From Uganda, the source of his musical roots. His work, however, has been inspired by a myriad of styles – a fully realised absorption of Western pop, African traditions and the creative need to define a very personal musical identity.
Oryema was born in Soroti, to the east of Uganda. His family were immersed in the country’s traditional cultures. Oryema, for instance, was encouraged by his father to play the nanga (a seven-string harp) and he also travelled around Uganda with his mother, a director of the national dance company The Heartbeat of Africa. Other members of the Oryema family were story-tellers, poets and musicians. «I was struck by the musical disease at the age of seven,» he says.
As he entered his teens, Oryema learned how to play the guitar, flute and lukeme (a metal thumb-piano). He also began to write songs. It was inevitable that Oryema’s life would be involved in the arts and, in the early Seventies, he enrolled in Uganda’s Drama School of Academy. His career aspiration was to become an actor – an ambition developed by founding an African drama company, Theatre Ltd. He also wrote stage pieces which mixed traditional African theatre with the avant garde Method techniques pioneered by Stanislavski and Grotowski. The result was a very original ‘theatre of the absurd’, embellished by African tribal sounds and improvisation. It was, perhaps, the first expression of Oryema’s ability to experiment with disparate cultures.
By the mid-Seventies, however, the political climate in Uganda was bleak. Oryema’s father was Idi Amin’s Minister of Land and Water Resources – an important role in the government. Amin’s rising tyranny, however, eliminated all political opponents and in February 1977 Oryema’s father was killed in a suspicious car crash. Geoffrey Oryema left his native country by crossing the border into Kenya. From there he travelled to France, where Oryema has lived in exile ever since.
Paris is the European centre of African culture. Oryema spent years playing gigs and experimenting with the huge diversity of musical styles at the heart of the city’s club culture. In 1989 Thomas Brooman, one of the founders of WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance), came to Paris in search of new talent. The visit resulted in an invitation for Oryema to appear at one of the WOMAD festivals.
The following year was crucial in Oryema’s career. The WOMAD connection introduced Oryema to the Real World label, for whom he recorded his debut album ‘Exile’ (CDRW14). He also performed at the Nelson Mandela tribute concert at Wembley. ‘Exile’ was produced by Brian Eno; it also included contributions from Peter Gabriel on backing vocals and keyboards, and David Rhodes (one of the mainstays of Gabriel’s band) on guitar. The album, based on Oryema’s experiences as a youth in Uganda, brought immediate critical and public acclaim, establishing his reputation as a significant African singer-songwriter.
His second album for Real World, ‘Beat The Border’ (CDRW37), brought together a team of talented and experienced collaborators. One of the cornerstones is the French guitarist Jean-Pierre Alarcen, who wrote the music for ‘Hard Labour’ and co-composed ‘The River’, and many other songs.
‘Night To Night’ (CDRW58) is Geoffrey Oryema’s third album for Real World, in which he sings primarily in French and English with a passion and understanding that can only come from experience. The album brings together a team of talented and experienced collaborators: Daniel Lanois, Lokua Kanza, Nicolas Fiszman and Jean-Pierre Alarcen. All play a part in producing the album as well as performing on it. The end result consists of wonderful melodies, musicianship and lyrics with real meaning and substance, away from the confines of simple categorisation.
♦ ‘Makambo’ ↓
Ngibathe Ngicelu Xolo – Ngatholi nzondo
Ngibathe Ngecelu thando ma, ah oh
Yiningathi yini ngomhlaba – Yini Singa Funu Zwano? ah oh
Ngibathe Ngicelu Xolo – Ngatholi nzondo, ah oh
Washu mathambo espoki wathi
Africa, Umhlaba ubolile – Abantu bane nkohla kalo
Umhlaba ubolile – Umhlaba unengozi
Sudan, Rwanda, Angola, Malawi, Liberia, Zaire
Stop the killing
Phansingo dlame
South Africa: war is never good
Phansingo dlame
So why? So why? So why?
Africa, Africa will sing – so why?
The sun in your heart is your smile – so why?
Wozani bizanu tula – So why?
♦ ‘Land of Anaka’ ⇓ [w/ P. Gabriel – 2005]
In this land of Anaka – They called us Payira . . .
Obiga lead me in this darkness – Show me the way
Obiga take me to a place where I can see light
(Obiga lead me in this darkness…) Show me the way . . .
In this land of Anaka – They called us Payira . . .
Obiga lead me in this darkness . . . Show me the way . . .
(Obiga lead me in this darkness) Show me the way
(Obiga take me home, take me home)
Obiga lead me in this darkness – Show me the way
In this land of Anaka – We had hope in Obiga . . .
We had hopes, we had dreams of a clear green land
In place of the family house – Dead sand, dead sand
(Obiga lead me in this darkness) Show me the way
(Obiga take me home) Show me the way
Obiga is no more – We are left in disarray
(Obiga take me home) The clan of Anaka, pillar
◊ ‘Listening Wind’ ↓ [Talking Heads cover]
•→‘The River’⇐
♦ ‘Ye Ye Ye’ ↓
I never sleep – I’ve been awake for what feels like a year
cause when I dream my mind puts a face to each one of my fears
I’m exhausted by my imagination
I close my eyes but I could still see the pain on your face
It’s your disguise – You put your heart and soul on a plate
I’m exhausted by my imagination
The walls are bleeding cause Im hallucinating
Beneath the wheel I cannot slow its rotation down
I got to get away from here – But there’s nowhere I can go
Everyone I recognize looks at me like I am lost
Walking down these dire streets
I thought I heard you call my name but it’s only in my head
Or maybe it was just your ghost
Up in the sky – The clouds are dirty so soon it will rain
I lost my mind after you told me that you went insane
I’m a victim of my imagination
These walls are talking but Im hallucinating
Beneath the wheel that will not slow its rotation down
Down – Down in my head (? )
I got to get away from here – But there’s nowhere I can go
Everyone I recognize looks at me like Im a ghost
Walking down these dying streets I thought I heard you call my name
But it was only in my mind – You were never there at all
♦ ‘How long will it take’ ↓ [2012]
When I stretched out and closed my eyesI found I couldn’t relax – Couldn’t relax
I stretched out further and took a deep breath
Deep breath dizziness in my head How long will it take …. I watched them pull him away
Until he was out of sight – Far away
As I walked away I wondered where
My mind was going – Going How long will it take …. The preacher came and prayed for me
And left my life in the hands of Jesus – Firing squad
He looked at me – Then shot me a smile
Deep breath – Dizziness in my head – Firing squad I looked again at the soldiers – A chill went up – Up my spine
How long will it take ….
◊ with Idir ⇒ Exil / Dayrib ⇐
÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷
≈
¤ → Rokia Traoré
– on the impact of war in Mali ⇔
♦ ‘Sabali’ ↓
«Sabali sabali sabali yonkonte» refers to «wisdom» repeated thrice [‘sabali ‘means ‘wisdom’]. The phrase carries the connotation similar to «reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic» will bring wisdom to you. The imperative «yonkonte» is stated as emphasis and means something like, «do it, as I say to you». Kind of like, «Do you get it?»
Sabali sabali sabali yonkontê – patience, patience is worth everything
Sabali sabali sabali Kayi – patince, patience is good
ni kêra môgô – when you love someone.»
-solulacia
♦ Roots ↓ Paris 2001
♦ ‘Yankadi’ ↓
♦ → «M’Bifo» ↓
It is true that united we stand – Thank you my beloved – Whatever happens you are by my side – From the time of my solitude and my fears, I…
♦ ‘Mouneissa’ ↓
♦ «Kounandi» ↓
÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷
¤ Salif Keita ↓
Malian singer Salif Keita was born into nobility, but he gave it all up for a career in music. Today he uses his superstar status to speak out for the rights of albinos in Africa and other causes.
♦→ ‘Yamore’ ↓ [2002]
Je t’aime mi amoré menebêff fie
Ene le arabylyla too much
Namafiye, namafiye guni yerela ba namafiye Niere a ná nifon
Ye namo kofue nerum silê don kile le, ina kola ahaha
Rile enela munuku mo sô
Nienama kofiye, soro falê é mo sonho mana osi koté
Nanana nekona, dê I lêlê fon
Je t’aime mi amoré menebêff fie Nê comf fop ach ari
Ene le arabylyla too much Xurin né bi feu J t’aim
Un tem fé, si un tem fê
No também viver sem medo e confians
Num era mais bisonho
Olhar de nos criança ta a tornar brilhar de inocença
E na mente CE esvitayada
Temporal talvez ta mainar
Na brandura y calmaria
Nosso amor ta vins cansando
De ser luta e resitencia
Pa sobreviver nas tormenta
Na brandura y calmaria
Nosso amor ta vins cansando
De ser luta e resitencia
Pa sobreviver nas tormenta
Je t’aime mi amoré menebêff fie Boi nhat zefiu, ermãos
Ene le arabylyla too much Boi etud nhiafieu, la paz
Xeritava pá, beru kuyê mobiliko yoi nhÊ
Ahaha rilê ene La munuku mo sô
In deburu ieu kordaine
Sank é noite a namo a cantor
Ê enela mulnuku mo sol
Yo sakenem mo sol
Un tem fé, si un tem fê
No também viver sem medo e confians
Num era mais bisonho
Olhar de nos criança ta a tornar brilhar de inocença
E na mente CE esvitayada
Temporal talvez ta mainar
♦ ‘Folon’ ↓
In the past, no one questioned to you – In the past, no one questioned to me – In the past, that’s how it used to be
In the past, whatever happened – In the past, no one wanted to know
People who had suggestions to make – People who could think for themselves – People who were hungry
In the past whatever happened – In the past, you could not speak about it.
Today, you are supposed to take part – Today, I’m supposed to take part
Today, we are all supposed to take part – Today, whatever’s happening we’re all asked to take part
Today, people want to know – In the past, people did not want to know
fôlon, é té nyinika
fôlon, né té nyinika
fôlon, a toun bé kè t’ni dén
fôlon, ko kow koun bé kè
fôlon, môgow ma koté
kouma diougou bé môgo mi kono
hèrè bi môgo mi kono
kongo bé môgo mi laaaaa
fôlon, kow ko koun bi la
fôlon, é koun té sé kô fô.
sissan, é bé nyinika
sissan, né bé nyinika
sissan, an bé bè nyinika
sissan, ko kow koun bé kè
sissan, môgow ma ko bala
•→ In Concert – 1990
÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷ ÷
Life has a rhythm, it’s constantly moving. The word for rhythm ( used by the Malinke tribes ) is FOLI. It is a word that encompasses so much more than drumming, dancing or sound. It’s found in every part of daily life.
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