Double Bill: Ausecuma Beats plus Ajak Kwai

DOUBLE BILL:

Ausecuma Beats

Ajak Kwai

Friday 8th April, 2022

Doors 7pm. Show 8pm

MEENIYAN TOWN HALL

DOUBLE BILL:

AUSECUMA BEATS

Ausecuma Beats are more than just a band, they are a philosophy. Featuring a West African rhythm section of doun doun, djembe, balafon and congas alongside sax, guitar, bass and drums, Ausecuma Beats hail from Guinea, Mali, Senegal, Cuba and Australia. Beginning with a cult following that grew out of a long-term Sunday afternoon residency in Brunswick, the nine-piece band is now in demand, with a reputation for live shows brimming with energy, grooves and joy. Led by their fearless bandleader and master djembe player, Boubacar Gaye, the nine-strong ensemble demonstrate what can happen when a group of artists come together based on an idea – in this case, the idea of place, of transplanting cultural heritage into a contemporary city. The band showcase what happens when people from the farthest flung corners of the world find themselves living shoulder to shoulder in a new environment. The result – nine unique individuals, each masters of their own craft and with their own personal histories, working together to create something exciting.

AJAK KWAI

Ajak Kwai’s music is inspiring and soulful, representing the depth and richness of her South Sudanese roots. Her performances are filled with vibrant sounds and her distinctive voice has mesmerised audiences nationally and internationally. Singing in Arabic, Sudanese or English, Ajak conjures a vivid picture of her Dinka heritage. Music is the vehicle for her stories of extraordinary life experiences as a refugee, exiled from her home and her family. Her moving tales of exile, hope, freedom, love, and cows – beloved animals of the Dinka – in turn reflect her optimism and belief in the best of human nature.

This performance is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.