Summer 2008 (part I): Vive le Congo!

Jeff Kavanda is back in town. Nabat Nabat Montréal! It wasn't enough that he conquered Montreal and its regions last year...with his band of Belgian/Congoleese musicians mixed with a couple of local musicians touring furiously through every "Festival des Rhythmes du Monde de ___________________" (fill in the city), now he's released a new album called "TAM TAM D'EXIL" and he's come back to Quebec to promote it.
I met Jeff through the grapevine. In the beginning of February 2007, word was floating around that a Congolese percussionist/vocalist/dancer from Brussels, Belgium was going to tour Quebec in the summer, and he was looking for a violinist to sub for his violinist (that couldn't get a visa to come to Canada). I had received a phone call from Thomas (Alpha Yaya Diallo's drummer) who insisted that we meet for a coffee and discuss business. Jeff Kavanda flew in to do a colloquium at l'Université de Montréal on music and the exile, we met and played as a duet form - we hit it off and the rest is history! It's rare that I meet a musician who's a talented multi-instrumentalist, an artist and an intellectual as well. Jeff is one of these rare instances, and it's such a pleasure to meet him and learn more about Congolese culture.

This year, Jeff decided to come alone and hire local musicians. The result is Momo Coulibaly on drums, Guy Langué on bass, Thomas Ntale on guitar, Joanne Degand on vocals and me on violin. We played Chicoutimi last friday, of which I spent the 5 hour drive back to Montreal listening to a mix tape of different styles of music and rhythms such as zouk, soukousse, bikutsi, 3 over 4, makossa and much much more. Next week we'll be playing Le Festival au Bout du Monde de Gaspé. Jeff's music mixes the traditional with a variety of influences from everywhere.

Check out his stuff: www.jeffkavanda.be and www.myspace.com/jeffkavanda