World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures

1966 marked the first ever World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures held in Dakar, Senegal; this celebratory event brought together people of different nationalities and generations with a common goal: to shed light on the struggle and persistence of black people in the face of colonization. In 1977, the second festival was held in Nigeria. And now, on December 10th, 2010- three decades later- the third World Festival of Black Arts and Cultures returns to Dakar, and lets just say, it seems the third time's a charm.

This year's lineup includes concerts, dance performances, documentary and feature film screenings, theatre, lectures on various art forms (from architecture and design to reggae) to name a few, that will run through New Year's night, with free admission to it all. As we learned on the Black World Festival website, the event this year focuses on Africa in it's new context: Africa as free, proud, creative, and optimistic. Brazil will be the guest of honor, bringing along with it a slew of artists that are culturally diverse and emblematic of the dialogue between different people and cultures, created by this year's event. Check out our slide show of videos below for a look at our favorite artists featured at this year's event.

http://blackworldfestival.com/wp/en/
http://www.facebook.com/BlackWorldFest

Zeppelin 2009

Black Saturn has contributed a sound piece to the Zeppelin Festival. The festival takes place in Barcelona, Spain, December 10 - 12 2009

http://sonoscop.net/zeppelin2009/index.html

Zeppelin 2009 - Sounds of Power / Listening to Fear "is dedicated to thinking about issues that have been insidiously encircling us for some time. We are concerned about signs that might suggest we’re going backwards in terms of hard-won social and intellectual achievements and freedoms".

The Look of Blacknuss, Brown Rice 11.19.09

All photos courtesy of Tamara L. Smith, 2009

Art Shock

The NOISE SHOCK Festival wasn't just about music, it was about ART as well!

Jeff Mills - 'The Good Robot' EP

Pioneering techno legend Jeff Mills aka The Wizard has a new EP out called 'The Good Robot'.

From Jeff Mills: "Though the title is called, 'The Good Robot'', it isn't about good or a robot at all. Instead it references the multilateral degree of bad that we humans wield upon ourselves and each other, decorated under the mantra of good or better. Since the dreams of artificial humans began, there has always been the need to counter the charge of whether we as humans have the capacity to accept robots as just our servants. We want all good robots, but are we capable of producing them?"

You can watch a video interview of Jeff discussing his new EP as well as his thoughts on a multitude of important issues. The topics range from Mr. DJ, who are you?, The role of electronic music in informing people, Technology: its' uses and affects, The reaction between DJ & audience, producer & listener and Digital DJing: hard-drive vs. record box.

http://eq-mag.co.uk/jeffmills.html

New Texts

'Reggaeton' (Duke University Press) - Raquel Z. Rivera

http://raquelzrivera.com/

'Fear Of Music: Why People Get Rothko But Don't Get Stockhausen' (Zero Books) - David Stubbs

http://www.o-books.com/product_info.php?products_id=561