BT River of Music: Baaba Maal interview for London 2012

Maal?s principal contribution to the London 2012 Festival will be Africa-Utopia, a month-long festival-within-a festival he is curating at the South Bank. Taking in music, literature, dance and fashion, the emphasis here will be on the Africa of the future, from Afro-sci-fi films to street children?s hip hop.

While Maal?s performance at Africa-Utopia will concentrate on the more meditative and acoustic sides of his talent, he intends that his performance at BT River of Music will be as up-tempo and spontaneous as possible. ?It will be just like when me and my band play for our own audience in Dakar [the Senegalese capital]. The emphasis will be on communication with the audience. If you want to get up and dance or even jump on the stage, you can do it.?

Born in Podor in Senegal?s arid north, Maal faced opposition from his father before he was able to embark on a musical career. In the traditional society of their Fulani ethnic group, music wasn?t a respectable occupation. But after studying first law, then Western classical music, he went on a journey of discovery through Senegal and neighbouring countries, learning songs along the way.

After moving to Paris for a further bout of academic study, he formed his own electric band, Dande Lenol ? the Voice of the People. While the group is an established live favourite both in Africa and around the world, Maal believes 2012 will open up new possibilities for them and for African music in general.

?African music tends to be heard in certain venues with a particular audience. But here it?s being thrown open to everybody. African music still communicates in a natural, organic way. If our talking drummer feels moved to jump into the audience, he will do it. At a time when everything is becoming more organised, when people everywhere are tied to computers, people are drawn to that kind of spontaneity. To make people dance as if they were on a street corner in Dakar: that?s what we intend to do at BT River of Music.?

Baaba Maal appears Saturday July 21 on the BT River of Music Africa stage, London Pleasure Gardens. For tickets see www.btriverofmusic.com

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568841/s/215503b9/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cculture0Cmusic0Cworldfolkandjazz0C93963680CBT0ERiver0Eof0EMusic0EBaaba0EMaal0Einterview0Efor0ELondon0E20A120Bhtml/story01.htm

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