Anewal to Make U.S. Debut at Rockwood Music Hall

A World Music Institute concert on Thursday, December 7, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen St, Manhattan) marks the U.S. debut of Anewal, the new trio of Alhousseini Anivolla, former lead guitarist and singer of the famed desert blues band Etran Finatawa, which brings together traditional African songs of the Tamashek people of the Saharan desert in a new soundscape. With Anewal, Alhousseini continues his mission as an ambassador for cultural diversity in a changing world.

Anewal uses hypnotic two-chord jams, trance inducing beats, biting blues-infused guitar with Alhousseini's warm vocals sung in his local vernacular. He's an incisive and remarkably subtle guitarist, varying his attack on the strings, adding minute levels of natural distortion, with his blues-infused phrasing. Anewal aims to create awareness of the cultural richness of its people and the many cultures of Niger.

dj.henri from radioafricaonline.com will spin music at 6:00 p.m. before Anewal's 7:30 p.m. set. Tickets are $30 advance/$35 day of show. Ages: 18+. Doors & DJ: 6:00 PM; Anewal 7:30 PM. Standing room, limited unreserved seating.

Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit, World Music Institute (WMI) has served as one of the leading presenters of world music and dance within the United States.

WMI is committed to presenting the finest in traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world with the goal of inspiring wonder for world cultures through music and dance. WMI aims to enrich the lives of people living in New York by promoting awareness of other cultures and their traditions. WMI collaborates with community organizations and academic institutions in fostering greater understanding and appreciation of the world's cultural traditions and presents at venues throughout the city.

Under new leadership since 2015, its 30th anniversary season, World Music Institute has introduced an ambitious expansion of concert offerings that include contemporary, experimental and avant-garde presentations, as well as the traditional music that WMI has long been known and admired for. In addition, the institution is thrilled to have launched new partnerships with BAM, 92nd Street Y, SummerStage, Merkin Concert Hall, National Sawdust, Storm King Art Center, Le Poisson Rouge, Littlefield and Drom-while continuing partnerships with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Town Hall, Symphony Space, French Institute Alliance Francaise, and Apollo Theater (the annual Africa Now festival).

WMI has presented more than 1,500 concerts and events featuring artists from more than 100 countries across all continents. Through powerful programming, WMI is creating a movement that promotes awareness and engagement of other cultures, helping to encourage deeper understanding of communities around the globe.