Happily, the future…

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou

Live at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin — June 25th, 2010

Maybe Africa’s time has come (and I’m not speaking about the Worldcup). Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou is a legendary band from Benin, Western Africa, active since the 70s, although most European people have known them only for a couple of years. Their concert in London’s Barbican was sold out last year. Here in Berlin, we are standing outside on the roof of the HKW, next to the “pregnant oyster” ‘s belly. It’s 6.30pm and the crowd is quite sparse. It’s warm and sunny. There are some yellow and green jerseys because Brazil is going to tie Portugal in a few hours and the match is to be screened indoor. There are Black people too, and you can hear speaking French. The wind brings the smell of grilled sausages. The German and I are drinking beer. It feels like being at a school fete.

The 11-member orchestra is coming on stage and one of the lead singers welcomes us: “Guten Abend! Wilkommen in this concert! Ça va, là, je me suis bien débrouillé?” [How was it? I managed OK, didn't I?] You want to smile already. After that, he will mostly speak in French and nobody will probably get the words but it’s ok, really: pieces of information will be delivered through music and the smiles. It’s not even begun yet, but you know the concert might deliver the most uplifting summer vibes you’ll ever have. Half an hour later, you realize how everything sounds fine and sexy: the everchanging dance rhythms made by congas, hand percussions, a shekere and a drum kit; the funky guitar loops like in a James Brown song; the skillful and impressive keyboard solos; the rich timbre of the brass (sax and trumpet); the energetic melodic lines, the call-and-response vocals.

One of the lead singers comes down from the stage and is now dancing with the audience, smoothly. The other one keeps singing as if he was telling us a story. Next to me, a blond guy is dancing barefoot like crazy, along with three Black guys wearing what seemed to be a colorful evening dress. Behind me a young Brazilian girl is delighted to have the opportunity to practice the frenzy samba steps.

In one song, you’re about to track down the influences of funk, blues, rocksteady, in the next one you think you recognize the rhythms of rumba, samba, merengue. It’s jazzy, it’s funky, it’s Black, it’s Latin, it’s Caribbean, it’s European. It’s hybrid, it’s from everywhere. When I went into African music the first time, I got easily confused and in such situations I asked myself: had the music and these people absorbed all kinds of dance music of the 20th century? or the contrary: does this music contain and merge everything? Obviously, this a bit more complex and Africa is not one big homogenous country. There has been constant import/export of musical elements in all directions throughout the last centuries: the work songs of the African slaves combined with European and Creole cultures gave birth to jazz in the USA; jazz and funk combined with local rhythms gave birth to Afrobeat in Nigeria; Caribbean instruments (congas) and music (reggae, dub) had also a strong influence on African music. The list could go on and on, one might as well read the whole music section on wikipedia. Successful syncretisms are a driving force, I think, even though in the past some sort of came as a result of colonial relationships. Well, anyway, the orchestra’s groove was for sure a driving force. And God bless Africa!

PS: For those who would like to get wonderful music from all African countries, this blog is for you.

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