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Live At The Linda Featuring Paa Kow And His Afro-Fusion Orchestra And Mamadou Kelly

Paa Kow
Zach Todtenhagen

Each Wednesday and Sunday evening at 8 p.m. “Live At The Linda” brings you some of the best musical acts to grace the stage at The Linda - WAMC's Performing Arts Studio. This week features Paa Kow and his Afro-Fusion Orchestra from June 2019 and Mamadou Kelly from October 2018.

Paa Kow’s music career officially began when he decided to join in on the cowbell during his family’s band rehearsal at 7 years old. From there it’s been a joyous celebratory road to being dubbed "Ghana's most artistic drummer." Having toured internationally, sharing stages with both African and American luminaries including Kojo Antwi, Amakye Dede and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones’s, Victor Wooten, Ghana born drummer and composer, Paa Kow, blends the rhythm and African roots from his home with jazz creating his own afro-fusion sound.  He plays a custom, hand-carved, traditionally inspired Ghanaian drum set that is the only one of its kind in the world. His deep groove and immense talent is transformative. It’s not just live show, it’s a deep spiritual conversation. Paa Kow tours the world with his afro-fusion orchestra and it just so happens that Paa Kow and his Afro Fusion Orchestra will be the first live audience show at The Linda on Saturday June 19th. Tickets at thelinda.org. But first let’s listen to Paa Kow’s last concert at The Linda from June of 2019.

Mamadou Kelly
Credit Amy Etra Photography

From the heart of Malis Niger Delta comes Mamadou Kelly. Born in 1969 near Timbuktu northern Mali, he began working on local farms as a young teenager but was drawn to music. By age 15 Kelly had ventured to Niafunké to learn from the famed Ali Farka Touré. He had begun to perform with Touré when they ventured outside of Mali to perform and in 2003 they made their way to the FolkLife Festival in Washington D.C. Kelly recorded his first album, "Adibar" in 2013 and his a second, “Djamila” in 2015. That album was named a top of the world by the British magazine, Songlines. Mamadou Kelly continues to live with his family in Mali and is a mentor to many young Malian musicians. In this concert is Kelly’s own band. The song style is deceptively simple and yet subtly layered with meaning and a rich, historical awareness. Enjoy Mamadou Kelly live at The Linda from October 2018.

Over the past year The Linda has hosted virtual concerts featuring out home grown Capital Region musicians is a series called “Open for Take-Out.” But come July, “Open for Take-Out” transforms from virtual to actual with the announcement of the “Open for Business Concert Series,” with live audiences once again invited back to The Linda.

Starting in July and going through September, we’ll have the best live and local performers playing the Linda stage, along with some special guests. Join us for “Open for Business.”

The NoLaNauts – July 9

Jim Gaudet and The Railroad Boys – July 15

Wild Adriatic – July 22

Doctor Baker – July 29

Follow us on Facebook (@thelindawamc) and Instagram (the_linda_performing_arts).

Peter Hughes is the General Manager and Programmer/Presenter for The Linda: WAMC Northeast Public Radio’s Live Performing Arts Studio. He is also the on-air host of "Live at the Linda" a twice-weekly variety music program on WAMC on-air and online that broadcasts concerts and content both recorded and live from The Linda studio in Albany NY, but also interviews and conversations with artists of all stripes.
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