| TITLES |
PRODUCTION
NOTES |
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The
opening track was written when I came back from Zaire
in June 1989. It is based on the mutuashi rhythm (from
the baluba tribe in Kasai). It’s conception is
a long impro/variation on a joyful/exuberant theme. It
is an illustration of my rather exalted state of mind
after my first African experience. |
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This
composition is based on a very unusual rhythm I discovered
during a mini-concert of drums and dances in Kinshasa.
This rhythm (in the impossible time signature of
4 ½ !), fascinated me so much that I decided to make
a piece out of it. I began it during the night in Kinshasa,
hence it’s first title ‘A Night in Kinshasa’.
Later the piece developed into something more jazzy
with sax and piano solos. This rhythm originates from
the mongo region (in the center of Congo) and I found
legitimate to add to the piece a mini-choir of pygmies
who live in that region.
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One
of the outstanding facts in music history is the Atlantic
crossing that was forced upon the African slaves. This
allowed African music to be exported to the American
continent and develop into many different styles..
This piece is a mix of central African and Brazilian
music in which I added a middle part reminiscent of the
European ECM jazz of the eighties.
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It
is rumoured that in the ex-French colonies of Africa,
newborn African babies were given the name of the saint
patron of the day in the official calendar of the republic.
Those born on the 14th of July were christened Fetnat
(for Fete Nationale).
This piece uses all the elements of the congolese sukus
but with modifications : it is not the standard Congolese
way of playing lead guitar, bass or snare. Maybe pseudo-sukus
will break out as a new style ?
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The
name ‘Land of the thousand hills’ applies
both to
Rwanda and Burundi but it is currently more used for
Rwanda. In my personal history it is however Burundi
and it’s
famous drum orchestras that I first heard and that inspired
this piece that was written in 1991. I kept the original
title despite the possible confusion.
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This composition is based on the rhythmic patterns of the
big drums with some extra marimbas and strings and a touch
of jazz during the sax solo.
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This
is the oldest piece on the CD. It was composed in a
very solitary period of my life in 1985. I later put
an African touch to it by adding drums and derbouka.
The
title is a private joke on my name when I fancied myself
as a hawk soaring in the sky above human agitation.
The hermit’s temptation in a way …
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I
started to be interested in the music from Rwanda in
1996, especially the women’s
dances whose graceful movements are in complete contrast
to men’s dances. The rhythm and the sounds of this
track are evocative of these dances with the bells that
are attached to the young girl’s ankles. However,
neither the melody is not from Rwanda nor the title that
reminds me of somebody I loved at that time. |
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Matonge
is the name of the african neighbourhood in Brussels,
that was named after a part of Kinshasa. This is a
tribute to the classic Congolese rumba in three parts
: theme 1, theme 2 and finally sebene.
The melody of the sax is an imitation of the very ornamented
lead vocal line of the Congolese singers.
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I also wanted to include
Senegal in this CD, a country I have visited a lot and
of which I am very fond.
The
first part of this piece is an arrangement on a traditional
senegalese tune (‘Cherie’) that
was made famous by Baaba Maal. The second part, which
is based on the mbalax, a senegalese rhythm takes it’s
name from one of the neighbourhoods of Dakar in which
the Thiossane, the famous night-club of Youssou N’Dour
is located.
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- @ 2005 Robert Falk