Afrobeat with a twist of soul
A new Afrobeat gem was released in November 2018
RUTH TAFEBE’s second solo album is dolomite. The Ivorian singer is, as a token of her talent, once again, backed by the master Tony Allen and uses that platform to deliver conscious lyrics.
Seven tracks, and one bonus track, and all the love needed to write and record this album.
Twi, first track of the album is a psychedelic tune introduced by heavy percussions. Here Ruth Tafebe gives us an idea of her vocal range with a high-pitched chorus voice. Damianidis invites Rock and Roll spirit with the help of his magic guitar toward the end of track and reminds us that Tafebe’s was once an AfroRocker.
This is Afrobeat, no doubt about it, but a special Afrobeat, brewed with Funk and Soul, served with sophisticated keyboard lines played by Augusto Pirroda (No comment feat. Gary Peacock and Paul Motian), an Afrobeat that takes you to a voyage through Tafebe’s mind, influences and commitments. You will want to dance on Kereketeba, chant along with Crocodile Walk and Ne Koro, even if you don’t speak Malinké, will give you goose bumps.
Jakob Warmenbol brilliantly faces the challenge of being featured on the same album as Master Tony Allen and shows how much of a good student he is, supported by Brazil-trained percussionist Falk Shrauwen, his cuica, congas, and other kind of handmade small percussions.
From Bouaké to Abidjan via New York, Utrecht, Brussels…
Ruth Tafebe was born in Côte d’Ivoire where she is back now after 26 years spent abroad. At home, the family used to listen to Rumba, Jazz, traditional and modern ivorian music, reggae, disco or funk.
After she moved to Montpellier (France), at the age of 15, she became a member of Sagrada Familia (the band leader spotted her singing Bob Marley’s Corner Stone in church). Later on, Dj Sundae spots her as she was performing in Barcelona... Together they became the Sunshipp, a Soul-Electronic project, that would take them on France major stages as Printemps de Bourges, Transmusicales de Rennes or Belle de mai in Marseille…
But, it is actually in New York that she launched into Afrobeat. She had left Montpellier with a demo of the album recorded with Julien Raulet, guitar player and co-founder of Fanga. They had met on the dance floor, shaking their “nyash” to Sharon Jones music and few month later, the “AfroRockerz” were born. In New York, Ruth quickly starts performing every week-ends at famous St Nicks Jazz pub (Harlem), at the Shrine (Harlem) or at Zebulon (Brooklyn). Good fairy such as Tony Allen, who has played on most of the tracks, shown some interest in her new project, first solo album, with an evocative title : Holy Warriors (Comet Records/ 2007).
Then, back in Europe, Brussels, Ruth meets Giotis Damianidis, great guitar player trained by Oghene Kologbo, and put together a new band : the AfroSoulMessengerz. Few years and numerous live performances later, Ruth Tafebe is ready to release “Téré Té Ségué” featuring Tony Allen on four tracks, first fruit of a wonderfully creative partnership with Damianidis.
