2023-11-10 20:00:13
Every Friday, The World Africa presents three new musical releases from or inspired by the continent. This week, head to the Ile-de-France region, where the 35th edition of the festival Africolor is held in different towns of Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Val-d’Oise and Essonne from November 17 to December 24. Like every year, this event, which aims to be a “musical material accelerator”, in the words of its director, Sébastien Lagrave, encourages meetings and gives pride of place to original creations.
On the program this fall, certain artists already known to the general public, such as the Angolan Bonga or the Guinean Moh! Kouyaté. Others who have already been presented to you in this section, like the Kenyan UFO Kabeaushé, the transcultural groups Kutu or Bengue, and the “maloyeurs” Sages comme des sauvage or Wati Watia Zorey Band. And then discoveries, like the Senegalese rappers Jozie and OMG, but also the singer Sîan Pottok, the Tanzanians from Wamoto Music Band and the highlife group Ah! Kwantou.
“Kuwa Mbali Sana”, by Siân Potto
Between jazz, folk and electro, it’s difficult to put Siân Pottok in a box. Author, musician, singer and photographer, the artist of multiple origins (Congolese, Indian, Belgian and Slovak) fell in love with the kamele ngoni, a traditional West African harp that she accompanies with her soft and electronic sounds.
At the end of September, she released the single Be Far Away, herald of an album to be released in 2024. In the meantime, we can discover her in concert on November 25 in Rosny-sous-Bois alongside the Sudanese oudist and singer Sulafa Elyas, who will join her on stage for a few songs .
Saturday November 24, 8:30 p.m., Georges-Simenon theater, Rosny-sous-Bois.
« Nasemaje », by Wamoto Music Band
Do you know the Singeli? A high-speed fusion of traditional Tanzanian music, hip-hop and house, it’s a booming genre in Dar es Salaam. At Africolor, it will be represented by the female group Wamoto Music Band, which adds Congolese rumba tunes to this cocktail. Its singers Imo and Suzi Baby, accompanied on the machines by DJ Tanzanite, will perform four times, from December 5 to 9, in three towns in Seine-Saint-Denis.
On December 9 in Bobigny, they will share the stage with Twende Pamoja, which brings together the French violinist Théo Ceccaldi, the Ugandan DJ Faizal Mostrixx, the Nigerian rapper Aunty Rayzor and the Tanzanian singer Kadilida.
Tuesday December 5, 1 p.m., Sorbonne-Paris-Nord University, Bobigny; Wednesday December 6, 8 p.m., Mains d’oeuvres, Saint-Ouen; Thursday December 7, 12:30 p.m., Sorbonne-Paris-Nord University, Villetaneuse; Saturday December 9, 8 p.m., Canal 93, Bobigny.
“Bon Sem”, from Ah! Kwantou
Finally, head to Ghana via the… Basque Country. Because it is from the south-west of France that the Ah! septet comes to us. Kwantou, led by singer Kyekyeku, originally from Accra, where he cut his teeth alongside big names in highlife such as Koo Nimo, Pat Thomas and Gyedu-Blay Ambolley.
This mixture of jazz, calypso and palm wine music is the common thread of the album that the group released on Friday November 10, but to this must be added strong afrobeat, soul and funk influences. In short, something to delight the audience of La Courneuve, where Ah! Kwantou will perform on December 22 as the opening act for the Parisian collective Les Frères Smith.
Friday December 22, 8:30 p.m., Jean-Houdremont Cultural Center, La Courneuve.
Read also: Senegalese connections: the musical selection from “World Africa” #167
Find all the editorial’s musical favorites in the playlist YouTube of World Africa.
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