Posts by Eric Escudero
Join us for the “Bala” Watch Party
The Centre for Sound Communities warmly invites you to attend the celebration for the release of Bala, the first balafón-only album by Lassana Diabaté. Bala presents a collection of works for solo balafón. Issued by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings as part of the Sound Communities Series, the album was recorded at Cape Breton University and produced by Dr. Marcia Ostashewski. The recording brings together Mande musical traditions with original compositions inspired by Unama’kik (Cape Breton Island).
Lassana Diabaté will be joining us from Mali for the online portion of the event, which will feature musical performances by Lassana along with colleagues and collaborators who contributed to the project. The performances will be followed by a discussion about Lassana’s music and the making of the album. Each watch party location will feature local music performances, refreshments and snacks. All of them are free to attend.
Date: March 27th, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM (Atlantic Time / Nova Scotia)
Locations:
Halifax: 2439 Gottingen Street, Halifax.
Chéticamp: Le Canton culturel au 15118
Cabot Trail, Chéticamp
Sydney: Centre for Sound Communities (access via the Sullivan Field House)
Online via Zoom: https://us06web.
The Smithsonian Folkways Sound Communities Series is a partnership between the Centre for Sound Communities and the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. The series highlights musical projects by artists and communities whose voices have often been underrepresented, with a particular focus on creators living on the lands commonly referred to as Canada, within the broader Indigenous territories of Turtle Island.
The album is available now and can be purchased here.
‘Songs of Truth: Music and Song from the Kobzar Tradition of Ukraine’ – Out Now
We are delighted to announce the release of Songs of Truth: Music and Song from the Kobzar Tradition of Ukraine’ by Julian Kytasty. This album marks the second release in our Sound Communities recording series, a collaboration between the CSC and the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings that highlights artists who tell stories of the lands, waters, and peoples of Turtle Island.
In Songs of Truth, Kytasty brings expressive clarity and vibrancy to the centuries-old kobzar repertoire. Through skillfully retold historical epics, philosophical songs, biting satire, and joyful dance tunes, the album animates the enduring legacy of the kobzari—blind bards who traveled the Ukrainian countryside until the early twentieth century, sharing news and history through sung storytelling accompanied on the bandura, a plucked-string instrument that has become a symbol of Ukrainian identity and culture.
As a performer, recording artist, composer, and band leader, Kytasty has redefined the artistic possibilities of the bandura. He serves as the musical director of the New York Bandura Ensemble and was the founder and curator of Bandura Downtown, a ten-year concert series based in New York’s East Village that fostered creative explorations of traditional and contemporary themes.
Kytasty has performed and recorded widely, both as a soloist and in collaborative contexts. His work includes performances with the ensemble Paris to Kyiv and the Experimental Bandura Trio, as well as collaborations with a range of artists, including John Zorn, Derek Bailey, Chinese pipa player Wu Man, and klezmer musician Michael Alpert. Across these varied projects, Kytasty brings his deep musical knowledge and distinctive artistry to the stage and studio.
Now available on CD and digital formats, you can listen to the album and pick up your copy here: orcd.co/julian-kytasty-songs-of-truth.