Music At PS21

West African Music
Senegalese vocalist, oral historian and master kora player Zal Idrissa Sissokho and his band Buntalo will perform an evening of West African Music on Saturday, June 22, at PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, located at 2980 Route 66 in Chatham. The concert will begin at 7:30 pm.
“My music is called afro-manlinke. It is a mix of traditional and modern world music. It’s festive and sensitive. People will like to participate and dance,” said Zal Idrissa Sissokho. “There are also moments more calm to ear. The audience will be surprised at the kora’s beautiful sound and versatility.”
The kora is a 21-stringed harp-lute. While its sound resembles that of a harp, when played in the traditional style it bears a closer resemblance to blues guitar techniques. Kora players have traditionally come from griot families, who are, essentially, walking history books. Griots preserve ancient stories and traditions through song and their inherited tradition is passed down through generations. Zal Idrissa Sissokho is no exception. The Sissokho family are among the greatest representatives of the griots.
In his homeland of Dakar, Senegal, Zal Idrissa Sissokho learned the oral and musical traditions from his father. Zal also sang and composed songs inspired by the West African repertoire. In the late 1990s he moved to Canada and in 2004 he founded his group, Buntalo.  Today the group’s repertoire consists of classical pieces sung in Malinké and Wolof, as well as original contemporary creations which preserve their centuries-old identity.
Tickets for Zal Idrissa Sissokho and Buntalo cost $30 for general admission, $25 for members and $18 for students and can be purchased at www.ps21chatham.org, by calling 1-800-838-3006 or at the door until the show sells out.
Lawn Concerts Start With The Chandler Travis Philharmonic
PS21 introduces a series of evening lawn concerts on the fourth Sunday of each month this summer – June 23, July 28 and August 25. Three bands offer diverse styles of music, from rock to rockabilly, salsa to swing. Bring a picnic and your dancing shoes or just kick back and enjoy. Local beer and wine, as well as coffee and desserts, will be available for sale.
The Chandler Travis Philharmonic will kick off the summer concert series Sunday, June 23, at 6 pm. This nine piece ensemble from Boston plays Dixieland, R&B, ‘60s Rock and more, and includes a horn section, string bass, keyboard, mandocello, guitar, drums, accordion and singing valet.
Guitarist, singer and composer, Travis Chandler presents an unlikely mixture of oddball humor and incisive songwriting -usually performing barefoot and in his pajamas. He has appeared with such diverse acts as Elvis Costello, Green Day, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Bonnie Raitt, the Beach Boys, Allen Ginsburg, the Replacements, George Carlin and many many others.
The Chandler Travis Philharmonic gives performances of virtuosic abandon, prodded along by Chandler’s longtime partner, the remarkable Rikki Bates on drums, and a host of other truly remarkable musicians including mandocellist Dinty Child, Fred Boak and the sensational horn section, the June Trailer Dancers, under the direction of Berke McKelvey.
Tickets for The Chandler Travis Philharmonic cost $15 for general admission, $12 for PS21 members and $6 for those 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased at www.ps21chatham.org or by calling 1-800-838-3006.
PS21 is located at 2980 Route 66 in Chatham. For further information about these programs or any other, please call 518-392-6121 or email ps21@fairpoint.net.