Cornell Folk Song Society Concert — Saturday, February 27, 8:00 pm at Call Auditorium, Kennedy Hall, Cornell Ag. Quad (Garden Ave., near Bailey Hall), Ithaca, NY

This wild wind out of Canada blows hot, not cold! With passion, precision, and playful charm, Le Vent du Nord has taken the world of Gallic dance and song by glorious storm, earning accolades such as Canada’s JUNO, Boston Globe’s Album of the year (2009), the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance Best Artist award, and Best of Bound for Glory. Nicolas Boulerice, Olivier Demers, Simon Beaudry, and Réjean Brunet meld four rich voices, hurdy gurdy, accordions, fiddle, piano, guitars, mandolin, bodhran, jaw harp, bones, and foot percussion in traditional Quebeçois music and their own spirited compositions. They also skillfully embrace Breton, Celtic, Gypsy, Senegalese, Indonesian, and New Orleans Dixie jazz music, with effortless transitions between styles.La Volée d’Castors. They’re well-versed in the French Canadian heritage of call and response and crooked dance tunes, stunningly tight vocal harmony, and achingly beautiful music. Kerry Dexter of Dirty Linen writes: “It’s a wild ride through French-Canadian music, with just enough of the quieter side of things to catch your breath and prepare you for the next round of flying fiddle notes, hurdy-gurdy circles, and stories in song.” This will be a rare night of high-energy music, age-old to original, with a decidedly French twist, performed with finesse and infectious joy! When LVDN plays, it’s hard for audiences to stay seated.

Over the years, LVDN members have developed their skills in such stellar groups as Eritage, Matapat, Ad vielle que pourra, La Bottine Souriante, MontcorbieR, and

Concert tickets: $15 advance/$17 door. $3 rebates for CFSS members, seniors, teens; children free. Cornell students $10/$12. Tickets at Ludgate Farms, Ithaca Guitar Works, GreenStar, Bound for Glory, online (cornellfolksong.org), or by mail (SASE, CFSS, Box 481, Ithaca, NY 14851). Info: 607-279-2027.

On Sunday, Feb. 28, Le Vent du Nord will give various workshops: instruments, foot percussion, songs, and some Quebeçois social dance. Tentative time: 11 am-4 pm, with potluck lunch. For details, contact Margaret Shepard at mbs19@cornell.edu or 607-582-7655. Full schedule will be posted here soon!

–Margaret Shepard

Mamadou Diabate’s solo kora CD “Douga Mansa” JUST WON A GRAMMY FOR Best Traditional World Music Album! This album was recorded locally by Will Russell at Electric Wilburland.

Malian kora musician, Mamadou Diabate is a member of the Mandinka West African jeli (musician caste) family. His musical lineage goes back seven centuries to the time of Sunjata Keita, the conqueror of the Malian empire.

Now based in the United States, Mamadou performs around North America and Europe. Interested in bringing the kora to new audiences, he has played with jazz and other contemporary artists, however he remains rooted in the traditions of the Manding kora and his griot heritage. He is one of a handful remaining kora players that are keeping alive the kora tradition.