Anthony Joseph - Time

Anthony Joseph is a poet, and makes storytelling an art. In his fifth album Time, released on 31 March, Joseph brings together the warmth of the Caribbean, the dark intensity of jazz and the off beat mood of synthetic devices to make up a psychedelic and attractive end product.

Joseph is indeed a poet: teaching creative writing at the University of London, he has also published four volumes of poetry and a novel, while now being working towards a doctorate – a little moonlighter, if you will: quite an impressive career since he arrived in London in 1989 with only a single suitcase.

On this album he collaborated with NY based bassist and singer Meshell Ndegocello, bringing with her a funky jazz influence. It is also a return to Joseph's Trinidadian sources, as the album opener 'Time: Archeology' makes clear, dealing with the Caribbean's history long before Christopher Columbus' “discovery”.

The second song, 'Hustle to Live', offers a little preview to Magic Malik's flautist's skills, more fully expressed on the eighth 'Alice of the River', a touching song about a suicidal wife concluding on the sobering line “the life that Alice bore could kill from grief”.

The third 'Shine', praising a woman with low self-esteem, is followed by the funky fourth 'Tamarind' on feel-good chords and loving verses like “Everyone says she's beautiful. She lights the dark scene of her glow – that's Tamarind” - and ending with strings for the romantic touch.

The fifth song, 'Michael X (Narcissus)', opens on dangerous, hypnotic drumbeats and fast cymbal to tell the dark tale of a Trinidadian hustler and so-called Black revolutionary – he was executed by hanging in 1975 in Port of Spain, Anthony Joseph's birthplace.

The ninth 'Girl with a Grenade', inspired by the young Pakistani girl – and now Nobel Peace Prize – Malala Yousafzai, and the seventh track 'Heir (for women who wish)' both take on a dark mood. The latter, opening on heavy electric guitar and dealing with women unwillingly pregnant, manages to get through a feeling of uneasiness and loneliness such as that these mothers and unwanted children must feel.

We continue with the sixth track, 'Kezi', one of the album's highlights. Fast-paced, on a rapso style – a Trinidad fusion of calypso/soca music and rap – this song will make you want to dance, the flow of Joseph's words swinging in perfect harmony with the rhythm. This is one of the album's most political songs, addressing the Trinidad people directly.

The tenth 'Joy', fragmented in five different musical styles, is an ode to joy, that “releases you from the prison of your mind”. And to conclude on a poetical climax with the economical 'Botanique', Joseph delivers enticing lyrics with a low and smooth voice accompanied only by intense piano chords: “Live in sin with me, and dust will be our destiny”, “Rust with me, deny for me”, “Be light with me”.

In other words, this album is an ode to the most beautiful, delicate yet powerful side of life.

This article appeared on AAAmusic.co.uk.

Les origines de la Grèce

Masque d'Agamemnon, roi de Mycènes

« Les origines de la Grèce », sixième volume paru il y a un mois de la collection « Histoire et civilisations » éditée par National Geographic et présentée en France par le grand historien Jacques Le Goff, est consacré aux origines de l'hellénisme.

Ce projet qui a pour but de « faire revivre le passé et aider à la compréhension du monde » selon Le Goff, a réuni le comité scientifique transnational de National Geographic, composé d'universitaires de France, d'Italie, d'Angleterre, d'Espagne et des États-Unis. Le livre propose une découverte du monde hellénique à travers ses peintures, ses sculptures et ses ruines ; en fournissant des frises chronologiques, des schémas et des cartes explicatives accompagnant le récit historique, ainsi que des « dossiers » d'approfondissement sur des sujets tels que la découverte de Troie ou les Jeux olympiques, pour plonger au cœur de cette civilisation riche en en ayant un regard scientifique autant qu'émerveillé.

Ruines de la cité de Troie

« Les origines de la Grèce » nous livre ainsi le témoignage d'une civilisation, peuple de marins et de colons, qui a toujours dépassé les frontières géographiques de la Grèce pour aller se loger jusqu'en Asie Mineure, en Italie, en Gaule ou en Ibérie, apportant avec elle les fondements de notre civilisation européenne.

Depuis le XIX° siècle, deux civilisations palatiales ont été découvertes : les Mycéniens, dont le souvenir se perpétuera à travers les poèmes de la guerre de Troie, et les Minoens de Crète, la plus ancienne civilisation européenne mais toujours non-identifiée. C'est sur cette première période que le livre commence, en ajoutant un dossier spécial sur la découverte de Troie initiée dans les années 1870 par Heinrich Schliemann – 

                                                                                      qui a également exhumé les ruines de Tyrinthe et de Mycènes.

Alphabet phénicien

Après l'apogée puis effondrement de ces grandes civilisations, il faudra attendre la fin des 400 ans de « siècles obscurs », période de profond changements socio-culturels mais dont les traces historiques sont quasi inexistantes, pour qu'à partir du IX° siècle un monde grec nouveau fleurisse : les VIII°-VI° siècle avant J.-C. étaient une période de splendeur où les grecs colonisateurs ont exporté l'alphabet phénicien, la littérature, les sciences, l'économie d'échange, ainsi que la mythologie, l'architecture et la sculpture (des dossiers y étant consacrés dans le livre)...

À son apogée, la Cité fut créée : un système fondé sur la parité et la participation d'institutions représentatives, autrement dit l'art du vivre-ensemble démocratique, le modèle le plus abouti en étant Sparte. Le monde grec, ainsi éclaté en un millier de cités, gardera cependant une identité religieuse, normative et rationnelle commune forte, et se réunit culturellement et religieusement autour des Jeux olympiques, créés en l'an 776.

Cet article fut écrit pour le service de presse de l'Ambassade de Grèce à Paris.

Nosfell Live Review - Chorus Festival Hauts de Seine

Saturday 5th April, Paris

Nosfell is, by himself, a world full of poetry and imagination. As a child, this ill-at-ease boy developed his own world, Klokochazia, with its own language, Klokobetz. His full name – Labyala Fela Da Jawid Fel – meaning ”he who walks and heals”, is a fitting description for this young, unsuited but likable alien who managed to grow into an original and acclaimed artist. Nosfell is also a world of contrasts. Between oriental and occidental influences (he has Berber and South-European origins), acoustics and electronics, classical and rock, elitist and popular, low and high-pitched vocals, he is a complex chap with original stories to tell. As part of the Chorus Festival in Paris, from 28th March to 6th April, Nosfell has been invited to perform a two hour free concert, many of his songs taken from his newest album Amour Massif (Massive Love) released last month, dealing with the ever-changing feeling of love.

He starts with its first track, ‘Ij køliv…’, an exotic and dark introduction where he sings with his shrill voice, before tackling the main of the concert with ‘The Hazards of Wishing Wells’, showing his freakish wonderland as being out of Miyazaki’s Chihiro‘s world. However, at times, his use of his high-pitched voice adds some sweetness to the music. He continues with another one from his latest album, ‘Ile Mogador’ (Mogador Island, near Morocco). On beatboxing and a relaxed rhythm, the chorus is particularly dreamy and wavy; but even this fantasy mood is balanced with a certain obscure feeling due to dissonant chords here and there, rendering the whole truly captivating – that is another characteristic of Nosfell‘s work.

We are then taken on another journey through one of his Klokochazia’s fables, ‘Gouz Mandamaz’, via a rapid ska rhythm and hard beats that give a feeling of urgency, making more people gather from the exterior, intrigued by this energetic sound. It is to be noted that he truly performs everything live, up to the recording of his beatbox sounds on the spot. The following ‘Bargain Healers’ offers more experimental sounds and very deep, slow electronic bass: there is always this feeling of darkness lurking somewhere, as if you would expect your own old demons to burst out from this bewitching music. ‘Une Voie Divine’ (A Divine Path) then gives the room a more feel-good mood on a background of pounding beats. Nosfell‘s beautiful lyrics and arrangements perfectly convey his yearning for more poetry and innocence in contrast to our daily deepest anxieties, and it may be the song that speaks the most clearly of the inner conflict that led him to invent his own wonderland: “What if my real country was where I think? / I tell myself that here, I will find back childhood / My head is far up in the clouds, much more electric than storms’ lightnings / My feet anchored like roots, I have the legs of a man walking on a divine path.”

It continues with ‘Dans des Chambres Fantômes’ (In Ghostly Rooms), a very quiet, ghostly, song, where his high-pitched singing once more proves to be perfectly in tune. The public hold their breath throughout the whole song, not to miss a single bit of it. The next, ‘Cannibale’ (Cannibal), which brings back electronic heavy bass and clasping hands, plays on the same morbid charm as before: “I’m going to love you like the cannibal, you will want more”. Every bit of the song is absolutely precious and you don’t want to lose its thread for one second. Once the song has finished he loses the guitar and throws some jokes at the public – something Nosfell always manages to do well. Then ‘Rubicon’ starts, which sees him bringing a more “rock’n’roll” attitude, interacting more with the crowd and moving better on stage. The melody in the background is truly mesmerising and it is a very insightful song – the kind you should listen to at midnight when you can’t sleep and your head is full of thoughts. On ‘Fathers and Foes’, a calm ballad alternating between calm verses and road-song like choruses, he plays only with his guitar.

And finally, after a couple of groupies shouted their love from the crowd, he ends the performance with ‘Rainbowed’, also from his latest album. He conjures up some beatboxing and well done water drop sounds on background of low electronic beats, which play out really nicely in support of the overall lightheartedness of the song. On dancing rhythms and carefree lyrics like “You’ve been waiting for too long, embrace the soothing heat”, “mon amour tu es si belle (my love you are so beautiful)”, Nosfell promises you a real trip into paradise. An interlude of keyboards follows and his shrill voice and crazy face creates a disturbing atmosphere, where wonderland turns into nightmare, before resuming with a ska rhythm, in which he comes down into the crowd. The recently installed floor of the festival marquee is shaking ferociously! It ends the concert in apotheosis and will surely mark the mind of everyone present.

But the public are not satisfied and want more. Under never-ending applause, he finally comes back for one ultimate song not part of the programme: one of his classics, ‘Shaünipul’, cleverly mixing his own Klokobetz language with English. Tapping on his guitar with oriental tones here and there, he then begins the song properly, bringing the audience ecstasy, who all know the lyrics from heart and sing along. With this last track, where he uses only his guitar and his voice, he manages to produce something truly original and touching – proof that creativity is not always synonymous with plenitude – but most of all with emotion and honesty.

This article appeared on AAAmusic.co.uk.

Neal Black & The Healers Live Review - Jazz Club Étoile

Saturday 29th March, Paris

Neal Black and the Healers promise you a road trip into the roots of one of America’s most popular music genres. These blues rock legends perform tonight at the Jazz Club Étoile in Paris’ 17th arrondissement, to promote their new album Before Daylight released March 2014, under the French Dixiefrog label.

The venue, which has staged some of the greatest names in jazz, from Dizzie Gillepsie to Diana Krall and Dee Dee Bridgewater, now hosts (for more than three hours) one of the most dynamic and inventive blues rock acts. Neal Black is a Texas-born artist has lived between southern France and the US since 2004, , performing a lot of shows in Europe. His unique approach to lead guitar mixing Texan roots with a turbo-charged Chris Rea or Peter Green sound has won him many praises.

In the darkly lit room, with only a few colored spots here and there, the musicians appeared on stage plainly dressed and openly smiling. They started with ‘Stepping Out’, a punchy and classic blues rock track making a strong instrumental introduction to the night, on which Neal confirms right away his mastering of the guitar, full of an American open-road spirit. The public is already fond of them. The atmosphere of the night is very friendly and open; it is striking and heartwarming to see how happy the musicians are to be playing together and sharing it with the public – the drummer especially, Dave Bowler, who wears a constant smile on his lips.

The second song, ‘I’ll Fly Away’, is a country ballad on which Neal begins to sing with his distinct low and hoarse voice. We can just feel the Southern American roots alright here, and almost feel the sun on our neck and the dust in our eyes. The French harmonica player Pascal Bako Mikaelian joins them on the third song ‘Poor Boy’, perfectly fitting the whole country-blues rock mood. Bako gives a very nice solo using a broad tone spectrum. The music alternates well between solos and riffs, keeping the public’s attention and making it easier to follow and enjoy the concert.

After a presentation of the musicians, they continue with ‘Jail in San Antone’, a song that Neal wrote while in jail in Texas. It starts on a loud and happy 60s blues rock rhythm, and the singer starts interacting with the public, who repeat his “I said yeah!” happily, enjoying the fact that they’re contributing. Mike Lattrell then, on the piano, makes a fired up solo and is literally dancing on his keyboards. Rarely have I seen a band with such communicative enthusiasm.

Then enters another guitarist: Fred Chapellier, also French. He is a very close friend and colleague of Neal‘s. ‘Daily Bread’ is a song they made up together with Nico Wayne Toussaint a couple of years ago. Neal and Fred do a little guitar Q/A on this one, showing their perfect concord – we can read on their faces that they’re having a blast, and as it develops the public get all the more excited.

Neal presents the following song from their new album, ‘Before Daylight’. His overall lyrical content approaches more a bluesy version of Bukowski than classic country/rock, and the mood of this particular song somehow lifts you from the ground. You’re back on the ground quickly though with the following ‘Road Back Home’, a classic country song – you can absolutely picture yourself driving on a never-ending road after a long night at the bar, the sun rising on your back. Once more, Fred‘s second guitar begins to communicate with Neal‘s; the eager public begin to clasp their hands, and repeat the singer’s “I say yeah – oh yeah”, until a climax is reached and it all ends in furious cheering.

The song ‘Jesus & Johnnie Walker’, referring of course to the Whiskey label, sees Fred coming back on stage. Also extracted from their newest album, it is a very enjoyable song with funny and controversial (depending on where you stand) lyrics like “You gotta let Jesus, or Johnnie Walker, take your hand”, “Jesus and the Devil are the same ol’ man”. Equally profound is the following song, ‘American Dream’, a critical account of living in America and its disillusions – “as much as I love it….”, says Neal.

Next, ‘Who Do You Love’ starts very dynamically and at one point both guitars take on a slightly oriental, mysterious aura; a very nice change from the pragmatic country American mood. Another guitar solo definitely asserts an oriental touch. A pause in the song occurs where only Dave, on drums, and Kris Jefferson, on bass guitar, remain on stage and start playing together. It is one of the nicest surprises of the night: Kris masters his bass during a highly technical solo, and is clearly enjoying his little moment of glory – and rightly so! The public is gobsmacked by his controlled nerve, rapidity and creativity. After a very warm applause, everyone gets back on stage to end the song in style.

The following track adopts a calm ternary rhythm, and could make you think of an old gangster movie soundtrack. ‘I Don’t Get the Blues’ talks about a lonely life in Texas: “Down here in Texas / I’m on my own”, “I don’t get the blues / When I’m stoned”. Neal’s Voodoo-like voice on a background of harmonica greatly adds to the lone-cowboy style. Next, ‘Hurt So Bad’ sees a guest coming on stage: Bako’s daughter, Lucile Mikaelian. She has a powerful voice and a good blues feeling – she does not use a great range of nuances though, but she has good potential and there is no doubt that with time she will find her own personal style. At one point Dave begins his first solo on his drums, acclaimed by everyone, so wide-ranging and melodious it reminds us that drums really are a special instrument indeed; not only a supportive one. The night was one of getting back to one’s roots; even if they’re not properly our own, the band was happy enough to share them with us.

This article appeared on AAAmusic.co.uk.