World Circuit and Nonesuch Records are set to release Ali and Toumani, the second and last album pairing the late Malian guitar virtuoso Ali Farka Touré and kora master Toumani Diabaté, on February 23. Recorded over three afternoons at London’s Livingston Studios in 2005, with contributions from the late Orlando “Cachaíto” López on bass, Ali and Toumani is the successor to the duo’s Grammy-winning In the Heart of the Moon. The new album was produced by Nick Gold and beautifully recorded by Jerry Boys, the same production team behind the earlier recording. It is the last album recorded by both Ali Farka Touré and Cachaíto López.

Video clip for the song “Kala Djula”
Short film on the making of the album
Album info
Artists’ bios

Submitted by Sacks & Co.

Here’s a worthy short film of the Malian duo Toumani Diabaté (using the kora) and the late Ali Farka Touré, two of the greatest musicians of all time seamlessly playing alongside one another. Completed in 2005, this is their second and last recording together, a follow-up to their Grammy-winning debut In The Heart Of The Moon. The album, a live and unedited recording titled Ali and Toumani, will be released this February. Take a lesson from these two

The news of Toumani Diabaté and Ali Farka Touré’s second collaboration album came as a bit of a surprise. The success of their first partnership; ‘In the Heart of the Moon’, a deeply rich and colourful collection of three-stringed melodies and vocals led to them to win a Grammy award in 2005. However, Tourés tragic death in 2006 from bone cancer led us all to believe that there sadly wouldn’t be any more material from the legendary Malian blues guitarist.

 For this new assortment of songs, we have technology to thank. Using computer equipment and pieces of old recordings, World Circuit have managed to revive and create an astonishing collection of music entitled ‘Ali and Toumani’ set for release in February 2010.

 The new single ‘Kala Djula’ is no let down. Resonating their previous capabilities for tender compositions, the track features a subtle complexity that gives the instrumental song a certain level of intensity and wistfulness. Nevertheless, the occasional moments of playfulness result in a song that never fails to sound boring.

 The only downfall to using old recordings is the fear that the material won’t be entirely different to anything released before; however, this isn’t a problem for ‘Kala Djula’. If you’ve heard their music before, you’ll know exactly what to expect from this track and the upcoming album. Nonetheless, you will see that Diabaté’s kora playing and the way in which the melodies have been clasped together, have combined to produce a piece of music that has been seamlessly developed.

Diabaté Toumani & Ali Farka Touré

Fredag 6. november spiller Toumani Diabaté på Rockefeller i anledning Oslo World Music Festival. Jeg bruker anledningen til å varmt anbefale det siste albumet til Diabatés gamle samarbeidspartner, Ali Farka Touré (1939-2006).

Ali Farka Touré
Savane
World Circuit Records/Playground 2006
5/6

Et verdig farvel fra blueskongen fra Mali.

I dokumentarfilmen The Blues – A Musical Journey dro regissør Martin Scorcese på jakt etter bluesens historie, og overraskende for flere bluespurister stoppet han ikke i Mississippi-deltaet. Scorcese fortsatte østover, til Vest-Afrika, der han blant annet intervjuet gitaristen Ali Farka Touré fra Mali.

Touré, best kjent for sitt samarbeid med Ry Cooder på albumet Talking Timbuktu (1994), og kalt “kongen av ørkenblues-sangerne” og ”den afrikanske John Lee Hooker”, døde av kreft i mars, 66 eller 67 år gammel. Heldigvis rakk han å spille inn dette albumet først.

Savane utgjør finalen i Hotel Mandé-trilogien, som også omfatter Grammy-vinneren In the Heart of the Moon med Ali og Toumani Diabaté og Boulevard de l’Indépendance med Toumani Diabaté’s Symmetric Orchestra. Dette er derimot en soloplate, spilt inn i Bamako med Tourés faste medmusikanter, og for en hypnotisk plate det er. Her dykker Touré dypt ned i sine musikalske røtter, samtidig som båndene til den amerikanske bluesen sjelden har vært tydeligere.

Omslaget viser Touré dypt tilbakelent i en stol, med gitaren over lårene, en sigarett i munnviken og ansiktet delvis skjult bak en hatt og mørke solbriller. Musikken har det samme mystiske og tilbakelente preget, med 13 stykker Sahara-blues preget av Tourés minimalistiske, men ekspressive gitarstil, drømmende melodiskisser og afrikanske harmonier.

Hans faste samarbeidspartner, produsenten Nick Gold, gir god plass og tid til Tourés stemme og gitar, samtidig som han lekkert danderer det hele med suggererende perkusjon, melodisk koring, afrikanske strengeinstrumenter som njarka og ngoni, munnspill fra engelske Little George Sueref og den såre saksofonen til Pee Wee Ellis, kjent fra James Browns band.

Tekstene er også pur Afrika-blues, der den tidligere bonden Touré ber om flere jordbruksredskaper og færre våpen, og synger om den afrikanske diasporaen, ørkenspredningen og ødeleggelsen av savannene i en miks av originale låter og malisk tradisjonsmusikk.

Savane er et bemerkelsesverdig musikalsk testamente, og vi har heldigvis ikke hørt det siste fra Touré-klanen. Til høsten får vi igjen høre hans magiske gitarspill på debutalbumet til sønnen Vieux Farka Touré.

Bonus: Mer afrikansk gull

Fire album gir fire helt forskjellige inngangsporter til afrikansk musikk. Men alle er verdt investeringen.

Si «afrikansk musikk» og det som renner musikkinteresserte nordmenn først i hu er enkelte superstjerner som svært ofte nådde ut til et vestlig publikum via franske musikkprodusenter: Youssou N’Dour, Mory Kante, Angelique Kidjo og Baaba Maal for å nevne noen. Inngangsportene til afrikansk musikk er fortsatt ofte vestlige artister, plateselskap eller produsenter – men hva gjør vel det når det blir så variert og interessant som disse fire eksemplene?

Salif Keita fra Mali er et av disse store navnene som for alvor gjorde seg bemerket i Europa på 1980- og 90-tallet. Keita er av malisk kongeslekt, men ble fornektet av sin egen far fordi han valgte en musikalsk karriere. På mange vis utgjør Keita essensen av den typiske «world music»-stjernen – han bygget seg opp et stort navn i Afrika før musikken ble finslipt lydmessig i Europa. Så rotet han seg bort i mer uinteressant fusion, jazzrock og funk i samarbeid med Joe Zawinul og Vernon Reid fra Living Color.

Men med Moffou vender han tilbake til musikken som gjorde ham til en stjerne. Albumet er i hovedsak en stille og svært vakker affære, i hovedsak spunnet rundt Keitas lyse stemme og finstemte akustiske strengelek, krydret med tradisjonelle maliske instrumenter – selv om den også rommer flere eksempler på mer dansbar musikk. Ingen tvil, Malis store Stemme er tilbake med et av sine beste album.

Når Damon Albarn i popgruppa Blur tar turen til Mali for å spille sammen med lokale musikere er det fristende å latterligjøre engelskmannen som britpopens Ry Cooder eller indie-utgaven av Peter Gabriel, men da har du ikke hørt på resultatet. For Mali Music er blitt et spennende møte der Albarn mest holder seg i bakgrunnen, samtidig som han gir hele uttrykket en innpakning som gjør den maliske musikken mer spiselig for et publikum vant til dub, chillout – det høres nærmest ut som en afrikansk utgave av Albarns hiphop/dub-prosjekt Gorillaz.

Albarn spilte inn materiale med stjerner som Toumani Diabeté, Afel Bocoum, Lobi Traore og Neba Solo, samt ukjente gatemusikanter og kom hjem til England med over 40 timers råmateriale. Etter en råmiks sendte Albarn albumet tilbake til Bocoum, som mikset inn flere biter av Mali igjen.

Og i motsetning til prosjekter som Deep Forest, der folkemusikken bare blir luftig krydder, inntar Albarn en omvendt misjonærrolle – den vestlige musikeren som med dyp respekt spiller med svært dyktige lokale musikere og sangere og stiller seg selv i bakgrunnen. Det kunne endt som en arrogant katastrofe, men ble isteden en respektfull hyllest til malisk musikk.

Men selv om det kommer mye bra musikk ut av vestlige musikeres møte med Afrika, blir det først virkelig moro når afrikanske musikere tar opp i seg vestlige tradisjoner. På 1970-tallet het den store musikalske helten i det sørvestlige Afrika James Brown, og resultatet ble en utrolig vital scene for afrikansk funk – med Nigerias Fela Kuti i spissen. Samleren The Best Best of Fela Kuti gir en uvurderlig innsikt i mesterens gyldne år og 13 minutter lange afrofunk-symfonier på 70-tallet, men mannens stadig stigende status etter hans død i 1997 har skygget for mye annen flott musikk.

Det finnes flere flott afrofunk-samlere, men juvelen i pølsa er utvilsomt Nigeria 70, som ikke bare samler to cd-plater med obskur og feiende flott nigeriansk funk. Den hever også lista for samleplater ved å inkludere en hel radiodokumentar om nigeriansk funkhistorie. Det blir nesten for mye av det gode.

Men ønsker du et innblikk i hva som skjer i Vest-Afrika i dag heter det essensielle kjøpet Africa Raps – en samling hiphop fra Senegal, Mali og Gambia. For på samme måte som James Brown var helten på 70-tallet, er det amerikanske rappere som er de store forbildene blant dagens afrikanske ungdom. Bare Dakar i Senegal, Hiphop-Afrikas hovedstad, har visstnok 2000 forskjellige hiphopgrupper, og tilgjengeligheten og den lave kostnadsgrensen for å spille inn hiphop har ført til en eksplosiv utvikling.

Det var den mer melodiske og tilbakelente hiphopen fra California som førte til hiphops store gjennombrudd i Afrika framfor de mer kalde og industrielle tonene til New York-grupper som Public Enemy og Gang Starr. Og den senegalesiske rappingen er fantastisk; her snakkes det på fransk, engelsk, wolof og malinka, og musikken er både r&b-søt og gangsta-hard – med tradisjonelle beats og synthlyder utvidet med samplinger av afrikanske stjerner som Youssou N’Dour og lokale instrumenter som kora, balafon og ngoni.

Resultatet blir en unik og lokal form for hiphop, og gruppene i Mali og Gambia stormer etter. Hiphop har bare vært stort i Afrika i ti år, men har allerede fått slik status at politikerne i Senegal ikke kan ignorere rappernes budskap.

Opprinnelig publisert i Ny Tid i 2002.

tonight @ cinema sao jorge

I’d say that it’s something in the water, but my sources tell me that the West African country of Mali resides mostly in the southern Sahara.

Either way, despite being late to the game, it appears to be a perfect time for me to acknowledge the musical production of some fantastic contemporary Malian musicians.

I’ll give you a few names to start with: Toumani Diabaté, Amadou et Mariam, and the late guitarist Ali Farka Touré.  And now making inroads into North America is the latter’s son, Vieux Farka Touré.

His excellent second album, Fondo, was released earlier this year and don’t make the hasty assumption that it’s not for you. 

If you haven’t heard Vieux Farka Touré yet, be sure to check him out at last month’s Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle in this acoustic performance from KEXP’s Bumbershoot Music Lounge stage.

Vieux Farka Touré performs at KEXP's Bumbershoot Music Lounge on September 7, 2009

Count me as a believer, even as a novice listener to this brand of world music.  The world is getting smaller every day and music libraries are going to continue to grow larger with more and more diverse options to choose from. 

Vieux Farka Touré’s Fondo is the right music for the right time.

Año de Publicación: 1988
Nacionalidad: España
Discográfica: Nuevos Medios
Producción: Joe Boyd & Mario Pacheco

.

.

.

.

.

.

Lista de temas:

01 Jarabi

02 Mani Mani Kuru

03 Caramelo

04 A Toumani

05 Vente Pa Madrid

06 África

07 A Mi Tía Marina

08 Ne Ne Koitaa

.

.

“Vente Pa Madrid”

“Jarabi”

Since starting Lubricity a couple of months ago, I’ve started to get the lay of the land as far as where people are at in dealing with jazz over the internet.  It’s really just starting to become useful as a way of connecting with others and discussing what’s going on with our various experiences in jazz today.  Writers and fans are weighing in, musicians are trying to generate buzz for their work, and other people still have absolutely nothing to do with it.  Jazz is still finding its footing on the internet, but it hasn’t figured it all out just yet.

More recently, I’ve started working with Josh Jackson as an intern for his weekly new music show at WBGO, The Checkout.  WBGO gets a lot of flack from many modern jazz purists, claiming that it skews its programming too much towards tried-and-true music from the past at the expense of newer, more adventuresome artistic endeavors.  Of course, there is a grain of truth in the criticism, but my boss Josh Jackson is the perfect counterexample; The Checkout is evidence of that. 

Radio has been around for a LONG time, and that tradition gives it a lot of assets that are very hard to find in the online community.  For one, the production values of everything that they put together are fantastic.  For decades, they have had to hang their hat on the quality of the audio emanating from their transmitter, and so they put some really fantastic-sounding pieces together, regardless of the content.  The other thing that WBGO does very well is know its audience.  They have spent years poring over Arbitron data and they know who listens, and when.  Their presentation is smooth, the commentary is interesting, and they know how to say what they need to say.  The radio-model for jazz presentation may lack some of the edge of the avant-garde, but it also does an amazing job of filtering out the noise.

Some examples of recent Checkout features: Bela Fleck interviewing Toumani Diabate, Gilfema +2 in studio, and a voyage into Chris Potter’s iPod.  Those are just a few of the awesome segments sitting there waiting to be clicked — the site is chock full of interviews, music and other goodies that make it into Josh’s weekly show (Tuesdays at 6:30 if that’s how you roll.)  Full show podcasts are also available.

The Checkout is still figuring out how to get heard online.  There is an amazing archive of interviews, music, commentary and full-length podcasts available at the website, but not many people are listening yet.  It’s interesting to see how these two media are converging, and the different assets that they’re bringing to the table.  As far as I’ve found, though, nobody has done a better job of blending high-quality audio production with new jazz in a way that is interesting, engaging and accessible.  We’re just starting to experiment with Web 2.0-type stuff like Twitter (@checkoutjazz) and Facebook (become a fan) — so if you dig it, spread the word.

So I guess the moral of the story is: check out The Checkout!  And watch this space to find out if it turns out that the Old and the New can get along together to showcase this music.  I’m certainly going to be working hard to try and make it so!

Date: 8/3/09
Musician: Bela Fleck and Toumani Diabate
Venue: Summer Stage Central Park
City: New York
State: NY

Following a short set by Bela and Toumani there was a screening of Bela’s  new documentary : Throw Down Your Heart. Following the screening, DVD’s and CD’s were available to purchase. While waiting on line to buy a CD someone said this:

“I like the movie but I can’t listen to a DVD on my ipod.”

various circumstances captured on digital chipage.

femme fest in charlotte:

lots of evenings at the u.s. national white water center:

the tillman chronicles:

bela fleck and toumani diabate concert:

band of horses concert:

Durante un tiempo estuve totalmente convencido de que no volvería a escuchar otra música que no fuese la africana.

Y aunque luego el RN’R me ha vuelto a sacudir (ya hablaremos en otro momento del porqué del poder del rock) Ya nada será igual.

Creo a tope en la simbiosis entre la vida cotidiana de un lugar del mundo y la música, no me extraña en absoluto que en Alemania haya muchos metaleros, en Cuba salsa-brosones, en Norteamerica raperos, o en Francia mucho chansonnier. La música se alimenta de la calle y la calle de la música.

¿A quién de vdes. le apetece escuchar reggae un 29 de Diciembre? Cuántas veces me he preguntado que pintaría un grupo como Sparklehorse o los Tindersticks en Madagascar! No debe haber ni una sola persona en todo el continente escuchándolos. Es como llegar vestido de la dama de la guadaña al bautizo del hijo de tu mejor amigo, o mojar las galletas en Coca-Cola. NO PEGA.

Por eso mi paso por allí hizo que me simbiotizara con el medio y mi música tambien. Claro… luego no quería volver.

La cantidad de música africana que existe es insondable, tanto que no se por donde empezar esta colección de cd’s que les voy  a preparar. Una vez mas prescindimos de etiquetas y estilos. Música y música, pura música en este caso.

La mayoría de los ARTISTAS que aparecen en este disco ya son incluso “alguien” en el mundillo de la música, pero hay otros que no. Un mogollón increible de gente de los que nunca sabremos nada ni de ellos, ni de su obra. Peña que se ha inventado sus propios instrumentos, que han fabricado ellos mismos como por ciencia-ficción. Cantidad de gente que no sabe ni leer ni escribir, pero que saben tocar, saben cantar, saben bailar. Allí todo el mundo sabe hacer esto entre los 0 y  los 99 años.

Y sobre todo… Cantidad de gente que está bajo la tormenta cuando el cielo se revienta a rayos y truenos y deja verter toda su agua de golpe.

Y bajo el ciclón, en silencio, quien sabe si durmiendo a pierna suelta o absorto en esos pensamientos simples tan profundos, envueltos en el estruendo de la lluvia golpeando el tejado piensan en sus canciones, su música. Nada de lo que tu o yo podamos comprender. Seguramente algo mas que nuestro leve atisbo de habernos sentido alguna vez como parte de eso que llaman Naturaleza.

Tantas cosas que habrá tiempo para todo.

Sobre las canciones:

1. Mujeres y niñas. Desde luego, el motor y la alegría de la vida africana. El hombre como siempre un paso por detrás en la escala evolutiva.

2. African Style total, hablar del tiempo, de la lluvia, de las estaciones. Pura filosofía sobre la simpleza de nuestra existencia. Los pensamientos mas simples son los mas puros.

3.La jungla. Películas de Tarzán. Saltos de liana en liana.

4.Precioso ejemplo de como la música viaja, en el caso africano realizado a lo BESTIA “gracias” al colonialismo.

5. Burkina-Faso. Está claro que la música comenzó en Africa y el primer instrumento oficial del mundo fue el tambor. Calidad percusiva deluxe.

6.Maloya. Este hombre, este fiera, es rubio con los ojos azules pero justo debajo de su blanca piel es mas negro que un zulú. Lider espiritual y rebelde de la isla de la Reunión.

7Bárbaro. No se si es ella la que se parece a Koko Taylor o viceversa.

8.Sin comentarios. No podría entender que esto no le gustara a cualquiera.

9.Africa pura, esta música es otra dimensión mas de Africa. Me recuerda a una calle africana vacia en la noche. Alucinante. Jamás esta música se podría haber creado en NYC.

10. Alegria, alegría… acordeón. ¿Qué como llegó un acordeón a Costa de Marfil? ¿Fue el franchute invasor?

11.Cante jondo, evidentemente de origen africano. Tremendo.

12.Fiesta. Lo bien que se lo puede pasar uno con tan poquito.

13.EL James Brown de Madagascar, rey del salegy, y mucho mas simpático que el encarcelado James.

14. Baile. Danza africana. Madonna muñequita de cristal al aldo de las reinas de ébano.

15.Una orquesta en Kenia ¿a son de qué? Dales un instrumento y una radio y cambiarán el curso de la historia de la música. P.ej: el Blues?

16.Espiritual, gospel. Y como bailan. Hay que verlos ademas de oirlos.

17.Los Bob Dylan malgaches. Maestros y revolucionarios. Habrá recopilatorio solo de Mahaleo.

18.Pura Africa, el verde de los campos tras las lluvias, el arroz, la noche, la inmensidad de su cielo. Un viaje al paraiso.

Nuevo link:

NO NECESITAS MAS

Today, not surprisingly, I give you two songs from a joint British/Malian project. They are from Damon Albarn’s project called Mali Music where he went to Mali and worked with some of the greatest musicians there, including my favorite Toumani Diabate. Truly worth a listen.

Mali Music-Tennessee Hotel
Mali Music-4AM at Toumani’s

Enjoy and all my best for Thursday and through the weekend.

Estava eu no conforto do meu sofá, joystick na mão, jogando e me divertindo horrores com LittleBigPlanet quando fiquei petrificado.
Larguei o controle na hora e fui aumentar o som da trilha sonora daquela fase.

Que som era aquele?
Que som divino era aquele?

Meu, eu não tinha noção de que uma simples fase pudesse revelar uma música perfeita.
Bah. Não conseguia mais jogar. Deixei a música fluir.

***Tapha Niang Mp3 Download***

A fase da girafa, dos gorilas. Jungle beat!
Meuuuuuuuuuuu, que gostoso jogar um game assim.
Uma fase perfeita, diversão sob medida, trilha sonora perfeita.
Isso mexe com o coração da gente, deixa a gente mole.

Música é tudo de bom.
Música boa então…

Só depois, bem depois, fui descobrir que aquela música instrumental era a música tocada por Toumani Diabaté e sua Simétrica Orquestra.
Diabaté é um virtuoso tocador de kora de 21 cordas que nasceu na capital do Mali, Bamako, numa família excepcional de músicos de kora. Ele é o maior virtuoso desse instrumento – uma espécie de harpa com uma caixa de ressonância feita de uma grande cabaça cortada ao meio e fechada com uma pele de vaca –, e o guardião de uma tradição clássica com mais de 700 anos.

Puta coincidência.

Quem é bom, por mais que a gente ouça apenas uma única vez e não dê tanta importância, sempre volta lá na frente.
Eu sentia que já tinha ouvido falar nesse cara.

Claro que tinha, foi ele que participou do álbum Volta da Björk.

Foda, a islandesa sempre tá um passo a frente.

Eu já tinha baixado a trilha sonora do game e sincronizado no Ipod, mas até então só havia escutado Café Tacuba e Atlas Battle.
As outras faixas eu sempre passava.
Eu estava por demais viciado nessas duas músicas, ouvindo sem parar, sem parar, tipo, indo pro trampo e deixando no repeat até chegar lá.

Foi assim que descobri Tapha Niang.
Uma flechada direta no coração.

Mas então, reparei que a versão tocada no game era diferente da versão da trilha sonora.
Fui pesquisar essas versões e acabei encontrando uma polêmica:

————————————————-

(A Sony Computer Entertainment colocou no ar uma atualização para “LittleBigPlanet” que remove a letra da canção “Tapha Niang”, que traz passagens do Alcorão, o livro sagrado dos muçulmanos. A música continua no game, mas agora é apenas instrumental.
Por ora, a atualização está disponível apenas na Europa, mas deve chegar aos Estados Unidos em breve. O processo é automático, bastando rodar o game com o PlayStation 3 conectado à internet.
O imbróglio começou quando se descobriu que uma das músicas do game tinha referências ao Alcorão. Isso fez com que a Sony fizesse um recall do game, adiando seu lançamento.
Para corrigir as cópias já vendidas, agora foi lançada uma atualização online.

“LittleBigPlanet” é um game multiplayer de quebra-cabeça e interação social. A proposta do título é inovadora: trata-se de um jogo livre, em que os próprios jogadores inventam brincadeiras diversas, moldando as fases como desejar. Esses estágios podem ser compartilhados com outros usuários e a idéia é ter cada vez mais variedade, em conformidade com o espírito da web 2.0, em que a colaboração do público assume papel fundamental.

Em entrevista ao site da revista inglesa Edge, M. Zuhdi Jasser, presidente da organização sem fins lucrativos American Islamic Forum for Democracy, disse não concordar com a censura de “LittleBigPlanet” por conta de uma canção licenciada que cita duas passagens muito conhecidas do Alcorão, o livro sagrado dos muçulmanos.
“Os muçulmanos não podem se beneficiar da liberdade de expressão e religião e depois se virarem e pedirem, a qualquer momento em que forem ofendidos, que a liberdade alheia seja restrita. O mercado livre permite a expressão de desfavor ao simplesmente não comprar o game que pode ser ofensivo”, diz Jasser.
Ainda sobre o tópico, Toumani Diabate, músico responsável pela canção em questão, falou ao noticiário britânico News at Tem: “É bastante normal tocar música e ser inspirado pelas palavras do Profeta Maomé. É minha maneira de atrair e inspirar as pessoas em direção ao Islã”.
No entanto, a opinião de Diabate não é compartilhada por Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, do Conselho Muçulmano Britânico: “Os muçulmanos acreditam que o Alcorão é a verdadeira palavra de Deus e o dá o mais devido respeito. Portanto, se estas forem usadas como acompanhamento de música ou se forem usadas em jogos ou comerciais — isto irritaria, ofenderia e magoaria muitos muçulmanos”.

A Sony Computer Entertainment Europe adiou o lançamento do título para PlayStation 3 depois que foram descobertas referências ao Alcorão, o livro sagrado do islamismo, em uma música de uma das fases do jogo.
“Durante o processo de revisão para o lançamento de LittleBigPlanet, chegou à nossa atenção que uma das músicas de fundo licenciadas de uma gravadora para uso no jogo contém duas expressões que podem ser achadas no Alcorão,” admitiu a companhia em uma declaração oficial.
“Nós entramos imediatamente em ação para retificar isso e pedimos sinceras desculpas por qualquer ofensa que possa ter causado”.
As duas frases encontradas na música da terceira fase (intitulada “Swinging Safari”) diziam “Todas as almas devem ter o gosto da morte” e, logo a seguir, na mesma música, “Tudo que está na terra deve perecer”, ambas na língua árabe.
A Media Molecule publicou uma declaração em seu site dizendo que queria liberar um arquivo de correção logo após o lançamento para remover as “expressões” do Alcorão, mas em vez disso a Sony preferiu fazer um “recall” das unidades enviadas para as lojas e adiar o lançamento para uma data posterior.
“Nós descobrimos ontem que há uma música em uma das trilhas licenciadas que algumas pessoas podem considerar ofensivas, e que passaram despercibas pelo usual processo de produção”, disse um representante no fórum da empresa.
“Obviamente a Media Molecule e a Sony juntas trataram seriamente do assunto. ‘LBP’ deve ser divertido para todos. Então, dentro de 12 horas de discussão sobre esse problema envolvendo uma música, preparamos uma patch automático instantâneo e já tínhamos um novo disco imagem pronto; entretanto, uma decisão foi feita internamente pela Sony que a coisa certa a ser feita pela qualidade e pelo suporte às pessoas sem internet foi substituir os discos existentes. Eles nos asseguraram que estão fazendo tudo que estão ao seu alcance, da maneira mais rápida possível, e vão anunciar novas datas em breve”.)

————————————————-

(Algum desocupado, que não tinha nada melhor pra fazer e que deve ter problemas de relacionamento sérios, estava jogando o beta de LittleBigPlanet e ouviu duas frases em uma das músicas do jogo que lhe pareceram familiares. Acontece que o desocupado falava árabe e as frases eram em árabe.
Acontece que as frases eram duas citações do Corão, o livro sagrado da fé Islâmica.
Acontece que o desocupado supracitado resolveu escrever no fórum da Sony que considerava ofensivo o fato de seu livro sagrado ser citado em uma música.
Acontece que a Sony agora vai retirar a música do jogo, e com isso o lançamento do jogo foi atrasado em uma semana.

É… eu vejo tudo e não morro.

Só por curiosidade, as duas frases querem dizer “E toda alma deve provar o gosto da morte” e “tudo que está na Terra perecerá”. Será que se eu falar que considero ofensivo o fato de terem transformado Kratos em um bichinho fofinho eles tiram o personagem do jogo?
Até que ponto as crenças de alguém podem ditar as regras em uma indústria multimilionária como a dos videogames? Será que o mercado árabe é altamente estratégico para a Sony em sua busca pela dominação mundial? Será que os caras não podiam simplesmente dizer “Ok. Entendemos, mas se você se considera ofendido, não jogue, oras bolas. Agora dá licença que tenho mais o que fazer”?
O problema todo, na minha opinião, nem é o fato do jogo ser atrasado, mas o fato da Sony resolver tirar a música do jogo. O problema mesmo é a abertura de precedentes. Se todo mundo que se sentir ofendido com alguma coisa começar a exigir mudanças em jogos, os jogos vão desaparecer. E daí não teremos porquê escrever no Continue, por exemplo.
Lição Toon de hoje: antes de colocar músicas com frases em outra língua no seu grande hit do ano, contrate um tradutor.

[via Arstechnica]

UPDATE: MediaMolecule diz “patch”. Sony diz “Recall”. Sony rula.

Em seu site, a produtora de LittleBigPlanet disse que queria lançar um patch para remover as frases ofensivas da música do jogo, mas a Sony resolveu que a única maneira de consertar a burrada era um total recall do jogo.
De acordo com o post, a MediaMolecule já tinha preparado um day-0 patch (uma correção automática online) e uma nova imagem do disco. Mas a Sony resolveu que tinha que pensar nos pobres coitados que não possuem conexão com a internet em seus PS3 e que o melhor a fazer era chamar todos os discos de volta à base, destruí-los e começar tudo do zero.
Enquanto isso, no fórum onde essa idiotice toda começou, o suposto usuário que deu o pontapé inicial nessa questão toda postou um pedido de desculpas por “parcialmente causar o atraso do lançamento do jogo”.
“Parcialmente”?? Qualé! A culpa é toda tua!

[via videogame247])

————————————————-

Excerpt from MTV Multiplayer October 21, 2008
————————————————-

Given all the discussion of Toumani Diabate’s song, what hasn’t been explained is what the song is actually about. His label provided MTV Multiplayer this description:
In the song, “Tapha Niang” (taken from the World Circuit/Nonesuch album “Boulevard de l’Independance”), the singer, Moussa Diabate, adapts a traditional Malian song about the death of a much-loved hippopotamus who has been shot by a white hunter.
In the original song (Mali Sadjo) the griots of the village sing about how difficult it is to be separated from your loved one in death.
The singer adapts this song in “Tapha Niang” to lament the death of his brother Mustapha, who died very young as a child.
Moussa draws on the excerpts from the Koran to console him & help him overcome his bereavement.
In this way, his intention (”Neeyah” in Islam) is a good one. He is not blaspheming or taking the Koran out of context.
He is trying to draw strength from the words of the Prophet.

(”kollo nafsin tha’iqatol mawt”, literally: ‘Every soul shall have the taste of death’).
(”kollo man alaiha fan”, literally: ‘All that is on earth will perish’).

It is important to remember that everyone – no matter who you are or what you do – will die one day. It is the will of God.

————————————————-

Cara, parece até piada surreal! Em pleno ano de 2009 e ainda estamos discutindo assuntos como estes.
Vamos lá pessoas desse LittleBigPlanet, viremos a página!

Como algo tão lindo pode ser interpretado dessa forma?
Que perigo há nessa letra?
Que desrespeito há manter a letra da música num jogo?

Quanta babaquice!

O que mais me deixa triste, é que mesmo que nosso árabe não seja tão fluente assim, ainda tem gente que move montanhas por coisas tão, tão, tão dispensáveis.

Quem está mais errado? O tiozinho que reclamou, o tiozinho que colocou a música na trilha ou o tiozinho da Sony que mandou fazer o patch pra remover as frases ofensivas do tema?
Seja qualquer um dos três, santo tiozinho que colocou a música na trilha. Sem ele… Hehehe…

Pontos pro Mr. Diabaté. É impressionante que uma canção, que esteja disponível por mais de dois anos, somente está recebendo agora a atenção controversa para sua inclusão no jogo do PS3 da Sony.

My first time at the Jazz Cafe couldn’t have been for a better performance. By around 9.00pm, the intimate venue was packed, with each person having just enough space to groove to the pulsating rhythmic expression that is Vieux Farka Toure.

I had been listening to his father Ali Farka Toure for some time now, and it is definitely true when they say that every generation builds on what has been handed down to them, and Vieux Farka Toure is no exception.

Every string on his guitar was struck with skilful yet effortless and often very playful precision, and it wasn’t surprising to see the crowd whipped up in a euphoric frenzy after every piece. The entire gig was like a musical theatre, each band member playing a decisive role in captivating the audience, with an electrifying performance on every instrument. Even though it went without saying, the presenter still mentioned that this was the best gig so far in the string of events to commemorate the Songlines Magazine 10^th anniversary.

“Are you okay?” he would say after every song, which was received by an uproar of praise every single time.

I must admit, I am a very big but very recent fan of Mali music. I have been listening to the likes of Oumou Sangare, Ali Farka Toure, and Toumani Diabate, and I have been craving to witness this beautiful music performed live ever since. Vieux has definitely quenched that thirst, but unfortunately, it’s the morning after now, and I have been left wanting more.

For now, his latest album Fondo is keeping me going. For me, this album, and Vieux’s music, like many other post-colonial African singers, is an embodiment of modern Africa. As all disciplined and obedient children, modern Africa has still maintained its traditional foundation, which is very clear in his music, with songs like Wale. But the revolution that brings forward that change with every generation is also very evident in tunes like Diaraby Magni, in which the vibration of reggae is ever so present. It can be said that Vieux is his father’s son, but he is surely not his father.

And if like me, you’re enchanted by the instrumental elegance of Vieux Farka Toure and the many musicians like him, it might be a good idea to invest in some simple and easy to follow  Video Lessons on how to play the guitar, bass, drums and piano – that’s an entire band taken care of.  And while you’re at it, why not use this quick and easy way to Learn to Speak French.

Buy Vieux Farka Toure - Fondo for just £7.98

My second favorite columnist on ESPN.com (what, you expect me to spend all my time reading Ricoeur and Tillich?) is a guy named Bill Simmons, also known as “The Sports Guy”.  Every once in a while, he’ll write a column that is nothing but quick bullets with links to sports-related points of interest on the web.   Since a lot of what I blog about is the intersection of religion and popular culture–and because I really like that format (It makes for a fun read…) and because I am in post-Easter and post-IRS mode (a little tuckered out, so to speak), I think I’ll do a much better job throwing out some conversation starters than trying to think through a specific subject. so…here it goes….

• Just over a week ago, Newsweek featured an interesting article by Jon Meacham on shifting demographics regarding religion in America.  It’s worth reading, most definitely (though it doesn’t say anything all that new).  Today, I came across an Op-ed that suggests that Meacham’s research points more to the decline of the Religious Right than Christianity’s decline.  This, in my mind, is great news.
• After hearing about the documentary  Bela Fleck helped put together about the historical relationship between the American Banjo and the West African Kora, I was THRILLED to hear a story and Muscial excerpts on NPR this morning.  You can listen to 4 or 5 straight tracks…or just listen to the whole interview. 
• I love Tacky Jesus stuff.  Well, my sister Amanda sent me a site for “Jesus of the Week”.  This is great stuff.  Too funny.
• For Holy Saturday, Saint Andrew sponsored a Day of Service, including a young adult service project we jointly performed with the good folks at Community Christian Church in KC, MO.  We worked with the Front Porch Alliance on a community beautification project.
• And of course, on Easter Sunday, not only was I thinking about the Gospel Account of the Resurrection, but an amazing Wendell Berry poem that–depending on your perspective–uses Resurrection as a rich metaphor or gets to the heart of what Resurrection is all about. But hey–Maybe metaphors are about getting to the heart of things…
• Sharon and Darrell Cantrell, members here at Saint A, sent me this interesting article today on Short term service and mission projects.  Though I think questions about cultural imperialism are important for any sort of development, service, or other international encounters, Menjay rightly points out the centrality of relationship building for an ethical trip.
• Speaking of which, our pilgrimage to El Higueral  is coming up in July.  For those of you in the Kansas City area who can’t wait for the trip to get your Salvadoran Fix, I have a couple of options for ya.  Ivy Wagner, another Saint Andrew member, sent me news about a Salvadoran art show sponsored by the Ecumenical Christian Ministries at KU.  And if you haven’t tried El Pugarcito, the amazing Salvadoran restaurant in Merriam, KS….do yourself a favor and go.
• For the record, Scoop Jackson in my favorite writer at ESPN.com.  I think he does a superb job talking about sports, culture, and race in America.
• AND THIS… So Haunting.  Though Resurrection is a time of joyous celebration in the Christian Tradition, there’s always the dark underbelly.  Flannery O’Connor  certainly pointed her readers to that, and Johnny Cash, speaking “from beyond the grave,” certainly gets at it, too…

So anyway…I’ll try to this every once in a while….let me know if y’all enjoy it.

I’ve been writing a bio for Casey Dreissen who’s new CD, Oog which comes out on May 12, 2009.  I finally finished it and sent it to him.  A couple of days later I called him up and he told me that he was going to be playing in Durham NC with Bela Fleck and a bunch of African Musicians.  He invited me to come out and told me that he would put me on the guest list.  Actually he told me that I HAD to come out because this was something incredible and not to be missed.  I’m unemployed. It’s only about 75 miles away. I ain’t got nothing better to do.  So I hopped in the truck and I drove out there.  He was right. The show was incredible.

The performers were:

Bela Fleck – USA
Vusi Mahlasela – South Africa
Toumani Diabate – Mali
John Kitime – Tanzania
Anania Ngoliga – Tanzania
d’Gary – Madagascar
Mario – Madagascar
Casey Dreissen – USA

The tour was in support of a Cd and Documentary called Throw Down Your Heart about Bela’s journey to Africa to trace back the origins of the banjo, and his subsequent collaborations with African musicians.

The show was structured so that each artist would come out and do a couple of tunes, then Bela would come out and duet with them. There were a variety of  instruments being played from traditional acoustic guitar to the Kora a harp-like traditional African instrument.

The thing that struck me was how little I know about Africa and the different musical traditions there.  Tarzan movies, and the occasional 15 second news blip about famine and inter-tribal violence does not an education about Africa make.  Africa is just as diverse a continent as is Europe or Asia or North America.  Different regions, different tribes, different traditions, different musical stylings.

The musicians involved with this tour were all mind-blowingly talented.  They were also all extremely intelligent and personable people. Vusi Mahlasela speaks 17 different languages. That’s right SEVENTEEN. He is a UN Musical Ambassador and does all different type of Human Right work.

The percussionist Mario works as a fisherman when he is not on tour.  I sometimes get to feeling sorry for myself and thinking I got it bad. I got no job. No prospects for a job.  I got a bunch of minor medical crap going on.  But I got a House to live in.  I got electricity.  I have clean water.  I own four guitars and a couple of mandolins.  One of these guys made his first guitar out of fishing line and a 5-gallon tin that held cooking oil. The percussionist Mario was playing an evaporated milk can filled with glass, and getting incredible tone and rhythms out of it. Vusi Mahlasela told about being 11 years old and organizing protests against Apartheid and how the police would come drag kids out of their houses and night and beat and often kill these kids just because they wanted to speak their own language instead of Afrikaans. He talked about the importance of Forgiveness and the power that it held and how we all need to wear Forgiveness like a crown. Anania Ngoliga a blind musician played a kalimba or thumb piano in such a way that it seemed impossible for one person to be getting all of that out of such an instrument.  In fact, most people would be hard pressed to get all of that out of a traditional 88-key piano. Him and Fleck did a call and response duet that had the entire audience spellbound, and the joy on everyone’s face was just incredible and infectious as well.

These guys are all Rock Stars at home, Springsteen and Clapton level Rock Stars.  Toumani Diabate  is known as the prince of the Kora and has collaborated with  Taj Mahal, Peter Gabriel,  Bjork,  Spain’s flamenco-fusion band Ketama,  and countless jazz musicians.

Here is the trailer for the documentary. You DON’T want to miss seeing this.

Here is an interview Bela did for a Nashville Radio station that also features some a live performance.

For those who are interested, I also found teh following YouTube links:

Vusi Mahlasela – http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=LW0SMk-HJ3M

Toumani Diabate – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DEKQjj6Ga0

D’Gary -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aYOpLWqiMk

(Above: Vusi Mahlasela at Live 8.)
By Joel Francis
The Kansas City Star
Bela Fleck has taken his banjo to some unexpected forays into jazz, classical and holiday music. For his latest project, not only did Fleck bring his banjo to Africa, but he brought several of his African collaborators with him on tour.

For three hours Fleck and his Africa Project mesmerized a half-full Uptown Theater Thursday night.

Starting promptly at 8, Fleck opened with a 10 minute solo improvisation based on the melodies and techniques he picked up in Africa. After introducing thumb pianist and Anania Ngoliga and guitarist John Kitime from Tanzania, Fleck ceded the stage to the duo. That set the pattern for the night: Fleck’s introduction, a couple solo numbers followed by a couple duets.

Ngoliga’s thumb piano was a wooden box about the size of a sampler with about three dozen metal strips of varying lengths attached. Backed by Kitime’s buoyant acoustic guitar, the pair sang about their native country. After 15 minutes, Fleck came out for “Kabibi.” Ngoliga sang that one in a voice so high it almost sounded like a children’s song. His happiness was so infectious it’s hard to imagine anyone not cracking a smile while listening.

There were only two drawbacks to Fleck’s format. Just as it seemed the performers were getting in a groove, it was time for the next act. Perhaps more frustrating was the high level of entertainment and musicianship from the artists. Each could easily carry a show of their own. With any luck, some of them will come back through again.

On the other hand, Fleck is to be commended for introducing these musicians to his audience. During his set, kora player Toumani Diabate recalled the last time he was in Kansas City … 18 years ago. It is very conceivable this was the first (and only) performance our town will see from the rest of the artists.

Next up was D’Gary and Mario, a guitarist and percussionist from Madagascar. D’Gary’s playing style was like Spanish flamenco married to Ali Farka Toure’s African blues. D’Gary’s playing was virtuosic, yet warm and inviting. He was joined by Mario who played a small tin can filled with glass, sealed and attached to a stick. It may not sound impressive, but somehow Mario managed to turn the simple instrument into an uber-maraca.

After sitting in with the pair for one number, Fleck brought out bluegrass violinist Casey Drieson to join them on “Kinetsa.” Drieson was initially absent in the mix. Frustrated, he walked across the stage and started playing into D’Gary’s microphone. The cheers that erupted were so great that when Drieson tried to retreat, Fleck urged him to take another solo.

(Above: The six-string wonders of D’Gary.)

Vusi Mahlesela came out after a 20-minute intermission. His guitar style was closest to the Western tradition. It’s easy to imagine him in the South African equivalent of a Greenwich Village coffee shop. A former anti-apartheid activist, Mahlesela sang in an expressive tenor. Like most of the performers, he didn’t sing much in English, but he put his whole body into what he said.

The joyous “Thula Mana” was dedicated to Mahlesela’s grandma, who protected him from the Afrikaans police force. If Fleck added the least to this pairing, it is only because Mahlesela’s presence was so complete.

Finally, Fleck introduced kora master Toumani Diabate. A native of Mali, Diabate has collaborated with Taj Mahal and Bjork and was the best-known of Fleck’s guests. Clad in a traditional golden robe, Diabate’s instrument was the most traditional and formal of the night. After a long solo piece, Fleck came out and urged Diabate to explain his instrument. Diabate’s kora looked like an industrial broomstick with many protruding strings stuck in a gigantic half-gourd. After demonstrating the four-finger picking technique (thumbs and two index fingers), Diabate slowly built a song starting with the bassline, adding melody and finally improvisation.

Dierson returned – this time with a working mic – to join Fleck and Diabate on “Throw Down Your Heart.” Banjo and kora work well together because both instruments are treble-heavy and prone to twang. Playing double stops on the low strings, Dierson’s violin was a pleasant counterpoint that added fresh textures.

The night ended with everyone onstage together for an improvised jam and Mahlesela’s “When You Come Back,” a tribute to his home continent.

Western artists have been mining African music since before they wouldn’t play Sun City, but Fleck may be the most accommodating. He acted as less a host than a facilitator who was honored to sit in with his guests.

The collaborations were so organic it seemed they could have taken place anywhere – the studio, living room, outside. They just happened to be experienced in the Uptown this night.

(Below: Toumani Diabate rocks the kora.)

I went to Tarrytown to see Bela’s Africa Project, and got to see 72nd generation Kora player Toumani Diabate play, not to mention D’Gary and many other legends.

I could try and explain but it seems fruitless to even try.

This sound is still blowing my mind… circling.