Today I met with Ivorian stars DJ Menza and Kedjevara, what a trip. Menza flaunted a skin tight white outfit, Kedjevara was slightly more subtle, and both were down with Akwaaba, so we’ll be releasing some of their coupé décalé hits for the rest of the world to enjoy and dance!
Kedjevara and Benjamin Lebrave finalizing their deal in Yopougon (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)
It’s Friday night, Abidjan is steaming, and we’re headed to the Rue Princesse. Numerous ‘maquis’ (outdoor bars) line up one of West Africa’s most notorious party spots. The place is booming with coupé décalé and zouglou beats, the voices of Kedjevara, Menza, Les Patrons or DJ Bonano mingling with shouts, laughter, cars honking and street vendors vending! There’s usually no dancefloor at most maquis’, when people feel like dancing, they get up and dance right where they are, standing or at their table.
A Maquis in Yopougon’s Rue Princesse (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)
I had a chat with Lloyd today, half of Sierra Leonian duo Eden Roots lIberation. We chat about music and how he became a musician. Here are some of his words:
“From the very begining, I loved music, in particular reggae music. I was also living with musicians. When I was looking at them playing, I wanted to be able to do the same. In the same time I was learning to play bass, I began creating my own songs and singing them. It was something obvious for me. I was here to be a musician, a composer and a singer.”
Growing up in Sierra Leone, Lloyd was subject to many new world influences, in particular Caribbean music:
“My most important inspiration comes from Joseph Hill from the Jamaican group Culture, who died recently. They came to Sierra Leone and I saw their concert in Freetown, it was a big moment. I was also inspired by Don Carlos, who was a member of the 12 tribes and who taught me to play music.”
Eden Roots Liberation now has an album under their belt, they’ve been playing consistently throughout West Africa and are eager to spread their message of awareness – as in the song “Open your eyes”, peace and love, especially for the younger generations. Lloyd hopes to play and push his message as far as the US, especially “because the reggae doesn’t seem to be very popular [there]”.
Lloyd from Eden Roots Liberation introduced me to his friend Jahman, who was born in Cameroun but now resides in Bamako, Mali. He’s a reggae singer, with one album out in Mali. “Waiting for the News”. All songs – half of them dub versions – are written by Jahman, arranged and produced by Manjul. They recorded the entire album at Manjul’s Humble Ark studio in Bamako. Jahman also has a track on Humble Ark’s “United Voices of Africa” compilation.
Through Amsatou and her boss Igo, I was put in touch with one Mali’s most famous kora player, Mr Toumani Diabaté himself! He has record contracts in place and a serious career touring the world, but was happy to hear we’re in touch with his balafon player, Ahmed Fofana.
Toumani took me to his usual sunday afternoon hangout, where we met with his friends. They prepared attaya, west African green tea, which is served like a sweet shot of espresso. The first shot is bitter, the second one is less strong, and the third is sweet.
Listening to Toumani speak, I got the idea that throughout the world, there is a devoted public for this music. But still, access to African music hasn’t yet been truly democratized. There is much experimentation here and plenty new sounds to share.
There are tons of great videos out there sampling Toumani’s talent. I picked this one out of many, because he’s wearing almost the same blue outfit as when we met!
Through Bamako’s French Cultural Center I met Lloyd Tommy, half of Eden Roots Liberation. He and his partner Patrick Kousi are originally from Sierra Leone, the met in Freetown in 1990 through Massive Roots Band, a local reggae group. They started touring West Africa playing for Malian reggaeman Askia Modibo in the late 90s before settling in Bamako, Mali in 2000. After collaborating with many other regional artists, Eden Roots Vibration released its first album, Genesis, in 2006 in Mali, and eventually in Sierra Leone in February 2008. Akwaaba will release the album worldwide in late 2008.