# Afropop Spectacular, featuring Mahmoud Ahmed & Trio Da Kali at Zellerbach Hall Auditorium, November 4, 2016

[Cal Performances](https://calperformances.org/performances/2016-17/world-stage/afropop-spectacular-mahmoud-ahmed-trio-da-kali.php) presents _Afropop Spectacular_ featuring Mahmoud Ahmed; and [Trio da Kali](https://www.facebook.com/triodakali/)  
2016-11-04  
[Zellerbach Hall Auditorium](http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/)  
[U.C. Berkeley, Bancroft Way at Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94305 USA](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=U.C.+Berkeley,+Bancroft+Way+at+Telegraph+Ave,+Berkeley,+CA+94305+USA&hl=en)  
8:00 PM, Friday, November 4, 2016

[[2016-11-03-2|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2016|Up to the 2016 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2016#November_events|Up to the 2016 event list!]] ☸  [[2016-11-05|On to the next event!]]

## Set One: Trio Da Kali

[8:03 PM lights down, announcements, band out]

01. [8:04 PM] (short intro tune)
02. [8:05 PM] (unidentified tune \#2)
03. [8:09 PM] (unidentified tune \#3, sounds like _Kaima_ or _Kanima_)
04. [8:16 PM] (unidentified slow tune)
05. [8:23 PM] (unidentified tune \#5, sounds like _Furu no nete_)
06. [8:28 PM] (unidentified tune \#6, sounds like _Lassana Fay_
07. [8:35 PM] (unidentified tune \#7)  
[8:43 PM; talking about the band, add Ben Isaac & ?Babani? Koné]
08. [8:43 PM] (unidentified tune \#8)  
[8:51 PM; introduction of last tune]
09. [8:51 PM] _(Homage a Sundiata Keita)_  
[set ends 8:57 PM; break to tear things down onstage and then set up for the second act]

### Performers

[Trio da Kali](https://www.facebook.com/triodakali/)

* Fodé Lassana Diabaté: balafon;
* Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté: vox;
* Mamadou Kouyaté: ngoni.


## Set Two: Mahmoud Ahmed

[9:21 PM]; lights down, waiting

01. [9:24 PM] _Ere Mela_ £
02. [9:31 PM] _Atawrulign_ $
03. [9:36 PM] _Ney Denun_ $  
[9:43 PM; band introduction]
04. [9:43 PM] _Bemen Sebeb_ $
05. [9:51 PM] _Endet Nesh_
06. [9:57 PM] _Eleli_
07. [10:02 PM] _Tizita_  
[_Dera_ might have been dropped from the set (one of next three was, not sure which)]
08. [10:12 PM] _Dera_
09. [10:23 PM] _Engedaye Nesh_ $
10. [10:29 PM] _Alaweksh_ $
11. [10:29 PM] _Ashkaroo_ $  
[set ends 10:29 PM]  
   
**Encore**
12. [10:31 PM] _Kulun_ £  
[show ends 10:38 PM]

### Performers

* Mahmoud Ahmed: vox;
* Yonas Debebe: keyboards;
* Tilaye Gebre: tenor saxophone;
* Russ Gershon: $ soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, £ flute;
* Feleke Hailu: tenor saxophone;
* Mulugeta Hailu: bass;
* Tom Halter: trumpet;
* Zakki Jawad: guitar;
* Samson Jufar: drums.


## Notes

Wow, what a great show tonight!

Calling this an "Afropop Spectacular" might be accurate, but it also shows the futility of relying on labels for making sense of unfamiliar material. Both artists are from Africa, but their music is wholly distinct from each other. Mahmoud Ahmed's Ethiopian pop is vaguely like American R&B of the deep south (think Wilson Pickett and the Muscle Shoals sound), whereas Trio Da Kali puts a modern twist on the griot tradition of Mali (think acoustic delta blues: Charley Patton, John Hurt, etc). Would you think "R&B spectacular" to be a good tagline for a double bill of John Hurt opening for Wilson Pickett (yeah yeah, not even possible, wrong timespans, yada yada)? I guess if it gets people in the door, it's a good label.

{{:wip.png?nolink}}  **Whoa!**  This section is incomplete for now, sorry! {{:wip.png?nolink}}

## Photos

Big thanks to Ting for the photo gallery!

Trio da Kali

{{gallery>:2016:2016-11?20161104-20*.jpg}}

Mahmoud Ahmed and Band

{{gallery>:2016:2016-11?20161104-22*.jpg}}

{{tag>music Mahmoud_Ahmed Trio_da_Kali Zellerbach_Hall_Auditorium  Fodé_Lassana_Diabaté Mamadou_Kouyaté Hawa_Kassé_Mady Yonas_Debebe Tilaye_Gebre Russ_Gershon Feleke_Hailu Mulugeta_Hailu Tom_Halter Zakki_Jawad Samson_Jufar}}

[[2016-11-03-2|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2016|Up to the 2016 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2016#November_events|Up to the 2016 event list!]] ☸  [[2016-11-05|On to the next event!]]