This Friday at 9pm, you can catch Emmanuel Jal in concert at the National Geographic Courtyard at part of the All Roads Film Festival. From Sudan (and now living in Kenya), Jal’s 2005 album “Ceasefire” is the sort of record that I’m always looking for – hiphop expanding its horizons. It’s not pure hiphop, but a melding of local music, jazz, and rap, all fused through an easy blend of English, Dinka, Arabic, and Nuer (his first language). Some of the best tracks remind me of the early colaborations between Guru and MC Solaar. You can judge for yourself – National Geographic’s site provides previews of all the tracks from Ceasefire. Gua and Elengwen are the standout tracks, for me.  And the background to his music? He was a Sudanese People’s Liberation Army solider at age 7. Check him out, tickets are free.
