Shredding in the Desert: Tinariwen @ Cats Cradle 3.20.14

"Welcome to the desert," said Tinariwen's Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni, the singer in palest blue robes who orchestrated our clapping with his elegant gestures and spacious dance moves. The Carrboro, North Carolina audience swarmed in unison as if to say, "Yes please. Take me to your campfire."

Frontman and founder Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, he of the trademark loose mane, was missing, as on other recent U.S. tours. I heard it said it's due to visa problems. Fear not, though, filling his lead guitar and vocalist shoes is Sadam Iyar Imarhan, who sounds and even looks eerily like a younger version of Ibrahim. Sadam doesn't speak much English, but a Mauritanian friend helped me to understand he's been with the group for just one month, and is a cousin of bandmember Hassan (not currently on the tour). All the rest of Tinariwen are long-time members.

 

There was exciting chemistry between Sadam and bassist Eyadou Ag Leche. Roostering about with their axes, they played off each other and even broke into occasional smiles, causing slight ruptures in Tinariwen's usual onstage demeanor--a powderkeg of reserve, ecstatic awareness rippling beneath a calm surface.

"Desert Blues" is at once perfectly evocative, and yet somehow a woefully inadequate label to describe the the Tuareg sound. The analogy makes historic and visceral sense but only gets you part way there. There's call and response singing, and what seems (to this unstudied observer) to be quite elaborate polyrhythmic and formal structures. Above all, the poetic trancey vibe is unlike anything else, and highly addictive. But as trancey as it gets, it always feels like the songs follow ancient forms. Nonetheless, there's plenty of room in there for ecstatic transport, and a quality of being fully in the moment.

This kind of jibes with something Eyadou told me after the set. Still looking incredibly youthful after 15 years with the band, he told me Tuaregs think differently about age and time.

"In the desert, we don't [celebrate] birthdays. I am living today. Every day is my happy birthday." 

--Tinariwen bassist Eyadou Ag Leche

For the encore set, Abdallah took up guitars and lead vocal for some acoustic and electric stuff. Here's a few moments featuring bass and guitar solos from Eyadou and Abdallah:



The new album is called Emmaar; the vinyl edition with free CD inside sold for $25 at the merch table.

LINKS:

Tinariwen band webpage

The Brand New Life Plays Durty Durham

The Brand New Life headlined Friday (5/3) at Durty Durham's Pinhook fundraiser. (For supporting band The Black Experience, see yesterday's blog post.)

The Brand New Life at The Pinhook

Greensboro is some kind of strange rhythm nexus, attracting more than your average share of griots, drum classes, and African and Brazilian percussion specialists. In fact, all across the state, from Asheville's Toubab Krewe, to Greensboro's Africa Unplugged, and Carrboro's Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba, Africa/North Carolina hybrids are springing up like a cottage industry.

The Brand New Life belongs to Greensboro's gems. "Impossible to pigeonhole" has become a popular moniker for out-of-the-way bands, but:  "Does several things very well that don't traditionally go together," better describes The Brand New Life. As the set started out Friday, they showed their  free jazz, skronk funk side. "Just wait," I told some friends at the bar. Sure enough, they pulled out their heavy West African grooves next. In its history, the group has worked closely with musicians from Senegal, and musicians on the autism spectrum, both of whom released special synergies in the collective.

Sean Smith and Evan Frierson

Walter Fancourt and Seth Barden

Getting up to date with BNL's personnel changes during the past year:   Tama drummer Mamadou Mbengue just left the area in March for Chicago, but percussionist and co-founder Evan Frierson has taken on the instrument, also called a talking drum. Scott Johnson plays congas since September, 2012, and electric guitarist Will Darity is a full-time member since June 2012, around the time of saxophonist and co-founder Casey Cranbrook's departure. Trumpeter Sean Smith (2006-2010 member of Asheville's Afromotive) holds up the horn harmonies now with tenor saxophonist and co-founder Walter Fancourt. Two more original members remain intact: Seth Barden (electric and upright bass), and Daniel Yount (trapset drums).


Will Darity


Daniel Yount

My video clip from Friday night shows Frierson ascending the stage for a talking drum cameo, followed by smoking horn solos from Fancourt and Smith, on an Afrobeat tune entitled "Everybody Like You, Boy."

It's an original tune, based on a traditional Senegalese tama/sabar rhythm. Made more Afrobeat by The Brand New Life.   (--BNL trapset drummer Daniel Yount)

Evan Frierson

Seth Barden and Will Darity

Links:

The Brand New Life, artist website

The Black Experience @ Durty Durham 5.3.13

The Black Experience, one of North Carolina's most forward-thinking jazz combos, took the stage at The Pinhook Friday night at the Durty Durham art collective's "Hyperspring" fundraiser.

The Black Experience likes to jam long in an open-ended way, pushing canonical jazz through a prism of contemporary and popular references, from Ray Charles to Black Sabbath. What we heard Friday might be the zenith of what they've accomplished so far. Leading one to ask:  Can The Black Experience get any better? I think it's safe to say that The Black Experience will go on and on, getting better and better, with something important to communicate.


Larry "Q" Draughan and Will Darity 


Ernest A. Turner II

Collectively, it's a band with deep North Carolina roots, impeccable musical pedigrees, and a huge reservoir of experience as educators, sidemen and bandleaders at the area's top jazz institutions and venues. The co-founders of the project are William Darity, electric guitar, Larry Q. Draughan Jr., drums, and Ernest A. Turner II, piano/organ. We also heard Brian Horton on sax and flute, and a special drop-in guest, Lynn Grissett on trumpet. (Educated at NC Central, Grissett travels out of town a lot with Prince. Yes, that Prince.)


Prince sideman Lynn Grissett sitting in with The Black Experience.

Here's some video of Grissett called on stage to solo with The Black Experience. Also features solos by Brian Horton on flute, and Larry "Q" Draughan on drums:






Among the local artists and musicians who turned out for The Black Experience: vocalist Kim Arrington, keyboardist Victor Moore and visual activist Luis Franco.

Aranjuez in Raleigh: Ed Stephenson with Raleigh Symphony

The "Concierto de Aranjuez," by the blind, 20th-century composer Joaquín Rodrigo, is one of the most well-known works for classical guitar. However, it is less often that one gets to hear it backed by a full orchestra. Ed Stephenson performed the Spanish bonbon last night on the Meredith College campus, accompanied by the Raleigh Symphony, which also performed works by Beethoven and Dvorak.


Meredith College campus at night.

Born in Canada, Stephenson is half-Ukrainian (original family name: Stefanyshyn). Besides teaching at Meredith, he performs regularly in the area as a soloist and with his nuevo-flamenco combo Paco Band.

The Adagio second movement is instantly familiar; so familiar, in fact, that contractually, orchestras can only obtain the rights to perform this concerto in its entirety. But for simplicity's sake, I'm bringing you just the video of this melancholic second movement from last night's performance:





Ed passes a bouquet to Raleigh Symphony conductor Jim Waddelow.



Links:

Ed Stephenson, Artist Webpage
Raleigh Symphony webpage

Of Mud & Music: Shakori Spring Fest, Friday Reviews

Dancing in mud boots, drinking from mason jars, running into old friends...these are classic memories of the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival in April, when threats of tornados are par for the course. Trudging around in a rain poncho through the persistent damp, I forgot all about the manhunt transfixing the nation Friday night. Instead, I was hanging out at the Farm, catching a bit of John Howie, Greg Humphreys, Lizzy Ross, Joan Soriano, Preston Frank and The Beast + Big Band.

HEADS UP:  Two more days of the festival remain, with music on 4 stages through Sunday (4/21), including headliner Oliver Mtukudzi; FULL SHAKORI HILLS FESTIVAL SCHEDULE HERE.


Lizzy Ross fans

FRIDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTS: Lizzy Ross Band at Carson Grove Stage

Rocking singer-songwriter Lizzy Ross, that golden-haired dynamo, has one of the most expressive voices I've ever heard. She seems to favor badass electric guitarists as sidemen to her high-flying vocals and acoustic guitar, and I can't agree more.

Luis Rodriguez

I always enjoyed the work of Jock Pyle with her in the past, and nowadays, I am really digging the sound and fury of Graham guitarist Luis Rodriguez. Some worthy onlookers and myself think he deserves the stage handle "Rockriguez." But that's for cooler heads to decide. We were understandably caught up in the moment.



Here's what I'm talking about--Lizzy's version of Bill Withers' sexy tune "Use Me," with Tim Smith sitting in on saxophone and Rockriguez [sic] tearing up the guitar solo:




Waiting in the wings: Tim Smith

SABOR DOMINICANO: Joan Soriano in the Dance Tent


Joan Soriano

It got crazy in the Dance Tent with bachata guitarist and singer-songwriter Joan Soriano. There were brief power outtages (I counted at least three) which deterred no one. Caribbean percussion is transportable street music anyway, commanding attention without electricity. Welcome to my island.



Two new guys on tour with Joan since the Motorco appearance in Durham awhile back: one is bass player Junior "Zaa," I met the second guitarist as well but don't remember his name. I studied the güiro player again this time, but had a better view of his floor tom technique. Bum bum bum, accenting those hits in the solar plexus.


New bassist: Junior "Zaa"




Griselda's bling

Joan was whimsical in his lead guitar solos, still one cool dude with his playful, rustic charm. His brother didn't accompany this tour, but his dancing-and-singing sister Griselda poured gasolina all over it.


With an acquaintance in Joan's crew, I had the pleasure of dancing to my favorite of the tunes Griselda sings on the CD La Familia Soriano: "Hazme Tuya," a 90s pop hit for Mexican teenager Maricela. The undeniability of pop, in a punchy bachata wrapper: why resist?





WE DON'T WANT NO TROUBLE NOW: The Beast headlines Meadow Stage

The Beast + Big Band is an enjoyable, XL expansion of the jazz/hiphop quartet normally comprised of Stephen Coffman, Pierce Freelon, Eric Hirsh and Peter Kimosh.



With a string section borrowed from Lost in the Trees and a horn and added rhythm section borrowed largely from Orquesta GarDel, it felt like Earth Wind & Fire meets the Fania All Stars.


Al Strong, Andy Kleindienst (hidden), Tim Smith and Aaron Hill 



Among the special guests were trombonist Andy Kleindienst who drove in from New Jersey (where he's in music school at Rutgers), and Yomira John, a Panama City vocalist who flew in for this salsa-flavored collaboration:



The Beast "Plus" started even later than scheduled, but were still dominating the Meadow Stage when I left at 2 am.





This video capture was my favorite, a) because I am a sucker for Eric Hirsh's vocoder, and b) because it's one of those satirical songs about some crazy shit that happens on the way to a gig:



Enjoy!

Links:

SHAKORI HILLS GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL:  APRIL 18-21, 2013

Halloween Treat: West African/Jazz FREE SHOW TONIGHT (10/31) by The Brand New Life

The Brand New Life is blend of jazz improvisation and West African mbalax and Afrobeat. For a Halloween treat, the Greensboro band plays a FREE SHOW TONIGHT (10/31) at 11 pm at The Station in Carrboro.

To learn more about how this band got together, read my profile in The Independent earlier this year. The last time I saw them, at Shakori Hills in October, they were seriously on fire, with heavy mbalax grooves by their Senegalese talking drummer, Mamadou Mbengue, following on the heels of jazz tunes with crazy meters. Mamadou takes a solo at the end of this clip of the BNL live at 2011 Floydfest:



LINKS:

Facebook event page: Halloween (10/31) with The Brand New Life
Venue calendar: The Station in Carrboro

Bio Ritmo Rises with new CD, "La Verdad"

Bio Ritmo gave a fresh first set at the joint party with Orquesta GarDel on October 14 at Durham's Motorco. I didn't take a lot of video, but here's a look at pretty much the whole band, during "Seguiras Criticando," a salsa tune with a heavy afrobeat coda from their last album Biónico:



Of course, we were here to celebrate the CD release of La Verdad, which has been gaining tons of favorable press at the national level. This month, Bio Ritmo is featured in vinyl collectors' mag Wax Poetics (in an issue with Eddie Palmieri on the cover), on the radio on PRI's The World, garnered a great album review on PopMatters.com, and is currently charting #4 on CMJ's World Music Chart.



I'm writing my own story now on the band's undulating 20-year career curve, and what makes these Richmond heroes so special. Stay tuned....

Shakori Fall Preview: Oct 6-9

Where to begin? This fall's Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival lineup is fitting to blow my mind: Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Toubab Krewe, Rosie Ledet, Bela Fleck, Hobex, Kairaba, Peter Lamb & The Wolves, The Brand New Life, Saludos Compay, Locos Por Juana, Preston Frank--just when you thought I'd be jaded, I've got Shakori fever like never before.

Two artists back-to-back at the Cabaret Tent on Saturday that I haven't heard, but hope to catch this time around:

Lakota John, a young, dobro bottleneck slide guitarist (he's 14) from Robeson County, who is half-Lumbee and half-Lakota. He is one of MusicMaker's Next Generation blues artists. I met him and his father down in Pembroke when I was researching this recent tale for the Indy about Dark Water Rising.

Leyla McCalla, a banjoist/cellist from New Orleans who is also a MusicMaker Next Gen artist. She reportedly plays jazz standards, originals, and the occasional Haitian folk song.

As often happens at Shakori Hills, musicians from different genres get together and mix it up. At the last Shakori festival in April, members of Orquesta GarDel gave a salsa workshop on the porch, and some oldtime fiddlers came up and jammed. Here's that video, to whet your appetite for whatever may happen this weekend (Thurs.-Sun., October 6-9):



SEE THE FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE, ADMISSION INFO, DIRECTIONS, etc. HERE

Kairaba @ Haw River Ballroom (9/14)

Kairaba's September 14 show at Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw was a benefit for women's farm coops in the Central African Republic. If you're looking for backstory, my feature about Diali Cissokho & Kairaba appeared in the Indy recently.


Diali Cissokho and Austin McCall



It was a great show and event, with other presentations by artists and community organizers. This was one of my favorite moments, when Diali and John Westmoreland exchanged musical dialogue between the kora and guitar:




Jonathan Henderson and Will Ridenour

Here's a montage of two more song clips from the concert:



It's great to see this band continue to thrive, I can't even keep up with all their gigs lately. Good news: they plan to visit Diali's home in Senegal and play some shows there in December.

Catching Up With The Beast (10/1)

The Beast and Chit Nasty played a birthday party at Kings last Saturday (10/1). Chit Nasty is loud and funky as hell, with a Rick James meets Little Richard vibe.



That must've set the tone, because The Beast was a little raunchier than usual. Here's one of their newer songs, "Just Do It":






Beast fans with The Bieb @ Kings


FLASHBACK

Remember the earthquake? That night (8/23), The Beast did this live improv with special guests, a biweekly affair that happens second and fourth Tuesdays at Jack Sprat in Chapel Hill. The next "aLive Tuesday" happens 10/10, with special guest TBA.

SAMPLE OF THE WEEK: Astor Piazzola meets an earthquake theme.


Sitting in: The Brand New Life's Seth Barden (bass) and Walter Fancourt (saxophone).

Stephen Coffman on drums, Pierce Freelon on the mic, Eric Hirsh on piano/ keyboard/ samples.

Shana Tucker @ NCMA (9/2)

Shana Tucker gave a gift to the North Carolina Museum of Art on September 2: a free concert to lure visitors in for the last day of the exhibition, "30 Americans." Attendance that night broke records, according to Museum program director George Holt.



Her quartet featured Mark Wells, Peter Kimosh, and Stephen Coffman. Here is her lovely take on Nora Jones' "Wish I Could":



Young people were especially delighted with Shana's big finish: a New Orleans version of "You Are My Sunshine." Here's a montage of the dancing that ensued.




COUNTERPOINT

Here's Shana with a trio, performing the same tune, in a different style. With Mark Wells, piano, and Brevan Hampden, percussion, here's her Latin version of "You Are My Sunshine" one recent evening at Brasa Brasilian Steakhouse: