of this music.