Headfirst Editor's Pick
"Sell out warning! You might've heard Rokia with 10 piece supergroup Les Amazones d’Afrique, or with the backing of globetrotting super-producer Jacknife Lee. Now she’s putting her gritty griot-infused vocals to Malian guitar and a West African percussive pulse - it’s the sound of an emerging legend replenishing her roots. Totally unmissable FFO: Rokia Traoré, Tinariwen, Fatoumata Diawara."
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A gig held at The Jam Jar on Thursday 24th October. The event starts at 20:00.
Ear Trumpet Presents: Rokia Koné. Standing Show (with some unreserved seats) at The Jam Jar, Little Ann BS2 9EB - 18 +
One of Mali’s most beloved and dynamic artists, Rokia Koné is a force to be reckoned with. She has a voice that soars – pure, clear and true — above infectious Mande guitar grooves and traditional percussion, and her captivating performances run the gamut of emotion from joy to despair, fury to tenderness, wielding that astounding voice with grace and power. Born and raised in Ségou, the cradle of the ancient Bamana kingdom, Rokia draws on a rich tradition of griot storytelling and has a deep connection with her Malian ancestry. Her unique abilities in melodic improvisation, honed over years of late-night residencies in the legendary music clubs of Bamako, have earned her a place as one of West Africa’s most exciting vocalists.
Following the release of her widely-lauded debut album BAMANAN in collaboration with rock producer Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M., Taylor Swift) which brought her two All Africa Music Award nominations and The New York Times Critic’s Pick, Rokia now presents her music in an intimate new setting for the very first time for a series of shows in Autumn 2024. Accompanied by a maestro Malian guitarist and a bed of Mandé percussion, audiences will have a special opportunity to witness a once-in-a-generation vocalist up close, in an atmospheric setting left wide open for improvisation and epic musical storytelling.
“Her voice has all the magic and subtlety of the griots. Sometimes her voice cuts like a blade, sometimes it's as soft as a child's. She possesses the musicality of the sounds of a kora. She combines force and gentleness” —Maryse Condé, author of the best-selling novel Ségou.
Mohamed Errebbaa
Mohamed Errebbaa was born in Rabat, Morocco. He is a musician and master in the Gnawa world. Mohamed spent a decade traveling throughout Morocco, studying the diverse regional musical traditions under some of the leading musicians in the country. In southern Morocco, he studied Issawa and Deqqa folkloric percussion, developing a particular passion for the three-stringed Gnawa bass lute, the Guembri, before launching his international career.
Receptive to the fusion of musical genres, Mohamed has collaborated with many leading international artists. He has worked and performed with artists such as Trevy Felix, Nelly Stharre, Antonia Vai, Hamid Bouchnak, Martin Signeur, and Justin Adams, mixing traditional African music with the sounds of the wider world.
Mohamed has already performed at festivals worldwide, including Shambala, Greenbelt, Musicport, WOMAD (UK), Bergenfest (Norway), Busan (South Korea), Explora Festival (Malta), and Respect Festival (Prague).
eartrumpet
Entry requirements: 18+
One of Mali’s most beloved and dynamic artists, Rokia Koné is a force to be reckoned with. She has a voice that soars – pure, clear and true — above infectious Mande guitar grooves and traditional percussion, and her captivating performances run the gamut of emotion from joy to despair, fury to tenderness, wielding that astounding voice with grace and power. Born and raised in Ségou, the cradle of the ancient Bamana kingdom, Rokia draws on a rich tradition of griot storytelling and has a deep connection with her Malian ancestry. Her unique abilities in melodic improvisation, honed over years of late-night residencies in the legendary music clubs of Bamako, have earned her a place as one of West Africa’s most exciting vocalists.
Following the release of her widely-lauded debut album BAMANAN in collaboration with rock producer Jacknife Lee (U2, R.E.M., Taylor Swift) which brought her two All Africa Music Award nominations and The New York Times Critic’s Pick, Rokia now presents her music in an intimate new setting for the very first time for a series of shows in Autumn 2024. Accompanied by a maestro Malian guitarist and a bed of Mandé percussion, audiences will have a special opportunity to witness a once-in-a-generation vocalist up close, in an atmospheric setting left wide open for improvisation and epic musical storytelling.
“Her voice has all the magic and subtlety of the griots. Sometimes her voice cuts like a blade, sometimes it's as soft as a child's. She possesses the musicality of the sounds of a kora. She combines force and gentleness” —Maryse Condé, author of the best-selling novel Ségou.
Mohamed Errebbaa
Mohamed Errebbaa was born in Rabat, Morocco. He is a musician and master in the Gnawa world. Mohamed spent a decade traveling throughout Morocco, studying the diverse regional musical traditions under some of the leading musicians in the country. In southern Morocco, he studied Issawa and Deqqa folkloric percussion, developing a particular passion for the three-stringed Gnawa bass lute, the Guembri, before launching his international career.
Receptive to the fusion of musical genres, Mohamed has collaborated with many leading international artists. He has worked and performed with artists such as Trevy Felix, Nelly Stharre, Antonia Vai, Hamid Bouchnak, Martin Signeur, and Justin Adams, mixing traditional African music with the sounds of the wider world.
Mohamed has already performed at festivals worldwide, including Shambala, Greenbelt, Musicport, WOMAD (UK), Bergenfest (Norway), Busan (South Korea), Explora Festival (Malta), and Respect Festival (Prague).
eartrumpet
Entry requirements: 18+
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