Sudanda Music

Saturday Oct 23 2pm

Sudanda was formed in 2004 around the music of Alaaeldin Abdalla, a composer, singer and oud player.  He is originally from the Sudan and now living in Vancouver.   Alaaeldin’s music draws on traditional Sudanese forms, and he composes music for contemporary Sudanese poets.

Alaaeldin studied music at the High Institute of Music and Drama in Khartoum.  He founded a band there called “Masarb’eldai”, which means “Sun Rays”, with jazz musican, Yasir Bastawi.  Some of the songs Alaa and Yasir composed in Sudan were not played till Sudanda formed in Canada.

In 1991, Alaaeldin was forced to leave the Sudan, because the new government at that time brought violence and abuse of human rights, and repression of artists of all kinds.

He was able to make the difficult journey to Libya, and after that lived in Cairo, where he worked at the Sudanese Human Rights Organization, and formed another band and a choir.  Later, he emigrated to Canada as a refugee.

After coming to Vancouver, he met other musicians, and formed Sudanda in 2004.  The name of the band is a combination of Sudan and Canada.  Current band members include Earle Peach on guitar and bass, Jane Kalmakoff on accordion, James Griffiths on trumpet, Pim van Geffen on Trombone, and Wesley Skakun on percussion.

Sudanda has played at the African Peace Festival, Northwest Folk Life Festival, Seattle, Baobab Festival, In the House Festival, Under the Volcano, Mosaic Festival, Afrikadey Festival, Langley Festival, Vines Arts Festival, Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival, and many others.