See you out on the lawn

I’m looking forward to the Zal Idrissa Sissokho and Buntalo concert this weekend. This outdoor concert is definitely one of the highlights of the library’s summer programs for me. It gives us the chance to hear lead singer Zal Idrissa Sissokho who plays the kora (an African harp) and sings in French and Wolof. He plays melodies that are inspired and borrowed from West African musical traditions. He performs solo as well as with Buntalo.

Buntalo is an Afro-Mandinka group, their name makes reference to the sound of the kora, an instrument which seduces the listener on the first note. They play original compositions and classic Mandinka songs, bringing together contemporary music yet preserving the identity of compositions that are hundreds of years old. Buntalo brings together some of the greatest West-African musicians in Montreal: Zal Idrissa Sissokho (kora), Aboulaye Koné (guitar), David Mobio (keyboard), Manu Pelé (bass et compositions) and Thomas Niamke Ehui (drums).

The concert is at 5pm and is free. I hope to see you out on the lawn of the lovely Ashkelon Gardens behind the library. Don’t forget to bring all the summer concert essentials: something to sit on, sun protection and water.

If it rains, not to worry- the show will still go on as a limited number of free rain passes will be available as of 1 pm that day to see the performance indoors.

The Modern Scholar

Do the words The Modern Scholar and The Great Courses sound familiar? For some people, the mere mention has excitement bubbling up in their hearts and their eyes widening with delight with the thought of these fine offerings. For the average individual, it has, hitherto, remained a secret too well kept. It is time to let the proverbial cat out of the bag, or in this case – compact discs and a book out of the box.

Recorded Books and The Teaching Company are the two enterprises, founded in 1999 and 1990 respectively, seeking to bring entire university semesters worth of knowledge into one condensed package, easily portable for listening learning at home, in the car or out and about elsewhere. Various professors from Ivy League universities, Georgetown, Stanford and umpteen other institutions of repute lecture on a vast array of subjects. The best bit of it is, you can learn at your own pace with the recorded courses and accompanying text, free of the stress of tests, exams and papers. Whether it is Science, Religion, Mythology, Music, Literature, Language, History or something in between, there are over forty assorted, condensed morsels of marvelous knowledge just waiting in the Audio Visual Department.

These fertile Spring months of flowers will soon bring the season of sweet Summer outdoor festivals galore, but before those fine moments, remember to pop over to your favourite local library to discover an amazing way to develop your mind. The Audio Courses are an alternative to paying hefty tuition fees, whilst still being able to expand your horizons and learn about an array of jolly things.