Equarox is the merging of two words into one idea: equality rocks. The organization is dedicated to “empowering communities locally and abroad,” according to its founder, John Lewis. Our Children’s World, an international concert this weekend, is the group’s first public event. Featuring a lineup of African and Afro-Latin acts, the show benefits two local groups: Friends of Children, working to improve the lives of kids in Western Mass., and the Senegal-America Project, a cross-cultural musical collaboration founded by master drummers Tony Vacca and Massamba Diop.
Headlining the show is Nimbaya!, the all-women dance-and-drum troupe from Guinea that broke the centuries-old taboo that banned women from the practice of djembe drumming and has since toured the world, showcasing what USA Today dubbed its “hyperactive rhythms.” Also on the bill is Cameroonian-born singer/songwriter Kaïssa, who has partnered with the likes of David Byrne, Paul Simon and Diana Ross. Completing the dynamic lineup are Tony Vacca’s Impulse Ensemble, flamenco artist Ines Arrubla and Paul Liebermann’s Brazilian jazz.
Dec. 15, 7 p.m., $38 (early bird $23), VIP $78, Academy of Music, 274 Main St., Northampton, (413) 584-9032, academyofmusictheatre.com.
