AFRO GITANO

Thursday, July 11th from 7 pm: The heart of the Afro Gitano project is a contemporary mix of musical traditions.  Somewhere between Africa and the Balkans, musical cultures have much in common and Afro Gitano is the sonic evidence of it. A healthy dose of Hip-Hop grooves completes the mix! 

The mastermind behind the project is guitarist/composer Toni Kitanovski. After leading a gypsy brass band for two decades (Toni Kitanovski & Cherkezi Orchestra) he was ready for a new move. His musical friend and Kinshasa’s native son Eric Malu Malu (Jupiter and Okwess International),  recorded much of the material at his Kinarmonik Studio in DR Congo’s capital, while Toni composed and recorded with his gypsy friends in Skopje, and in several other cities in six countries on three continents…

The great Baba Sissoko, born and raised in Bamako, joined Toni and DJ Goce. Although he will not be present at this New York premiere of the project, his spirit and the sound of his voice, ngoni, tamani (talking drum), and masterful drumming will!

The unique sound blend and improvisational expression is electrifying, often intense as wildfire, and mesmerizing as humanity. True in spirit to what the great Duke Ellington called – Music of humankind.

PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOES!

Afro Gitano:

Toni Kitanovski 

DJ Goce

About the artists

Toni Kitanovski is best described as a composer who plays guitar. He is also a conductor, music producer, and educator. His musical interests are equally vast as his expertise and opus. For his extraordinary abilities and accomplishments, he never misses to credit his mentor Dragan Gjakonovski, and his professors at Berklee in Boston.

DJ Goce is a legendary figure in Macedonian Rap and Hip Hop. His main output as a DJ is as a turntables performer, groove creator, and producer. He is a founding member of the cult trio SAF.