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.
Festivals and Venues Played:
- ANZA Club
- Red Cross Fundraisers
- Rime restaurant
- Radha Restaurant
- The End Café
- The Main on Main
- East is East
- Global Discoveries Festival on the Drive 2005
- Showcase for Banaroya, at Vancouver East Cultural Centre 2005
- Dance for Darfur, Croation Cultural Centre and other venues 2005, 2006, 2007, 2007
- Harambe Restaurant 2006 – 2007
- Afrikadey Festival 2006, 2008
- African Peace Festival 2006, 2007, 2008
- Festival MOSAIC, Vancouver East Cultural Centre 2006
- Festival Baobab 2007
- Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle 2007
- Peace Without Borders Concert, 2007
- In the House Festival, Vancouver 2009, 2012
- Under the Volcano 2010
- Langley Folk Festival 2011
- Cupe Convention Concert 2011
- Falconetti’s 2011
- CD release party 2015
- Britannia winter celebration 2018
- Frog Hollow coffee house (x2) 2019
- VESTA Vancouver 2019
- Vines Art Festival 2019
- Heart of the City Festival 2019
- Accordion Noir 2019
- East Van House Concert 2019
- MacLean Park Concert 2020
- Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival 2021
- Vine Arts Festival 2021
- MacLean Park Concert 2021 & 2022
- Kits Showboat 2022
- Galiano Island Yellow House Concert 2022
- and many more…
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