YOUR LONG WEEKEND AT LULA!

If you're not leaving town this weekend - take a tropical vacation to Lula Lounge. We've got a great weekend of music and dancing lined up featuring Toronto's favourite salsa bands Café Cubano and Caché. If you can't be at a cottage, you deserve to at least relax with a mojito and loosen up our best live salsa bands.

Print this page and receive $5 admission or $5 off the dinner and show package on Friday May 19th.

Gary Topp presents Warsaw Village Band

On May 24 and 25, Lula will receive a long awaited visit from the rebellious Polish sextet Warsaw Village Band. The group describes their style as 'hardcore folk' combining uncompromising traditionalism, updated with a guttural punk rock aesthetic. Awarded the 'best world music newcomer' by the BBC, this band is guaranteed to make you dance. From the heart of Poland, WVB's project is a radical return to cultural roots in search of musical inspiration and the restoration of human dignity in the face of today's ever-growing commercialism.

Arabic Night: Maryem Tollar

On June 1 Egyptian-Canadian vocalist, Maryem Tollar will bring together some of North America's masters of Arabic music for a spirited night of traditional tunes at Lula Lounge.

Tollar, who is widely known as the singer from Jesse Cook's band and the star of Christos Hatzis' operas, will be fronting an ensemble that includes, for the first time, her teachers and mentors, Dr. George Sawa and Bassam Bishara. The show also includes special guest percussionist, Karim Nagi, from Boston.

"Arabic Night" will feature tunes by legends of the genre like Om Kalsoum and Abdel Halim Hafez. The first set will follow the format of a traditional Arabic classical music show, the highly ornate vocal numbers interspersed with some instrumentals and improvisations. The second set will feature up-tempo numbers designed to get the crowd on the dance floor.

MARYEM TOLLAR June 1

June 2 CBC Radio 99.1 presents: FLAMENCO CARAVAN

This special CBC presentation introduces Toronto audiences to the sweet flamenco fusion of FLAMENCO CARAVAN. Flamenco Caravan, while being true to its flamenco forms, continues the journey of adaptation, absorbing the influences of the new world. It is the vision of Flamenco Caravan to bring together these cultural differences in a unique musical expression of adaptation, absorbing the influences of the new world.

For an evening to feed you body and soul, join us for dinner and concert and stay for the beginner salsa lesson and our 10 pm live salsa band Café Cubano.

FLAMENCO CARAVAN June 2

Nicolas Hernandez

launches his new CD "Buscando mi Voz" on June 6. Don't miss this masterful flamenco guitarist celebrating the release of his latest recording.

NICOLAS HERNANDEZ June 6

Gary Topp presents the return of the Sun Ra Arkestra

One of the highlights of Lula's 2005 fall lineup was the Sun Ra Arkestra. The 14-piece group under the direction of the legendary Marshall Allan blew away Lula audiences with their swinging improvisation, graceful sense of humour and impeccable musicianship. You owe it to yourself not to miss this historic band playing at Lula June 8 to 11.

SUN RA ARKESTRA June 8 to 11