Percussions.org

[François Kokelaere]

May 1995 was marked by a memorable encounter which took place in Fort de France Martinique during the Caribbean tour of Guinean band Wofa. In the popular district "Rive droite Levassor", better known as "Bô Kannal", they met wih the Tanbou Bô Kannal ensemble. The Caribbean were rediscovering Africa - like some distant relative who'd be visiting after a long absence. There was much emotion and the lumps in the throats told of memory, kinship, obvious family connections. Where were we, in a district of Conakry or in Martinique? The same hot climate, the same houses, the same smiles, the same skin colour and the ineffable joy of living, the desire to communicate and encounter the other, the same drum language... the emotion reached us peak when old folks started singing as an acknowledgment. The young Carabbean could see themselves as attending a great family meeting. The Africans mixed into the chorus and the Creole language suddenly turned into some kind of improvised Esperanto... Fate, which sometimes knows what it does, arranged for both bands in meet again during their European tours : first at the "Nantes Summer Festival", in the bustle of which a rendez-vous was set for Niort, where - top luck ! - a common programming had them meet again, for the Strada street festival.

The opportunity was too good to be missed ! Stephane Larrat came down from Paris with his sound equipment and, this time, after two rehearsals, the encounter was recorded. Warmth, conviviality and, as always, emotion : it measured up to our expectations. It was, at times, approximate, but there was such freshness, life force, spontaneity. Tonalities stammered, in search of each other, but beats and rhythms met - the common base of two cultures so different and yet so close. Each wanted to bring in his own specificity without disturbing the other, without showing off. Each tried to give the best of his culture, the best of himself. The stirring ternary bears on Granbele, with the Africans reinforcing the rhythm with their essence ! Kryin and tibwa, djembe and tambou bele, chacha and kessekesseni, dunun and tambou basse : so many tones and colours mixing, blending, turning into so many new sounds. The moving song about Nelson Mandela, where the Caribbean displayed their sensitivity and their desire of openness ! The piece starts with a rypically Caribbean beat which turns African and ternary, before returning to the festive binary Caribbean rhythm. It is a good illustration of the theme of this encounter : the desire ro know each other better, in exorcise the always so present past and, by making peace with the other, make peace with oneself. This record is the result of a true moment of bliss, which we wanted to share with you.

François Kokelaere

Cd available with Buda Records - Ref 92650-2