Echoes from Kamfest 2011

The music festival which was the 7th in the series, kicked off Friday, February 11, 2011 with the sole aim of creating an avenue to showcase the musical cultures and friendship between anglophone and francophone countries. The event also sought to create an environment where families and friends could relax comfortably and appreciate creative talents […]

The music festival which was the 7th in the series, kicked off Friday, February 11, 2011 with the sole aim of creating an avenue to showcase the musical cultures and friendship between anglophone and francophone countries. The event also sought to create an environment where families and friends could relax comfortably and appreciate creative talents of musicians from within and outside the country. Part of the event was also an art exhibition by a popular Kano based artist, Gausu Nuhu.

Speaking during the festival’s opening ceremony, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Jean-Micheal Dumond, said the annual event in Kano is a wholesome meeting that brings back memories of how music of the African region symbolizes great unity. He said the French concert restores what can be described as a journey into an open minded world.

Dunmond said France is proud to have participated in the event which held Kano, a city with a long standing reputation. He described the host city, Kano as a natural choice, “having been a trading and cultural crossroads for centuries, Kano is particularly predisposed to host the international music festival organized by the French Embassy in Nigeria,” he claimed.

Also speaking, the Director, Alliance Francaise, Mr Alain Service, urged persons interested in learning French language to register with the centre  as it offers a variety of packages in that line. He said the aim of teaching the language is to diffuse French culture into Nigeria’s people will appreciate ideas from France.

The event which lasted three days, featured artistes from Mali, Niger, Chad, France and indigenous Nigerian musicians. Popular Kano Korso troupe set the ball rolling after which a Kano born musician, V-Time Faya, Danmaraya Jos and Dangana from Niger staged their shows.

A presentation of a book on Danmaraya Jos, titled, “Danmaraya Jos in Folkloric Perspective,” was the first event on the second day of the festival. The book is written by Habib Ahmed Daba. The Malian music concert group, La Voix Desert (Voice of the Desert), Matania, from Chad and Nigeria’s Fatai Rolling Dollar, thrilled the audience wonderfully on the second day. The event was rounded up with Kano Shantu band and Raze City Plage from France.

The Artistes

V-Time Faya

V-Time Faya is a Kano born musician who started his music career right from childhood. He said he had all the backing of his family to pursue a career in music as he was provided a set of musical instruments at home. He later moved to the United States of America where he found it easy aligning with other talented musical from the Carribean, Indonesia and Kenya to form a band. He essentially plays all kinds of music; from Hawaii style to rock, pop, jazz, and reggae, country and traditional African classics. He thrilled the crowd well as he received thunderous cheers during his performance at the event.

Danmaraya Jos

After V-Time Faya stepped down the stage, one of the famous Hausa soloists, Danmaraya Jos, took over. As expected, he buzzed the audience with his wonderful performance crowning it up with his popular “Teacher Uban Karatu” song.

Danmaraya inherited the practice of Kotso from his musician father who performed at the court of Sarki Alhaji Muhammadu Bukura and later on adopted the Kuntigi at the age of 10. He has since then used the Kuntigi to accompany his songs. The first praise song he composed and which made him famous is dedicated to the lorry driver whom he followed to different towns in the country.

Like the songs of many Hausa singers, his poetry songs deal with social themes, lives of the ordinary people and human condition with often with a satirical tilt. Danmaraya Jos has received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Jos for his contributions to the scholarship of oral arts in Nigeria.

Dangana

From the dessert of Niger Republic comes Dangana’s musical troup. Six musicians form the group. Created in 2002, the band succeeded in a number of musical competitions over the years. Music of the Dangana group has over the years, remained profoundly attached to the Nigerien musical roots, that of praise singers of the Sahel that traditional and modern music techniques.

Voice of the Desert

Voice of the Desert, a Malian troupe led by Mohammed Mercedes, also showcased its performance on the second day of the event. Mercedes started playing guitar as a child. He presently lives in Kano and writes his songs in Tamachek. The Tamachek music is so beautiful and unique in such a way that it is usually played during tea time and is accompanied by hand clapping by the women. The lyrics, simple but poetic and passionate, are often the impressions of the composer about women, the desert, mountains and villages.

Fatai Rolling Dollar

At 85, Fatai Rolling Dollar is one of Nigerian’s oldest musicians who personifies palm-wine highlife. A very urbane and urban based musician, well known across Isale Eko, Ita Faji, Tinubu, Ita Garawu and other precincts within early twentieth century metropolitan Lagos, he traversed the 1920s to date. And because he was intimately involved in the evolution of his kind of music, he is able to capture its real essence; its nature easily manifests and has the  direct influence of Ambrose Campbell and Jullius Araba, from whose Afro music group he had graduated in the mid-fifties. Rolling Dollar sings with the vitality and dynamism of a relatively young musician. The crowd was enthralled at the old musician’s performance.

Matania

It originated in 2002, the troupe took its first step in vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar. The young music lovers are inspired by the idol, Angelique Kidjo or Were Were Liking. The group made its greatest hit during the 2004-2005 Francophone week. Exposition of their talent at the music festival at the French Cultural Center, Njamena thrust then into a long career full of success. They emerged best musical group in the Acoustic Music category during the 5th francophone games in Niamey (Niger). The official launch of their first album, “Talou Ni Loumou” confirmed them on the musical scene up coming. Since then, Matania never ceased to fascinate the public anytime they performed.

Kano Shantu troupe

The Kano Shantu musical troupe gets its inspiration from everyday life. Being aware of the importance of music in the Hausa society, the concert team often brings aspirations to its audience. To give rhythm to their words, they sit on the floor with one leg straight while the other curves to enable them tap the long hallowed and decorated calabash (the shantu) while they sing.

Raze City Plage

The group led by Loulou, a singer, songwriter and composer, delivers a humanitarian and peaceful message with themes of eternal love and childhood nostalgia. Based in France, French is clearly the language of their songs, the group also uses pidgin English to animate some love songs for Nigerians.

Comprising of his two sons, Adedola Benjamin (base singer), Alex Adedola on the keyboard /vocals/ and his friend, Gede da Silva as the orchestra and guitarist, Loulou said his songs are highly influenced by African culture. Loulou played in the past with Alpha Blondy and Femi Kuti.

The audience

Dignitaries from within the country and beyond graced the annual event. Ambassadors to Nigeria from France, Chad, Tunisia, Cameroun and Niger Republic as well top government officials, especially from Kano State were present. The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, was also represented at the occasion. It was also crowded by families and young people who cheered each performance with utmost appreciation