Afrijam music combines African, jazz sounds

Toby Foyeh and Orchestra Africa will appear at the Brewery Arts Center performance Hall tonight at 7:30 p.m., and the hall should sway and rock a bit. They play Afrijam music, bringing a touch of Nigeria to the city, along with jazz notes.

The group's music is a fusion of traditional Nigerian Yoruba music, including Highlife, Afrobeat, folklore with jazz, rock, pop and Latin music.

Tickets are $15 general and $12 for BAC members, seniors and students.

The band features traditional African instruments such as gangan (talking drum), kalimba (thumb piano), percussion, flutes, guitars, keyboards synthesizers, male lead and female lead and chorus vocals. The female singer-dancers in African costumes add a spice of traditional Africa in their call-and-response style. Sounds like the kind of music that sets the mind to reeling.

New age music plus

John Nilsen played a fine concert Sunday night at the Brewery Performance Hall, making the Yamaha piano prove that it could handle big sounds. For that's what Nilsen played, big, bunched chords with a very agile left hand doing more than furnish a bass for the right hand. After the concert when asked what genre he would put his music in, he paused, then said, "I guess new age sort of with a jazz backbone and some folk and rock stuff, not that you can do much rock on a piano."

Too bad more people didn't drop in to hear Nilsen, because he offered some very vibrant, pulsing music. Maybe next time when he hits town we can give him a better introduction to the city.

Shopping center music

BAR BAR BAR is hosting the Wicker Box in a free rock 'n' roll night in the Village Shopping Center in Incline Village from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 14. Since it's free, why not go over and mix with the swells and see if they know their music.

Horses and Lacy

The Carson City Symphony, with multi-talented David Bugli as director and conductor, joins with country star Lacy J. Dalton in "A Celebration of Horses" at 4 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Carson City Community Center. You can meet Dalton in a preview at 3:15 p.m., but you'll also be able to hear her sing later such songs as "Let 'em Run," "Takin' It Easy" and other Lacy legacies.

This is a benefit for the symphony and the Let 'em Run Foundation. Tickets are $20 general, $15 for seniors, students and Symphony Association members. For 16 and under, it's free.

There's a post-concert reception at the Brougher-Bath Mansion, 204 W. Spear St., for $15 more. These post-receptions usually turn out to be a lot of fun.

n Contact entertainment editor Sam Bauman at sbauman@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1236.