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TOUMAST
MUSIC IS THE WEAPON
"We love the Desert, we love its freedom. That's the life that makes us happiest." So says Moussa Ag Kenya who formed Toumast in Paris, with the mesmerising singer Aminatou Goumar, after being badly wounded fighting with the Touareg Liberation Front. Infused with the rebel swagger of his Saharan brothers Tinariwen, Moussa also joins Vieux Farka Toure in paying a prescient homage to the late great Ali Farka Toure, whose spine-tingling, hypnotic guitar playing inspires a whole new generation to look to the future. As with Vieux's outstanding debut, the Dan Levy-produced 'Ishumar' is never weighed down by its influences, and Moussa's time in Europe has inspired the young songwriter to create new directions for this music, as shown with the funk hooks of 'Ikalane Walegh' and jazz excursions of 'Tallyatidagh'. With appearances at festivals like WOMAD over the summer, Toumast's songs of freedom will hopefully stir others to learn why music became the weapon for this resilient culture. Andy Thomas
ALBOROSIE
21st Century Rootsman
"Right now, 'Kingston Town' is the biggest tune in the dance halls of Europe" bellows
DJ David Rodigan. Every year one record stands above allcomers as the soundtrack to Carnival. Last year it was 'Jamrock' and this year, according to Rodigan, it's set to be Alborosie's 'Kingston Town'. With it's infectious 'Skibbelly, dum dum, skibbelly
dum dum' hook it's the piece that blows up
the dance.
'Kingston Town', is pulled from Alborosie's soon come debut LP, 'Soul Pirate', which is strictly modern rootsman sounds. Other gems include a cover of Black Uhuru's classic 'Guess Who's Coming To Dinner', and the huge 'Rastafari Anthem', where Alborosie delivers consciousness over Zap Pow's 'War' rhythm (as used by Collie Budz to great effect for 'Come Around' – the other big one of 2006). There's also 'Burning and Looting' featuring Ky-mani Marley, and the now infamous 'Herbalist', which ruled the airwaves everywhere – except on Jamaican radio, where it was banned by the authorities for glorifying ganja.
Listening to his music you'd never guess that this multi-talented, notty dread is Sicilian. Alborosie learnt guitar, drums, bass and piano, starting his first band, Reggae National Tickets, in 1993. They signed to BMG Italy, sold 200,000 records, and were invited to play Jamaica's Sunsplash and Sumfest. It wasn't long before
Alborosie was flying back to Kingston on a one-way ticket.
Since living in JA his talents have made him hot property. Last summer he produced the mighty XXL rhythm, which was voiced by both Sizzla and Beenie Man and went on
to light up many a dance.
It's going to be a hot summer for the man Alborosie – for the last word it's back to Rodigan with his description of 'Rastafari Anthem': "BOOOOOOOOMMMM... Massive forward. Pure lighters... Blazing." Dave Hill
Amanda Diva
A Lily with Roots
Combining the influences of poets like Ntozake Shange, Nikki Giovanni and Gil Scott Heron with a love of Lauryn Hill, Amanda Diva’s performance at the Black Lily in May had the hallmarks of an actress whose passion for the stage will always outshine the attraction of the silver screen. Take a back line of ?uestlove, James Poyser et al, add it to Amanda's innate ability to interact with every member of the audience and you had a performance guaranteed to make this hard core gathering stop and listen
"Back then, when the Black Lily was taking off, I was breaking it in the New York poetry scene, so I wasn’t fully aware of what was going down in Philly. Then Jill Scott blew up –- that’s when I realised that I needed to do this!" declares Amanda. "The Black Lily is all about seeing-is-believing. I mean, ?uestlove has been my homie for time, but it's when people finally see me on stage with him they
finally take note."
Amanda’s fire comes with two fronts: rapping and singing. Yet, there is another side to Amanda which adds further conviction: awareness. Conversing with her about hip hop today she talks with a sense of reality that’s rarely heard.
"We’re moving away from ‘how much more money can we make with this art’ and towards a mentality that’s more like ‘how much more art can we make with this art’. For me, personally, I look at the game right now – album sales ain’t gonna do it for you. Performance is what brought hip-hop out of the underground, so if that’s where hip-hop is going back again, that’s what you gotta work on."
Amanda’s got a game plan just like any other, but you can’t help but feel she’s positioned herself for a tipping point to occur.
"Nine times out of ten, black music comes out of a state of emergency," she insists. "The majority of folks don’t feel that need right now, they don’t feel that sense of urgency to create, and they don’t have that pressure on their back yet. But I promise you, when they do, it will be responded to."
Strong words. But based on her intervention at the Black Lily there is every indication that the next movement is about to arrive.
"I’m dropping the EP, ‘Filling the Void’, in October, with Q-Tip making a guest appearance and Dave West on production. It’s all a tee up for the album dropping the top of 2008 and I want a Grammy by 2010!" William Page
Check Amanda Diva’s awesome performance of ‘A Change Gon’ Come’ at the Lily, along with the Forty Emcees video at: www.myspace.com/amandadiva
Read the full article in the September 2007 issue of Straight No Chaser |
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Words: Andy Thomas, Dave Hill, William Page, Lubi Jovanovic, Ross Allen, Paul Bradshaw, Derek Michael, Michael Krasser,
Pictures: Alexis Meryon |
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