African Song/New Contexts

Sat., April 21, 7 p.m. family show, 9 p.m. late show, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.

by Mary Armstrong

folk/world

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The Philadelphia Folklore Project's workshops in grant-writing and artist residencies help keep cultural heritages thriving and meshing with the contemporary. For the bounty of such programs, look no further than "African Song/New Contexts," a concert featuring three tradition-bearers, Fatu Gayflor and Zaye Tete of Liberia and Mogauwane Mahloele of South Africa.

Gayflor was a big name in Liberia, before years-long civil war tore her homeland apart. The Liberian National Cultural Troupe, which she joined at age 12, were the entertainers of choice for all visiting dignitaries. Gayflor remained with the troupe until 1985 when she joined the exodus of Liberians escaping the war. Even in exile in the Ivory Coast, she continued to record and tour as the Golden Voice of Liberia. A new recording brought her here to perform for our large Liberian expat community in 1999. Gayflor found Philly so comfortable, so filled with people she already knew, that she moved here that same year.

Since then, there has been precious little time for the big concerts of the past; she's been working in nursing homes to pay the bills. But she does continue to make music. "I sing at weddings and baby-namings and wakes — we have songs for all these occasions. Since I've been here I'm more focused on teaching traditions than doing the modern [world beat fusions]." With some trepidation, given the news stories of violence and general mayhem in the schools, Gayflor has accepted school residencies. "The kids are amazing! They are very interested in my stories and quick to learn." Tete and Mahloele have similar stories that they will share between songs at World Café Live.

Sat., April 21, 7 p.m. family show, 9 p.m. late show, $20, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com.