Happy New Year, friends. There’s a lot in store for Cowboy Angel in 2010, including a number of fantastic releases scattered through the spring and summer.
Later this month, I will be traveling to Mali, West Africa, to record an album of self-composed original Malian Mande music with some top notch Malian musicians, including Baru Diallo (Ali Farka Toure, Afel Bocoum), members of Oumou Samgare’s band, and other guests.
In addition to the music album, tentatively titled The Mande Sessions, I will produce a ‘making of the album’ documentary film featuring footage of the sessions and the sensational Bamako, Mali, music scene, and offering glimpses into the lives of some of my close Malian friends. The Mande Sessions film is not only one man’s story of music and friendship and an insight into the spirit of a struggling African nation, but a picture of West Africa told through an intimate understanding of Mande life and culture.
This film project is a labor-of-love inspired by my drive to share Mali’s vibrant culture and music as well as my personal experience and relationships in Mali. As you can imagine, there are significant expenses required to make this film. These include travel (filmmaker, sound engineer, photographer, potential second camera-person), film permit, equipment insurance, vehicle rental/on-the-ground transportation, Translator for crew, filmmaker and editorial fees, and more.
Along with filmmaker Jason Miller, I invite your contributions to this project. There are two ways to donate:
You may direct contributions to African Sky, a wonderful 501(c)3 organization doing grassroots sustainable development work in rural Mali (building schools, repairing wells, supporting artisans in making fair trade medical scrubs and other products, arts programs, and more). Visit the African Sky homepage to learn more about its work, and visit the organization’s Causes page on Facebook to make your tax deductible donation online. Please indicate your donation is for “Adam Klein” and the funds will channel through African Sky to The Mande Sessions film project. African Sky’s Tax ID # is 20-1761327.
Prefer sending a check? Please make the check out to African Sky, indicating “Adam Klein” in the memo line, and mail to:
African Sky
P.O. Box 203
Munroe Falls, Ohio 44262
Or… Donate online at Fractured Atlas:
The Mande Sessions’ Documentary Film is also a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions in behalf of ‘The Mande Sessions’ Documentary Film may be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Click here to make a tax-deductible contribution online at Fractured Atlas. Your valued support is only a click away:
I am seeking in-kind donations as well in the form of Buddy Passes and Sky Miles.
I’ll be discussing the project on Athens, Georgia NPR-affiliate WUGA’s (91.7fm) “African Perpectives” program on Monday, January 11th, 4:30pm. Tune in or listen online here.
Please note: I feel extremely grateful for the support shown by friends, family, and others on behalf of my musical endeavors, including The Mande Sessions music album. The opportunity to make a documentary film and share my deep love for Mali with others is invaluable and extraordinary. The process of filming, post-production, submitting and screening the film on the festival circuit, etc. is quite lengthy and expensive. For these reasons I am asking all supporters, Mali fans, world music lovers, etc. to join me in making this film a reality. Didn’t get a chance to donate to the music project on Kickstarter? Here’s a chance to become a part of these exciting efforts! All donors will receive a credit listed at the end of the film, and as the process continues I may develop additional rewards such as t-shirts, a copy of the DVD, etc. I do not intend, however, to initiate further public fundraising campaigns in the near future for my musical and artistic endeavors.
With my great thanks for your support,
Adam Klein
