"Voodoo" (Courtesy of Cheick Hamala Diabate)
August hails the winding down of the long, lovely summer… and of Reston Concerts on the Town, too. Reston may be often overlooked for vibrant, busy Arlington, but don’t mistake the family-friendly atmosphere for a less-than-dynamic community. The essence of this can be seen on Reston Town Center’s website, where the calendar lists every kind of event—group exercise, self-defense demonstrations, food tastings and car shows, to name a few. Concerts on the Town (free, every Saturday rain or shine) is another among the sterling, diverse agenda available.
Jennifer Westmoreland/shutterstock
Indeed, Concert series deserves recognition for its broad musical scope. Radio King Orchestra kicked off June with their brand of big band and swing; Incendio capped off July with Spanish guitar and feisty flamenco. Now, Cheick Hamala Diabate & Corey Harris perform West African rhythms and blues Aug. 10. Certainly, it’s not your typical line-up.
Cheick Hamala Diabate may be the capstone of this assorted program. Mali born, Cheick Hamala is “West African historian in the Griot tradition” who since bringing his music to American has been nominated for a Grammy and performed at The Smithsonian Institute, Kennedy Center and for Congress. Griot is more than a musical performance; it’s also a means of passing on history and culture and traces its lineage back 800 years. On coming to America, Cheick Hamala was particularly struck by the similarities of the ngoni (a stringed lute) and the banjo. He took up the instrument and has since collaborated with many other celebrated banjo players.
His most recent CD release is “Anka Ben Mali Deno” blends the musical traditions of his Mali homeland with the music of the American city he has embraced, Washington, D.C.
Enjoy this compelling global experience this Saturday, Aug. 10.
Cheick Hamala Diabate & Corey Harris
Reston Town Center Pavilion
Aug. 10, 7:30-10 p.m.
703-912-4062
restontowncenter.com