IssuE #1 SEPTEMBER '17
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Gogol Bordello
Gypsy Punk
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Dear Rhythm Passport holder. . Rhythm Passport Magazine FREE | #1 | September 2017 Founder: Kia Coates Editor-in-Chief: Marco Canepari Advertising & Sales Director: Teto Parvanov Operation Manager: April Coffey Art Direction Swifty | swifty.co.uk Graphic Designers: Pete ‘Piwi’ White Sub-Editor: Lee J. Moran Contributors & Writers: Adolf Alzuphar Jane Cocklin Paola Laforgia Seb Pitman Stefania Vulpi Wayne Wright Photographers: Tato Fonseca Cover Photographer: Daniel Efram Rhythm Passport is also: Eve Doherty Tashan Campbell Emilio Casco Centeno Almira Farid Dan King Emma Marshall Francesco Mastroviti Danilo Moroni Griselda Sanderson Oscar Tornincasa Katy Watson
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Don’t raise your eyebrows if we call you that, because the fact that you have in your hands a copy of the very first edition of Rhythm Passport Magazine makes you a privileged music traveller. You won’t be able to pass through customs or border controls with it, but you’ll have what it takes to know what’s happening in the world music scene; what’s on and what’s hot in london. Discover a wealth of new sounds and simply enjoy what the music world has to offer.
Interview: p. 4,6& GOGOL BODELLO 7 9 & 8 . p : Gallery 1
Event Previews: p. 11, 13 & 14 Gallery 2 : p. 16 & 17 POSTER: p. 18 & 19
Album of the Month: p.2 1
Album Rev p. 2 3 & 2 4iews:
Event Interview: p 26,27,28 Reviews: Bomba Estéreo p. 25 COMPETITION: p. 33 Event List31in&g32s: , 30 p. 29, Your Ticke
t To. . P. 34 We at rhythmpassport.com have made the big step and gone fully print
ed. We will keep you company all around London and beyond. Look for us outside tube and train stations, cultural centres, music venues, shops, universities and Cafes. We care about music and we will bring the world to your speakers.
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INTERVIEW
EGougolgBoerdnelloe
Gogol Bordello’s “mad scientist psychedelic laboratory” is open for business as usual: Testing, experimenting and playing around with Gypsy punk, Eastern European sounds and notes since 1999. Almost twenty years after their debut, the band from New York City is ready to release its tenth album entitled Seekers and Finders and tour the world, reaching London on the 14th of December. We reached Eugene Hütz to have a chat about Gogol Bordello’s past and present, the new album and what London can expect from the band’s upcoming gig. “Gogol Bordello is like a snowball. It was never premeditated, I was just gathering very strong individuals to share in the project. There’s always been one criteria that united us all; an obsession with Eastern European Gypsy music. That was kind of our starting ground. We are from very different parts of the world; South America, Europe, the States, but we all brought our focus to New York City through this obsession with Gypsy music and invented the playground that became known as Gypsy Punk. Calling it that was a bit of an oxymoron, because you have to be quite skilled to play Gypsy music, which is essentially a music of virtuosos. I’m certainly a
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virtuoso, but I was lucky to get virtuosos in my band. I kind of ‘abducted’ several people who really belong to symphonic orchestras rather than punk bands, but somehow they replied to this bizarre idea. So, it was really a snowball of characters getting together much like the way Jim Jarmusch made his early films, where it was really about artists like Tom Waits, Jim Larry and Roberto Benigni getting together and everything developed from there”. Also Gogol Bordello’s music developed from that gathering of free-spirited and gifted musicians and is developing, shifting and turning into some else every single day interpreting and reinterpreting what’s going on around. “Our sound is changing every week, or even every day. Otherwise what’s the point? My idea is that music essentially comes from the other side and musicians are mediators. They’re like translators, and Gogol Bordello is this kind of gigantic information processing society. It’s like a superconducting supercollider of everything that goes on”.
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Folk sounds best at Cecil Sharp House Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, London, NW1 7AY
September–October
Music Highlights
London Folk Festival
Kings of the South Seas present ‘Franklin’
Saturday 2 September, 11am
Wednesday 4 October, 7.30pm
Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle
Tunes of the Munster Pipers
Thursday 21 September, 7.30pm
Thursday 5 October, 7.30pm
Jim Causley
Germa Adan
Martin & Eliza Carthy with support from The Drystones
Young Waters
Wednesday 27 September, 7.30pm
Saturday 30 September, 7.30pm
Wednesday 11 October, 7.30pm
Wednesday 18 October, 7.30pm
Happy Traum: Coming of Age in the Greenwich Folk Revival Thursday 19 October, 7.30pm
Laura Smyth & Ted Kemp
Wednesday 25 October, 7.30pm
cecilsharphouse.org
020 7485 2206
info@efdss.org
Photo credits: Orit Pinini
Seekers and Finders, Gogol Bordello’s forthcoming studio album, alludes to two concepts that have been distorted by the contemporary world. “I love the notion of seeking, as I’ve done in my life and with my band. I love even more; the notion of ‘finding’ as allusive as it is, however, the title kind of points to the fact that both seeking and finding are obsolete today, because it’s really more about persevering. The seeking doesn’t guarantee any finding and even when finding happens, most people don’t realise, because they try to get back to seeking as soon as possible. So in a way, it’s a description of the endless loop of the human condition which is something that I’ve always been interested in. I feel that writing and performing come closest to it. You’re literally able to teleport yourself into another way of being, and that feeling lingers for quite a while. All the songs on the album follow this function. You could say that some songs are more pronounced and can easier catapult you to higher human potential, but all follow the same aim”. Going a little bit deeper and investigating the inspiration of the album, Eugene revealed to us; the album’s essential driving force.
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“I directly produced the album, so I played with the songs for an enormous amount of time. Some of them are first takes like ‘Clairvoyance’, while others were sculpted for a very long period. But Clairvoyance, for example, has a delicate arrangement that includes the vibraphone and it really speaks to the other side, catapulting you into your higher self, which is love telepathy. Love telepathy is actually the hidden theme in the album; seeking a place within where you can still access love and joy through being the main source of them. I don’t think people ever cracked that idea. They said that Buddha cracked it, but I don’t think that anyone after him did. So, I don’t believe in this sort of detachment that can get you higher because I’m still trying to locate that thing within, where telepathic love thrives naturally. That’s the central concept of our performances; to hold the field of presence, while demolishing any sort of post and future psychology”. Next to the intangible inspiration, Gogol Bordello’s music is also influenced by artists in flesh, blood, movie production and musical instruments. “I’m a huge fan of Jim Jarmusch and his latest film titled The Limits of Control, which came out three or four years ago.
That’s a very interesting haiku mystery: a conspiracy of artists and scientists. They conspire to do good and access imagination in the best possible way. Then, we also went all together to see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds in New York just before our last European Tour. They’ve been together for 20 years, we’re still like ‘wow!’ It’s great to see all the kids getting into their music now because there’s quite a hypnotic fire in their performance. I’m also listening to some early jazz. That kind of jazz that was very spiritual, when people were still falling in love with music. There were these kids running along the banks of the Mississippi, following the hypnotic sound of trumpets on the boats. That sound hypnotised everyone living on the shores and those kids got enchanted and ran as fast as they could after the boats until they dropped exhausted. Finally, I’ve also been digging some of new Sivert Høyem stuff, who’s a Norwegian singer”. With the release of a new album and the début of a world tour just round the corner, do you even need plans for the future? “There’s never any need to make plans. First of all, I learnt a long time ago that the more you got tied up in any kind of plan the more you come to nothing. I kind of prefer to stay liquid, holding the field of now”. Also because the ‘liquid state’ is what allows Gogol Bordello to perform mindblowing and unique live shows. “Our stage is like an endless performing ground, constantly shape-shifting. At the moment we have four sidekick performers. Even though I essentially drive the show with my monologues, there’s always a way that allows everyone to shine, and it still creates that communal bubble that kind of cracks everyone’s skulls wide open and lets that
Dionysian experience rule. At the moment, we’re kind of in the spirit of musical wine making, stomping the grapes with blood bursting out of the wine barrel. There’s always some kind of ritualistic part of what we do. Right now, it’s a particularly fertile time for Gogol Bordello because we have such a liquid line-up that allows us to enjoy unique and quite special performances”. ...and a “literally unique and quite special performance” is also what London’s fans of Gogol Bordello are looking forward to, in their December show at the O2 Academy. “We love playing in London because so much music that we listen to is coming from there. Every time I come to London I have encounters with some great musicians, people like The Stranglers for example. In a way, we have some affinity with them. Such as all those different elements in our music. We have punk musicians, academic musicians and other people who are fluent in the jazz world; all this contributes to create music that can only be Gogol Bordello. That’s the way we like it, people in London know it as soon as they see it. I feel that in London, people are able to appreciate music beyond the usual denominators. They can see there is a wider scale and a complex hybrid. Some people are just happy to assume that Gypsy punk is supposedly some kind of music that came from some kind of mountain in Ukraine and somehow became a worldwide phenomenon. It is simply untrue! It was developed over a long time in our mad scientist psychedelic laboratory and brought to life through uncompromising reckless performances. What happens is incredibly crafted at first, but performed in the most cathartic, reckless way and that’s basically how we like it, it always comes out raw!” Marco Canepari
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EVENT PREVIEWS Bomba Estereo @ Koko (London, 12th September 17)
the La Bomba is rhythmically ticking and ready to blow Koko away on 12th of September. Directly from Bogotá, Colombia, Bomba Estéreo are coming to London, bringing along their explosive musical drive; fusing quintessential Colombian styles like cumbia, vallenato and champeta, with electronic vibes and Afro-Latin beats. Making them one of the Latin scene’s funkiest bands. Their sound is radically and constantly fresh and revitalising, so much so that you’ll need no time at all to dance away all the stress that you have stockpiled a during the day. Loosen up “el cuerpo y el alma” and be prepared for Colombian sound explosion. Marco Canepari
OUR PICKS
The London African Music Festival (London, 18th to 30th September)
Every September, Joyful Noise reacquaints us with an excellent musical celebration, featuring all-encompassing line-ups, and, of course we Music were looking forward to the 2017 edition of their London African 14 Festival. Even so, we weren’t prepared for such a planned spectacle; the to dedicated events scattered across 13 days and six London venues by performed afrobeat liveliest the celebration African music. It’ll boast Kokoroko and Afro-Caribbean jazzy connection represented by Omar the Puente. Then, you will enjoy the Nubian retro-pop of Alsarah & Nubatones and the purest Ghanaian highlife played by Pat Thomas. and tradition Zulu While, Busi Mhlanga will sing the Southern Africa Mimi Suleiman will bring the sound of the Indian Ocean to London more, Zanzibar. London African Music Festival will be all that and much with a calendar that has some other exciting surprises in store… Two weeks of the most diverse sounds coming from every corner of the African Continent with only one common denominator: the absolute quality of their interpreters. Marco Canepari
Tony Allen 'The Source’ Album Launch Jazz Cafe (22nd September 2017)
is considered the Known for being the man behind the beat in afrobeat, Tony Allen s, he can pioneer and professor of Nigerian drumming. The maestro of polyrhythm breaking a sweat, sound like five different drummers playing in unison without even Kuti in the 1960s and “after 45 minutes, I’m just warming up!” Allen drummed with Fela recordings. After was responsible for the contagious grooves in many of the Africa ‘70 labelled Afrodirection working with Kuti, Allen turned his music in a new electronic funk, and most recently has released a tribute to Art Blakey, one of his most-adored musicians. He will be releasing his latest album ‘The Source’ with jazz label Blue Note Records on 8th September. He will showcase this new material at the Jazz Cafe as part of the London African Music Festival. The record features new compositions from Allen alongside some Blakey tributes and includes collaborations with Damon Albarn and other celebrated musicians. To see such a legend behind the kit is an honour, and he will expel complex rhythms majestically without seemingly lifting a finger. Jane Cocklin
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EVENT PREVIEWS Acid Arab(London,@ Jazz Café September 2017) Even though their last London gig happened almost a year ago, the venue’s dance floor is still warm and trembling. That’s because Acid Arab are not your usual DJs. The Parisian duo formed by Guido Minisky and Hervé Carvalho has instilled new life into the French dance music scene, moving it closer to Middle East and North Africa. They “imported” vibes and characters directly from Arabic music and developed their original sound, adding their congenital French-touch and relentless techno bass. They might have only released one album (titled Musique De France), but Acid Arab name is one of the most sought-after when it comes to club nights in France and around the world. You’ll have the opportunity to enjoy their distinctive set on the 23rd of September at Camden’s Jazz Café and there’s no doubt that they’ll strike, thrill and delight your dance instincts. Marco Canepari
Festival K-Music (London, 15th September to 25th October 2017)
The K-Music Festival returns to London this autumn for the fourth time, with a stunning programme showcasing the different shades of contemporary South Korean music. Produced by the Korean Cultural Centre UK as part of the Korea/UK 2017-18 season, in collaboration with SERIOUS, this year’s festival focuses on collaborations, letting artists explore their practices in new unexplored ways. Korean band Black String will play alongside Northumbrian small pipes player Kathryn Tickell on 15th September at the Union Chapel in Islington; daegeum flute player Hyelim Kim will perform in duet with London singer/violinist Alice Zawadzki at the Vortex in Dalston on 2nd October; and Rich Mix in Shoreditch will lend its stage to geomungo player Woojae Park backed by Japanese drummer Shogo Yoshii and British-Indian composer and sarod player Soumik Datta on 9th October. And that is not all. A total of nine concerts will take place in venues across the capital between 15th September and 25th October, and there is little chance one will not find something of their taste. There is jazz, traditional Korean music, electronic and even ska and reggae (check out Kingston Rudieska). Paola Laforgia
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EVENT PREVIEWS Hackney Colliery Band Jamm Brixton @(London, 8th September 2017)
Hackney Colliery Band have certainly built up a reputation since performing at the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony, they’ve received worldwide acclaim for their distinctive performances, which are filled with equal parts talent, comedy and surprise! Indeed, the sounds of the Hackney Colliery Band are as bold and diverse as the borough that is their namesake; although they are most certainly a brass band, they incorporate elements of electronica, world, hip hop, soul, rock and beyond, setting them apart from the myriad of other brass groups on the scene these days. Past covers have included everything from Nirvana, to the Prodigy and Amy Winehouse, and they’ve taken part in some pretty interesting collaborations too. Make sure to catch them back on home turf at Brixton Jamm on September 8th. Organised by the Tuckshop London crew, their DJ Collective will be in residence on the night, with Manu & Ando, Tappa and Some Juan on the decks. More special guests have yet to be announced so keep an eye on the lineup for further announcements. April Coffey
Sinkane @ Heaven (London, 6th September 2017)
Sinkane loves London and London loves him. That’s why, more often than not, the British capital has the pleasure of hosting his gigs/perfomances/DJ-sets. It’ll happen again on the 6th of September, when the Sudanese-American musician will play at Heaven in Charing Cross, only a few months after his latest British appearance. But we have no doubt that his fans will pack the venue once again. Life & Livin’ It, Sinkane’s latest album, is still fresh in their memories and they know that every show by the London-born musician is a one-off experience. Sinkane gigs are jam-like: he welcomes you in his electro- and afro-pop, funky world and after a few minutes, thanks to the support of his talented stage partners, he will transport you far beyond your musical expectations. But don’t worry, because as he sings in ‘U’huh’: “Kulu shi tamaam, we’re all going to be all right”. Marco Canepari
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IssuE #1 SEPTEMBER '17
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Ariwo - Ariwo (Manana//Records)
Multi-layered, hybrid audio masterpiece
This is music that truly challenges our notion of how cultural and ancestral music should sound. It is a challenging fusion of familiar sounds, colliding to unfamiliar effect. One is both transfixed and bound to listen and compelled to jump around at the same time.
9/10
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Seb Pitman
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‘Ariwo’ means noise in Yoruba- and what a stunning noise it is too.
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Trumpet, percussion and synthesizer are all absorbed and inter-woven in such a way as to create a mesmeric soundscape. It is hypnotic; modern day trance music for the musically enriched. On “Caldera”, the sound of the trumpet and the effects used with it, lend an intriguing dubbed down quality, reminiscent of some of Kenny Wheeler’s ECM recordings. Indeed, this could almost be ECM’s attempt at producing some sort of EDM, especially with its acid infused accent.
sci-fi blockbuster (think Aliens or Gravity), with the percussion then pushed to the fore, bringing us back down to Earth and a camel ride across a desert, or a donkey trek in the Mexican hills. This is true soundscape music: painting a picture with rhythm and tone.
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Ariwo eponymous debut album may only be four tracks long, but the length of the tracks gives it more of an album feel and indeed, one on an opus level. Bridging an extraordinary cultural and global gap, this quartet is one part Iranian and three parts Cuban and explores the rich crossover between Cuban rumba and Sufi mysticism.
AOFLBUM THE MONTH
M R E VIEW
The ethereal quality continues throughout and through the electronic trickery of bandleader, Pouya Ehsaei, the musical textures really take us on a journey. The opening two minutes of “Gahambar” have a real cinematic quality, as if it was tailored for a
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2 X LP GATEFOLD 140-GRAM VINYL WITH 16-PAGE 12” BOOKLET CD SLIPCASE/DIGIPAK WITH 36-PAGE BOOKLET DIGITAL ALBUM
RELEASE DATE
25TH AUGUST 2017 OSTINATORECORDS.BANDCAMP.COM
ALBUM REVIEWS
Les Amazones d’Afrique - Republique Amazone Real World Records
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Republique Amazone, is a work, crafted by a supergroup of ten divas of African music - Les Amazones d’Afrique, featuring, amongst others; Angelique Kidjo, Nigerian singer Nneka, and Mariam Doumbia (from Malian duo Amadou and Mariam), different generations meshing traditional singing and new school rhythm in a way that is impossible to resist. Republique Amazone is groovy because of this marriage of sounds and generations. Something that few other groups achieve, the album’s real strength is its sound. “Kounani” is a vivid example, as a mix of hip hop instrumentals, and singing, like a river. P The music of different African countries is combined into this fictional YTH M ASS republic (republique.) It is a work that is Dynamic, spiritual, and diverse. If ‘republic’ means that each singer had an equal say, what more valuable lesson could the politicians of today learn from its teachings? BU Adolf Alzuphar M R E VIEW
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8/10
- Azulejos Populous (Wonderwheel Records / La Tempesta Dischi)
8/10
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If you ever wandered through the streets of Lisbon you probably came across stunning walls of blue-painted ceramic tiles, so-called azulejos. The iconic tiles give name to the fifth album of the Milan-based producer Andrea Mangia aka Populous, an album born out of his experiences living in Lisbon – a city he got to know, explore and finally consecrate in a compelling and enveloping work. The rhythmic drive is a major component of Populous’s music, his references are clear and he manages to keep them together with impressive uniformity of sound and style. From South American cumbia and Andean sounds, to hints of South African gqom and Angola’s kuduro, along with the rhythms of the Caribbean – Mangia surprises us all the time. The vocals of Ela Minus (“Azul Oro”) and Nina Miranda (“Cru”) make two of the best tracks of the album. Just like the tile walls of Lisbon, Populous’ compositions are skilfully crafted juxtaposing smaller elements together to create magnificent patterns. A beautiful ode to simplicity and minimalism, PA S S P O and a pristine appreciation of the little TH M things in everyday life. Stefania Vulpi
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ALBUM REVIEWS
Quantic & Nidia Góngora - Curao Tru-Thoughts Records
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& Okwess - Kin Sonic Jupiter (Glitterbeat Records) Congo’s Jupiter & Okwess turn in a scorching collection on their second album, featuring contributions from Damon Albarn, Massive Attack’s 3D and Warren Ellis from The Bad Seeds. Addressing the issues of war, corruption, injustice and poverty, through parables and stories, Kin Sonic uses the Congolese musical genre of rumba as a starting point before exploring long-forgotten rhythms, and tribal languages. It’s a record that is expansive and ambitious in both sound and content.
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9/10
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Spiralling, intricate guitars are at the fore on Kin Sonic, they’re a rich and vibrant part of Congolese music. It’s a bold musical journey that twists, bends and morphs Congolese rhythms with adventurous rock. Lead single “Ofakombolo” whips along, two and half minutes of Afro-funk, displaying relentless energy in its motoring rhythm guitar. Confident and assured, Kin Sonic is infused with a punk-like energy that breaks and remoulds the template for forward thinking African music. H M PA S S P O
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Curao brings together Colombian tradition and modern day production. Will ‘Quantic’ Holland and Nidia Góngora mix both for a killer new album, which brings a sound few will be able to resist. Working together for best part of a decade now, they treat the stories from Nidia’s homeland with reverence, kicking off with the sunshine kissed “E Ye Ye”; transporting you to tropical climes. “Que Me Duele?” comes next; showcasing Nidia’s vocal talents beautifully. Punctuated throughout the album are a capella tracks taking inspiration from the diverse elements of the Pacific Coast. The album keeps you guessing as to what is coming next. From dancefloor tracks like “Muevelo Negro”, P YTH M ASS electro-groove sounds of “Ojos Vicheros” to the a capella sounds of “Dios Promete”, Curao will keep you wanting more and finding new favourites upon each listen. BU Karl Hildebrandt M R E VIEW
Erykah Badu @ Eventim Apollo, London (6th July 2017) Erykah Badu is an impassioned feminine force who subtly commands the stage. Unafraid to d be colloquial and raw, her shrew observations resonate via her stream of consciousness style of writing. l Badu is an empowering role mode for both women and AfricanAmericans alike. This was her first UK gig in five years, reinvigorating fans of a genre, which currently n lacks new orientation. Having grow of up on a diet of soul music, her love her hip-hop music blended to create unique R&B sound, demonstrated lated through her rhythmically modu vocals and bass dominance. Entering the stage wearing a an statement cloak made from Afric and American flags, she welcomed the enraptured crowd with her bewitching “Hello, Hello”. She of followed onto the laid-back “Out My Mind. Just in Time”. With lone
EVENT REVIEW
accompaniment from sparse piano chords, this felt like an intimate love s song; casting an alluring spell acros the hall. Celebrating twenty years since her new influential LP Baduizm, she sang arrangements of her best-known songs “On and On” and “Apple Tree”, whilst also indulging the diverse crowd with a range of tunes s. spanning two decades of her album Badu showed off rare dexterity and articulate range as she screamed feral high-pitched notes at top volume, revelling in her feistier side on “Your Congratulations”. rm Badu will always refuse to confo to stereotypes and her depth and t integrity combined with sheer talen and is what empowers her relevance sheer inspiration, twenty years after her first release. Jane Cocklin
darana
Photo credits: Ravi Chan
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INTERVIEW
Bomba Estéreo
Breaking musical language barriers If they haven’t yet, Bomba Estéreo are ready to turn the last days of your summer upside down. With a new album (titled Ayo) on the launch pad and an ongoing world tour that will touch London on the 12th of September at Koko, they will bring their name to everyone’s lips. And they fully deserve every shred of hype. If Colombia can claim today to have one of the liveliest and most exciting music scenes in the world, that’s because in the last 20 years it
Photo credits: Elise Mesner
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gave birth to bands that have been able to draw fully from the rich traditional repertoire of the Latin American country, translating it to the present and projecting it into the future with a dancy electronic attitude and influences from psychedelia to hip-hop. A few days ago, we reached Simón Mejía (the nucleus of Bomba Estéreo, together with Liliana Saumet) during one of his sporadic breaks from touring, recording and producing new music and we asked him to introduce us to the sound of one of the coolest bands around. Rhythm Passport: 12 years (16, if we consider your first steps) is quite a remarkable lifespan for a band in today’s music scene. How do you feel about Bomba Estéreo’s story? Simón Mejía: “I feel quite honoured, especially coming from Colombia which is a beautiful but at the same time very difficult place to live and work in. Making alternative music in Colombia is a long and windy path, and besides Bomba Estéreo having a more international sound nowadays, it´s still alternative in comparison to how the music industry works here.
So, yes, it’s an honour to have achieved all these years making this type of music, and breaking language barriers every time we go and play abroad”. RP: Despite your embrace of many influences from all over the world, it is possible to say that your sound is quintessentially Latin if not even Colombian. How did you build it and how has it developed in these years? SM: “Yes, it’s definitely a Latin sound, a Caribbean sound blended with electronica. It came to life 12 or 15 years ago when I was making house music and thinking, why am I making house music if I live in Colombia and they make it better in London or Detroit?
audiences react and relate to it? SM: “I love the idea of being part of a changing world were Anglo culture is not predominant all over, but other cultures are becoming part of these artistic scenes. Here in Latin America we grew up thinking that everything that came from outside, from the cultural kingdoms, Europe and the States, was better. Nowadays, that concept is changing and we see the results in music. For example, Caribbean music, from reggaeton to other styles, is taking over the world and influencing musicians everywhere”.
RP: You mentioned that Colombia has one of the richest music universes in the world. What do you like about it? So, I started to think what might happen Do you have any name/s to suggest if I blended that dance music, with our to us? dance music from Colombia, which SM: “Colombian music is a huge universe, is folk music, cumbia and champeta, especially if you consider folk music. We and that was the starting point for have two coasts, Caribbean and Pacific, everything. Then I tried to include vocals which were populated by African and that´s how Liliana [Saumet] came in”. diaspora, so music in those areas is amazing. I personally like Systema Solar, RP: Colombia has deeply changed Meridian Brothers, Abelardo Carbonó since you started. How do you feel and Leopardo”. about your country and how has it recently changed? RP: While if we go outside Colombian SM: “It’s a love and hate relationship. borders… what are you listening to at I think Colombia is one of the most the moment? powerful and beautiful places in the SM: “I love Bonobo’s latest album world, but politics sucks and corruption and I also listen to a lot of music from is totally out of line. So, the result of Ethiopia”. that is having deep social problems and violence. Fortunately, we just signed a RP: Your latest album Amanecer is peace agreement with the main guerrilla two years old. How was it received group, but still that doesn´t solve the and what are your thoughts when you problem which comes from corruption. listen to it today? Paradoxically, at the same time, we have SM: “It was very well received, it was one of the richest musical universes in an album that changed a little, from the the world. That’s my country, from one styles we did before, but in a good way. extreme to the other”. People really liked it and everything that happened around “Soy Yo”, which is one RP: At the same time, how do you feel of the main tracks. Then, the video of the about taking your Colombian sound all song was totally unbelievable too!” over the world? How do the different
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Photo credit: Courtesy of Sony Music
RP: Your videos have indeed become more and more crucial to your success. What’s your relationship with visuals and what do you want to communicate through your videos? SM: “I studied visual arts so it’s a passion of mine as well as music. When I’m not working on Bomba Estéreo, I do music documentaries. Recently, I did a short documentary for Red Bull that you can find online, titled “Searching for Sounds: The Return to San Basilio”. Concerning Bomba Estéreo, I’m involved with all the visual aspects: light, video, dress code, scenography. I think music hits the eyes as well as the ears. Actually, Bomba Estéreo started as a visual concept as well”. RP: As a matter of fact, we know that your live shows are constantly a unique experience…so what should people expect from your forthcoming London show on the 12th of September? SM: “We are going to share our new
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music, and some of the old tunes. They can be sure that it’ll be a very energetic show as always, with lots of dance, vibes, and love, we´re working hard to get a good show from the new album. So this will be the chance to experience it, as we don’t visit London often”. RP: How would you introduce Bomba Estéreo’s sound to someone in London who never listened to it before? SM: “Take a bit of the Caribbean, a bit of the Colombian mountains, a bit of electronic music, a bit of dub music, and a bit of hip hop, put those in a pan, lots of spice, chilli powder, and put the fire on!” RP: Finally, since the first 16 years have been so successful for your band, what have you in store for the next (at least) 16 years of Bomba Estéreo? SM: “Wow… Well, I hope I’ll still be alive in the first place! Because with this touring schedule one never knows…” Marco Canepari
EVENT LISTINGS WHAT’s on in SEPTEMBER FRIDAY, 1ST SEPTEMBER AT 8:30PM
Modou Touré GREEN NOTE; LONDON GRIOT, SINGER/SONGWRITER, SENEGALESE, WEST AFRICAN
WEDNESDAY, 6TH SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
Sinkane HEAVEN; LONDON AFRO-POP, ELECTRO-POP
FRIDAY, 8TH SEPTEMBER AT 8PM
Rincon Sapiência RICH MIX; LONDON BRAZILIAN, HIP-HOP, SPOKEN WORD, AFRO-BRAZILIAN
FRIDAY, 8TH SEPTEMBER 10PM
Hackney Colliery Band and Guests BRIXTON JAMM; LONDON FUNK, BRASS BAND
SATURDAY, 9TH SEPTEMBER AT 7.30PM
Penguin Café: Erased Tapes is 10 ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, SOUTHBANK CENTRE; LONDON
JAZZ, ALT-JAZZ
SATURDAY, 9TH SEPTEMBER AT 9PM
Gypsy Hill and Raka MAGIC GARDEN; LONDON GYPSY MUSIC, BALKAN BEATS, ELECTRONICA
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WHAT’s on in SEPTEMBER SATURDAY, 9TH SEPTEMBER AT 10PM
Analog Africa Soundsystem and Duncan Brooker TOTAL REFRESHMENT CENTRE; LONDON
AFRO-FUSION, AFRO-DANCE, DJS
TUESDAY, 12TH SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
Bomba Estereo KOKO; LONDON LATIN, COLOMBIAN, ELECTRO-CUMBIA
FRIDAY, 15TH SEMPTEMBER AT 6PM
KutiMangoes - Sounds of Denmark PIZZAEXPRESS JAZZ CLUB, LONDON DANISH, JAZZ, ALT-JAZZ, AFROBEAT, SCANDINAVIAN
FRIDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER AT 11PM
Talaboman BLOC.; LONDON
ELECTRONICA, GLOBAL BEATS, DANCE
THURSDAY, 21ST SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
Soweto Kinch RICH MIX; LONDON
JAZZ, ALT-JAZZ, HIP-HOP, SPOKEN WORDS
THURSDAY, 21ST SEPTEMBER AT 1AM
Afriquoi and FRIENDS OVAL SPACE; LONDON AFRO-DANCE, AFRO-FUNK, ELECTRONICA
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EVENT LISTINGS WHAT’s on in SEPTEMBER FRIDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER AT 6.30PM
LCD Soundsystem ALEXANDRA PALACE; LONDON ELECTRONICA, ALTERNATIVE
FRIDAY, 22ND SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
Tony Allen: The Source Album Launch and Kokoroko JAZZ CAFÉ; LONDON
AFROBEAT, AFRO-FUNK
SATURDAY, 23RD SEPTEMBER AT 10.30PM
Soul City: Acid Arab (live) JAZZ CAFÉ; LONDON ELECTRONICA, HOUSE, MIDDLE EASTERN
SUNDAY, 24TH SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
Kefaya - Global Protest Music NELLS JAZZ & BLUES; LONDON ALT-JAZZ, INDIAN, MIDDLE-EASTERN, MEDITERRANEAN
WEDNESDAY, 27TH SEPTEMBER AT 8PM
Alsarah & the Nubatones CLF ARTS CAFÉ, BASSEY BUILDING; LONDON
RETRO-POP, SUDANESE, AFRO-POP
THURSDAY, 28TH SEPTEMBER AT 7.30PM
Midori Takada and Visible Cloaks MILTON COURT CONCERT HALL, BARBICAN; LONDON
JAPANESE, ELECTRONICA, AMBIENT
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WHAT’s on in SEPTEMBER THURSDAY, 28TH SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
Fennesz and Kiki Hitomi JAZZ CAFÉ; LONDON ELECTRONICA, EXPERIMENTAL, AMBIENT, JAPANESE
THURSDAY, 28TH SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
M.ARCHSPACE; Sayyid (Antipop Consortium) LONDON HIP-HOP, ELECTRONICA
THURSDAY, 28TH SEPTEMBER AT 7PM
Miguel Araujo MAIN HALL, BARBICAN; LONDON SINGER/SONGWRITER, PORTUGUESE, FADO
FRIDAY, 29TH SEPTEMBER AT 8PM
Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band RICH MIX; LONDON
GHANAIAN, WEST AFRICAN, HIGHLIFE
FRIDAY, 29TH SEPTEMBER AT 10PM
Soothsayers ft. Dele Sosimi & Hector Plimmer and Honeyfeet RICH MIX; LONDON
REGGAE, SOUL, FUNK, DUB
SATURDAY, 30TH SEPTEMBER 7PM
Yolanda Brown NELLS JAZZ & BLUES; LONDON SAXOPHONIST, JAZZ, R&B, FUNK
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RHYTHM PASSPONORT COMPETITI
Rhythm Passport are giving away lots of free tickets!
BLACK STRING 15 SEPTEMber
JIHA PARK 25 October
AUX - 15 October
DEBO BAND - 15 October
KINGSTON RUDIESKA 23 October
Entering is free and easy! More details on our website:
http://bit.ly/RP17SepComp
Or use the QR Code:
Orchestra Baobr ab 30 Octobe
WOOJAE PARK 3 October
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PLAYLIST
YOUR TICKET TO... Gypsy Beats We dedicated the first cover of our magazine to the fathers of Gypsy punk and one of the most influential bands of the Gypsy music scene. If you recently danced to some Gypsy sounds, Balkan Beats or Eastern European music, it is likely that behind the decks there was one of the UK’s most dedicated connoisseurs called DJ Kobayashi. With his label Batov Records and band Gypsy Hill, he brought the Gypsy sound to London and generously dispensed it… For this reason, to close the first issue of Rhythm Passport magazine, we asked Kobayashi to compile a playlist of his favourite Gypsy, Balkan, Balkan Beats and Eastern European tunes.
Enjoy and latcho drom! 1. Parne Gadje - Mikrasia 2. Gypsy Hill - Balkan Beast 3. Balkan Beat Box Kum Kum (feat. A-WA) 4. Bad Berry - Partizani 5. Tarante Groove Machine - Tarante 6. Fanfare Cioca˘rlia - Dusty Road Scan the QR Code 7. Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orkestra Or visit the link to liste Jolene (Gypsy Hill Remix) n http://bit.ly/ RP17SepPL 8. Koby Israelite - Bulgarian Boogie 9. The Alaev Family & Tamir Muskat - Greek Salad 10. Boom Pam - Rambo 11. Taraf de Haïdouks - Hora Din Caval 12. DJ Click - Tziganie 13. Gogol Bordello - Not A Crime 14. Amsterdam Klezmer Band Sadagora Hot Dub (Shantel Remix) 15. Mahala Rai Banda - Kibori DJ Kobaya
shi
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Sep 22 11pm - 5am
15 SEPTEMBER – 25 OCTOBER 2017 Programme includes
BLACK STRING & KATHRYN TICKELL
A new collaboration as part of ACT Records’ 25th Birthday Celebration SUN 24 SEPT ROYAL ALBERT HALL (ELGAR ROOM)
HEEMOON LEE & PRELUDE
Created for the National Theatre of Korea featuring jazz group Prelude WED 27 SEPT PIZZAEXPRESS JAZZ CLUB, SOHO
JEDUK JEON & JUWON PARK Harmonica legend with flamenco and gypsy jazz MON 2 OCT VORTEX, DALSTON
ALICE ZAWADZKI & HYELIM KIM
A new collaboration also featuring Rob Luft and Misha Mullov-Abbado MON 9 OCT RICH MIX, SHOREDITCH
WOOJAE PARK WITH SHOGO YOSHII AND SOUMIK DATTA
From the creators of Fractus V comes a brand new collaboration SUN 15 OCT RICH MIX, SHOREDITCH
AUX
A psychedelic pansori-rock six-piece MON 23 OCT BORDERLINE, SOHO
KINGSTON RUDIESKA Ska and reggae with a Korean twist
WED 25 OCT KINGS PLACE, KINGS CROSS
JIHA PARK: COMMUNION ‘her songs mesmerize’ (Korean Music Awards)
Bookings and full programme serious.org.uk/k-music
KOREAN MUSIC FESTIVAL
FRI 15 SEPT UNION CHAPEL, ISLINGTON
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