Colombian Caribbean Festival 2019 at Mix’Art Myrys, Toulouse

Time is up, on 22nd June 2019, the Picós phenomenon, Caribbean Colombian Coast sound systems, invades Toulouse at Mix’Art Myrys!

As a follow-up to the French ‘fête de la musique’, several Toulousian communities offer to bring you on board of an immersive trip through the popular urban culture of the Colombian coast.

1. EVENT OVERVIEW

Firstly, let me give you an event overview:

– la maquina musical del Caribe (the musical Caribbean machine),

– the ‘Hasta Abajo’ exhibition from the photographer Leslie Moquin,

– the live graff painting with Latino Graff,

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– a music set compiled by DJ Galletas Calientes and local DJ No Breakfast. They are meeting for the first time on stage!

2. DJs PRESENTATION

Secondly, let’s talk about the tropical DJ Galletas Calientes (Colombia/France) coming directly from the Caribbean Colombian Coast for everyone’s delight!

►►Galletas Calientes Records label creator, he honours us as a DJ within the ‘Mas I Mas’ Parisian community since the middle of the 1990s. Techno/Drum and bass DJ at first, he is also currently interested in the traditional folk and electro music fusion…
Since he lives in Colombia, his music culture is enhanced with Latin and tropical rhythms. He collaborates with labels and artists at the forefront of the Colombian stage such as:

• Systema Solar,
• Meridian Brothers,
• Palenque Records,
• Sonidos Enraizados…

For this festival, he offers you a trip through frenzied rhythms around a set coming directly from the best Picós of the Colombian Caribbean Coast!

And with him, the unmissable and legendary local DJ No Breakfast we no longer introduce due to his reputation of vinyl’s digger and music nights entertainer in the pink town of Toulouse.

►► DJ No Breakfast offers us a wonderful Caribbean set on his vinyl collector discs.

3. PROGRAMME

Then let’s move on to a more detailed programme.

►► 7 pm:

• ‘Champeta’ dance entertainment by Anika. Champeta is a Caribbean Colombian Music of African influence. I’m afraid I do not have videos of this, as I came to the event at 9 pm. But I have filmed their music performance!

• A fresco from a collaboration between Colombian artist Soma and a local artist Natsvit.

• ‘Hasta Abajo!’ is a series of street posters at the image of the Picó nights announcers. They are produced by the photographer Leslie Moquin in partnership with Locombia Festival.

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►► 9 pm: The ‘Picó’ documentary: the Caribbean music machine. It is about the ‘Picó’ culture, sound system from the Colombian Caribbean coast.

It is worth noting the film is a finalist at the Sundance London Film and Music Festival 2019. This highly recommended film has been produced by Roberto de Zubiria and Sergio Zaraza.

►►10.30 pm: DJs sets start

►►12 pm: Video Mapping by Felipe Vargas, the Caribbean Mapper:

4. PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Thirdly, here is the overall programme of the main events:

• 7-9 pm: Doors opening and Latino Graff Walls
• 9 pm: Film screening
• 10 pm: Champeta music
• 10.30pm: DJ sets start
• 12 pm: Video mapping.

Furthermore, please take note of the festival location:

Mix’Art Myrys, Rue Ferdinand Lasalle 43, Toulouse.

Also, what else to find?

• refreshment and catering areas
• market stalls of Colombian Caribbean souvenirs such as these dolls:

5. Organisers and partners

Finally, a big thank you to all the following partners who made this festival possible!

• Mix’Art Myrys
• Guayabo Colectivo
• Locombia Festival
• Talowa Productions
• Latino Graff
• Alliance Française de Bogotá
• Latin American and Caribbean week 2019.

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Favela Chic: eclectic DJ and reggae band (Paris, 2016)

FAVELA CHIC

This was a rather unplanned night out I went for on Wednesday 25th May 2016. Had dinner across the street and was attracted to this Favela Chic bar and restaurant. So, I came in and must say this was a great idea!

This ‘Favela Chic’ club isn’t only playing – as the name suggests – Brazilian sounds, but a great variety of world music.

FAVELA CHIC IN PICTURES

Here are few pictures of the venue, which I thought is quite rather original:

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DJ ARTHUR CHAP

The main focus for this night was on DJ Arthur Chap. He played a nice mix of world music and more mainstream music such as Afrobeats, Afrodisco, Soul, Groove, Funk, …

If you want to know more about him, check this link:

https://www.mixcloud.com/arthur_chaps/

REGGAE GUEST BAND

There was also a guest reggae band. Unfortunately, the band name is unknown to me.

Here are few videos taken at the event of both DJ and band performances:

Nico and Vinz, Norwegian singing duo with african roots in video

Nico and Vinz

First of all, I hope you will find the Nico and Vinz singing duet as interesting as I do.

I particularly enjoy their music styles fusion. Hence why I wanted to share their information with you.

ABOUT THE SINGER-SONGWRITER DUET

Secondly, I will not bother you with too long explanations.

However, if you would like to know more about this duet, please read these 2 articles:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nico_%26_Vinz

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/05/25/on-the-verge-with-nico-and-vinz-am-i-wrong/9298633/

You can also check their Facebook fan page:

https://www.facebook.com/nicoandvinz

Alternatively, you can opt to watch their YouTube interview:

THEIR SONG LYRICS

Furthermore, you can also discover their song lyrics here:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/nico-vinz-lyrics.html

RELEASED ALBUM 

Finally, enjoy listening to their album!

Enjoy their music?

Then why not attend their next concert?

Or even better, purchasing their album available on Amazon?

Hugh Masekela Afro-Jazz Live Concert in Dublin, Ireland (2014)

Hugh Masekela

A few weeks ago, I attended the Hugh Masekela concert in National Concert Hall organised by the Waltons World Masters.

I saw few papers around from this music organisation before that day. The papers detailed the artist biography with an offer to sign up for their newsletter. I subscribed and became the lucky winner of two tickets to watch this jazz concert!

Originally, I didn’t know much about Hugh Masekela and his South African band even though they are a well-known in the jazz world. Consequently, I had no particular expectations from them. However, I must say now: it was one the best concerts I have been attended!

Hugh Masekela, although already 75 years of age at that time, displayed incredible energy and musical talent throughout the whole show. He was a very witty, bright and young at heart artist.

His band and himself continued playing about 3-4 extra songs after the due ending time of the concert.

I also discovered the ‘Tig Linn’ support band, an afrobeat and afro-jazz Irish-Nigerian band from Dublin. Worth watching, too! They play a fusion of Nigerian and traditional Irish music.

Tig Linn is still going strong. They are still regularly playing live. To keep up-to-date of their next concert, follow them on Facebook. If you would like to book them for a concert, get in touch with them on their website.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY AND SUPPORT BAND INFORMATION

Click on the pictures to read more easily the brochures’ information:

LIVE CONCERT RECORDING

This video is from the repeat songs at the end:

Keep in mind that you will no longer be able to go to his concerts. Indeed, Hugh Masekela died on 23rd January 2018 at the age of 78. Repose in peace.

If you enjoy his music, you may want to buy it on Amazon.

Kidum – Burundian artist blending rock, zouk and acoustic classics

Jean Pierre Nimbona a.k.a Kidum is the 2012 Kora Winner “African Grammy Award” but is also considered as an East African Music Icon, Peace Ambassador, Burundian Master Drummer, and Songwriter. For a bit more details on his biography, please have a read at the following articles:

http://www.reverbnation.com/artist_2091559/bio

http://www.last.fm/music/Kidum/+wiki

 

Enjoy these two below beautiful songs as well as the ones at the bottom of this page:

http://www.last.fm/music/Kidum

Makoma – band from the Democratic Republic of Congo

Makoma is an award-winning Christian, pop, R&B and dance music group originating from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) and established in the Netherlands.

They mainly sing in Lingala and in English, but at times also in French, Dutch and German.

Lead singer Nathalie Makoma left the group in 2004 and has her solo career after ending as runner-up during the Dutch Idols 4 in 2007-2008.

If you’d like to know a bit more about the band and Nathalie’s biography, check out this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathalie_Makoma

Want to know how the band members look like and what their music sounds like? Click on the below picture and 3 videos (the music for the second video starts at 1 minute).

Guinea Bissau – Sadjo Sissokho, afro mandinga kora player

I discovered Sadjo Sissokho’s peaceful kora music on Grafton Street, Dublin 2. Some of you may ask: but what is a kora?

The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa. It is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck. Have a look at the pictures below of the musician with his instrument.

You may also wonder who Sadjo Sissokho is. He is a kora, djembe player as well as teacher hailing from Guinea Bissau and living in Co. Meath, Ireland. Sadjo has already been performing at different festivals such as Africa Day, Electric Picnic and collaborating with Wassa Wassa.

Here is a little sample of what kind of music he plays:

Now if you wish to get in touch with him, check out this forum about african musicians and communities in Ireland:

http://www.theafricanvoice.ie/The-African-Music-Festival-ireland-51.html

Cumbancha: Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars Worldwide Tour

I’m sure a lot of you have never heard of Cumbancha.

“Cumbancha is a record label, booking agency and music publisher founded by Jacob Edgar, an Ethnomusicologist and music producer who since 1998 has been the head of music research and product development at famed independent record label Putumayo World Music.”

You can follow Cumbancha on SoundCloud and discover the different bands they have been recording:

For the start of year 2013, Cumbancha is promoting the European Tour of Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars. If you want to know a bit more about this band, check out their biography here:

http://www.cumbancha.com/slras-biography-eng/

Please click on the below link to view their touring dates starting in January in Europe. Please note that they do come to Ireland!

http://www.cumbancha.com/events

This is a fantastic opportunity to purchase a ticket to one of their concerts or their album for your family or friends!

 

Calm Radio Africa- A lovely african radio station

If you need to chill out after all the partying and dining and are looking for a different type of music, Calm Radio Africa will very likely enchant you!

This radio station can be accessed either by browsing your TuneIn application radio stations (for iPhone users) or by going directly on their own web radio available for PCs and Macs (click on the World” tab and look for “Africa”): https://www.calmradio.com. You will find as well information about their android application on their website.

Enjoy discovering new artists and if you like any of the songs you hear, check them out on iTunes or youtube afterward.

Let us know what are your favorite tracks!