29-95 DEGREES MUSIC
By: Andrew Dansby
The legendary King Sunny Ade was going to be a big draw for me during the second week of the Houston International Festival. But the juju wizard had to cancel his American tour after two members of his band were killed in a car accident. iFest shuffled its Saturday lineup a little, adding Houston’s very able Emman LeGrand & the African Rhythmix to the Center Stage and allocating some additional time to Saturday headliner, the always entertaining George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic.
Here are a few other sets that look promising:
1. Who: Taj Weekes and Adowa
From: St. Lucia
When: 3:30 p.m.
In a nutshell: Taj Weekes is the best new roots reggae performer I’ve heard in years and years and years. His voice is beautifully brittle, a high but mighty thing that is good at grabbing people’s attention. And he avoids the dancehall pitfalls of singing about clubs and making money, instead honoring the genre’s tradition of calling attention to societal ills. (Weekes is also doing an acoustic set at 6:30 p.m.)
2. Who: La Excelencia
From: New York
When: 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
In a nutshell: This band brings big brassy sounds to its irresistible permutation of salsa. As danceable as anything you’ll hear this year.