Italy and Senegal meet at Flushing Town Hall

Musicians Alessandra Belloni, Frank London and Alioune Faye will perform together at Flushing Town Hall on April 3, 2022. Photo courtesy of FTH

By Jacob Kaye

What do Italian and Senegalese music have in common? Two musicians performing at Flushing Town Hall next month are about to find out.

Alessandra Belloni, a singer, percussionist and dancer that specializes in traditional Southern Italian folk music, will perform alongside Alioune Faye, the leader of the band Yakar Rhythms who comes from a long line of Senegalese drummers and musicians.

The concert, which is part of the Flushing cultural center’s mini-global mashup series, will take place on Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m. The concert was originally scheduled for January but was postponed until April as a result of COVID-19.

Belloni and Faye will be joined by Frank London, the series’ curator and Klezmer trumpeter and composer.

“These concerts have been a real joy to hear, watch, and experience these last many months at the Hall, and they were so exciting for me to program,” London said. “I’m excited to join the mix and experiment on stage.”

Belloni was born in Rome and has made the preservation of the traditions of Italian culture her mission. She founded “I Giullari Di Piazza,” an Italian ensemble that performs at New York City’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine. She’s performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden, as well as a number of other venues.

Faye comes from a long line of dummers and griots, a group of wandering musicians, poets, singers and historians.

The sabar, tama and djembe player has worked with Stevie Wonder, Peter Gabriel and Youssou N’dour, one of Senegal’s most famous musicians and the country’s former minister of tourism.

“Celebrating and showcasing the commonalities and differences of global cultures is dear to our hearts at Flushing Town Hall,” said Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall’s executive and artistic director. “Mini-Global Mashups are fun, informative, and quickly becoming one of our most popular programs.”

Tickets can be purchased at flushingtownhall.org/events.

Attendees will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and masks are required at all times.