PANM360 at Nuits d’Afrique | Alberto Salgado Turns Balattou Into a Percussive Laboratory

by Michel Labrecque

The Brazilian songwriter told me in an interview: “I make MPB, Brazilian percussive music,” making a play on words with the real meaning of MPB (Brazilian popular music). We were able to see, Thursday evening at Balattou, that he was speaking the truth.

The guitarist and singer from Brasilia offered us a two-part concert, largely consisting of pieces from his records Além do Quintal and Cabaça de Agua, as well as the upcoming album Tutorial de Ebo. The temperature quickly rose in the club dedicated to world music.

Alberto Salgado is surrounded by a small musical group: Marcelo Marinho on cavaquinho, Valerio Xavier on pandeiro (small drum) and other various percussions, and an occasional triangle player (yes!). This contrasts with the multitude of instruments, including electronic, that we hear on these studio recordings. On the other hand, the guides are overflowing with communicative energy. Enough to supply Place Ville-Marie with electricity!

Marcelo Marinho is the John McLaughlin of cavaquinho, this tiny guitar with high notes. He multiplies his solo flights, dropping notes by tens per second. It is he who provides the melodic foundation of the group, with the voice and guitar of Alberto Salgado.

Salgado’s guitar is very percussive, which brings us back to this idea of music very focused on rhythm. There are forró, samba, Afro-Brazilian rhythms, often very subtle. It is an essential force in Brazilian music, beyond Bossa Nova and the forms better known here. This is what made Balattou transform into a percussive laboratory. In addition to the musicians, the entire audience was stamping their feet or tapping on the table or their thighs. Those who weren’t tapping got up to dance.

Alberto Salgado and his musicians speak very limited English, which has deprived them of sharing with us their worlds beyond music. But that did not prevent the public from feeling communion and the desire to share.

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Africa / West African traditional music

PAN M 360 at Nuits d’Afrique | Guinea in Circus!

by Alain Brunet

The first “big” show of the Nuits d’Afrique 2024, Afrique en Cirque unfolded on Wednesday at Montreal’s Olympia to a full house. There was a big appetite for this Afro-Quebec circus, this time centered on Guinean culture, typical of West Africa.

“I’ve worked for just about every circus in Quebec on the international scene, and I felt there was something missing: African acrobatics. So I wanted to put on a show about my native Guinea,” explains Yamoussa Bangoura, founder of the troupe. A multi-instrumentalist and acrobat, the leader of Kalabanté has delved into the traditional legacy of Guinea, his homeland, to create a series of musical-circus tableaux, spanning some 90 minutes.

Dynamic, impressive, thrilling, entertaining, humorous, festive, martial, athletic, virtuoso. These are just some of the epithets to describe these acrobatic and choreographic maneuvers of high acrobatics. Four men and two women, some of them amazing contortionists, adapt circus arts to African traditions. They reproduce everyday, traditional practices such as fishing, the market and village feasts, not to mention a few nods to Western life, such as this hilarious number by muscular males à la Village People.

Three musicians accompany them (bass, drums, saxophone, effects pedals, etc.), not to mention the ringmaster, who is in fact the main musician (kora, djembé singing and other percussion instruments) as well as being an acrobat and Kalabanté’s artistic director. Based in Montreal for over two decades, Yamoussa Bangoura is well acquainted with some of the world’s most innovative circus practices, far beyond Cirque du Soleil. A seasoned percussionist, he has instilled the practice of percussion in his fellow acrobats, who regularly contribute to pounding large drums whose horizontals are somewhat reminiscent of Japanese kodo.

The musical direction is hybrid, between traditional Mandingo music and modern Western music (funk, a touch of jazz, etc.). Not rocket science if you know these styles, but solidly executed. The most lasting memory of this evening is that the rich culture of West Africa has legitimately appropriated the universal circus.

Brazilian / Reggae

Nuits d’Afrique 2024 – Kirá Was On Fire At Balattou

by Sandra Gasana

Accompanied by his drummer, percussionist, bassist and guitarist, Kirá kicked off the 38th edition of the Festival Nuits d’Afrique with his guitar. A packed house awaited Manu Chao’s son at Club Balattou last night, his first visit in the city. “Are there any Brazilians in the room?” he asks.

“I’m happy to share this with you,” he says in English. Unlike many concerts given by Brazilian artists, this one had a diverse, multi-generational audience. He alternates between his two latest albums, Semente de Peixe and Olho Açude, one more introspective and the other outward-looking.

The audience started dancing very early in the concert, and the longer the show went on, the harder it was to stay seated. The backing vocals were provided by the percussionist and guitarist, while the bassist kept a low profile. Sometimes, in the same song, we had a complete change of rhythm, sometimes mixing reggae with baião or maracatu. We were treated to some breathtaking guitar solos before listening to the track Mar Mangão. “Here, we go to the sea, to the east coast of Brazil,” he explains before the track.

It’s during the 2nd half of the show that he reveals his stage presence, particularly when he puts aside his guitar to dance. The Balattou stage was clearly too small for Kirá’s dancing.
“We exist thanks to you, so thank you for making us exist, for making us play, for singing, for being alive with us,” he confided between songs.
There was a good sense of synergy between the musicians, and Kirá often interacted with them during the show.

“We’re going straight to Bahia,” he says in Portuguese, before leaving his guitar aside and going wild on stage. He gets the audience jumping, doing dance moves, asking them to get down on the floor and jump up again, which they do with great pleasure. He thanks the crowd in French, Spanish and Portuguese, switching languages from song to song. He takes time to thank all the musicians, the sound technician and the Nuits d’Afrique festival, to the applause of the audience.
“This is the last song, we need your maximum energy,” he asks before playing his latest hit Bota Pra Rodar. “This song is crazy in Brazil,” he tells us, before continuing with a couple of more rocking numbers. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in Montreal very soon, and this time in a larger stage where he can move more freely.

Photo Credit: Nuits d’Afrique

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Afrobeat / Soul/R&B

Festival International Nuits d’Afrique : Joyce N’Sana

by Rédaction PAN M 360

« On est sous le parapluie de l’Afrobeat, avec des touches de Soul et de R&B, parce que c’est ce que la voix de Joyce N’Sana porte. Il faut se déplacer pour aller la voir » (Radio-Canada, 2022). La Révélation Radio-Canada, qui a un nouvel album en préparation pour 2024, exorcise les heures sombres qu’elle a vécues dans son pays d’origine lors de la guerre civile en délivrant de sa voix puissante aux inflexions soul un message de paix et d’harmonie. Bête de scène, l’autrice, compositrice et interprète conjugue Reggae, Gospel, Hip-hop, Jazz et Afroblues en ce qu’elle nomme son Afrobluehop, un cocktail explosif bien ancré dans la tradition musicale du Congo.

“We’re under the umbrella of Afrobeat, with touches of Soul and R&B, because that’s what Joyce N’Sana’s voice is all about. You have to go out of your way to see her” (Radio-Canada, 2022). The Radio-Canada Revelation, who has a new album in the works for 2024, exorcises the dark hours she lived through in her homeland during the civil war, delivering a message of peace and harmony with her powerful, soul-inflected voice. The singer-songwriter combines Reggae, Gospel, Hip-hop, Jazz and Afroblues in what she calls her Afrobluehop, an explosive cocktail firmly rooted in the musical tradition of the Congo.

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Jazz / Rock / Salsa

Festival International Nuits d’Afrique : Team Salsa Sextet

by Jacob Langlois-Pelletier

« La Salsa n’est pas un rythme. C’est un concept » (Willie Colón, pionnier du New York Sound dans les années 70). Cette musique de la rue, née dans la Grosse Pomme, est une musique d’immigrés. Une musique entrelaçant différents rythmes, propulsée par la diaspora latine, particulièrement cubaine et portoricaine, dans une tentative éperdue de se forger une identité propre, sur fond de revendications sociales. Aussi inspirée par la liberté d’improvisation du Jazz et du Rock, la Salsa met en valeur les rythmes afro-descendants qui ont pollinisé les folklores caribéens dès le 16e siècle. Elle défie tous les codes. C’est cette fureur de vivre, d’exister, de danser, que cultive Team Salsa Sextet à la ferveur des percussions et à la puissance des cuivres.

“Salsa is not a rhythm. It’s a concept” (Willie Colón, pioneer of the New York Sound in the 70s). This street music, born in the Big Apple, is the music of immigrants. A music that interweaves different rhythms, propelled by the Latin diaspora, particularly Cuban and Puerto Rican, in a frantic attempt to forge its own identity, against a backdrop of social demands. Also inspired by the improvisational freedom of Jazz and Rock, Salsa highlights the Afro-descendant rhythms that have pollinated Caribbean folklore since the 16th century. It defies all codes. Team Salsa Sextet cultivates this fury for living, for existing, for dancing, with the fervor of percussion and the power of brass.

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Cumbia / latino / Salsa

Festival International Nuits d’Afrique : Boogát

by Jacob Langlois-Pelletier

« Boogát est un des porte-étendards les plus prolifiques de la musique latine au Québec » (La Presse, 2024). Poirier, Marie-Mai, Karim Ouellet, Grégory Charles, les 7 Doigts, Alfa Rococo, Radio Radio et bien d’autres : Boogát est de toutes les collaborations. Alors le voir en tête d’affiche, avec son nouvel opus Del Horizonte, ça fait plaisir ! Juste équilibre entre les Cumbia, Salsa, Reggaeton, des scandés Hip-hop et des sons digitaux, la musique de ce lauréat d’un prix Juno, qui traite autant d’identité que d’amour en espagnol (surtout), en anglais et en français, est diablement efficace, dansante et joyeusement insoumise.

“Boogát is one of the most prolific standard-bearers of Latin music in Quebec” (La Presse, 2024). Poirier, Marie-Mai, Karim Ouellet, Grégory Charles, les 7 Doigts, Alfa Rococo, Radio Radio and many others: Boogát is part of every collaboration. So it’s great to see him headlining with his new opus Del Horizonte! Striking the right balance between Cumbia, Salsa, Reggaeton, hip-hop rhythms and digital sounds, the music of this Juno award-winner, which deals as much with identity as love in Spanish (mostly), English and French, is devilishly effective, danceable and joyfully rebellious.

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Afrobeat / Soukouss

Festival International Nuits d’Afrique : Sia Tolno

by Jacob Langlois-Pelletier

Révélation RFI en 2011, Sia Tolno est de celles qui sortent des sentiers battus, qui personnifient la force et la résilience des femmes africaines. Elle est de celles qui ouvrent des portes, déconstruisent les préjugés. Soutenue par Tony Allen, l’acolyte de Fela Kuti, cette survivante de la guerre en Sierra Léone, pays où elle a grandi, s’est taillé une place de choix dans le milieu très masculin de l’Afrobeat. Toujours à l’affût de nouveaux défis, en quête d’intensité et de nouveaux groove, cette voix puissante que l’on compare à Angélique Kidjo et Miriam Makeba, se démarque également par sa participation au collectif Afro Dead, qui réinvente à grand renfort d’Afrobeat, de Soukous et de Highlife les morceaux de l’éclectique Grateful Dead. Son dernier EP, Baya (2023) fait la part belle aux rythmes mandingues et Afro-blues.

RFI Revelation in 2011, Sia Tolno is one of those who think outside the box, who personify the strength and resilience of African women. She’s one of those who opens doors and deconstructs prejudice. Supported by Tony Allen, Fela Kuti’s acolyte, this survivor of the war in Sierra Leone, the country where she grew up, has carved out a place for herself in the male-dominated world of Afrobeat. Always on the lookout for new challenges, in search of intensity and new grooves, this powerful voice, which has been compared to Angélique Kidjo and Miriam Makeba, also stands out for its participation in the Afro Dead collective, which reinvents the tracks of the eclectic Grateful Dead with Afrobeat, Soukous and Highlife. His latest EP, Baya (2023), features Mandinka and Afro-blues rhythms.

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Bossa Nova / Flamenco

Festival International Nuits d’Afrique : Aboulaye Koné

by Jacob Langlois-Pelletier

Avoir des racines profondes permet d’explorer d’autres horizons sans se perdre. Zal Sissokho l’a bien compris, lui qui, de la Bossa nova au Flamenco, en passant par la Folk québécoise, multiplie les amitiés musicales sans jamais perdre son identité. Au contraire. La source, son 6e album, sorti l’automne dernier sous étiquette Disques Nuits d’Afrique, témoigne de la profondeur de l’attachement du griot à ses origines mandingues. Avec toute l’agilité, l’authenticité et l’humilité qu’on lui connaît, ce passeur d’histoires met de l’avant l’essence de la kora dans une approche « plutôt moderne » jumelant « basse sautillante aux » (La Presse, 2023).

Having deep roots allows you to explore other horizons without losing yourself. Zal Sissokho understands this well, and from Bossa nova to Flamenco, via Quebecois Folk, he multiplies musical friendships without ever losing his identity. Quite the contrary, in fact. La source, his 6th album, released last autumn on the Disques Nuits d’Afrique label, bears witness to the depth of the griot’s attachment to his Mandingo origins. With all the agility, authenticity and humility he’s known for, this storyteller brings the essence of the kora to the fore in a “rather modern” approach that combines “bouncy bass with” (La Presse, 2023).

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Brazilian / Samba

The Gilsons have won the hearts of Montrealers

by Sandra Gasana

Before the Gilsons trio, who are famous in Brazil, take the stage, their percussionist Ricardo Guerra and trumpeter Osiel Junior first settle in before welcoming José, João and Francisco Gil, to the applause of a mostly Brazilian audience. All dressed in blue and white for the occasion, the three descendants of Gilberto Gil have an undeniable complicity on stage, which makes for a pleasant atmosphere from the outset.

They start the show with Pra gente acordar, featured on the album of the same name, released in 2022. At center stage, Francisco sings most of the songs, with José and João, sometimes on backing vocals, sometimes just on guitar and/or bass. It’s fascinating to see them swapping guitars throughout the show, a veritable musical chair, but with guitars. They continue with Algum ritmo, a collaboration with Jovem Dionisio.

In fact, they’re not all sons of Gilberto Gil, as I thought, but only José is the son, while João and Francisco are grandsons of the great Brazilian icon. “We’re happy to be here, for the first time in Canada,” José shares, before continuing with Vento Alecrim, from the 2018 album Varias Queixas. This opus fuses several styles such as samba, rap, funk, afoxé mixed with electronics.

For the track Vem de là, José takes the lead this time and the other two sing backing vocals, while encouraging the audience to sing along to Devagarinho, on which they collaborated with Mariana Volker. The three artists’ complicity is palpable throughout the concert. They teased each other, sometimes laughing in each other’s ears, and cracking jokes at every turn.

Another track the crowd seemed to enjoy was India, a collaboration with Julia Mestre. It’s João’s turn to repeat several times that they’re happy to be in Canada, that they never imagined their music would have brought them here, followed by a round of applause.

When they play the first notes of Swing de Campo Grande, the crowd starts screaming and bobbing to the beat. The same goes for Love, Love, on which they get the audience singing lalalala over a trumpet that’s delicious to the ear.

They alternate between the two albums, with A voz, or Proposta, which features some jaw-dropping solos by João. They couldn’t close the show without singing Varias queixas, the hit that put this trio on the map, as they say.

The encore came very quickly, with the audience shouting “Eu não vou embora” or “I am not going away” from the foot-tapping crowd, shaking the floor of the National. So they return to share Um so, Duas cidades and Voltar na Bahia, incorporating José’s cavaquinho, who also has fun on percussion at times, leaving the other two to dialogue with their guitar. They go on to cover a few samba classics, such as Dona Ivone Lara’s Alguém me aviso, much to the delight of the audience, who seem to appreciate the long encore. My personal favorite is João, whose voice most closely resembles that of Gilberto Gil, and who seems to be the trio’s rebel. And we all love a rebel, don’t we?

The opening act was Toronto-based Brazilian singer JØY Brandt, who shared several of her original compositions with the audience, such as her most recent track Vem. She also delighted the audience with a cover of the Edson Gomes classic Árvore, which she revisited with her own touch. She was accompanied for the occasion by musicians all originally from Bahia: percussionist and drummer The Real WheresBaiano, Bernardo on guitar and Luciano Vila Nova on bass. Of course, none of this would have been possible without Showzaço, and in particular Ulysses de Paula, who has been bringing high-calibre artists to Montreal for several years now. Between Emicida, Zeca Pagodinho, Nando Reis and soon Jorge Aragão in August, he no longer needs to prove himself. This visionary has become a key player in the Brazilian art scene in Canada.

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Funk / latino / Reggae / Soul

Festival International Nuits d’Afrique : Rumba de Bodas

by Jacob Langlois-Pelletier

À l’image des rues de sa ville d’origine, Bologne, Rumba de Bodas dégage une énergie galvanisante, empreinte de légèreté et d’ouverture sur le monde. Depuis 2008, ce groupe bohème épris de fête et de rassemblements éclatants répand la joie là où il s’arrête, disséminant son optimisme à tout vent. Kaléidoscope de rythmes Funk, Soul, Latins, Ska, Swing Reggae et Afrobeat qui s’entremêlent, la musique de Rumba de Bodas, soutenue par des cuivres omniprésents, propose d’infinies combinaisons sonores plus groovy les unes que les autres. Le collectif s’amène à Montréal avec son dernier album, Yen Ko (2023).

Like the streets of its home town, Bologna, Rumba de Bodas exudes a galvanizing energy, light-hearted and open to the world. Since 2008, this bohemian band has been spreading joy wherever they go, spreading their optimism far and wide. A kaleidoscope of intermingling Funk, Soul, Latin, Ska, Swing Reggae and Afrobeat rhythms, Rumba de Bodas’ music, backed by omnipresent brass, offers infinite combinations of sounds, each more groovy than the last. The collective comes to Montreal with its latest album, Yen Ko (2023).

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Modern Jazz

PAN M 360 at FIJM 2024 | George Coleman at Upstairs, the bet of an almost nonagenarian

by Alain Brunet

As long as we can’t testify to it, a concert by an octogenarian, or even a near-nonagenarian, is far from a guaranteed success. It may even be worse than Joe Biden’s most recent performance… Sometimes an old person can’t offer much except his own legend, so it’s best to stay at home. Fortunately, this was not the case for George Coleman, 89 years old and unstoppable! And not a single grey hair, we noted. We are well and truly at the dawn of trans-humanity!

Joking aside, this now mythical tenorman, a guest at Upstairs for two consecutive nights this week, was remarkably verbose, sitting comfortably in front of his tenor. On Thursday night, his small ensemble consisted of drummer Darrell Green and bassist Ira Coleman – no relation to his employer, and camping equipment is excluded from his circle of acquaintances.

Added to this core group is an ivory-haired guest, a Montrealer by adoption since he teaches at the university level: French pianist Jean-Michel Pilc accepts many challenges, including that of accompanying George Coleman, visibly pleased with this virtuoso contribution to his own Montreal stopover. It’s understandable. Pilc has an admirable command of the repertoire on offer here.

And what is this repertoire? Bebop and hardbop themes and harmonic progressions, polyrhythmic swing never far from the blues, and why not Some Day My Prince Will Come or even The Girl from Ipanema at the end of the set?

Roughly speaking, as we leave this generous and very sympathetic set, George Coleman’s phrases certainly don’t have the tone of his heyday (50s and 60s), but that doesn’t mean they deflate during performance. The old wizard’s sax sounds are less robust and agile, but rich, round, beautiful and wise.

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Dancehall / Reggae

Festival International Nuits d’Afrique : Takana Zion

by Rédaction PAN M 360

«Un savant mélange d’Afro, de R&B et de Dancehall teinté de Blues et parfois même de Salsa et de Flamenco. Le tout au service de l’Afrique, de la Guinée et empreint d’un message spirituel, de paix et d’unité» (Reggae.fr, 2023). Depuis plus de 15 ans, Takana Zion est une figure connue du circuit Reggae international. Cet adepte du singjay, dont la voix puissante est aussi à l’aise en français, qu’en anglais, soussou, poular et malinké, a notamment collaboré avec Capleton, Manjul, Sizzla ou Tiken Jah Fakoly. Après s’être exercé au Rap et au Dancehall, avant de se consacrer au Reggae roots, aujourd’hui, le lauréat d’une Victoire du Reggae se réinvente, avec son projet Banjo Kafaan (2023), qui rend hommage à ses ancêtres.

“A skilful blend of Afro, R&B and Dancehall tinged with Blues and sometimes even Salsa and Flamenco. All in the service of Africa and Guinea, and imbued with a spiritual message of peace and unity” (Reggae.fr, 2023). Takana Zion has been a well-known figure on the international Reggae circuit for over 15 years. This adept of singjay, whose powerful voice is equally at home in French, English, Soussou, Poular and Malinke, has collaborated with the likes of Capleton, Manjul, Sizzla and Tiken Jah Fakoly. After practicing Rap and Dancehall, before devoting himself to roots Reggae, today the Victoire du Reggae winner reinvents himself, with his project Banjo Kafaan (2023), which pays tribute to his ancestors.

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Ce contenu provient des Productions Nuits d’Afrique et est adapté par PAN M 360.