Richard Bowden, Bob Livingston & Bradley Kopp
The Bob Livingston Trio in Africa/
Mon, Nov 9, 2009
On Nov 5, 2009, the Austin City Council proclaimed the Bob Livingston Trio, "Austin's International Musical Ambassadors!"
Bob, Bradley Kopp and Richard Bowden will travel to Africa starting on November 20th for a three week tour sponsored by the US State Department!
More information will posted here soon as we get it-dates, venues, workshops, video, blog, etc. The Bob Livingston Trio will also play several engagements in Europe before and after the African tour...
Here is the schedule as it stands:
Fri Nov 20: Paris-Kigali via Rome and Addis
Sat Nov 21: Arrival in Kigali
Sun Nov 22: rest
Mon Nov 23-Wed Nov 25: KIGALI program days
Thu Nov 26: Kigali-Lilongwe via Nairobi
Fri Nov 27-Sat Nov 28: LILONGWE program days
Sun Nov 29: rest
Mon Nov 30: LILONGWE program day
Tue Dec 1: Lilongwe-Maseru via Joburg
Wed Dec 2-Fri Dec 4 : MASERU program days
Sat Dec 5: Maseru-Windhoek via Joburg
Sun Dec 6: rest
Mon Dec 7-Wed Dec 9: WINDHOEK program days
Thu Dec 10: Windhoek-Paris via Frankfurt
Fri Dec 11: Arrival in Paris
REVIEW FROM MALAWI:
Bob Livingston rocks Mzuzu
WRITTEN BY KAREN MSISKA
MONDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2009
The world of cowboys may have existed a long time ago and far from Malawi. But on Friday, this world was fully re-lived and brought, in its tenderness, to Mzuzu Hotel’s Jenjewe Room.
It was not Don Williams or Dolly Parton that reminded older patrons of their good old days; however, it was Bob Livingston and his colleague, Richard Bowden who rocked Mzuzu for over two hours on the day.
From around 7pm, Bob revealed his versatility and left patrons either trundling in their seats or clapping hands as he moved his mouth from the microphone to a flute around his neck as his fingers tirelessly plucked strings on his guitar.
His narrative between songs smacked of genius and entertainment. He took his audience through how the song to be performed next was created, and when the audience thought they would hear what happened next, the Texan was already stringing and voicing.
The Lost Gonzo Band man introduced the show with his composition ‘Original Spirit’ and went on to play another of his compositions ‘Cowboys and Indians’ before taking the audience through John Cash’s ‘Ring of Fire’ and John Denver’s ‘Country Road.’ He also played ‘When the Beat was Young.’
Bowden’s work of genius on the violin was also moving. The bald-headed bearded man struck perfectly to add an icing on Bob’s performance.
This forced Mary Mwale and Matt Gordon to show the younger generation how to dance to these songs and remind the older one on how they danced.
The two stepped on the dance floor and, from something which started like a cat and mouse chase, they created a dance pattern that left the audience wondering if the two were not going to leave the floor with broken bones.
“I felt really good. The current generation could have just been hearing about the American culture but today was the time for that culture to be performed live,” said Mwale at the end of the show.
Concurred Dr Yohane Nyasulu: “I am very excited. I just used to watch them on TV but today I have just watched them live in action. They have done a wonderful job.”
A younger patron, Isaac Chirwa, heaped praise on Bowden saying the man is a master of his violin.
The two arrived in the country courtesy of the US Embassy.