Description

Singers & Players

mim suleiman (zanzibar):vocals
rosie brown (uk):vocals
vanessa rani chutturghoon (mauritius-uk):vocals
unome (uk):beatboxer
kadialy kouyate (senegal): kora, vocals
catherine carr (uk):steel pans
kudaushe matimba (zimbabwe):marimba, hosho,vocals
tony ‘tk’ koni (uk):bass guitar
john ball (uk):tabla
guery tibirica (brazil):berimbau, atabaque (drum)
juldeh camara (gambia):vocals, riti (fula fiddle), koloko (west african banjo)
juan gabriel gutierrez (colombia): vocals, harmonium

Tracks:

1. Kelefa Jah 7.02 (trad. arr.Jobarteh/Bowring/Kouyate/Suleiman/Brown)

Introduced to Rafiki Jazz by the band’s original young kora player Pa Bobo Jobarteh, this is a powerful re-working of a classic Mandinka epic song based on the 200 year old story of the warrior prince Kurunti Kelefa Saane from the village of Badora, who died (left his spear) in another village – Barria.

Singers: Mim Suleiman, Kadialy Kouyate, Vanessa Chutturghoon, Rosie Brown
Players: Kadialy Kouyate, Kudaushe Matimba, Cath Carr, Tony ‘tk’ Koni, Guery Tibirica, Unome, Juldeh Camara

2. HiLife Mama 6.19 (trad arr Susso/Brown/Suleiman/Chutturghoon)

Introduced to the band by another korist, jali Seikou Susso, Rafiki Jazz turn this sweet up-tempo song around a bit, and cross from West Africa to the Caribbean & back with some new Swahili & Portuguese lyrics typically embraced by Mama Africa’s ever-open arms.

Singers: Mim Suleiman, Rosie Brown, Vanessa Chutturghoon
Players: Unome, Kadialy Kouyate, Tony ‘tk’ Koni, Kudaushe Matimba, Cath Carr, Guery Tibirica, Juldeh Camara

3. Keme Burama 6.43 (trad.arr Kouyate/Brown)

Introduced to the band by its kora player Kadialy Kouyate this is a Rafiki Jazz adaptation of the moving traditional song, popularised in the 1970’s by djeli Sory Kandia Kouyate, about the legacies of Keme Burama, who was the warrior commander (and younger brother) of Almani Samori Toure, the famous leader of the Mandinka Empire between 1870 & 1898, and one of the heroes of the struggle against the French colonial powers in this region.

Singers: Kadialy Kouyate, Rosie Brown
Players: Kadialy Kouyate, Kudaushe Matimba, Tony ‘tk’ Koni, Cath Carr, Guery Tibirica, Unome, Juldeh Camara

4. Hebu-Heshima 3.27 (Suleiman)

Mim Suleiman sings a new song in Swahili, about holding on to somebody, somebody who obviously doesn’t deserve it, someone who makes you look like a fool. The pride is no longer there, everyone knows you are still taking this disrespect, and many are crying for you and saying.. let it all go, there’s nothing good here for you anymore, so go find it

elsewhere..

Singer: Mim Suleiman
Players: Unome, John Ball, Guery Tibirica, Mim Suleiman, Tony ‘tk’ Koni

5. Mingi Mingi 6.20 (Suleiman)

Mim Suleiman sings out loud about freedom: everyone has the right in this world to live their own lives, to seek knowledge and to come up with their own conclusions. We are often under pressure to follow the majority opinion, even though ‘most of the time a lot of what they say it just doesn’t make any sense..mingi munayosema mimi kwangu siyawezi… But it is your birthright to seek knowledge in your life. And I’m afraid a lot of cultures out there, including my own, are not there to encourage individuality..if you know what I mean’

Singers: Mim Suleiman, Rosie Brown, Kudaushe Matimbah, Juan Gabriel Gutierrez
Players: Pa Bobo Jobarteh, Kudaushe Matimba, Tony ‘tk’ Koni, Cath Carr, John Ball, Juan Gabriel Gutierrez, Juldeh Camara

6. Jallo Jerry 6.37 (trad arr.Juldeh Camara)

A popular traditional Fula song revisited by Juldeh Camara praising the qualities of Mariama Diallo Dieri who is likened to a beautiful turtle dove. Juldeh plays his koloko…his African banjo.. on this one.

Singers: Juldeh Camara, Mim Suleiman, Rosie Brown, Vanessa Chutturghoon
Players: Juldeh Camara, Kudaushe Matimba, Unome, Guery Tibirica, Tony ‘tk’ Koni, Cath Carr, Kadialy Kouyate

7. Mali Sajo 6.10 (trad arr Kadialy Kouyate/Matimba)

Introduced to Rafiki Jazz by Kadialy Kouyate & Kudaushe Matimba, this is a traditional song to make you dance like the hippopotamus..actually based on a lament about a much-loved hippo killed by a hunter.

Singers: Kadialy Kouyate, Mim Suleiman, Vanessa Chutturghoon, Rosie Brown
Players: Kadialy Kouyate, Kudaushe Matimba, Tony ‘tk’ Koni, Cath Carr, Guery Tibirica, Unome, Juldeh Camara

8. Muhogo wa Jango’mbe 7.08 (trad arr Mim Suleiman)

A deep metaphorical Swahili song about cassava, but it could mean many things. God blesses without warning, God gives without you knowing. First recorded in the 1920’s by Maalim Shaaban and later popularised by legendary Zanzibari veteran singer Bi Kidude, Mim Suleiman gives it to the band, who give it the full Rafiki treatment!

Singers: Mim Suleiman, Rosie Brown, Vanessa Chutturghoon
Players: Kadialy Kouyate, Kudaushe Matimba, Tony ‘tk’ Koni, Cath Carr, Guery Tibirica, Unome, Juldeh Camara

Total running time 49.48