FANGA AND MAALEM ABDALLAH GUINEA-FANGNAWA EXPERIENCE.

dereksmusicblog ♦ November 8, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

FANGA AND MAALEM ABDALLAH GUINEA-FANGNAWA EXPERIENCE.

As someone whose been a champion of African music for twenty-five years, I’ve recently been really enjoying Andy Kershaw’s autobiography No Off Switch. I’ve enjoyed his stories of traveling through Africa discovering new music. Having discovered artists that previously were unheard of outside of their own country, he gave their music the exposure it deserved. He played their music on his radio shows, and on many occasions, become their unpaid agent. Soon, listeners to his show hungrily awaited his latest discoveries. Not only did Andy Kershaw become an ambassador not just for African music, but music from every continent of the world. This was very different to anything else on radio. Indeed this was cutting-edge. Unlike other DJs Andy loved and was passionate about the music he played. Before this, cutting-edge radio equalled smug, lazy and contrarian DJs playing what they perceived as innovative, or failing that, another track from The Fall. For many people, this lead to a lifelong love affair with African music. Now, nearly twenty years later, African music is even more popular than ever. Record labels including BBE Music, Offering Recordings and Strut Records have become champions of African music. Indeed, Strut Records’ forthcoming release Fanga and Maalem Abdallah Guinea’s Fangnawa Experience which will be released on 19th November 2012 is an exciting and innovative collaboration between two giants of the African music scene. Before I tell you about the music on Fangnawa Experience, I’ll tell you about this collaboration. 

For anyone with even a passing interest in African music, Fanga’s collaboration with Maalem Abdallah Guinea is a mouthwatering prospect. On one hand you’ve the French-Afro eight-piece collective Fanga, who’ve been fusing Afrobeat, Moroccan Gnawa music and funk for fifteen-years and on the other hand Abdallah Guinea, a  Gnawan maalem. It’s a coming together of musical styles and cultures. Although neither Fange nor Abdallah Guinea speak the same music, they’re united by something that transcends cultures, classes, boundaries and languages..music.

Fanga were founded in France 1998, and feature Burkina Fasso born vocalist Korbo. Since their formation in 1998, Fanga have released a series of E.P.s and albums. Their last two albums are 2008s Sira Ba on Underdog Records and 2009s Natural Juice on Cosmic Groove. Recently, Fanga’s hypnotic sound and its percussive and rhythmic delights has recently found a wider audience. It’s been discovered by DJs like Giles Peterson and Wax Poetics. There’s even been collaborations between members of Fange and other artists, including Tony Allen, on his album Black Voices, released in 2000. Recently, Fange have supported artists of the stature of Seun Kuti, Suen and Antibalas. For Fanga’s latest project, they’re joined by Abdallah Guinea and his band Nasse Ejabada on Fangnawa Experience.

Fanga’s musical collaborator on Fangnawa Experience is Abdallah Guinea, one of Morocco’s master musicians. He’s a leading Moroccan maalem, a gnawa master. Gnawan music is a sacred, ritualistic musical style and ceremony, which is performed by the maalem, the master. The music features the qraqab, which are heavy iron castanets and a three-string lute called the gimbri. Gnawa music is primarily heard in Morocco and North Africa. 

Abdallah Guinea is one of the greatest living practitioners of Gnawa music. It’s no wonder. He’s from a family of respected artists and musicians. Indeed, Abdallah’s father is regarded as the greatest Moroccan maalem. His talents rubbed off on Abdallah, who began playing the gimbri aged just twelve. Soon, Abdallah had also mastered the banjo, guitar and mandolin. Four years later, aged just sixteen, Abdallah became a master maalem. Since then, Abdallah and his band Nasse Ejabada have developed their own unique sound and style, seamlessly fusing African and European music. On Fangnawa Experience, Fange and Abdallah Guinea combine Afrobeat, funk and Gnawan music, with what Abdallah  refers to as Fusion Trance. The six tracks on Fangnawa Experience are tracks previously recorded by Fange, but given a new twist with their collaboration with Abdallah Guinea.

Opening Fangnawa Experience is Noble Tree, a fourteen-minute epic. As the track reveals its charms and delights, percussion, rasping horns that sound as they belong on a free jazz album, combine with drums and keyboards. A gimbri joins the funkiest of rhythm section, while chiming guitars punctuate the arrangement. Soon, funk, jazz and Afrobeat unite with Gnawa music. There’s even a hint of James Brown. When the emotive vocal enters, the music is dramatic, uplifting and melodic. It draws you in. Quickly, you’re spellbound by its rhythmic and percussive delights. Harmonies reply to a chanted vocal, as the Trance Fusion sound reveals its hypnotic sound. Accompanying it, is an equally hypnotic groove, where western and African music unite. It’s a glorious, compelling combination, one that’s irresistible, hypnotic and impossible not to succumb to. 

Just an unaccompanied gimbri opens Gnawi. It grabs your attention, a Hammond organ, drums and growling horns make their presence felt. They may produce contrasting sounds, but they unite seamlessly as elements of gnawan music, funk and soul combine. When Abdallah’s vocal enters, it’s impassioned and spiritual, with a hint of vulnerability. Harmonies accompany him, in a call and response style.

Space is left within the understated arrangement, allowing you to focus on the vocal, which is laden with emotion and blessed with a spiritual quality. As the arrangement meanders along, guitars, gimbri and percussion punctuating the arrangement. Later, horns growl and rasp, as the arrangement grows in power and drama. It’s as if they’re demanding you’re attention, forcing you to listen to the beauty, passion and spirituality of this fusion of musical genres and influences. They of course are right, music as good as this deserves your undivided attention.

Kelen sees pounding drums combine with a gimbri before a powerful, chanted vocal enters. Harmonies and rasping horns accompany the vocal, that’s delivered with equal amounts of emotion and passion, as the track unfolds at breakneck speed. Soon, the track takes on a hypnotic and infectiously catchy sound. Bursts of keyboards are joined by a pounding, funky rhythm section and chiming guitars. They drive the arrangement along, producing some glorious rhythms. These are impossible to resist. You’re swept along by them. Keyboards replace the vocal, picking up where it left off. When it returns, it’s even more impassioned. It locks into a groove with the harmonies, revisiting the Trance Fusion sound. Horns bray and rasp, and do the seemingly impossible, by adding to track’s drama, emotion and hypnotic sound.

From the opening notes of Dounya Fanga and Maalem Abdallah Guinea have your attention. Drums and a myriad of percussive delights create a bold, dramatic backdrop for the vocal. It’s delivered powerfully, in a call and response style. Joyous harmonies reply to the call, as the drums and percussion power the arrangement along. When all this is combined, the result is a track that’s uplifting and joyous.

Kononi has similarities with Gnawi, given its understated sound. Gradually, the track builds and grows. Drums and percussion join, providing the backdrop for the vocal. Like other tracks on Fangnawa Experience, the vocal is a mixture of emotion, passion and power, with joyful harmonies replying to the call. This is a powerful combination, one that’s uplifting and spiritual. You can’t help focus on the vocal, given the impassioned, heartfelt delivery. As the vocal grows in power, so does the arrangement. Stabs of Hammond organ add to the drama, while a combination of the rhythm section, percussion and grizzled horns unite. They fuse influences and musical genres. Seamlessly, elements of funk, Afrobeat, jazz, soul and gnawa music become one. To that, add the unique and compelling Trance Fusion sound. Not for the first time, Its hypnotic sound has you spellbound 

Closing Fangnawa Experience is Wouarri, where the drama grows and builds. Just drums then the rest of the rhythm section combine, creating a hypnotic, repetitive groove. Growling horns signal the entrance of a gnarled vocal. It matches the drama of the arrangement. Soon, a Hammond organ, percussion and stabs of rasping horns enter. Later, the vocal grows in power and drama as Fanga and Maalem Abdallah Guinea decide to kick loose. It’s as if they’re deciding to close Fangnawa Experience on a high. This they do, locking into a tight, hypnotic and gloriously repetitive groove, where joyous, uplifting harmonies reply to the powerful vocal. The vocal comes from the heart, delivered with a mixture of power and passion. Searing, psychedelic guitars, hissing hi-hats and a myriad of percussion combine as the drama grows and grows. Afrobeat, psychedelia, jazz and funk. It’s all thrown into the mix as Fanga and Maalem Abdallah Guinea bring Fangnawa Experience to tumultuous, dramatic climax.

Fangnawa Experience was more than a collaboration between musicians, it was a collaboration between two continents. Fanga are based in France and among the best practitioners of Afrobeat, while Maalem Abdallah Guinea is a Moroccan gnawa master. They were united through music. The result wasn’t just a reworking of six of Fanga’s classic tracks, but a reinvention of them. These six tracks are transformed, with even more emotion, energy, drama and passion injected into them. From the opening bars of Noble Tree, right through to the closing notes of Wouarri, you’re taken on compelling, uplifting and joyous musical journey. Musical influences and genres melt into one. Everything from Afrobeat, gnawa music, funk, soul, jazz and psychedelic influences merge into one. It’s a glorious and totally irresistible fusion of styles and influences. With its unique hypnotic sound, resistance to Fangnawa Experience, which will be which will be released on 19th November 2012 by Strut Records is impossible. Best just to succumb to Fangnawa Experience’s rhythmic and percussive delights and enjoy this majestic musical journey through musical genres. Standout Tracks: Noble Tree, Gnawi, Kelen and Wouarri.

FANGA AND MAALEM ABDALLAH GUINEA-FANGNAWA EXPERIENCE.