CD
ALBUM - Blick Bassy - Léman - English version
REDACTEUR : ANNA |
Version Française |
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English version |
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 Nowadays we can find two kinds of artists : those who sing and write their own songs to reveal their true selves; and the ones who do sing and write because they already know who they are.
Blick Bassy, one of them, takes us naturally into his world. Born in Cameroun in 1974 he grows up in Yaoundé with his parents until they decide to send him in Mintaba’s village to live with his grand parents.
From the age of ten on he will learn the traditional life of his people and the Bassa’s principles.
He’ll discover eventually traditional Bassa’s music, especially the guitar thanks to an old man who would go from village to village in order to entertain people. The old man’s performances will be carved in his heart and when he comes back to Yaoundé 2 years later he knows that he’ll travel the whole world with his guitar and that it’ll become his work.
At the age of 17 he creates Macase, a band mixing traditional music, jazz’s inspirations, and bossa nova and goes from place to place to show people this new musical trend. Shocked but curious people welcomed the musical fusion and the band gets more and more famous winning several local and international prizes in a row such as the RFI prize for the world music in 2001.
In 2005 after 10 years of success with Macase and 2 greatly acclaimed albums, the very skilled Blick takes off for Paris to develop and improve his own style with a solo career.
A good point since the World Connection Label gives him the opportunity to create the wonderful “Leman”, recorded between Paris and Bamako in Salif keita’s studio.
Entirely in Bassa’s language, this album his deeply sincere and natural.
Switching from traditional instruments and acoustic guitar, Blick shows an accomplished music and a peaceful being. To the question “ Would you sing in French or in English?” He answers “ why doing something else than what I know and has meaning to me?
Instead of isolating himself in his world he takes us and leads us with him without noticing that we don’t talk Bassa. This is his place but we’re as easy as at home: meeting “Maria” in Mintaba’s streets with a happy and lively rhythm, sitting on the ground next to an old man talking to his grand son in the splendid “Nlal”, working with the family because you love them with the moving “Bolo”, or even looking at the grand father playing with the flyswatter on his legs in the sweet “Song Boum”.
Close your eyes, you’re in the heart of Africa and it’s like a revelation…
Blick Bassy cannot lie in front of this “mirror” and sings because he exists, sharing with us his origins, he takes us there and makes us feel alive too…
Anna - may 2009 - Interview
More about Blick Bassy : His myspace - His label
Interview and songs were recorded with DPA 4015 et 4011 microphone
English version by Bisrepetita |
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