Tokoro

 
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The opening number is a tribute to Salif Keita, one of my favourite artists. It is based on the same rhythm pattern as Tékéré, hence it’s title. The them fully uses the African principle of various syncopations of the main melody versus the accompaniment. The horn section which curls itself around the theme reinforces this polyrhythm.

This very joyful tune has been composed in a period of personal loss, the passing away of my father. It evokes for me both his memory and the revenge of life over death.

Point E

 
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The Point E neighbourhood in Dakar is well-known for it’s excellent « maquis » : open-air restaurants without fuss where, among other things, marvellous local fish is being served : the thiofs.

This tune uses two variations of the mbalax, this special rhythm of the Lebous (from the Dakar area) which has been modernised with worldwide recognitions by the extraordinary contemporary artists of Sénégal.

Fourth

 
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This composition is based on chords with fourths intervals, hence it’s title. It is harmonically and melodically the most ambitious piece on the CD. It’s special sound comes from the use of the English horn, an instrument which is rarely used in this type of music.

Elements derived from the european classical music are very present here, among other things in the trio guitar-horn-piano which plays either in harmony or in contrapuntal form. The excellent drums by Bilou Donneux give a lift to the piece.

Tshala

 
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This is a tribute to another african artist whose nickname is the « queen of the mutuashi ». I even picked a few notes from one of her greatest hits. The mutuashi, this very peculiar rhythm from Kasai, is one of my favourites, among other things thanks to it’s flexibility.

From a musical point of view this tune is a series of variations on a simple major chord sequence C-F-G. Emmanuelle is adding a light touch of craziness through a very short jazz chorus on the oboe at the end of the piece.

Fuuta Blues

 
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The « Fuuta Tooro » is the semi-desertic region in the north of Senegal, along the Senegal river. It is the home of the Tukuleurs, a branch of the Fulani people. This track is based on the yella, one of their traditional rhythms and also uses the hoddu (also called xalam in wolof) that is a distant ancestor of the American banjo.

The general mood of this piece reminds me of the african-american blues hence this rather unsual title.

Divinaval

 
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The Brazilian influence is evident here and that is quite appropriate for a piece which is dedicated to my wife. It has a rather surprising origin since it begins with a rhythm that I was beating with my lighter on the dining room table one evening in front of the television. This rhythm can be heard in the “clac-clac” that is the guiding line of this tune.

After that, all was needed was to add a few chords and a latin jazz melody …

Christian Thirion has been incredibly patient when a line of congas had to be found that would suit both the « clac-clac » and the melody as this meant a totally unbalanced playing.

Bakonekwa

 
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I had started this composition a few years ago and finished it recently. My source of inspiration was a rhythm I thought was from lower Congo that I had heard at a gig. My Congolese friends from the equator then told me that it came from their region, hence this strange title.

Anyway this tune uses a lot of “jungle” elements such as the big drums, the pan-flute and the likembé. It’s greatest challenge was to compose a guitar part that would fit with the xylophone.

Le Griot

 
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There could only be this title for this long ballad. It evokes the western African tradition of the griots, these hereditary troubadours who sing praises to the powerfuls, or who sing about love, everyday life, etc.

The melody aims to imitate the vocal ornamentations of the singers ; the strings are supposed to depict the huge semi-desertic landscapes of the region. The second half of this tune takes the melody from a traditional mandingo song.

Samba de Um Outro Lado
(The Samba from Another Side)

 
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I had wished for a long time to put together the congolese soukous and the brazilian samba. This piece is the result of this attempt, which doesn’t seem to be totally satisfactory from the brazilian side as my wife says that my samba is in fact a “marchinha de carnival” … however it would make a title that would be far too long !

Anyway the purists will find a lot of things to complain about this track since the soukous part is also heavily revisited in the playing of the snare or the bass drum. Personally I think it all fits together, it is for you to judge !