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Public Broadcasting.net, Feature >>
Neba Solo: Balafon Madness!
Perhaps the most crowd-pleasing of all the groups who lived on the National Mall for these enchanted two weeks was the Senufo balafon ensemble Neba Solo of Sikasso. Led by young Souleymane Traor¿ of Nebedougou, Neba Solo has blurred the line between modern and traditional music in a remarkable way. There are no electric instruments in the group. The drummer uses a trap kit, but the overall sound is certainly not crossover pop such as that of other musicians from this region, notably Abdoulaye Diabat¿. Neba Solo's slimmed-down, touring lineup centered around two balafons, the metal scraper (karagnan or k¿r¿gn¿) used in Wassoulou music, and two round, gourd drums (baradunu). The full group back home also includes flute and other percussion instruments.
Neba Solo's music is roots all the way, but because of the familiar sound of its pentatonic scales and the universal appeal of its animated rhythms, this act has become as a force in contemporary Malian music. Neba Solo has three international releases, has toured widely in Europe, and has even had some of its music remixed as club pop, notably as part of Fr¿d¿ric Galliano's Frikiwa project.
In fact, the music is modern in certain ways. Souleymane's father is a widely respected musician and balafon maker among the Senufo, and when the boy approached his father saying that he wanted to make some changes in the music, there was real resistance at first. After one spectacular performance by the newly formed Neba Solo, the patriarch dropped his objections and allowed his ambitious son to continue, but the understanding was always that the group would not distort or denature traditional Senufo balafon music, only develop it as a way to make it known to a wider audience.
A balafon maker himself, Souleymane introduced additional low keys to the standard instrument, allowing it to deliver more in the bass register. Souleymane says that at home he spends all his days in his workshop in Sikasso, drinking tea, receiving visitors, and constantly working on balafons. On the Mall, it was much the same as he set up a rudimentary shop in the backstage tent by the Bamako Stage.
Another modern aspect of Neba Solo's art is the song lyrics, which boldly engage current themes, such as the need for vaccination against diseases, issues of democracy and traditional life, and even a call for the end of the traditional practice of "circumsizing" young girls (female genital mutilation). Souleymane isn't much interested in simple love songs; he feels that music should uplift and educate. Just the same, his group's music puts across the feeling of an out and out village party, and the mood of reflective celebration is a signature.
The song "CAN 2002," written for the African National Cup soccer tournament held in Bamako last year, became the theme song for this historic gathering in Mali last year. It delivers a message of national pride and a call for people to work hard to achieve great things; it's also an irresistible invitation to party, one that brought visitors to the National Mall to their feet without fail.
Neba Solo is a family affair including two of Souleymane's brothers, Yacouba and Mahamadou on percussion and Siaka on lead balafon. Souleymane plays accompaniment balafon and sings in a clear, cutting voice that owes nothing to any foreign or popular influence. Perhaps the act's most electrifying feature proved to be its two lanky-legged dancers, Bacary Demb¿l¿ and Ibrahim Traor¿. Combining nimble, perfectly synchronized footwork with near-acrobatic jumps, tucks and kicks, these two brought the house down with their graceful, high-energy forays across the stage and floor.
One presenter who saw practically every one of those performances also noted that each Neba Solo set was different, and that there was almost always at least one song tossed in that had not been played before. For a group accustomed to all-night jamming and boogieing, Neba Solo had more than enough repertoire to add individual spice to each of its dozens of 45-minute sets in Washington.
07/06/03 >> go there
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