Week of 11th March: YolanDa Brown, Rachel Kerr, Caribbean literature, London Afrobeat Collective, Relocate to Ghana or Nigeria and Mwalimu Express

Greetings and Celebrations!

 As Kenya has a peaceful election, Ghana celebrates 56 Proud to be African Clothing brings you another week of groovy grooviness, from jazz at the South Bank Centre to talks about food at KCL, Caribbean literature, more jazz with Bukky Leo, seminars on moving to Ghana and Nigeria, even more jazz with Yolanda Brown, Mwalimu Express and the London Afrobeat Collective. From business to food, to literature to jazz and more jazz, keep busy and keep warm this week

Monday 11^th March

At 7.00pm Lets Talk hold their monthly debate and discussion night at Bar 19:20, 19-20 Great Sutton Street, Barbican, EC1V 0DR. Hosted by Mikey and Essay get your points and questions ready and come prepared for strong opinions. Admission is £2.00, more details here.

At 7.30pm IG music presents Sing Inspiration 2013 at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX with Jaz Ellington with performances from British, European and American mass soul and choir groups accompanied by a 9 piece band! Tickets are between £16.00 and £25.00 from here. 

Tuesday 12^th March

From 12.00 to 1.00pm KCL presents Producing Cocoa with Child Labour in Africa in the Moot Court Anteroom, Somerset House, Strand Campus, Kings College London, WC2R 2LS. Part of the KCL Feed you Mind: Kings Festival of Food and Ideas. This event is FREE book here.

At 7.30pm IG music presents the second day of Sing Inspiration 2013 at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX with MOBO Award winner Rachel Kerr, Israel J Allen and the New Ye Choir, with performances from British, European and American mass soul and choir groups accompanied by a 9 piece band! Tickets are between £16.00 and £25.00 from here. 

From 8.00pm to 10.30pm is the  Tuesday Jazz Fix at the Silver Bullet, 5 Station Place, Finsbury Park, N4 2DH hosted by Bukky Leo with Joe Bickerstaff on the piano, Michelle Montolli on the bass and Emiliano Franco on the drums. More details of this FREE event here.

Wednesday 13^th March

From 1.30pm to 5.30pm we have Is Clinical Psychology for me an event targeted at black students at University College London, Wilkins Old Refectory, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT. The event aims to encourage black psychology students to consider clinical psychology training and [provide opportunities to meet psychology professionals and provide information. The event will consist of workshops and presentations with refreshments provided. Register for this FREE event here

 From 2.00pm to 6.00pm the Imperial College Nigerian Society hosts its Business Ideas Competition seeking to cultivate ideas and business concepts that are viable and profitable in emerging economies. There will be an art exhibition and prizes include a personal mentoring session with Partner Capital London. For more information and to enter visit here.  

At 5.30pm the UCL Institute of the Americas hosts a panel discussion on New Perspectives on Caribbean Literature at University College London, 51 Gordon Square, WC1H 0PQ. There will be presentations and discussions by Dr Malachi McIntosh (Cambridge) and Dr Wendy Knepper (Brunel) followed by a brief drinks reception. Register for this FREE event here.

At 6.00pm the Wharton Club of Africa (WCA) will be hosting a Business Cocktail Reception in the Devonshire Suite, Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, 22 Portman Square, W1H 7BG. The evening will consist of  a cocktail reception and introduction by Lisa Lambie (Satatt Holdings International), Chinedu Okpareke (Oando plc), Idris Mohammed (Development Partners International) followed by a keynote speech by Sir Paul Judge. The evening will continue on to an Investment panel discussing Alternative Capital: Investment HoldCos, family Offices and UHNW, Institutional Private Equity: Connecting and Closing in 2013 and Sector Focus: Healthcare, Power and Energy with the evening ending with further cocktails and strategic networking. Tickets are £42.00 (£37.00 group discount) from here.

At 7.30pm 8 piece brass band Brassroots will be performing live at Rich Mix,35-47 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch, E1 6LA. Having independently released and sold out their debut album ‘Brassroots’ they are getting back to live performances with this FREE event. 

Thursday 14^th March

From 6.00pm to 9.00pm Silk Solutions hosts Making the Move: Investment at Artillery House, 35 Artillery Lane, E1 7LP, discussing investment opportunities in Ghana. Presentations will include Ghana as an Investment Destination by Nana Adu Ampofo (Songhai Advisory LLP), Property Investment by Ernest J Hanson (Beaufort Properties) and Financial Products. Admission is £30.00 from here and the event is structured in such a way you can secure a property at the event and begin the process of investing.

At 7.00pm double MOBO Award Winning saxophonist; YolanDa Brown will play the Millfield Theatre, Silver Street, Edmonton, N18 1PJ. Backed by her band she will play tunes from her debut album as well as new material. Tickets are £20.00 (£17.00 concs) on the door or £19.00 (£16.00 concs) online from here. 

At 7.00pm the Royal Africa Society hosts Pride versus Prejudice? The battle for sexual freedom in Africa in Room G2, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, WC1H 0XG. Chaired by Oliver Phillips (University of Westminster) with Proffessor Marc Epprecht (Queens University), Sibongile Ndashe (INTERIGHTS) and Stephane Djedje (House of Rainbow Fellowship). The panel will review the challenges to the sexual rights movement across Africa. register for this FREE event here.

From 9.00pm jazz re:freshed presents Psylus at the Mau Mau Bar, 265 Portobello Road, W11 1LR. This 5 piece band of Chibike Odukwe, David Turay, Jamie Benzies, Tile Gichigi-Lipere and Rob Milne will be playing their unique mix of jazz, hip hop and electronica. Admission is £5.00.  

Friday 15^th March

At 2.00pm and 7.30pm the Young Actors Company will be performing Step at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, E15 1BN. This comedy drama is about two young people leaving east London to start a new life at university. Tickets are £6.00 (£4.00 concs), more details here. 

At 8.00pm the band Soothsayers will be performing at The Vortex, 11 Gillett Square, Dalston, N16 8AZ performing tracks from their album Lost City, this fantastic blend of jazz, Afrobeat and funk is as awesome live as it is on CD. Supported by Derek Johnson (aka the Musicalist, tickets are £12.00 from here.

Saturday 16^th March

From 10.00am to 4.00pm Silk Solutions hosts Making the Move to Ghana at University of Westminster, The Pavilion, 115 Cavendish Street, W1W 6UW, listing 6 steps to help you prepare and plan a move to Ghana. Included in the admission price of £95.00 is a Silk Solutions making the move workbook. Book your tickets here.

From 1.00pm to 5.00pm Rich Visions will be hosting Afternoon Tea in Celebration of International Women’s Month at The Strand Hotel, 372 The Strand, WC2R 0JJ. The event seeks to celebrate the achievements that women have made so far in many spheres, with tea, cake and sandwiches and guests speakers including Mavis Amankwah (Rich Visions), discussing Making time for yourself Lorna Stewart (Black 100+ Founder) discussing A Womans Worth, Angela Tella (illumine lifestyle consultancy) discussing- Living A Healthy Lifestyle, Joy Odunsi (Potential U) discussing Personal Styling and making a good first impression, Eryca Freemantle (Product Developer for Beauty and Make up brands) discussing make up and beauty tips and Lola Owolabi (Destiny Ministries) discussing Rewarding the Inner You. Tickets are £10.00 from here

From 1.30pm to 4.00pm KOM Consultancy will be hosting Relocate to Nigeria In A Shoestring- An Inspirational Seminar at Ramada Hotel and Suites London Dockland, Excel 2, Festoon Way, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1RH. Hosted by Kayode Olatuyi this seminar seeks to aid participants in overcoming their anxiety about doing business in Nigeria, have accurate information and advice about how to achieve these goals, become aware of various support schemes, get signposted to possible opportunities, make contacts, have a simple relocation plan and achieve your relocation goal without problems. Tickets are £35.00 from here.

At 6.00pm Mercyline Africa Trust International will be hosting Tania to Ghana Fundraising Dinner at Liberty House, 9-11 Cottage Green, Camberwell, SE5 7ST. This fundraising dinner is to raise funds to send a volunteer to Ghana to help on a health promotion project.  Tickets start from £10.00 from here.  

At 7.00pm is the exclusive launch of Afronoire at Glow Salon, 63 Southwark Road, SE16 3TY. This intimate event will feature pampering massages and exclusive discounts by Rhodda Redd and Ama Monique Agency, with surprise gift bags, music, fashion, cupcakes and goodies! RSVP for this FREE event here. 

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At 8.00pm is the Ghetto Lounge Spring Special at Passing Clouds, 1 Richmond Road, Dalston, E8 4AA featuring live music from Afro funk band Afrik Bawantu led by singer and drummer Afla Sackey and Minn Diarabi, soulful Senegalese blues band led by Abdoulaye Samb. With DJ’s Koichi Sakai with MC Clapper Priest, Oli Hurez and Leonidas and Kay Suzuki. Admission is £5.00 before 10.00pm, £8.00 thereafter.

Sunday 17^th March

From 11.00am to 3.00pm Numbi presents the Numbi Workshops at Rich Mix, facilitated by musician Mayda Narvey and poet Sai Murray adult and children can sing clap drum, play an instrument and put words together with other people. Admission is £10.00 (£5.00 students or concs and a family of 2 adults and 2 children £10.00)

From 2.00pm to 6.00pm our good friends Mwalimu Express return to Rich Mix. This month’s destination is Madagascar with acoustic guitarist Nogabe Randriaharimalala and Monoswezi’s Zimbabwean traditional songs witj a Nordic edge. With Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt on the decks, childrens yoga, this is a groovy Sunday afternoon hangout with an African twist for the whole family. And its FREE!

At 7.00pm the London Afrobeat Collective will be playing at Bush Hall, 310 Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, W12 7LJ. This London based collective that plays Afrobeat (yeah the hints in the name!!!) supported by; brass collective Off Key He Men, Big Beat Manifesto, Totes Awse and Kirsty Keogh this is very awesomely groovy! Every body say yeah yeah. Tickets are £5.00 from here. 

At 7.00pm is Word4Word at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, E15 1BNX hosted by Kat Francois this evening of spoken word, music and open mic will feature BREIS and JJ Bola, Music and drops by Sloetry the DJ and food at the bar. More details about this FREE event here.