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Art & Books

Something to fret about

The open-ended, ambiguous theme of “the guitar” has allowed Luminato to throw a wide variety of music into the mix, and they’ve obviously tried to keep the perspective global.

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This worldly approach to the instrument is definitely captured by the Traveling Blues event (Saturday, June 6, Metro Square, free), which promises to take the audience “around the world in 12 bars.” Headliner Taj Mahal is of course well known for collaborating with musicians from many nations, but also worth noting is Mali’s Mamadou Diabaté, and Harry Manx’s East Indian-influenced spin on the blues.

For a more local take on the genre, award-winning Raoul and the Big Time will be the house band at the Luminato Artist Lounge (June 5-12, Hard Rock Café, $15), where you’ll be able to catch surprise guests sitting in on the sessions throughout the week. Raoul Bhaneja is also hosting the Traveling Blues concert, and the band is providing a live score to Jay Ingram’s Charles Darwin Exposed lecture (Tuesday, June 9, 8 pm, Hard Rock Café, $15).

If blues isn’t your thing, you may want to check out Goran Bregovic (June 13, 9 pm, Kool Haus, $45 June 12, 8 pm, Yonge-Dundas Square, free), whom some might know for the music he provided for the Borat film. His high-energy modern update of the Gypsy brass band sound has made him a superstar in the Balkans.

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