I Got the Nomads' Blues
Caught Etran Finatawa last Wednesday at the Old Town School of Folk Music's Maurer Concert Hall. It was one of only five stateside shows for this Nigerien group who are otherwise touring the Western World in true nomadic style.
I've been a fan of Etran Finatawa's records for a while now. Posted about them a while back. This was the first time to see them live and this experience solidified for me the importance of their alliance.
A Little History: The members of two different bands (and two different tribes) performed an impromptu set at the 2004 Festival in the Desert. Etran Finatawa was born of this legendary jam.
I knew that but what wasn't clear to me until I saw them in person is how strikingly different these two tribal entities are. The Tuaregs (who played the electric guitars and bass and did a good portion of the singing) are brown skinned Arabian-Berber nomads. They wore Bedouin style costumes complete with headdress. The Wodaabe members are taller, lanky, and blue-black of skin. The Wodaabes wore leopard patterns and large feathers in their head bands. In physical makeup and dress the two tribes were significantly different.
Etran Finatawa's music, which they classify as Nomadic Blues, combines the traditional music of a desert crossroads country with the music of the American crossroads. Definitely the affect of the African American musical experience has been absorbed by Etran Finatawa but you can hardly call their music "fusion." You might not even hear the blues references but with a very careful ear. They spoke not one lick of English either. Saying only "hello" and pronouncing "Chicago" as "seeeecawgoh" in a farewell song. They attempted to explain one song and to do that they used French. It was their song of Summer (heh, one of the few times my college French paid off).
Other than their use of the electric guitar (which I absolutely love as the honest mix of desert drone and American blues that it is), I thought of only one American similarity. They kind of looked like P-Funk up there on stage with all that crazy wardrobe.
At intermission, Snake wanted to use the elevator to get back to our seats. I was teasing him for this as we waited for the doors to open, when to our surprise the band spilled out of the elevator like clowns from a tiny car. They were tall and strutting - kind of like they might have had a little toke in the "green" room. Again I thought of P-Funk, until Snake and I stepped into the elevator and into the funk of sandalwood and curry. The elevator was strong with their presence - exotic yet familiar like the band itself.
A Little History of Last Week's Podcast: The cast contains two pieces yet plays for nearly an hour. That's on account of second song being one of the finer deliveries of Terry Riley's ground breaking 1964 composition, In C. This rendition was performed by the Bang on a Can collective. In C was preceded by a delightful little electronica romp from Lemon Jelly - Ramblin Man.
Chicago Corner: Watch the Spindle come down.
...and in NAP Label news: The row has been plowed and the seeds planted - organic sweet corn, yellow. I was gonna get some special seeds that a city farmer offered to me at a party. But our schedules did not align. Sounded cool though, so maybe next year - kernels turn black when ready to harvest. Anyway, NAP's first release should be knee high by the Fourth of July (as they say around here). I'll try and get some pictures up.
I've been a fan of Etran Finatawa's records for a while now. Posted about them a while back. This was the first time to see them live and this experience solidified for me the importance of their alliance.
A Little History: The members of two different bands (and two different tribes) performed an impromptu set at the 2004 Festival in the Desert. Etran Finatawa was born of this legendary jam.
I knew that but what wasn't clear to me until I saw them in person is how strikingly different these two tribal entities are. The Tuaregs (who played the electric guitars and bass and did a good portion of the singing) are brown skinned Arabian-Berber nomads. They wore Bedouin style costumes complete with headdress. The Wodaabe members are taller, lanky, and blue-black of skin. The Wodaabes wore leopard patterns and large feathers in their head bands. In physical makeup and dress the two tribes were significantly different.
Etran Finatawa's music, which they classify as Nomadic Blues, combines the traditional music of a desert crossroads country with the music of the American crossroads. Definitely the affect of the African American musical experience has been absorbed by Etran Finatawa but you can hardly call their music "fusion." You might not even hear the blues references but with a very careful ear. They spoke not one lick of English either. Saying only "hello" and pronouncing "Chicago" as "seeeecawgoh" in a farewell song. They attempted to explain one song and to do that they used French. It was their song of Summer (heh, one of the few times my college French paid off).
Other than their use of the electric guitar (which I absolutely love as the honest mix of desert drone and American blues that it is), I thought of only one American similarity. They kind of looked like P-Funk up there on stage with all that crazy wardrobe.
At intermission, Snake wanted to use the elevator to get back to our seats. I was teasing him for this as we waited for the doors to open, when to our surprise the band spilled out of the elevator like clowns from a tiny car. They were tall and strutting - kind of like they might have had a little toke in the "green" room. Again I thought of P-Funk, until Snake and I stepped into the elevator and into the funk of sandalwood and curry. The elevator was strong with their presence - exotic yet familiar like the band itself.
A Little History of Last Week's Podcast: The cast contains two pieces yet plays for nearly an hour. That's on account of second song being one of the finer deliveries of Terry Riley's ground breaking 1964 composition, In C. This rendition was performed by the Bang on a Can collective. In C was preceded by a delightful little electronica romp from Lemon Jelly - Ramblin Man.
Chicago Corner: Watch the Spindle come down.
...and in NAP Label news: The row has been plowed and the seeds planted - organic sweet corn, yellow. I was gonna get some special seeds that a city farmer offered to me at a party. But our schedules did not align. Sounded cool though, so maybe next year - kernels turn black when ready to harvest. Anyway, NAP's first release should be knee high by the Fourth of July (as they say around here). I'll try and get some pictures up.
3 Comments:
I bought their CD on the strength of that previous post. Good decision, me. Have you heard Tiinariwen? I think that's how they're spelled. Also recommended.
I have not heard of Tinariwen (found it online with one i), will check it out.
Hey Wednesday
Thanks for the podcast history.
I did a series of paintings of a Wodaabe woman from photos only, and it was cool to see your post's picture and go Hey!...
No music in this town right now. People like to cruise the village and listen to Creed and Mariah.. Yesterday, when I was driving my coworker's car (mostly 90s rock and hip hop for her) Silent Lucidity was a song on one of her mix cds... Score! I looked to see if the skies had parted. Thanks for the post. I look forward to getting back to live music.
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