- This event has passed.
Krar Collective with Siama at The Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis
July 22, 2016 @ 8:00 pm - 11:55 pm
$18 – $20
Krar Collective with Siama at The Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis
Doors: 7:00 pm / Show: 8:00 pm
Tickets: $18 Advance / $20 Day of show
This event is all ages
This is a standing show with an open floor.
Krar Collective
The band consists of Temesegen Zeleke on the krar (a 5 or 6 stringed harp), singer Genet Asefa and drummer Grum Begashaw. An important part of the Ethiopian azmari minstrel tradition, the krar is steeped in the practice of wandering troubadours performing in cafes around the country, while legend has it that the instrument itself descends from King David’s lyre. Zeleke gives these traditions a contemporary twist and, in his hands, plugged in and strummed with hypnotic grooves, the krar becomes a gritty, ancient rock guitar.
The unstoppable trio, dubbed ‘the White Stripes of Ethiopia’ for their minimalist rocky sound, base their repertoire on traditional Ethiopian songs, but have created a unique style with timeless appeal. Vocals are full of collective cadences and long solo poems; musical stops and starts create an organic syncopation, as the krar alternates from being a lead to a rhythm instrument.
Siama Matuzungidi
Congolese guitar-man that plays upbeat music with rhythm, melodies and allegory springing from the traditions of rumba & soukous.