Afropop Worldwide

Élage Diouf. All photos via Afrojam's Facebook

Things got funky Uptown Saturday night, as Afrojam, an up-and-coming booking company in New York, presented a solid lineup of musicians from Africa and the African diaspora. It seems like every big music event pulls in a constellation of thematically, but not officially, related satellites—and this year's globalFEST was no exception. On the eve of the world music showcase, Afrojam put on a showcase of its own at Mist in Harlem. [caption id="attachment_33980" align="alignnone" width="640"] Admiral T (second from left), Vincent (second from right)[/caption] I talked to Vincent Nwachukwu, Afrojam's cofounder. He explained how he isn't even really sure what Afrojam is just yet—so far they book shows and events in New York and are looking to expand internationally, while also promoting foreign artists to the American markets. “A lot of these musicians tour in Europe, or in Africa, or in the Caribbean, but we want to help them break into the U.S. market,” he said. As such, the artists were less established than the ones you might see at globalFEST, but the concert was much more intimate too. After a weather delay, Élage Diouf and a duo of French Canadians kicked things off. Though originally from Senegal, Diouf has been living in Montreal, and undeterred by the snow blustering outside, they were more than ready to kick things off. It's rare and usually a treat to see a percussionist also take on band-leading responsibilities, and Diouf drummed and sang capably. The ensemble did a version of the American classic “Man of Constant Sorrow” that was likely without precedent, before ending with a heartfelt ballad for Nelson Mandela.