The Bristol Meets Africa Sound

Description

Limited Edition Black Vinyl - 200 Copies only. It's more than a special moment when you discover music you've never heard (of) before or ever knew existed. 1982 was a critical spark for the development of wider world musical styles, both in Bristol and the UK at large. The central event from that year was the first WOMAD festival, held in the unlikely surroundings of the agricultural themed Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet in Somerset. One common thread in Bristol to all of these discoveries was the Ekome Dance Company and most notably Artistic Director, Barrington 'Barry' Anderson. Barry had also recruited musicians from African countries such as Cameroon and Ghana, from Jamaica and others from the Bristol area. This kickstarted a process and practice in the West Country city where musicians brought over from African countries would collaborate with those from the locality. It is those activities - a sound clash and culture clash, producing material of real depth - that constitute the three different combinations, along with one connection originating in London, that make up material on the first The Bristol Meets Africa Music Sound album. Best known of the triumvirate from Africa was the former Bhundu Boys frontman, Biggie Tembo. The experiment that would yield the tracks that make up the long lost "House of Stone" album with sonic sculptors, Startled Insects, came about after both Tembo and the group had left their respective band and label situations and needed a new way forward creatively. The Africa Sound presents a trio of songs which are a snapshot from the album, also now available on Bristol Archive Records. Cameroonian expat Charlie Asaah Papa put together the Graffi Jazz band comprising of several stand-out local players. These included Marco Anderson on drums, Simon Preston on percussion, with Glaxo Babies members Dan Catsis and Graham Egan-Andrew on bass and guitar. Beverley Gage, one of the sisters of Grant Marshall from Massive Attack, shares vocal duties with Charlie as does another sister Jenny, who became Charlie's partner. The Ghanaian Ben Baddoo is another story that links into Ekome as he moved to Bristol from Gloucester to work with the troupe. It was from here he set up his first Alaha group. Under their Ben Baddoo International guise, the group recorded several songs at Emergency Plus studio in Bristol and Ben did a solo session at a new set-up at Bath University. Two of the results of those sessions, "Nyontseleniedzie" and "Yea Yoo", are featured here. Both are hypnotic, upbeat expressions of West African percussive rhythms with Ben's voice inter-weaving with Beverley Gage's distinctive tones set against choppy, probing guitar and keyboards. The London based Ivory Coasters were also regulars at WOMAD. In one instance they were the backing band for Prince Nico Mbarga at the first festival, as well as making an appearance in their own right. The Coasters had been a 'collision' between London based musicians and Africans based in the capital before paths crossed further west. All this music shows how artist's experiences can blend together to make an explosion of magic. Prepare to be spellbound. Tracklisting>. SIDE 1: 1. Biggie Tembo & Startled Insects - Rudo 2. Charlie Asaah Papa & Graffi Jazz - Home 3. Ben Baddoo International- Nyontselensiedze 4. Biggie Tembo & Startled Insects - Patrice Lumumba SIDE 2: 1. Charlie Asaah Papa & Graffi Jazz -Time 2. Ben Baddoo International - Yea Yoo 3. Ivory Coasters - Mungaka Makossa 4. Biggie Tembo & Startled Insects - The Curse Of Columbus