Tag Archives: Meredith

‘Toumani Diabaté, ‘Kora King’, Dies The Day After I Had Seen His Brother ‘Madou Sidiki Diabate’ Perform In ‘Meredith’, N.H.

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by Anura Guruge
on July 21, 2024

Click to ENLARGE. For Wikipedia. For my post yesterday on brother’s performance.

A weird coincidence.

Up until 7:30pm, Thursday, July 19, 2024, I had never heard of a ‘Kora‘ let alone the name ‘Diabate‘.

I was, as you must have worked out by now, blown away by this Kora duet performance. It was incredible.

I, per my wont, did some Googling the next day, i.e., Friday. Then a few hours later this news item pops up on my Google News Feed that ‘Toumani Diabaté‘ had died. I was still not au fait with the name. I had to look it up. Older brother, by 17 years, of the one I saw. [Not sure if they have the same mother.]

Wow.

Right through Thursday night’s performance Mamadou Sidiki Diabaté was mute. He didn’t even mutter a thank you. I wondered if he was really MUTE! I even tried to look it up. I have since learnt that he was aware that his brother was seriously ill during the Thursday night performance. [He only heard about the death Friday lunchtime U.S. Eastern time.]

Wow.

I am glad that I got this introduction to the Kora — from such a storied performer. I sure will try to catch more of his performances IF I can.

‘Kora’ Duets With ‘Madou Sidiki Diabate’ YouTube Videos From ‘Hermit Woods’, ‘Meredith’, N.H.

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by Anura Guruge
on July 20, 2024

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Click to ENLARGE. Link to their Facebook page.

This was quite the experience. I don’t think I had ever come across the ‘Kora‘ prior to this. I might have heard it without realizing what it was. Quite the instrument, with, of course, an unique and mesmerizing sound. I really had no idea what I was going to, until they started. Took me awhile to get into it, but then I was hooked.

Totally serendipitous as so much in my life.

I had to go to ”Giuseppe’s“, for the 2nd time in 4-days, to get calamari (x4) and a large ‘Pollo Florentine Alfredo’ pizza for my 18-year old daughter (who is not driving as much as she had been doing). One hour round trip. To break it up I looked to see what was happening. Saw this. I was intrigued. The rest is history.

So, so glad I went. Wow. Well, you can experience a bit of it via the above nearly 4-minute long YouTube. I combined 3 separate videos to make that. I am kind of pleased with it.

Madou Diabate did NOT utter a single word during the whole performance. STRANGE. I still haven’t found any videos, online, of him speaking!

‘JTG Music Extravaganza’, Giuseppe’s, (Meredith), May 5, 2024 — Video Montage …

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by Anura Guruge
on May 6, 2024

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Click to ENLARGE. To access their Facebook page.

JTG 2024 was last night.

After a 4 year hiatus (due to COVID etc.)

Yes, of course, I went. I haven’t missed many.

I was there from about 7:15 to the very end, which was past 11:15.

It was a BLAST. Wonderful. Great music. Great food. Great people.

I ended up taking 145 usable photos.

To start with, I made them into this video montage with dubbed music.
Enjoy.

I will post individual photos too … soon. SMILE.

REJOICE! ‘JTG Music Extravaganza’, Giuseppe’s, (Meredith) Is BACK After 4 Year Hiatus. BEST Musical Deal In New Hampshire.

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by Anura Guruge
on April 17, 204

Click to ENLARGE. To access their Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/giuseppesface.

My YouTube videos of JTG (2019 & 2018).

To say I am HUGE FAN of JTG just doesn’t cut it. It is fun of the BEST musical events in New Hampshire (hands down) & indubitably the BEST VALUE for money. Great, great food with fantastic music thrown in — in the company of some of the nicest folks you could ever want to meet. Plus it is for a GOOD CAUSE. [See below.]

I have been to AT LEAST 22 of the 25 JTGs!

Maybe 23.

Haven’t missed many.

From there Website …

“To reach the family’s fundraising goal of $4,000 and award up to four $1000 scholarships, Giuseppe’s always conducts a raffle for a chance to win an outstanding new guitar for a $20 raffle ticket. This year’s prize is a Breedlove ECO Pursuit Exotic Concert Acoustic-Electric Guitar, hand-crafted from Amber Myrtlewood, valued at $750. This is a limited raffle, with only 100 tickets being sold. Raffle tickets are on sale now at Giuseppe’s Pizzeria & Ristorante, at Mill Falls Marketplace. The winning guitar raffle ticket will be drawn when all 100 tickets are sold, or the end of the Show on Sunday, May 5, whichever occurs first. Raffle ticket holders need not be present to win.”

More to come.

Best get YOUR reservations … 603-279-3313. {I am ALL SET. Thank you. I have contacts. SMILE.}

Sculpture Walk In Marvelous ‘Meredith’, New Hampshire, — A Small Sample From Sept. 28, 2023.

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by Anura Guruge
on October 2, 2023

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Click image to access the Website.

Given my innate, deep ingrained love for art, I can never get enough of “Meredith’s” awesome Sculpture Walk. Whenever I am in Meredith, which alas is not that often anymore, I try to make point of walking at least a part of the WALK. Last Thursday I got to walk a fair chunk of it. I didn’t get good photos of all. So, the above, alas, will have to suffice.

I have done a previous post of the WALK with other pictures. Please check that out.

Now there is also the breathtaking MURAL. I did a post on that too.

Plus, my childhood hero ‘Archie‘. SMILE.

Stunning & Absolutely BRILLIANT Mural In ‘Meredith’ (N.H.) By ‘Veggie Art Girl’.

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by Anura Guruge
on September 29, 2023

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I had NOT been to ‘Meredith‘ since July 4th. That is my loss. I lived in Meredith for nearly 3 years & then used to go there ALL the time. But, in the last 5 years or so I would be lucky if I visit 5 times in the year. MY LOSS. I really must make an effort to visit. I am sure this mural wasn’t there when I visited on July 4th. It would have stopped me in my tracks.

I saw it for the first time yesterday. It BLEW ME AWAY. It is brilliant. Colorful, vibrant & symbolic. So magically & marvelously captures THE MAGIC of Meredith.

Bravo. Kudos.

I think (but I can’t be sure) that I have heard of this ‘Veggie Art Girl‘.

I am now humbled by her talents. I need to get to know her work. I have a CRAZY idea to ask her (more like BEG) IF she could do a piece for one of my books. She probably is (as she should be) way too busy & most likely WAY OUTSIDE my meagre budget. C’est la vie. This is great. I love art. This was so refreshing & inspiring. I want to SHOUT about is brilliance from the roofs. But, alas, this is the best I can do.

Click image to access her Website & get to know her amazing work.

Try & visit Meredith just to see this mural.

[Then TREAT yourself to some calamari, spinach rolls & pizza at “Giuseppe’s” — THE BEST PIZZERIA IN THE U.S. — which is just around the corner. That is how I ended up walking past this wonderful mural. I was going to Giuseppe’s. Most of the time I go to Meredith is to visit Giuseppe’s. SMILE. [I don’t eat the pizza BUT I eat TONS of the calamari + spinach rolls.]

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‘Archie’, My Childhood Hero, & I — At His Birthplace In ‘Meredith’, New Hampshire.

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by Anura Guruge
on September 28, 2023

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60-years ago, growing up in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), I devoured ‘Archie‘ comics.

I grew up during the time Ceylon had STRICT import restrictions (due to the lack of foreign currency). Only essential items could be imported — & comic books sure did not count as essential.

I was, however, lucky. We had ‘contacts’. SMILE. I had a steady supply of American comic books — many ‘Archie’.

Archie was MY HERO. I thought that he represented America.

40-years later I was lucky enough to meet & interact with two of the daughters of ‘Bob Montana’, the gifted artist who created Archie. He, like his daughters, lived in Meredith. Hence the statue — opposite where his studio was.

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CUTEST Picture You Will See Today — Hamster Living Inside A Railway Coupler.

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by Anura Guruge
on September 28, 2023

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The engine involved. Coupling is right at the front. The KNUCKLE.

This was at the ‘Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad’ in Meredith, New Hampshire.

IF I am in Meredith (as I was today), I invariably stop at the train station. That railway & I go back to 1996 — 27-years. I lived in a house, in Meredith, that abutted the line.

I walked up to the Locomotive #302 — an EMD GP7.

And I saw the CUTE HAMSTER. He scurried off a BIT — but then poked his head up. I lucked out.

ENJOY. SMILE.

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‘Michael Bourgeois’, ‘Mr. MUSIC Giuseppe’, Playing At “Giuseppe’s Pizzeria”, In ‘Meredith’ (N.H.), For ‘July 4th’.

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by Anura Guruge
on July 4, 2023

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I have been a GREAT fan of Michael for over 20-years.

Great musician & an allround wonderful human being.

It was great to see him today.

‘Meredith’, New Hampshire, Sculpture Walk — A Small Sample From Today.

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by Anura Guruge
on April 13, 2023

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Click image to access the Website.

This is such a wonderful initiative. BRAVO & Thank YOU, Meredith.

I wish it was there WHEN I used to live in Meredith, i.e., 1996 to 1999. That is OK. Meredith will always have a special place in MY LIFE.

I wish I could visit more often. But, I treasure every visit.

Today, I didn’t have much. It was late in the afternoon, it was HOT & I still had to get in 4K steps. So, I did a quick amble. These are what caught my eye. ENJOY.

If you can, please make a point of visiting.