Biografie

Afia Mala

Afiwavi Mawulana Missohou, Afia Mala, La Princesse des rives du Mono. Afiwavi Mawulana Missohou, Afia Mala, est une authentique Princesse des rives du Mono. Elle est née de l’union de deux familles royales : de Vogan au Togo où est née sa mère et de Dogbo au Bénin d’où vient son père. Elle découvre la chanson et la composition aux côtés de sa mère, à Vogan. Élève brillante, elle est aussi celle dont la voix sublime suscite des applaudissements lors des fêtes scolaires. Certains n'hésitent pas à la comparer à Bella Below, la blueswoman togolaise (décédée à l'âge de 27 ans), inspiratrice de toute une génération de chanteuses africaines. Afia aime aussi interpréter Myriam Makeba, Edith Piaf et d’autres stars intemporelles. La voie est toute tracée pour la princesse des rives, malgré les ambitions de son père qui rêvait pour elle d’une carrière d’avocate. La carrière d’Afia Mala commence véritablement en 1974. Cette année-là, elle chante devant 4500 spectateurs au Palais des Congrès de Lomé, la décision est prise, elle sera chanteuse. Les albums et les concerts s’enchaînent alors :1979 - DJALELE - Editions Lassatel au Bénin. 1981 - LONLON VEVIE - produit à Paris par Malpani - Direction artistique : feu Jimmy Yacinthe,.1987 - ES LA MANANA - produit par Afia, arrangé par Bonkana Maïga, enregistré à Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). 1989 - DESIR, réalisé par Manu Lima (distribution Sonodisc) 1995 - PROPHETIE, réalisé par Maïka Munan (distribution Blue Sylver) 1997 - ANGELINA, réalisé par Yves Njock (distribution Déclic / BMG) 2003 - PLAISIR, réalisé par Yves Njock (distribution Milan/Universal), PLAISIR est un album résolument latino. Chanté en différentes langues, c’est un véritable mélange de cultures. On y retrouve Lokua Kanza en duo avec Afia, sur le morceau « Matesso ».Afia Mala, auteur, compositeur, interprète, est depuis 1987, productrice de ses albums..

Biografie

Nyanyo Addo

Nyanyo Addo

The drummer as a boy It was in the smull Ga - community labadi in thegreater Accra Terion in Ghana, Westafrica, that Nyanyo Addo was born into a family, where music and dance is naturally integratet into daily life. Traditionally the plays an important role in the healing ceremonies of the Ga - people: The calling of the drum in the main reason why people fall in trance. Raised by his grandfather - a well respected Won or priest- Addo learned to play the drum at an early age. In Ghanaean culture the Won in involved with his people in a very direct fashion: He is not only a spiritual and religious leader; but often acts as a doctor,lawyer and community leader, prescribing herbal medecines and settling land disputes. The implies a great responsibility which was given to Nyanyo Addo from his grandfather. But drumming is also part of the daily life in Ghana, messages were transmitted over long distances with the help of big drums and they still accompany weddings and funnerals. Festival are unimaginable without drumming and dancing. The art of drumming and drum-making has been developed to a high level. The position of the drummer is corresponding to the importance and variety of drums: The drummer is a well respected persone who knows about history and culture. He gives inspiration to the people as well as to chiefs and kings. From early childhood on, Addo has learned to play the traditional drums of the Ga - people; for exemple the big standing drum Oblente, but also the Atumpani, the Gome- drum and the smull talking drum Odono: With one arm the pressure is varied to change the pitch of the drum, while the other hand uses a stick to beat it. The slightly bigger Blekete is a bass drum with one membrane at each side. The Ballaphone, a westafrica type of xylophone, is another instrument which Addo has learned to play with great ambition. Accompanying Fela Kuti, Mabaruka and Mustapha Tettey Addy on their tours throughout Westafica, Addo has become an accomplished drummer. In 1986 he was invited by the german Institute for company musical studies' as a member of Aja Addy's band Tsuinanaa, they also toured exetensively across Europe until they played at the OLympic Games in Barcelona in 1992. Since the emergence of big techno and house raves in the beginning of the 90's, Nyanyo Addo's musical skills have also been used in a very different context: Together wiht the well-known house-DJ Ted Bowes he has developped a new style of live-jamming together with the electronical rhythms of the DJ. Addo symbolizes a new generation of drummers not only integrating their deep roots from a home far away, but also challenge the possibilities of modern technology. The drummer as a trance-former He's in trance now: the first solo recording by Nyanyo Addo feature music of the Tigari - festival which is held annually in Addo's home village. The Won comes to Labadi, where up to eight drummers take part in this special trance ceremony: A woman sings a welcome song and tells a story or parable of the Won religion. This is followed by a whirring sound as the drums begin to vibrate from the action of the drummers hands pounding on the drum. While the sound of the drums isn't very loud, the effect on the mind is very powerful. An important aspect of trance music is the ability of the rhythm to talk to the dancers, to initiate movements of dance. One dance is performed by a man and a woman, they dance in a ceremonial garment. The robes are wide and flowing to allow the garments to expand while they are spinning in circles. Another dance features a man dressed as a fisheman, wearing a large coconut leaf hat and carrying an oar while the woman is styled with sttuffing to enhance the bodies' natural curves: The particular rhythm they chance to calls the animals and affects their behaviour. Different animals react to different drums: The bamboo flute calls the birds and the snakes, and the Oblenten forces the smuller animals to come out and jump and play. When in trance,the dancers speak special languages because different spirits speak throught these people. These spirits transmit their strength and healing powers onto the people seeking help or cure for their problems and diseases. For instance, an ill man gets into trance. He lies down and places a stone on his stomach. A large stick is pounded on the stone by other participants. After the ceremony the man get up and has recovered. Asafojo is one of the rhythms which are used during these trance ceremonies. Other rhythms Addo uses here have a more secular background. Some of these rhythms are played in a family context, for meditations or parties. Addo draws his compositions from a rich tradition of rhythms he learned when he was a boy, they live and grow with him wherever his path will lead him to.