Friday, April 20, 2007
Cameroonian Della Tamin in Jozi
One of the greatest joys of working in the music industry, is when you get to meet & hear about lots of exciting new artists. And getting to know that artists work seems to broaden horizons – you can’t take that knowledge away, you can only add to it. That’s what its like having Robert Trunz as a music guru! He’s forever broadening my horizons!The latest artist that he introduced me to is the Johannesburg-based Della Tamin, originally from the Wouri region in Cameroon, where some of the great artists such as Prince Eyango and the late Kotto Bass were his immediate influences.
Della’s songs, which he pens himself, are in his mother-tongue, Medumba, as well as Duala, French & English, and he has been making a name for himself of late by performing at Moyo Restaurants in and around Jo’burg, following a very successful gig at the Bassline.
Della studied physics & chemistry at the University of Cameroon, graduating as a Civil Technician before coming to SA in 2004.
He is recording an album through MELT, which we can expect at a later stage of 2007.So here’s a little track to broaden your horizon! Della was joined on stage by some local artists, including the Kwani Experience & Live African Percussion duo Frank Magongwa (left) on Bass & percussionist Bafana Nhlapo.
Have an awesome weekend folks – we have a stunning start in Cape Town today!
1st Video from Zoopy.com... a funky little site!
07/04/23 UPDATE: I was waiting for a mail from Robert as I couldn't remember the back-up vocalists name - it's Laure Yolande Noongo, also from Cameroon, and this mama has a voice to listen to!Her range goes from Folk to Opera, and I am sure we are going to hear more of her!
I also asked Robert if Della's music would be classed as more World Music mix, or if it is a typical Cameroonian style, and he replied, "On the one hand he is a singer/songwriter who composes his own songs with a strong influence of the rhythmic patterns of the region of Yaounde (Cameroon) where he was born but Della also admires French chansons which comes out in his romantic and often quite dramatic song writing" - so there you have it.
Labels: Cameroon, Della Tamin, Kwani Experience, world music
Fusion happening all around us
I got off the phone a little earlier to Pops Mohamed, who was filling me in on what he is going to be up to over the next few months. International tours, collaborations, and even a few CD’s will be released under different labels, and genres.Pops will be leaving to perform in Oslo for 6-weeks from the beginning of May, returning for a short while before jetting off to France for a 3-week collaboration with Jozi’s Kwani Experience. Kwani and Pops will be such an amazing combination – they both focus dearly on traditional instruments and the fusion with jazz.
Kwani also has the L.A.P. guys involved in it, and they’ve been working closely with Robert Trunz from MELT in the last while, appearing live with a number of artists like Madala Kunene, Cameroonian Della Tawin (got a lil vid coming soon!) and Zulu maskanda artist Umshika Shika Qabe.Pops has been working on a few projects, like doing workshops with a 50-piece youth choir, backed by Kora… There is going to be a CD released soon, in which Pops plays healing music; music from the ancient times that have developed such an important part in today’s hectic life-style (try meditating to Britney…). He is also going to be creating a Social Vibes Volume II, the Volume I, recorded with McCoy Mrubata, has been on the market for some 8-years under Sheer Music, but Pops has his own Record Label now, and so releases his own material.
That is the directions all musicians should strive for; owning your own material, and licensing it out! I’m a small business owner, and believe in the man on the street determines his own destiny – and it works exactly the same for musicians – take charge! Do it yourself baby-shoes! No-one worries about the grumbling of your own belly as you do yourself!
Pops was highly impressed by a collaboration that he saw at Baseline last week; Uju combined with the most hectic Kora players you have ever seen, that I have ever seen, in the world, Ba Cissoko from Guinea.Lenny & I saw them live in Essen at WOMEX, and how this young lead Kora plays like Jimi Hendrix… Behind the back, up in the air, all with the required leg stomping and grimacing concentration, and he gets really funky when he plays with his teeth!
So Pops, go out there and tell them more about the beautiful diversity of South Africa, play them our music, and carry on being an ambassador for us!
Labels: fusion, Kwani Experience, Pops Mohamed, tour
Saturday, September 16, 2006
L.A.P. (Live African Percussion)
I have been very busy last few days, flying around the country for all kinds of exciting meetings and events.Louis Fourie, from the Canyon Nature Park in Namibia, called to tell me that he was going up to see Robert Trunz from MELT at his farm (pictured left) in Cullinan Gauteng, and he really wanted me to be there with him at this first meeting and jam session with some artists.
Louis' world has opened up since he and I first met, as he says,"It's amazing what one click to a website can do to your life". After that first enthusiastic meeting where I almost over-whelmed him with new music and exciting musicians, his vision for a music festival suddenly became something more than just a dream (more about that in the future!).
Robert, is still one of the most important producers of music from Southern Africa, and apart from being my music 'guru', he also knows how to put together the most incredible combinations of artists for festival events. Having worked with PedXulu at the Johannesburg Arts Alive Festival, I can say this with confidence!
So Monday morning Louis and I jetted out of Cape Town to Jo'burg on a 1Time flight - my first with the airline, and it was pretty cool - hired a car and negotiated our way to our first meeting with South Africa's ambassador of music, the famous Pops Mohamed (pictured with Louis).Pops took us to a Woolworths cafe for lunch where we spoke about lots of exciting projects that he is involved in, collaborations, his new album (which I'll review as soon as I get it!), and of course his associations with the San of the Kalahari.
Pops is such a special man; a man of great understanding of other cultures, their ancient memories, and as a musician, he has spread this knowledge across the globe by performing with the most simple instruments, to electronic-jazz-traditional styles of music that are really going to get the clubs of Europe dancing to the African beat!
Pressed for time, Louis, the desert man, and I headed off past Tswane (Pretoria), to the MELT farm, which is some 17 km's outside Cullinan, which is the name of the world's largest diamond found there and now part of the British Crown Jewels... Hmmm. Makes me think of Saartjie Baartman.
Set in the low hills, of the most beautiful ochre coloured soil, the MELT farm is a place of creativity. The Music With No Name Studio, which is attached to the main house, is filled with all the instruments and goodies that no musician can walk by without wanting to play. And it's relaxed
Greg Georgiades, Ashish Joshi and the L.A.P. guys (pictured left), Gontse Mkhene, Bafana Nhlapo, Ragga and Frank were meeting up for an evening jam-session, and to study AshishÂs style of playing the Tabla more closely.Louis immediately sat down got stuck in with his guitar and joined in; Bafana on percussion, Gontse on drums, Frank on electric bass and Ragga on Djembe. Louis' blues style of playing caused some cool reactions and eventually all styles of music flowed out into the night sky.
L.A.P. is releasing a new album soon, and I have been promised a copy! These guys can really play! They are also part of Jozi's new wondergroup of motherland funk Kwani Experience, and have collaborated with Madala Kunene and Bernard Mndaweni for MELT last year. And now they've jammed with Louis Fourie!
On Tuesday Louis and I went on a tour of the farm, and some of the awesome renovations that have been done to create some stunning works of art; like having a steaming shower in a mosaic bathroom looking out over the African bush; dining and lounging areas with different moods and flavours; the kitchen that opens up to a cooking area out under the sky.And all the rooms are kitted out with different versions of Robert’s amazing Blue Room speakers… So theres always music in the air!
I was also lucky enough that Robert added to my own collection, and I got another set of translucent Minipods and a blue Minipod Bass Station (check it out on the right)… I think I am going to have to write a letter of apology to the neighbours.
I’ve included a short piece of video from the Various Artists Acoustic Africa DVD (MZADV002) of L.A.P. recorded during their sessions at the Music With No Name studio. You’re going to hear more about these guys!
