PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 | Birth of a Haitian star

by Keithy Antoine

A new Haitian star is born! Her name is Modeline Raymond, or Moray for her close friends. The singer-songwriter performed on the Loto-Québec stage at Esplanade Tranquille on Friday evening. It was her very first big stage performance in Montreal, accompanied by a full band, including drums, congas, guitars, backing singers, keyboards and bass. We can enthusiastically say that they rocked!

Once again, the Festival international Nuits d’Afrique is a great opportunity for many emerging artists to build their careers, and to present themselves to a large audience of fans and connoisseurs.

On stage, Moray was in her most authentic and natural element. She sang mainly in Creole, danced well and, without tiring, radiated on stage. Contagious joy! The singer is having fun, inviting the crowd to swirl along with her, in complicity with her band. A lovely summer afternoon of sunny, upbeat Afro-pop sounds and rhythms, Latin soul, and konpa stuck tight, as she candidly puts it!

Modeline Raymond is an artist worth discovering!

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Africa / Afropop / Gospel / Hip Hop / Reggae

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 | Joyce N’sana On The Rise

by Keithy Antoine

One of the most eagerly-awaited acts in the downtown area was Friday’s performance by Congo-Quebec artist, songwriter and performer Joyce N’sana, who was named Révélation Radio-Canada 3 years ago.

She gave us a wild set on the big TD Radio-Canada stage! I was won over by the rhythm and the commitment of the people around me too! This little woman with a big voice performed her best songs with her proverbial energy and wisdom, driven by her love for her audience, her catchy sounds and her beautiful blend of styles – reggae, gospel, hip-hop, jazz, all topped off with the blues. Not for nothing does she call it afrobluehop!

The Festival international Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal is a celebration of our diversity, culture and music,” says Joyce N’sana, who is on the rise. And rightly so!

On Friday evening, the 38th Festival international Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal was in full swing, aided by fine summer weather. A perfect balance of inclusion and diversity through its 6-day program of free outdoor shows in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles, featuring well-known names and those yet to be discovered. The 38th Festival international Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal runs until Sunday, July 21! Check it out!

photo credit: André Rival

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Africa / Afro Latin / Afro-Antillean / Afro-Electro / afro-soul / Afrobeats / Afropop / Caribbean

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 | Listening to Club Sagacité

by Alain Brunet

In front of an almost empty room, at least from 10.15pm to 12.15am, the artists of Club Sagacité, an extension of Moonshine, still allowed us to devote ourselves to them. Listening attentively for lack of atmosphere. Whether it was a question of context or timing, the content was clearly not attractive to the current Nuits d’Afrique market.

Whatever the case, Club Sagacité is not to be missed. DJs San Farina and Fanella, the first two artists on the program, offered convincing selections of the present and future of Afro-descendant DJing. Completely global, with some very special peaks.

Club Sagacité, as we understand it, is a Moonshine school club, a successful concept developed by Pierre Kwenders, Hervé Kalongo and other Afro-descendant leaders such as San Farafina.

We heard afrobeats, soul/R&B, jazz groove, konpa, excerpts from Creole songs, Central African music, reggaeton and more, all melted into a notorious electronic melting pot. The diversity and integration of references is a fascinating reflection of the trends currently marking this generation of twentysomethings and thirtysomethings who find themselves consuming the content emanating from such collectives.

It’s more global than Western, less focused on American or European musical production – which is nonetheless very present in the vibe. In short, our musical world is changing, and all these Afro-electro waves are shaping the Montreal landscape. And for the better. Thank you Club Sagacité.

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Africa

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 | Ibibio Sound Machine, indeed a machine!

by Alain Brunet

Ibibio Sound Machine est effectivement une… machine! Machine qui n’aurait pu être mise au point ailleurs qu’au Royaume-Uni. Originaire du Nigeria, la puissante contralto Eno Williams s’exprime avec tout son héritage afro-urbain et déroule également la toile de sa vie londonienne. La dégaine n’est pas celle de la soul ou du R&B mais bien d’un femme nigériane en fusion avec d’excellents musiciens londoniens de différentes souches.

Voilà un pollinisation croisée, on ne peut plus londonienne! Il y a dans tout ça l’afrobeat de Fela Kuti, la juju de King Sunny Adé, l’afro-pop highlife d’Osibisa, mais aussi le post-punk anglais, la new wave américaine, les effluves des Talking Heads, le funk de Chic et de Cameo, sans compter ce jazz groove à l’africaine ayant eu plus d’impact en Europe qu’en Amérique du Nord, on pense entre autres à Manu Dibango et Sixun.

Les instrumentistes d’Ibibio sont excellents et méritent tous d’être mentionnés : Alfred Kari Bannerman (guitare), Anselmo Netto (percussions), Jose Joyette (batterie), Derrick McIntyre (basse), Tony Hayden (trombone, synthé), Scott Baylis (trompette, synthé), et Max Grunhard (saxophone, synthé). La culture électronique de ces musiciens est complémentaire à leurs qualités d’instrumentistes très influencés par les années 80 et 90.

La pédale au fond dès le départ, la soliste et ses sidemen ont été très professionnels en faisant fi de la maigre assistance venue à leur rencontre. À l’évidence, Ibibio Sound Machine n’a pas encore conquis le marché québécois, tout reste à faire. On souhaite que la centaine de festivaliers présents partageront le souvenir de cette très bonne performance… dénuée de l’ambiance frénétique d’une salle pleine.

Maghrebi / Musique Kabyle / Rock

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 – Numidz: When Kabylia Rocks!

by Michel Labrecque

Numidz is a band from Algerian Kabylia who chose to immigrate to Montreal. Don’t confuse Berber Kabylia with Arab culture. Although deprived of a country, Kabylia has its own flag, present on stage, and its own language, recognized very belatedly by Algeria.

Numidz consists of five musicians and one singer. Although influenced by traditional Kabylian music, the band also likes to rock, drawing inspiration in particular from an old Kabyle underground group, Les Abranis.

It’s this aspect that really sets the band apart from what you might hear from Algeria. And that’s what appealed to the very mixed crowd, with a minority Kabyle and Algerian component, but very present with its repeated “youyouyou”.

Understandably, their decision to immigrate was not an easy one, but the members of Numidz are thriving in Montreal. They were clearly delighted to be performing outdoors, as well as to be welcomed by the public.

Numdiz is a committed group: we heard a feminist song, a tribute to Nelson Mandela, a hymn to the freedom of peoples, as well as a song by Idir, the great emblematic singer of Kabylia who left us a few years ago.

But it’s when he rocks intensely that Numidz really stands out and displays his intensity. I couldn’t help but think that at the same time, in Milwaukee, USA, Donald Trump was about to address his Republican party, denouncing the wave of immigration that is driving up crime in his country. An assertion contradicted by the statistics.

For on the Nuits d’Afrique outdoor stage, just as Numidz launched into a danceable rock-funk set, five Asian women began to dance frenetically, smiling. Nearby, the father of a racially mixed couple was teaching his little mixed-race daughter to dance. A lesbian couple gazed into each other’s eyes, right next to veiled girls waddling along.

Poor Donald Trump. Clearly, the crowd here is not on his side…

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Africa / Bikutsi / Makossa / Pop-Rock

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique – Valérie Ékoumè: A Multicultural Afro-Rock Party

by Michel Labrecque

On July 18, a large natural fan ended the Montreal heatwave in a matter of hours. But it was very hot at the concert by Franco-Cameroonian Valérie Ékoumè, because the lady knows how to turn up the heat during her performance. And not just about!

As the singer told my colleague Frédéric Cardin in an interview, she likes the way Montreal and other parts of Canada welcome her. And she returns the favor. After fifteen minutes, she had the crowd in her pocket and could make us dance and sing to her heart’s content. The former collaborator of Manu Dibango and Youssou Ndour is now flying high on her own wings.

The singer, sometime keyboardist and drummer, is surrounded by two musicians in red suits with elephant-head masks, a guitarist and a drummer with a no-holds-barred attitude, using pop-rock techniques as much as Makossa, Bikutsi and Esséwé rhythms. We’re immersed in pulsating Afro-pop, as evidenced by his latest album, 2022 Monè.

But it’s Valérie Ékoumè, with her powerful yet nuanced voice and stage presence, who reigns over the crowd like a queen. But a benevolent and committed sovereign, notably against inequalities in Africa.

She sang a beautiful ballad, which she then translated into French. It tells the story of a family of African migrants who lost a child on their illegal immigration journey. An Italian woman, who took in the little girl, managed to find the family and give the child back to them. “It’s a beautiful story, isn’t it,” Valérie told us.

On stage, the musical arrangements are less subtle than on record. But the trio’s incredible energy makes up for this. I went to the front of the crowd to see that the party was firmly underway. Once again, a multiracial, multigenerational crowd dancing their hearts out.Some of Quebec’s nationalist politicians would do well to pay a visit to Nuits d’Afrique. There was a crowd there, overwhelmingly French-speaking, who perhaps spoke another language at home.

During a break, a Quebec woman of Haitian origin confided in me that, following certain recent statements by Quebec politicians, a racist space has opened up. That she sometimes hears people spitting when she’s out and about; she doesn’t think it’s a coincidence.

Nuits d’Afrique is an antidote to all that. So is Valérie Ékoumè.

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Africa / South African traditional music

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 | BCUC, the South African pow wow

by Alain Brunet

Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness (BCUC), from Soweto, South Africa, was one of the nuggets on the Nuits d’Afrique 2024 program. Essentially based on percussion, voice and the expression of South Africa’s 11 official languages and cultures, BCUC is a kind of African-style pow wow, committed and unifying.

The line-up includes Nkosi “Jovi” Zithulele, Kgomotso Mokone, Thabo “Cheex” Mangle, Mritho Luja, Lehlohonolo “Hloni” Maphunye and Skhumbuzo Mahlangu, Mosebetsi Ntsimande. The rhythms of the drums and hand percussion, as well as the patterns of the electric bass, support the continuous singing and vocal sounds – one woman and two men, sometimes solo, duo or trio. Melodies, harmonies, declamations, onomatopoeia, vocal percussion, nature calls and more.

Several distinct elements of South African voices and rhythms unfold on stage. Transcended by this extremely dynamic collective, capable of transcending its cultural heritage, this Southern African stall is more than interesting, and different from what we’re used to hearing from this end of the planet.

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Salsa

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 | Andy Rubal’s fiery salsa

by Frédéric Cardin

Andy Rubal has been on the professional music scene for barely 10 years, but has already titillated the ears of salsa lovers. This 2013 graduate of Havana’s Instituto Superior de Arte garnered a nomination for his debut album at the Cuba Disco Awards in 2017, in the Best Salsa Album category. He moved to Montreal shortly afterwards and immediately became part of the Quebec music ecosystem, performing a duet with Florence K. Rubal’s salsa heard yesterday at Club Balattou is classic, even predictable, but boy does it light up the stage and the audience. Rubal (Rrrrrrrrubal!) masters the energy and direction of his artistic-musical scenario with remarkable assurance. And it’s easy to see why he’s so quickly made friends in the Montreal artistic community : he’s brimming with charisma, but also sincerity. He recently performed in Nights of Havana at the Montreal Casino. There’s little doubt that the whole of Quebec and Canada will soon recognize him in the street. Excellent playing from the musicians in his ensemble, even in a reduced format compared to his usual offering. Aye aye aye!

Africa / afro-rock

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024| Jimmy Belah Trio: beautiful afro-folk, sometimes lacking panache

by Frédéric Cardin

Jimmy Belah is the leader of BIM (Bénin International Musical), a spectacular blend of Beninese traditions, pop, rock and hip hop, to be heard on July 19 on the Parterre stage in the Quartier des spectacles. Don’t miss it! But that’s not why I’m telling you about Jimmy here. This excellent multi-instrumentalist (guitar, drums, harmonica) and very good singer is also pursuing a career in a streamlined formation, the Jimmy Belah Trio. It was this avatar that we heard last night at Balattou Club. With his simple three-guitar proposal (Belah sometimes switches to drums, or adds a harmonica), the artist offers a seductive Afro-folk, generally soft and airy. Let’s say in a ratio of two-thirds of the performance divided into two sets. For perhaps a quarter, he lights the fuse a little with blues- and funk-tinged afro-rock, then for a few numbers sprinkled here and there, he sets the fire with heavy, well-launched rock. One piece, for my money, stood out from the rest: a generous expression of traditional music, vocals and percussion that’s it, which transported the audience into an authentic village celebration. We were spellbound. I would have taken more. There’s nothing to say about the musical quality: Belah’s voice is beautiful, well-balanced and pleasant. He plays acoustic guitar well, and drums even better. Yaovi Atcho on electric guitar and Babatoundé Boni Obinti on bass: convincing. That said, I would note a downside in terms of stage dynamics. The presentation often lacked conviction, as if he didn’t really want to be there. Jimmy’s relationship with the audience was bland and withdrawn. Several transitions seemed approximate and uncoordinated. At first, I thought I was attending the sound check. Too bad, because this is good, beautiful music. I dare to presume that BIM will have a completely different attitude on Friday.

Latino / latino / Salsa

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 – Athenea, A Woman of Many Roots

by Sandra Gasana

“I was born in Cuba, but I’m actually a quarter Ethiopian, a quarter Haitian, a quarter Chilean and a quarter Spanish,” she tells us in the middle of her show. Indeed, the Lady in Red from head to toe (I’m not exaggerating, even her hair was red) charmed us during her outdoor performance at the Festival Nuits d’Afrique.

Arriving with an array of musicians on stage, including her husband Ricardo on keyboards, the band’s musical director, and an excellent pianist, she blew us away from the moment she took to the stage. She is accompanied by a percussionist, a drummer, a saxophonist, two trumpeters and a guitarist. She decided to open with a cover of Gloria Estefan’s Mi Tierra, but followed this up with one of her own compositions. And it’s here that we discover her talents as a percussionist and dancer, as well as playing the maracas.

“The next one is a composition of mine, Amarga Gloria, and it’s about the contradiction that exists with immigration. We think all our problems will be solved, but we’re going to run into other problems here.”

She alternates between salsa and cumbia, and sometimes changes rhythm in the same song, which adds richness and depth to the track. She has a great stage presence, taking up space and revealing herself completely, interacting with her audience. And there’s no denying her talent for staging dramatic finales! But hey, you had to play the game!

She surprised us with her cover of Papaoutai, which she interpreted very well and allowed us to discover that she sings in French. My favorite was her Spanish rendition of the Jacksons’ Blame It On The Boogie, which I really enjoyed. She finished with a few classics from the salsa repertoire, before getting us all up and dancing, and allowing each of her musicians to do their solo.

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Africa / Reggae / West African traditional music

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique 2024 – Omar Mbaye: Take-off for Dakar!

by Sandra Gasana

“You’re ready to take off for Dakar!!!” These are the opening words of Omar Mbaye, who arrives on stage wearing white pants and a patterned African shirt. With his guitar, he is accompanied by two backing singers, including one called Amina, a keyboardist, a drummer, a bassist and a percussionist who acts as host at times. No sooner had he taken to the stage than he asked us to sing along.

The Loto Québec stage wasn’t very busy at the start of the show by the Senegalese newcomer to Montreal, but that wasn’t the case at the end. Although a little shy at the start of the concert, festival-goers loosened up as the show went on.

“This song is about protecting and educating children. I’m an ambassador for this cause,” he announces at the outset.

He puts his guitar aside for his second track, which he dedicates to all the mothers of the world. The song is gentle, and you can already hear the beginnings of a light Mbalax. He takes the opportunity to get us dancing, asking us to follow his steps.

It’s on the third track that he reveals his penchant for reggae and dancehall, which is sure to get the audience moving. The percussionist manages to set the mood, and uses a stick to tap his djembe, accentuating the sound and giving it a Senegalese feel.

The weather was perfect for the second day of the Nuits d’Afrique outdoor festival, and a few Senegalese could be seen cheering on their compatriot. A number of benches and chairs were available for some of the older festival-goers who wanted to enjoy the show without having to stand the whole time.

My favorite track is the one he sings with Amina, the backing singer, who sings her parts in English. Perhaps a translation of the lyrics by Omar Mbaye, who sings in Wolof? In any case, he chooses to end the show with a return to Mbalax, the musical style we talked about at length with Def Mama Def during my interview with them. By the end of the show, we had landed in Dakar, thanks to Omar Mbaye.

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Africa / Afrobeat / Haitian Vodou / Voodoo

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique – Afrovibes Opens the Ball

by Michel Labrecque

On this Tuesday afternoon, very hot but cloudy, the public space of the Nuits d’Afrique Festival was still in the making. The African village was finishing filling its displays, a Brazilian woman was giving dance lessons to a very small, but very attentive, audience.

On the Esplanade Tranquille, around a hundred people were seated, in the ambient humidity. It’s not easy to be the first group to launch the free music programming of the Festival Nuits d’Afrique.

This thankless task was that of Afrovibes, the voodoo-afrobeat ensemble from Montreal, led by percussionist Emmanuel Delly. Eight musicians, one singer, in front of a largely deserted audience, at the start. Ungrateful, I told you.

But it started to groove very quickly; the group is tightly woven. A trio of percussionists, facing a battery of three guitars, a keyboardist and a flawless bassist. And the singer who wraps it all up in a sensitive way. Everything was pretty tight.

I didn’t expect anything from this group. It was a cover assignment, in other words PANM360 asked me to go. I was pleasantly surprised. Not that Afrovibes is reinventing music, but he delivers a solid and super danceable performance. The three guitarists, one black, one white and one white, are hyper complementary between the solos and the riffs. The mix between Haitian and African influences is richly integrated, with a touch of America.

I enjoyed listening.

Little by little, people came to dance. An audience of all ages and colors, fascinating for a journalist to observe.

Afrovibes would have deserved a better niche. But someone has to start the festivities. The group will tour a lot in Quebec this summer. To monitor.

In closing, I ask a quick question: why is this type of group, from Quebec, so rarely present in the variety shows on our TV?

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