Dan and crew started early setting up the space. Dan and crew started early setting up the space. Traci Dinwiddie, student of Malik Sow Dancing is always welcome here! Dancing is always welcome here! IMG_1399 Gary Craigwell and Friends rocked the house! Gary Craigwell and Friends rocked the house! Gary Craigwell and Friends rocked the house! Ed Turner sang up a storm (of BBQ)! They really know how to shake it! A visual of what Groovy, guys. What a performance. Standing O. Lynn and Ayo Enjoying the show. One of the main reasons we have Mandingo Night. Already following in Dad's (Kahlil's) footsteps. Photog says, Photog says, Photog says, Photog says, I'll snap when the dancer's at one side. She's great! Photog says, In the pocket 'til the finale, and the dancer didn't miss a beat. Well done, Gary and crew! A good time was had by many. Balandugu Kan not only performed, they partied with us, too. The blue-gray cast to many of the images is smoke from the bar-b. You can almost smell it, can't you? Tradition lives. MC Eric on the mic helps us stay structured. Dan makes sure there's plenty of everything. If you missed it, there's always next year. Chef John does his thing (and are we glad!). Chef John's thing (is about ready here). Yumm. Mandingo Night/Motherland Music: a good place to be with friends and make new ones. Family atmosphere personified. Newlyweds Christian (soon to be Dr. C.) and Iliana De Larkin were among friends. Between acts, even the dancers took a break. MM Internet guy Frank and new well-traveled djembefola/DC-convener pal Cameron from Ventura. When does the photographer get to eat? Looks like Jeffrey Shaw's headed in the right direction. Good music people know their food, too. Now we KNOW it's good. Gracious Lynn (who threw a big party for Ayo's 60's b-day 7 days later here), takes notes and compliments chef John on his grilled veggies. Plays like he's 45, isn't yet close to 25. Fuh-real. We hope the video of this solo came out... if you missed it, in a word it was, well, transcendant! Kahlil's amazing djembe solo invokes ancestral spirits and keeps the party on track. Deep, y'all. If you see the video, try counting hand strokes. Betcha can't. Magatte Sow's here in spirit. Balandugu Kan with spec. guest Aboubacar Kouyaté - tight as a... {you knoe the cliché}. Dan's tent comes in handy as weather's somewhat changeable and sun beats down (not like in the Motherland, but hey, it's L.A.). You can almost see the groove here. Front man Kahlil starts warms up for a round of solos... It isn't windy, K's braids shift from body movement during performance. Efe Agindotan (out of frame), Jelani Blunt and Kahlil keepin' it real. Now Abou solos, then Efe and Jelani. Kahlil's towering performance-opening solo is echoed/answered by Abou in this solo section. It's all good (and so are they). It's available but PA's required for this group. IMG_1505 IMG_1485 Modern African drummers use only the most high-tech stands. ...and they get the job done. 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Solo sees it too... Yikes! What just happened? Maestro Fred taking part without taking over. Drum maker Bara Mboup from Senegal also graced us with his presence. The sun went down and the dancers got up. ...and danced, and danced... Thiane Diouf doesn't miss much. Shango sold a few cold sorrel and ginger blend drinks, and was the LUCKY WINNER of a djembe, too. A little sound reinforcement help. Thanks, Andrew (seen at the beginning of this slideshow) for lending and setting up the PA! You rock and so does BA featuring Solo Soro and you.
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