It’s March! That’s something… Also a good excuse to come out to the Small World Centre tonight for playful Balkan party tunes. Tamar Ilana has a history as dynamic and international as the musical tapestry she weaves with Ventanas. The band skips effortlessly from flamenco arrangements to mournful Sephardic love songs – they’ve consistently impressed us and it should be a sweet one!

Bint El Funk is up next week on March 8 celebrating International Women’s Day. We’re excited about the Canadian debut of this Israeli band, backed by Toronto-based DJ Shifra Rifka. With music that combines old and new, personal and universal, east and west, it makes for a compelling dance floor experience. Read Ruth Schweitzer’s fantastic interview with the band and Ashkenaz Foundation‘s Artistic Director Eric Stein here and discover their official video, which truly summons the spirit of funk.

That same night marks the relaunch of Globetrotter – everyone’s favourite global groove night! On the second Thursday of each month, in partnership with Architextures, one of Toronto’s longest running electronic music collectives, our pal DJ medicineman is back at it, serving up the finest global beats, alongside his fellow groove resident synapps and guest DJs. It makes for a perfect Bint El Funk after-party, as we take a quick jaunt east on College Street from Revival Bar to Round in Kensington Market.

And we’re delighted to announce Mathew Tembo & the Afro-Routes Band at the Centre on March 17! The award-winning Afro-Pop musician of the highest caliber combines traditional Zambian music with modern music and reggae. Self-taught in his exploration of traditional African instruments such as silimba (a homemade marimba), kalimba (mbira/thumb piano), and kalumbu (a one-stringed instrument), Mathew incorporates these into original compositions. He sings mostly in Chinsenga (the language of the Nsenga people) and Chichewa (the music of the Chewa people), weaving in syncopation, repetition, poly-rhythm and call-and-response. A must-see for lovers of South African music!

February winds its wet and windy way to an end and we’re looking toward spring and the 16th Annual Small World Asian Music Series. Once again, with the support of TD Bank, we’ve got a lineup of superb concerts at multiple venues to showcase a breadth of amazing creativity in a variety of genres. We’ll be telling you more about the full program soon but first off, here’s a highlight:

Kiran Ahluwalia’s LOVEfest on April 14th at Harbourfront Centre Theatre is a multifaceted celebration of love and diversity through music and dance designed for the times we live in. It combines the talents of sacred and secular artists from both Muslim and Sikh traditions (two communities experiencing an alarming rise in hate crimes) to advocate for a diverse world of cultural expression and an opportunity to ‘Welcome The Stranger.’ The night features Kiran’s passionate vocals (India) and the inspired Arabic songwriting of Souad Massi (Algeria), united with Sikh temple singers (for the first time on the concert stage) and the colorful whirling of Egyptian Tanoura Sufi dancers. Watch Kiran Ahluwalia’s “Jaane Na” performed live at The Iridium in New York City and meet her gorgeous voice and progressive style.

Next up at Small World Music Centre it’s Tamar Ilana & Ventanas on March 1st hitting the stage once more before heading into the studio to record a new album. The week after, Israel’s Bint El Funk make their Canadian debut through Polyphonic Ground Presents with celebrated dj and sound artist Shifra Rifka at Revival. Harvard Rock Review profiled them as their featured new artist, commending their mixing of cultures and languages, as well as their energy and inspiring arrangements. Read the full review here, and book your tickets in advance!

Wednesday an evening of Cuban jazz and Son heats up the Small World Centre with Lula Music and Arts‘s first presentation there. Embracing genres and roles that have historically been dominated by men, OKAN‘s co-leaders and multi-instrumentalists Elizabeth Rodriguez and Magdelys Savigne open followed by Guaracha y Son. Watch a clip of bassist Roberto Riveron with Pabolsky Rosales on tres and vocals, Chendy Leon Sr. on percussion, and Jorge Maza on flute last spring.

At the beginning of March, our room hosts Tamar Ilana and Ventanas. Tamar has a history as dynamic and international as the musical tapestry she weaves with Ventanas. Tickets are moving fast; Looking forward to this one! And the following week, a Polyphonic Ground co-presentation brings the party, with Israel’s Bint El Funk with DJ Shifra Rifka at Revival Bar.

Elsewhere the legendary Zimbabwean a cappella group Black Umfolosi return to town. Next Saturday Hugh’s Room Live is the spot to catch the vibrant voices and powerful message of their music that’s won fame and a devoted following over three plus decades. We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away for the show! Reply to jess@smallworldmusic.com and name one other artist from Zimbabwe to win!

An exciting announcement for March 8 as we partner with our friends at Ashkenaz for the next Polyphonic Ground event – the Canadian Debut of Israel’s Bint El Funk along with DJ Shifra Rifka!

Bint El Funk (Daughter of Funk) combines dance floor cred with traditional Jewish Yemenite music, influenced by Afrobeat, jazz, psychedelic-Turkish sounds and more. Alongside Yemenite texts are love songs, social protest, Bedouin nonsense, and poetry. The band has built a loyal following at clubs and festivals throughout Israel and is now poised to break out on the world stage. Opening the night, Shifra Rifka is music producer, sound artist, and DJ, whose sets span all genres from house to industrial to disco, incorporating her own edits, original compositions and improvised material. This event is the kickoff party for the annual Spotlight on Israeli Culture Festival and celebrates International Women’s Day. This is Bint El Funk’s “Mujik” to set the tone for what is going to be an incredible live show!

Well before our Polyphonic Ground show, this Friday catch Music Africa‘s high energy programming as part of Black History Month at the Royal Ontario Museum. Dieufaite, Amandou Kienou, and Slim Flex perform at the #FNLROM: Lunar Love!