Ifrikya Spirit

Fronted by a transfixing, gritty vocalist, and grounded by not one but twoguimbri (three-stringed, skin-covered basses) plus a drummer, bassist, and keyboard player, the Algerian band Ifrikya Spirit plays with the nimbleness of a jazz ensemble and the earthy passion of a hard-hitting roots group. Inspired by the pulsing rhythms and call-and-response melodies of Algerian diwanmusic, Ifrikya Spirit stakes its expansive musical tent at the juncture of West African instruments and global sensibilities. Eclectic and elemental, Ifrikya Spirit is “a stand-out with a unique sound at the melting point of new composition and instrumental abundance, with messages of peace and inter-African solidarity, all rooted in the rituals of the diwan” (Algerie Presse Service).

 

The presentation of Ifrikya Spirit is part of Center Stage, a public diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, administered by the New England Foundation for the Arts in cooperation with the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, with support from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art. Center Stage Pakistan is made possible by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. General management is provided by Lisa Booth Management, Inc.

 

Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.