Posts Tagged ‘Rhythm’

EVENT: OKRA meets IBILE…

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

This Friday 11th June, fans of real black music are going to feel nice. The OKRA project has teamed up with Adesose Wallace’s Ibile and Dalston’s Passing Clouds venue to bring the people a night of tone, taste and texture spanning Africa, the Caribbean and South America.

Representing Africa, 11-strong outfit Ibile hit the stage with a serious blend of Afrobeat, Highlife and raw West African drums. For better or worse, there has been an exponential rise in the number of Afrobeat/Afro-Funk/Highlife bands in the capital over the last few years but be warned, Ibile is the real deal. If you read the excerpt from our interview with him, you’ll know that Adesose Wallace is as authentic as they come. He’s played with Geraldo Pino, the James Brown of Afro-funk, and the inspiration for Fela Kuti to transform his Hi-Life Jazz sound into Afrobeat. Ade has also worked with Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba and a host of other African music legends and to this day, teaches West African rhythm and song to students countrywide – basically, he’s real.

Representing the Caribbean, OKRA presents Ras Happa and the Harambe Drummers throwing down a live set of pounding Jamaican roots drums and dance. Long before reggae music warmed its first amplifier and rumbled it’s first speaker cone, the island of Jamaica danced to the beat of Nyabinghi, Kumina and Revival drums. Rhythms and dances which are so powerful, they still emerge in the beats and sequenced movements of the freshest bashment dancehalls. Unfortunately, the dancehall didn’t assimilate the spirit of the culture with quite the same vigour…..that’s where we come in. To compliment proceedings Duke Etienne and Suga Kan’n keep it raw, roots and occasionally, savage with a DJ selection linking the past with the buzz of the afro-future.

Representing South America, Otto Nascarella takes a pause from the rootical, tropical funk of his Saravah Soul project to throw down a scorching selection infused with his Brazillian roots.

The flyer is here. We hope you can join us…

 

Rhythm Talk: Fuji

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

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Continuing our Rhythm Talk which began with Gwo Ka late last year, we’re back once more to ruminate on the Rhythm. This one goes out to all Nigerians…we’re talking Fuji!

Unless you’re a Nigerian, or have a good knowledge of West African drum music, chances are you’ll have heard little about Fuji music. Alledgedly founded by one Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, the name Fuji oddly bears no relation to the Yoruba word Fuja/Faaji meaning enjoyment, instead being christened by Mr Barrister’s chance glance at an advert for Japan’s Mount Fuji. This however, is where the music’s link with the Far East ends.

Born of the union of Islamic and Yoruban cultures, Fuji Music grew out of the Yoruban Wéré music traditionally played to call Muslims to feast and prayer during Ramadan. If you get the chance to listen to any Wéré/Ajisari/Fuji rhythms you’ll understand why I’m not entirely pleased about my early years spent at Roman Catholic Church at my parents request…the rhythms are amazing! Layers and layers of them. Underpinned with raw drums, punctuated by song and embellished with drizzles of saxophone, guitar and keyboard. Listen….


Alhaji Sikiru Ayinde Barrister and Kollington Ayinla are recognised as the godfathers of the Fuji movement. Ayinde Barrister finding fame as the founder of Fuji after a spell under the tutelage  of Jibowu Barrister who, along with his peers in the “Ajiwere” scene, evolved a number of styles heavily influenced by the Yoruban Sakara and Apala musics. Kollington Ayinla, Barrister’s musical rival, is noted for the success he found delivering his fast-paced, dancefloor-friendly twist on the Fuji theme to the people. Check out his  “Alakara Ofa Keni Keji” for rhythmic proof.

sakara_drum_nigeriaThe Sakara Drum.

The main instruments in Fuji are the Gangan (medium sized Yoruba talking drum), the Sakara (Yoruba frame pictured above), the Omele Gangan (mini Gangan), the Sakara Omele (small sakara) and Bata Omele which forms the crucial backbeat. A Fuji orchestra can include a myriad of percussion; Shekere, Bells, Iyalu (large talking drum) and of course a drum kit, sometimes congas too. On the melodic front, you’ll usually find plenty of backing singers, keyboards, guitars and a touch of brass.

Fuji’s popularity continued through the 80s and 90s right up to the present day. As a supporter of the underdog, it gives me a certain pleasure to know that a style which was known for a time as ‘the poor man’s JuJu’ still has a secure place in today’s African music marketplace. That being said, those of us favoring music with more integrity and less American sensibilities might want to dig the past before delving too deep into modern day offerings.

One more recent artist who treated Fuji the right way is Adewale Ayuba. Known primarily for his JuJu creations, Ayuba’s take on the Fuji theme ‘Bonsue Fuji’ managed to successfully transcend barriers of age and class….not easy.

On a slight but nonetheless relevant tangent, those of you with open minds might like to check the following clip to witness what happens when the music described above finds its way to LDN and meets friends from South Asia, America and beyond. Richard Olatunde Baker and his Eardrum project have been successfully experimenting with cultural fusions for some time now. We were proud to have them as guests at one of last years Heads High sessions and judging by the sounds on this video, it would appear that those of us who know are in for a very special treat when their forthcoming album drops….

I’ll leave the rest to you. If you’re a scholar or a deep, deep digger, chances are this is nothing new to you. Hopefully though, those of you marginally less geeky (and I do mean marginally) will benefit from the leads and sounds presented above.

Long live the rhythm…

Many thanks to Richard Olatunde Baker for his contribution. Also, thanks to the Afro Slab blog for the pics. Make sure to click through to them for bytes & bytes of those ol’ dusty Afro selections…

Event: Heads High vs. 12 Tone 2010!

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010

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As the flyer says, you know the drill by now. 12 Tone Brass are hot (if you don’t believe me watch the video below), Heads High are heat, add them together and you’ve got extreme snow melting capabilities….we’ll see you there (Vibe sell hot drinks too so no excuses!)…

Don’t know 12 Tone Brass? Allow them to introduce themselves…

Rhythm Talk: Gwo Ka.

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

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It’s been while since we spoke in depth. Apologies for the  hiatus. Time will show where time was spent. I’ve been busy collating some pieces for the site, some pieces for friends and getting our monthly sessions back up & running. Thankfully, Lola has been holding it down in the meantime despite her own hyper-hectic schedule. Props to her for keeping the flow…

Alright, I was rappin’ with my man Jocko last night and all he could talk about was rhythm. With any African diaspora music, you cannot isolate the rhythm. The rhythm is always linked and the rhythm is always moving. Back to Jocko, as he was talking, I had a realisation. I love the rhythm. The rhythm is the foundation for nearly all music I hold close. My recent delve into the cross-pollination of the rhythm in the Caribbean (click here for the first evidence of this) made me realise just how little I knew about the traditions that underpin our musical expressions. Journalists love to squeeze tags like ‘Afro-inspired, Tribalistic and Tropical’ into their descriptions of contemporary musical movements, but what do those things really mean? I can honestly say that digging the traditions of the French Antilles, and meeting some amazing personalities in doing so has changed how I perceive music. Forever.

‘Traditional music has another aim than to entertain. Traditional music is the past, it is the present it is the future. Eternal music. Popular music aims solely to entertain but with the traditional, entertainment is but one of many aims.”

That’s my friend and colleague Suga Kan’n’s word. When he’s not making organic ice cream, he travels the African continent absorbing it’s traditional rhythms, dance and song. He also happens to have roots in Martinique. Linking with him provided me with an introduction into the Gwo-Ka I share with you today.

Both the name of a family of drums and the music they create, Gwo-Ka runs deep. Most often used as a platform for social commentary and inextricably linked with Africa, her culture and the idea of ancestral lineage, the Ka is heavy. Before I continue, check this out to feel the real…

The big drums the brothers are holding the foundation rhythm on are Boula drums. You’ll find these type of drums or similar across the Caribbean. Again, the link… The soloist is playing something called a Kake drum. His job is to follow the moves of the dancer who is constantly trying to outsmart him with their steps. Traditionally, only one dancer holds the floor at any-time….pressure if your movement’s not fluid!
There are seven main rhythms in the Gwo Ka family each having dozens of variations. The tradition has been on Guadeloupe since the first slave ships docked. Some say the rhythms come from the Kongo (an idea I like) others say they developed with Guadeloupe’s slave communities. Either way, there’s a depth to the Ka you can’t ignore.
Alongside Velo, the official king of Ka (whose statue can now be found on la rue Saint John Perse, Point A Pitre). The work of Gwo Ka musicians like Germain Calixte, Ti Celeste and Carnot deserve a place on the world stage.
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Recognition is a sore point when it comes to Gwo Ka. For reasons which I explore  in an upcoming SHOOK feature, the style never made a strong impact on the collective consciousness outside of the islands and their ex-pat communities. There are a few heads who have bridged the gap and taken the Ka somewhere other – mostly somewhere Jazz.  Again, hold tight for the SHOOK piece. You’ll have all the info you need, past and present….
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When something touches you its good to share it. It cleanses the soul. My soul feels a little cleaner now. I hope this all means something to you. If it does, be sure to stay tuned for the fullness and for more rhythm talk…