Occidental Brothers Dance Band
International (7:30)
Samba Mapangala & Virunga (9:00)

“The greatest African dance band on the planet hails from Chicago.” —The Beat Magazine on Occidental Brothers Dance Band International

"Elegant…ebullient melodies, precise vocal harmonies, and sparkling guitar work.” —Chicago Reader on Samba Mapangala

Old-school West African highlife with a dash of American fusion, Occidental Brothers Dance Band International strikes up its energetic, dance-friendly music. Silky-voiced African hit-maker Samba Mapangala lays out the rhythms with his orchestra Virunga, mixing rippling Congolese rhumba and soukous with earthy Kenyan benga.

When:
Friday, July 10, 2009 at 6:30
Dance Lesson at 6:30, Live Music at 7:30

Where:
Damrosch Park
62nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam

Program:
Soukous, Rumba, Benga, Highlife
Lesson: Thelma Mwan' Dido teaching Soukous/Rumba
DJ: DJ Neva (Music for the Masses)