My recent talk at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (House of World Cultures), Berlin
The Beat Continuum: The Socio-Political Evolution of Rhythm
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100 Years of Beat
Honored to have participated in the curation of this festival, and looking forward to contributing to it, speaking alongside the likes of Kodwo Eshun and playing next to JLin.
Mark your calendars: Thu, Apr 26, —Sun, Apr 29
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NGOMA Afro Tech / Cashmere Radio
Tonight is a big big night, with top beatsmiths and djs from Uganda, UK, and Berlin providing us with outlandishly excellent sonic services in this historical NYEGE NYEGE FESTIVAL gathering on the other side of the globe.
And tomorrow all 4 of us, David Tinning, Spooky-J, Moroto Hvy Indstr, and myself will be weaving ecstatic aural tapestries on the esteemed Cashmere Radio, where there is a dopetastische absinthe bar, from 8pm to midnight.
Get your dancing shoes ready for tonight, and smoking jacket for tomorrow!
The Journey Part 2
Rhythms of the mother continent meets Sound of Berlin: NGOMA envisions dance music of a society that we want our grand children to live in. Decolonized poly-scyncretic drum machines of a high-tech egalitarian future, constructed from the plurality of various life experiences and multiple sonic perspectives today, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.
NGOMA Afro Tech
Sound of Berlin meets Rhythms of the mother continent: NGOMA envisions dance music of a future society that we would want our grand children to live in. Imagining a decolonized polycultural drum machine constructed from the plurality of our various life experiences and multiple sonic perspectives, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.
Ways of Life 3: African Anarchy
There are African histories of egalitarianism and democracy independent of, and predating, modern Western progressive movements. It is time we revived them from systematic displacement and erasure, because they may hold the key to our collective future.
contemporary Northern Ghanaians holding council. Photo courtesy of Marc Becker
Indigenous Democracy
An epiphany of cosmic proportions dawned upon me during a taxi ride from Kampala International airport to the city last year. My incidental travel companion was the Ugandan film maker Dolman Dila; and in his unhurried, quiet, and measured tone, this is what he said:
“Of the 53 major “nations“ in the region today known as Uganda (name arbitrarily taken from one of them, Luganda, by the British), only 10 featured any kind of hierarchical political structure. The majority of them, with population size from 1 to 3 million, lived in entirely egalitarian organizations, voluntary cooperatives, and share/gift economies, without centralized political power, high levels of inequality, or warfare. For instance, Acholi, the 2nd largest society in Uganda, lived in communal, collaborative, and mutualistic arrangements. In these societies elders and experts were respected, and held influence, but did not have exclusive decision making power over others. In fact, the people of these societies having almost entirely no concept of power, control, domination, and subjugation was a significant factor for the ease with which Europeans conquered these lands. When an Englishmen said to them „I will rule this territory from now on“, they probably looked at each other, shrugged, and with such trust toward their fellow men, as strangely dressed as these were, said something like: “We don’t know exactly what that means, but why not, it should be fine.‘“
NGOMA July 16
Familiar club sounds of Berlin meets the Drum Sciences of the mother continent: NGOMA presents dance music of a future society that we would want our grand children to live in. Imagining a decolonized polycultural rhythm machine constructed from the plurality of our various life experiences, multiple sonic perspectives distilled, NGOMA fuses the best of many worlds for maximum mind expansion, soul elevation, and body intoxication.
Dj Zhao-Watergate 16.06.2-4am
VOODOOISM
A new series of Polyrhythmic Bass and Afrocentric Techno is born at this sweet underground spot by the spree near Schlesisches Tor with big sound.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1589940924667453/
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Lamin Fofana (Sci-Fi & Fantasy)
dj zhao (Ngoma Soundsystem)
Qumasiquamé (Through My Speakers)
Sheikh (SOUL FUTURE BASS)
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Cosmic Rhythm Club
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A borderless multi-genre set for here and now: from the Tech House giant Kompakt Köln to Awesome Tapes From Africa, from Hugh Masekela to Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque, from Spiritual Jazz to Tropical Bass, from Afro Funk to Hip House, from Bollywood Acid to Cosmic Disco, a continuous deep river of polyrhythmic groove which flows through all times and places:
Astro Love Machine
With a strict focus on intimate dancefloors, this mid tempo mix (along with its faster sister which will soon arrive) connects Afro-Jazz and Techno, Soul and Bass, Highlife and Electro, Disco and Ancestral drumming in ways you’ve probably not heard before.
LIVE from Opium Club Vilnius
A dope night in Lithuania frozen in wav form: a set of Africanized Bass music for cool kids in the club
FUSION 8 – Secrets of the Sun
Mixing and blending songs from the Indian Ocean, Yoruba Muslim ritual music, Ugandan percussion, Haitian Vodou lullabies, Lebanese Dabke, Tazania Taraab, Egyptian mystical jazz, music of the San people from the Kalihari, even some Kraut psychedelia, with grimey bass and beats. Richly layered tapestries of indigenous music and deep dub ebbs and flows, swelling into fiery bass and drums toward the end.
Trapped
Baauer and RL Grime trapping fraternity kids
On a train going through the Czech Republic, random young Swedish travelers enthusiastically told me of their love for Trap music. Kids in Ho Chi Minh City are turning the f*** up to Trap. Vice magazine has made a documentary about Trap music and the ghetto streets from where it came.
Soliparty Tonight!
Sorry about late notice but this is very important solidarity event for refugee rights in the very cool concert/club venue Zukunft am Ostkreuz. Bands start at 6pm, dinner for all (Ramadan fast break) at 9pm, And i play from 2am!
Laskerstr. 5, 10245 Berlin-Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
Fusion and Reshape
Fusion Festival: Dj Zhao — Friday June 26 // 1-3am // Seebühne Stage
Post-Fusion high life:
Paris and Toulouse
Friday, June 12at 11:00pm – 6:00am
Le Malibv — 44 rue Tiquetonne, 75002 Paris, France
UMOJA (INI Movement / Piri Piri Music ; Amsterdam)
https://soundcloud.com/umojaworldwide
Around The World (Paris)
https://soundcloud.com/atw0rld
dj zhao ( NGOMA SOUND Berlin / Berlin)
https://soundcloud.com/djzhao
Mawimbi
https://soundcloud.com/wearemawimbi
June 14 – June 15 Jun 14 at 12:00pm to Jun 15 at 12:00am
Jardin Monplaisir 1 Bd Monplaisir, 31400 Toulouse, France
☀ Dimanche 14 juin – Midi-Minuit – Jardin Monplaisir (centre ville) ☀
ZHAO – [ALL / Berlin] – (Ngoma Sound)
RAFAEL ARAGON – [FRA / Paris] – (Caballito / Latino Resiste)
DJ NO BREAKFAST – [FRA / Tlse] – (Guachafita)
YEAHMAN! – [FRA / Tlse] – (Ghetto Sonido – Muundial Mix)
par le Collectif Volubile ( Ambre Caziers / Loren Coquillat / Pauline Lavergne / Cassandre
► PONG 1D & LEVITATION ◄ http://fauxdepart.com/
►FRAGILE !◄ http://kinourendfou.wordpress.com/
► FRESQUE ◄ http://www.donoteat.fr/Munoz / Agathe Thevenot & guests)
Ngoma Holidays
Next Sunday, Dec. 28th, I will do a set with the mighty Hoodz Dj Team at Wendel Cafe.
and on New Year’s Eve:
Feierabend Poetic Cumbia (Argentina/Berlin)
Latin Swing, Cumbia Wet Dreams
dj zhao (Ngoma Soundsystem – Berlin)
Tropical Bouncement, Fire In Your Pants
A wild wild night of fiery and naughty rhythms to boogie, rumba, swing, polka, waltz, foxtrot, salsa, azonto, dagger, bounce, jerk, twerk, and booty clap into 2015!!!
last weekend was fun:
10pm – 6am all night hunt for the purrrrfect beat!
Mutant Sol
Warming up for MUTANT 2, Ngoma Soundsystem featuring Pharoah Chromium will take you on an intimate mystical journey through the kaleidoscopic valleys and crests of your mind in the center of the omni-verse, joined by special guest musicians later in the evening. Expect psychotropic flavors and ancestral-futurist rhythms from every corner of the earth.
21h
Kiki Sol — Lindower Straße 12, Wedding, Berlin
