Out of Africa Tree: iFest 2010
AFRICAN ROOTS
Baba Ifalade Drum Circle: H-E-B Stage, 4/17 and 4/24, 12:30 p.m.
Kuumba House African Dance Ensemble: International Kids Stage, 4/17, 2 p.m.
BASSEKOU KOUYATE AND NGONI BA (MALI): World Stage, 4/18, 2:30 p.m.
KING SUNNY ADE AND HIS AFRICAN BEATS (NIGERIA): World Stage, 4/24, 6 p.m.
Koumanke’le African Drum and Dance Ensemble: International Kids Stage, 4/24, 2 p.m.
Grupo de N’Golo: International Kids Stage, 4/25, 2 p.m.; daily performances in the African Zone.
BAABA MAAL (SENEGAL): World Stage, 4/25, 4:30 p.m.
REGGAE/SKA
IRIE TIME: Houston Stage, 4/17, 12:30 p.m.
SHARK ATTACK: Houston Stage, 4/17, 2:30 p.m.
EASY STAR ALL-STARS (NEW YORK/JAMAICA): World Stage, 4/17, 4 p.m.
MIGHTY DIAMONDS (JAMAICA): World Stage, 4/18, 4:30 p.m.
NEUTRAL SISTER FEAT. MR. BLACC SHEEP AND YARD BAND (HOUSTON/KENYA/TRINIDAD): Center Stage, 4/18, 6 p.m.
Caribbean Dance Party with Famous Squad DJs: Center Stage, 4/24, 1, 2:30, 5, 7 and 9 p.m.
TAJ WEEKES AND ADOWA (ST. LUCIA): World Stage, 4/24, 2 p.m.; H-E-B Stage, 4/24, 6:30 p.m.
The Suspects: Houston Stage, 4/24, 4:30 p.m.
D.R.U.M.: World Stage, 4/25, 12:30 p.m.; H-E-B Stage, 4/25, 6:30 p.m.
DUBTex: Houston Stage, 4/25, 12:30 p.m.
Idiginis: Houston Stage, 4/25, 2:30 p.m.
Stephanie Coley, Jamaican poet: H-E-B Stage, 4/25, 2:30 p.m.
STEEL PULSE (GREAT BRITAIN/JAMAICA): World Stage, 4/25, 6:30 p.m.
CALYPSO/SOCA/OTHER CARIBBEAN
Houston Steelight Orchestra: Daily performances in the Panyard.
Women of Haiti Dancers: H-E-B Stage, 4/17, 7:30 p.m.; 4/18, 3:30 p.m.; 4/24, 3:30 p.m.; 4/25, 4:30 p.m.
Sean Richards Steel Drums (Trinidad): H-E-B Stage, 4/18 and 4/25, 12 pm.
CARNIVAL PARADE WITH STAMINA BAND AND MOCKO JUMBIE STILT DANCERS: Center Stage, 4/18 and 4/24, 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.
Caribbean Dance Party with DJ Jason and the Catalyst: Center Stage, 4/18; 1, 3, 5 AND 7 P.M.
Houston Caribbean All-Star Dancers: Center Stage, 4/18, 2 p.m.
Kozzmik Steel: H-E-B Stage, 4/17, 8:30 p.m.; Sister Cities Stage, 4/24, 7:30 p.m.
Steel Vibrations (Houston/Trinidad): Houston Stage, 4/24, 12:30 p.m.; H-E-B Stage, 4/24, 8:30 p.m.
Danse: Center Stage, 4/24, 2 p.m.; H-E-B Stage, 4/24, 7:30 p.m.
Moving Stars Tassa Group (Houston/Trinidad/India): H-E-B Stage, 4/24, 4:30 p.m.
Dominica Dancers: H-E-B Stage, 4/25, 3:30 p.m.
TRADITIONAL AFRO-LATIN (RUMBA/PLENA/BACHATA)
Carnival Parade with Los Parranderos (Puerto Rico) and Mocko Jumbie Stilt Dancers: Center Stage, 4/17, 12:30 and 3:30 p.m.; 4/25, 12:30 and 3:30 pm.
BACHATA ROJA LEGENDS FEAT. PUERTO PLATA (DOMINICAN REPUBLIC): Center Stage, 4/17, 6 p.m., 4/18, 4 p.m.; H-E-B Cultural Stage, 4/17, 1:30 p.m., 4/18, 1:30 p.m.
OYU ORO AFRO-CUBAN DANCE ENSEMBLE (CUBA/NUEVA YORK): Center Stage, 4/24, 4 and 6 p.m., 4/25, 4 and 6 p.m.; H-E-B Stage, 4/24, 1:30 p.m., 4/25, 1:30 p.m.
Colombian Orchid Ballet: International Kids Stage, 4/24, 6 p.m.
Orgullo Vallenato (Colombia): Latin Stage, 4/25, 2:30 p.m.
CONTEMPORARY AFRO-LATIN (SALSA/MERENGUE/CUMBIA)
Caribbean Dance Party with DJ Kasanova (Colombia): Center Stage, 4/17, 1, 2:30, 5, 7 and 9 p.m.; 4/25, 1, 2:30, 5 and 7 p.m.
Strictly Street Salsa Dancers: Center Stage, 4/17, 2, 4 and 6 p.m.; 4/18, 4 p.m. (with Bachata Roja Legends).
Rudy Rincon and Grupo Kache: Latin Stage, 4/17, 6 p.m.
Cecile and Rainel Pino Orchestra (Cuba): Center Stage, 4/17, 8 p.m.; Latin Stage, 4/25, 6:30 p.m.
Tekumbe (Colombia): Latin Stage, 4/18, 2:30 p.m.
LA EXCELENCIA (Nueva York): World Stage, 4/24, 4 p.m.; Center Stage, 4/24, 8 p.m.
Mi Rumba (Dominican Republic): Latin Stage, 4/24, 6 p.m.
Salsa Eddy Salsa Dance Company: Center Stage, 4/24, 8 p.m. (with La Excelencia); 4/25, 2 p.m.
Monte Adentro feat. Lourdes Jimenez (Puerto Rico): Latin Stage, 4/25, 4:30 p.m.
LATIN ROCK/POP HYBRIDS
Latinology feat. Sarah Fox and Joel Guzman: World Stage, 4/17, 2 p.m.; Latin Stage, 4/17, 8 p.m.
Studio 8 Dancers: International Kids Stage, 4/17, 7 p.m.; 4/24, 7 p.m.
OZOMATLI (AZTLAN): World Stage, 4/17, 8 p.m.
Norma Zenteno Band: World Stage, 4/18, 12:30 p.m.; Latin Stage, 4/18, 4:30 p.m.
Karina Nistal Band: Latin Stage, 4/18, 6:30 p.m.
Los Skarnales: Latin Stage, 4/24, 8 p.m.
Sister Sister y los Misters: Latin Stage, 4/24, 4 p.m.
LOS DE ABAJO (Mexico City): World Stage, 4/25, 2:30 p.m.
LOUISIANA CREOLE
Voodoo Brass Band: Louisiana Stage, 4/17, 12:30 p.m.
J. Paul Jr. and the Zydeco Nubreeds: Louisiana Stage, 4/17, 8 p.m.
Curtis Poullard and the Creole Zydeco Band: Louisiana Stage, 4/18, 12:30 p.m.
New Orleans Hustlers Brass Band: Louisiana Stage, 4/18, 2:30 p.m.; Houston Stage, 4/18, 6:30 p.m.
Zydepunks: Louisiana Stage, 4/24, 4 p.m.; Houston Stage, 4/24, 6:30 p.m.
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas: Louisiana Stage, 4/24, 6 p.m.
Lil Brian Terry and the Zydeco Travelers: Louisana Stage, 4/25, 4:30 p.m.
REBIRTH BRASS BAND: Louisiana Stage, 4/25, 6:30 p.m.
JAZZ
Mark Towns Latin Jazz Band: Latin Stage, 4/17, 4 p.m.
EDDIE PALMIERI LATIN JAZZ BAND (NUEVA YORK/PUERTO RICO): World Stage, 4/18, 6:30 p.m.
HSPVA Jazz All Stars: Louisiana Stage, 4/18, 12:30 p.m.; International Kids Stage, 4/18, 5 p.m.
BLUES
Mark May Band feat. Miss Molly: Louisiana Stage, 4/17, 2 p.m.; Houston Stage, 4/17, 8:30 p.m.
MARCIA BALL: Louisiana Stage, 4/17, 4 p.m.; 4/18, 4:30 p.m.
Chris Bell and 100% Blues: Houston Stage, 4/18, 2:30 p.m.
TAB BENOIT: Louisiana Stage, 4/18, 6:30 p.m.
Texas Johnny Brown: Louisiana Stage, 4/24, 2 p.m.; Houston Stage, 4/24, 8:30 p.m.
Big Al Bettis: Houston Stage, 4/24, 2:30 p.m.
Tony Vega Band: Louisiana Stage, 4/25, 12:30 p.m.
JANIVA MAGNESS: Louisiana Stage, 4/25, 2:30 p.m.
FUNK/HIP-HOP
Kucheza Ngoma Hip Hop Dancers: H-E-B Stage, 4/17, 3:30 p.m.; International Kids Stage, 4/17, 6 p.m.
Truth Universal (New Orleans/Trinidad): H-E-B Stage, 4/17, 6:30 p.m.; 4/18, 6:30 p.m.; Houston Stage, 4/18, 4:30 p.m.
GEORGE CLINTON AND PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC (MOTHERSHIP): World Stage, 4/24, 8 p.m.
Ten…er, Overheard Gripes About iFest
BY RICK MITCHELL/DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS
Look, we know it’s not for everyone. People who don’t like big crowds, or who are sensitive to exposure to the sun (or its alternative, which we don’t mention around here), or who prefer to encounter artistic expressions in quiet museums and concert halls might not have that great of a time at our loud, sprawling outdoor festival. But we also hear criticism from people who apparently have formed an opinion without actually attending the festival, at least not recently, or who paid a quick visit and only skimmed the surface of what iFest has to offer. Here is our response to some of these complaints.
- Why can’t it be free like it used to be? If you poll the American public, they will tell you again and again that they want more government services and lower taxes. This is why our government is $12 trillion dollars in debt. As a non-profit educational foundation, we don’t work that way. When iFest was free, it was a great street party with plenty of cool stuff to see and listen to. But we did not have the caliber of music headliners or the elaborate Living Museum that we have now. We are now considered one of the premier music and culture festivals in the country. Also, back then, the city was not charging us for services such as police overtime and parks clean-up. Frankly, I suspect this complaint is heard most often from people who could easily afford the low admission charge if they wanted to. But just for the record, we give out hundreds of free passes every year to genuinely disadvantaged people who otherwise could not attend.
- It’s all about selling beer. No, it isn’t. We take our multicultural educational mission seriously. True, we stay open until 10 pm on Saturdays and we book acts on our main stages that we hope will draw large crowds of music fans, some of whom may choose to enjoy a beer or two. But you don’t have to step over drunks passed out on the grass like you do at many outdoor music festivals and concerts. We pride ourselves on maintaining a family-friendly environment, with a special zone for kids (sponsored by Target), a Living Museum full of educational and cultural exhibits (sponsored by Chevron), family-oriented advance ticket packages and discount tickets for kids. And this is not to mention the Teacher’s Curriculum Guide, based on the festival’s international theme and distributed free of charge to 1500 area schools.
- Why can’t it be more like Jazzfest? Hey, in some ways, we’d like to be more like Jazzfest, which is in my opinion the best music festival in America. But for that to happen, Houston would have to be more like New Orleans, which ain’t gonna happen anytime soon, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. (For one thing, flood water here drains off naturally…) Our music programming holds up pretty well next to Jazzfest. We don’t get the pop, rock and R&B superstars, but many of our headliners also headline at Jazzfest, and we present much more world music, and our smaller music stages do for regional Gulf Coast music what Jazzfest has done for New Orleans music. One more thing – if we really were going to become more like Jazzfest, we should have stayed at Reliant Stadium, which has the open spaces and corresponding lack of shade that they have at the racetrack in New Orleans. I seem to recall that everybody was pretty happy when we moved back to downtown’s cozier environs in 2005.
- Why isn’t there more jazz? When I first started consulting on the programming for iFest, I thought the same thing. In 2002, we booked David Murray, one of the greatest living jazz saxophonists in the world, and he played to about 100 people, virtually none of which were the same jazz musicians and fans voicing this complaint. If the jazz community won’t come out to support jazz, why should they expect anyone else to support it, especially when there is so much else going on at all the other stages? That said, we continue to present jazz when it makes sense. Two years ago, the Cotton Club – which featured local jazz and blues artists paying tribute to the greats of African-American music – was a big hit. Last year, we had South African jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela, and this year we have the legendary Latin jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri.
- The food is too expensive. You people need to take this up with the vendors, who set their own prices, with the exception of the festival-run beverage booths. True, some of the food choices aren’t cheap. There is no such thing as a free lunch. But I guarantee you that a $10 food allowance at iFest will get you a lot farther than it will at any of our taxpayer-supported sports palaces, and there is much more variety to choose from, including samplings from some of the city’s finest ethnic restaurants.
- There are too many commercial sponsors. Uh, let me remind you. This is not France, where the arts is heavily subsidized by multiple layers of government. This is Houston, Texas, a bastion of free-market capitalism in a free-market capitalist country. We appreciate the support we get from the Houston Arts Alliance and non-profit foundations such as the Houston Endowment. But we also take pride in the fact that this support amounts to only a small fraction of our overall budget, and that corporate sponsors such as Target, Chevron, HEB, Roomstoor and Silver Eagle Distributors feel that it is in their own enlightened self-interest to invest their marketing dollars with us. The financial support we get from these sponsors is what allows us to keep the cover charge so low.
- There used to be more music. Not really. Last year the festival had 12 stages, all of which featured live music, and six of which were devoted exclusively to music programming. In recent years, we’ve added a Cultural stage (sponsored by HEB) that mixes quieter music offerings with cooking demonstrations, literary readings and other cultural expressions, and a Houston stage (sponsored by Chron.com) that features top local bands. While budget constraints are an ever-present reality in a business where the weather can be the difference between black and red ink, the only thing that has changed about our programming philosophy is that we are now booking bigger-name headliners on the World Stage in Sam Houston Park.
- It used to be more international. How so? If anything, iFest is doing a better job than ever at representing the honored nation or region with respect and integrity. Since 2005, the Living Museum in Upper Sam Houston Park has developed into a destination zone within the festival, with its eye-catching array cultural and educational exhibits and demonstrations. We still seek and receive backing from the governments of the honored nation or region, but we also maintain an active outreach program to members of the local community with ties to the honored nation and region, and beyond that, to representatives from all of Houston’s multiplicity of international communities. More than any other annual event, iFest celebrates Houston’s wonderful international diversity. That has not changed, and it never will.
- It’s just a big street party. Yes, it is. The more people in the street, the more we like it. But iFest is also so much more than that – it is a world music festival contained within the larger circle of an international culture festival. Our audience consists of both hardcore music lovers running from stage to stage to catch as much as possible and moms with kids in strollers looking for some family-friendly diversion on a Sunday afternoon. We do not program to the lowest common denominator. We are an arts organization. But it’s this general market mix that has made us successful over the years, and unique to Houston.
- It’s not cool. This would depend on your definition of cool. If cool for you means dancing to a throbbing techno beat in a nightclub at 3 am, then right, we are not cool. But if cool for you means presenting non-mainstream art, including music and dance from all over the world that would otherwise never make it to Houston, and doing it in a mainstream, family-friendly context with a low admission charge and kids-free discounts, plus great food and interesting arts and crafts markets, then we are just about the coolest thing in town. Not convinced? Come see for yourself (advance tickets are on sale now at www.ifest.org), and if you still have complaints, let us know after this year’s festival. The only thing I ask is that you spend enough time at the festival to really understand what is going on.
Top 10 iFest Moments
Rick Mitchell’s Top 10 iFest Moments
I have worked with the Houston International Festival in various capacities since 2000. Prior to joining the iFest team, I covered the festival for ten years as the chief pop music critic at the Houston Chronicle. As a reviewer, I often found myself rushing from stage to stage, trying to take in as much of the action as possible. Now, as the performing arts director, I find myself rushing from backstage to backstage, trying to make sure the trains run on time and everyone gets paid. With eight to ten stages operating concurrently, I probably run the equivalent of a 10K on any given festival day. Consequently, I almost never get to hear a full set anymore, and there are many sets I don’t hear at all. But here are some of the most unforgettable bright moments I’ve experienced at iFest during the past 20 years.
- Youssou N’Dour, 1991 – This was my first full realization of what the Houston International Festival means to the city of Houston. The setting sun reflected off the glass skyscrapers and African elders in full robes stood in rapt silence next to suburban soccer moms in running shorts as the Senegalese superstar sang Sufi hymns of love and peace from the steps of Houston City Hall. I remember thinking, “Why can’t downtown always be like this?” We have been trying to get Youssou N’Dour back ever since…
- All-Irish Finale, 2001 – It opened with Paul Brady singing a trance-like “Homes of Donegal,” then segued into a Celtic hippie drum circle with the members of Belfast’s Different Drums of Ireland and climaxed with the Irish band Kila standing on one side of the stage and the Irish-American band Solas on the other side trading solos on a medley of traditional reels. On and on and faster and faster they went, long past the scheduled stopping time. Jim Austin and I looked at each other and shrugged. You don’t want to stop the movie in the middle of a reel.
- Celtic-Conjunto Finale, 2009 – Eight years later and we are honoring Ireland again. Los Lobos, the last band on the World Stage, graciously invites conjunto accordion master Joel Guzman and Sean Graham of the Irish band Beoga to sit in on their closing number, “La Bamba.” The Wolves take a brief break while Joel joins Beoga and Irish fiddler Kevin Burke on a couple of traditional numbers, then Los Lobos returns to encore with a rocking blues featuring Houston zydeco man Lil’ Brian Terry on accordion. It looked smooth, as if it had all been planned in advance. Trust me, it hadn’t.
- Burning Spear, 1998 – A contemporary of Bob Marley, Spear brings a fiery spiritual intensity to his performances rarely seen in contemporary reggae music. Judging from the scene in front of the stage, every dreadlocks Rasta between Austin and New Orleans turned out for the show, and they all fired it up at the same time. If Mayor Lee Brown, the former drug czar in the Clinton administration, had ventured back downtown on a Sunday, he might have declared a state of emergency on account of all the smoke. As for me, I was behind the stage dancing with Mr. Yellowman and his female entourage.
- George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, 2007 – When we booked this, my main worry was that the show would not start on time. Instead, the Mothership landed in Sam Houston Park ten minutes early and kept the largest crowd we had ever drawn to one stage on their collective feet for more than two hours. At 10 p.m. curfew time, the police started screaming at us to shut it down. (Actually, it was only the white cops who were yelling; most of the black cops were too busy dancing.) Uncle Jam didn’t want to stop. He was singing every song he could remember – “Shake Rattle and Roll,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” World Stage manager Lupe Olivarez was frantically trying to get George’s attention from the side of the stage. I motioned to singer Gary Shider (who had changed out of his oversized diaper) to pull George away from the mic, which he did, leading to a chorus of boos from the crowd. By this time, the police were threatening to pull the plug, which might have resulted a tense situation. Fortunately, George relented, and social order was maintained.
- Steve Earle, 2003 – Steve Earle has a favorite adjective, one that is not commonly printed in mainstream media contexts. Before he went on, I explained to him that the Houston International Festival is a family-friendly event, and that if he could refrain from using his favorite adjective, we would really appreciate it. So the first thing Steve says when he comes onstage is, “Hello, Houston, how the (bleep) are you?” Sure enough, we got a complaint or two from patrons offended that their young-uns had been exposed to such language. But you know what? I’m glad he said it, and the set (bleeping) rocked.
- Johnny Bush and Don Walser, 2001 – At the request of the late Rory Miggins, these two legends of Texas honky-tonk music came together on the Texas Stage to duet on “Danny Boy,” the Irish-American standard that has found new life as a country ballad. When they finished, as some in the crowd wiped their eyes, I remember borrowing a cowboy hat and announcing from the stage, “I can die now.”
- Super Rail Band and Maraca, 2001 – I have at times tried to orchestrate jam sessions among musicians at the festival. Some have worked better than others. But this one came about of its own accord, as the members of the Cuban band Maraca strode onstage carrying various horns and drums and shakers toward the end of the set by Mali’s Super Rail Band. Super Rail guitarist Djelimady Tounkara launched into pan-African soukous groove with chord changes similar to the Cuban standard “Guantanamera.” Before it was over, the Africans and Cubans were joyfully trading instruments and dancing the trans-Atlantic rumba together. Not long after this, the Bush administration instituted a policy of denying all Cuban performers entry into the US.
- Grady Gaines and the Texas Upsetters, sometime in the early Nineties – I can’t remember what year this was, but in an inspired bit of programming by former festival artistic director Baraka Sele, Grady Gaines – the Houston tenor saxophonist who played with Little Richard in the 1950s and was working as an airport skycap when I arrived in Houston in 1989 – was playing ahead of the World Saxophone Quartet, the avant-garde jazz group from New York. I was standing next to the WSQ’s David Murray, who was listening intently to Grady’s blues-based honking and shouting. After the set, I introduced Gaines to Murray, who complimented him on his sound. Grady replied, “I’d like to stay and hear you but I gotta go play a wedding.” Such is the life of a local hero.
- Drum Circle, 2008 – It was the final day of the 2008 festival, and we had dodged a bullet when a big storm that was headed right at Houston miraculously changed course at the last minute and veered to the north. I was passing through the Living Museum area in Upper Sam Houston Park, where Baba Ifalade (also known as Alafia Gaidi of the band D.R.U.M .) was leading one final Out of Africa drum circle on the Gullah Stage. Alafia had set his djembe drum at the side of the stage to join a posse of white-clad women in some inspired dance moves. Nature abhors a vacuum, so I picked up Alafia’s drum and joined the circle. Carried away by the layers of polyrhythm, of which mine was but one of a dozen, I sort of lost track of time. When I finally looked at my watch, I realized I was almost late for the World Stage, where Taj Mahal would soon be jamming with the Africans in the festival finale. But after all the hard work and stress of planning and producing a major music festival, what a liberating joy it was to get back to the basic act of making music.
