A2VT's Uplifting Lilt from Burlington, Vermont

<p><em>Top image: Julian Parker-Burns</em></p> <p>Thinking about hubs of African music in the U.S., you probably think of the big centers of immigration from the continent--New York and Washington DC, traditionally, and cold, newer places like the Twin Cities. But Burlington, Vermont is also a growing center for African immigration. Check this latest video from the Burlington outfit A2VT:<br></p> <p><iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lwPwNl7pPhw" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0"></iframe><br></p> <p>Even among Afropop groups this one is diverse, comprised of Said Bulle from Somalia, George Mnyonge from Tanzania, and Benny Nduwayo. That's not just different countries--that's distinctly different regions with distinct musical traditions and languages. And yet, in Burlington, they're making it happen, creating a sort of pan-African hip-hop. Compared to A2VT, Burlington's West African funk group <a href="http://sabouyouma.com" target="_blank">Sabouyouma</a>--what, you didn't think Burlington had one of those?--has it easy.</p> <p>Anyway, A2VT's "Wave Your Flag" might not sound much like the last band from Burlington you listened to--assuming that it was Phish--but the song has an attitude, an enthusiasm for changing the world for the better, that would seem to fit right into what we're used to hearing from Burlington.</p>