Minyo Crusaders & Souad Massi at the Jazz Cafe

Posted on November 29, 2019 by Toothpicker

It has been many years since I last visited Jazz Cafe in Camden. In recent years, I tend to go to ‘proper’ concerts at the Barbican and South Bank where I would sit quite still for hours. I think I have almost forgotten the joy of standing (and dancing) at a concert. Yet in November, I went to Jazz Cafe twice to see the Japanese folk band Minyo Crusaders, and Algerian Berber singer and guitarist Souad Massi.

I have not heard of Minyo Crusaders before, but I was intrigued when I found out that they rework traditional Japanese folk songs (minyo) with Latin, African and Caribbean rhythms to create inventive music. The band launched their debut album “Echoes of Japan” in 2017 (and reissued in 2019) and has since gain fans from around the world.

The 10-piece group was co-founded by Katsumi Tanaka and Freddie Tsukamoto, with the goal of reviving minyō as a ‘music for the people’. There is a retro feel to the band, but at the same time, it also feels refreshing and unique.

The history of minyō can be traced back centuries and it has been passed down for generations in villages and rural communities. Often accompanied by dancing, minyō usually portrays a local story or scenery, and it is played during neighborhood festivals and other communal gatherings. By experimenting and fusing with Latin, jazz and other forms of contemporary music, Minyo Crusaders has successfully revived ‘old-fashioned’ minyō into something cool and distinctive.

Honestly, I have not had so much fun at a concert for ages. The atmosphere was lively and vivacious, and the audience clearly loved the catchy tunes. Everyone was dancing away, and none of us wanted the night to end. I highly recommend seeing them live, because they are fantastic on stage, and you are likely to love them more after the concert.

Less than 2 weeks later, I returned to Jazz cafe to see Algerian Berber singer, songwriter and guitarist Souad Massi. Souad has been active since the late 80s, and regularly performs in the UK (since she resides in Paris). I have been to her concert at the Barbican a few years ago, but compare to the music hall at Barbican, the smaller and more intimate setting at Jazz Cafe enables the audience to get closer to the stage and performers. Thus, the experience was more memorable and compelling. Distance, in this case, matters.

Like Minyo Crusaders, Souad Massi likes to incorporate different genres into her music, including rock, country, fado, oriental, and Algerian folk… meanwhile, she also sings in Arabic, French, English and Berber – she truly is a world music artist. Often, the lyrics of Souad’s songs contain political messages, which resulted in her fleeing Algeria to Paris when the political messages of her band Atakor attracted death threats.

At Jazz cafe, Souad performed songs from her 6th and newest album Oumniya, featuring themes on Algeria, politics, love, freedom and emancipation – topics that matter to her and many others. As much as I like listening to Souad on CD or Spotify, it still lacks the impact of her live performances, accompanied by her brilliant band.

After the two fantastic concerts, I can’t wait to return to Jazz Cafe again for more music from different parts of the world.

Here is a short clip of the concert recorded by Julian Evenden.

Dance Umbrella & TOROBAKA

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Toothpicker

Apart from a string of art fairs taking place in London last month, there was also the 2-week long Dance Umbrella festival, showcasing exceptional talents in the world of choreography from around the world.

At the festival, I saw some brilliant and ground-breaking dance performances produced by two contemporary dance companies. The first one was Spain’s Rocío Molina‘s ‘Bosque Ardora’ at the Barbican, and the second was China’s TAO Dance Theatre‘s ‘6&7’ at Sadlers Wells.

I have watched both traditional and contemporary flamenco dance shows before, but ‘Bosque Ardora’ is more like theatre and its star Rocío Molina is much than a flamenco dancer. She is unconventional, raw, precise and utterly mesmerising to watch; she is a natural performer.

The show is inspired by Greek mythology, and it revolves around hunting games set in a fantastical forest. Aside from Rocío, she is joined onstage by two excellent male dancers, and a group of musicians including a soulful flamenco vocalist José Ángel Carmona. Although the dancing and music is inspired by traditional flamenco, Rocío has broken many traditional boundaries and has created a show that is abstract, mysterious and surreal. It is never easy to reinterpret a traditional form of arts/dance and develope it into something new, but Rocío‘s ambitious piece proves that anything is possible as long as we use our imagination.

Rocio Molina – Bosque Ardora Teaser

It is hard to describe what I saw and experienced at ‘6 & 7‘ (click on the link to watch a clip) performed by the Chinese Tao dance theatre. I was completely captivated by the performance. The concept is simple, the execution is minimalist and repetitive, yet the impact is powerful in a meditative and hypnotic way.

The piece has no narrative, it is an exploration of body movements through repetition in a collective way. The Taoism concept of ‘yin and yang’ is presented in the two-part show. In the first part, 6 dancers are dressed in black moving on a dark and smoky stage accompanied by somber and intense music. At the beginning, audience can barely see them, except for the shadows and certain movements. Even when the smoke clears, it is still hard for the audience to distinguish the dancers’ gender! Yet in the second half, 7 dancers are dressed in white and the stage is illuminated brightly with no music but a humming sound from the dancers. What a sharp contrast! This conceptual piece is unlike anything that I have seen before and it is very exciting to see a new voice emerging from China.

The 6-year old company was founded by Chinese Choreographer Tao Ye when he was only 22. Some people might compare his work and style with the internationally acclaimed and more established Taiwanese Cloud Gate Dance Theatre founded by Lin Hwai-Min, but I feel that Tao has created his own unique language that is not only inventive but also very contemporary and universal.

Left: Rocío Molina’s ‘Bosque Ardora’ at the Barbican; Right: TAO Dance Theatre’s ‘6&7’ at Sadlers Wells

The spirit of the creativity continues after the festival ended. This week, British Indian dancer/ choreographer Akram Khan and Spanish flamenco dancer/ choreographer Israel Galván are performing their new collaboration ‘Torobaka‘ at Sadlers Wells.

The dance performance is a fusion of kathak and flamenco styles, and it takes place mostly within a red bullring ( inspired by the title – The bull/’toro’ and the cow/’vaca’) with Spanish and Indian musicians standing or sitting just outside of it. The two accomplished dancers’ styles are quite different but they are both compelling to watch. I especially enjoyed watching the two performers dancing/’competing’ with one another, the energy is intense but playful at the same time. I also applaud them for giving the stage to the musicians in one part of the show, though the show does feel somewhat disjointed and underdeveloped.

Overall, this experimental piece is an exploration of dance, movements and sounds, and the language that the two dancers has created is innovative and fascinating. Don’t miss the show if you want to see two world-class dancers bouncing ideas off each other on stage!

TOROBAKA final trailer (short) – Israel Galván and Akram Khan from Akram Khan Company on Vimeo.

Torobaka is showing at Sadlers Wells until 8th Novemeber.

Sahara soul at the Barbican

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Toothpicker

I have always had a fascination with the Sahara. I think what appeals to me is its mystery, beauty, danger, scale, harshness, unpredictability and ‘nothingness’. In my early 20s, I read Paul Bowles‘ novels, listened to his music and embarked on an adventure with a companion to the Sahara via Morocco. It was the first time I had ever seen a desert, but the two-hour camel ride into the desert and oasis was far from comfortable. We suffered from heat exhaustion (it was over 42 degrees), so our ‘romantic’ view of the desert was dashed instantly. Yet it was hard to forget the hospitality we received from the Tuareg/ ‘Blue People’ and the breath-taking view of the desert. Many years later, I returned to the Sahara again from the Tunisian side, it was a more pleasant journey, but the desert remained as mysterious as ever.

Sunset at Saraha

Last month I went to the second Sahara Soul concert at the Barbican centre. My memories of the desert returned, and I felt like I was back in time. The evening was a celebration of the desert, its people and music. Although I felt that the programme was slightly too long, the energy and passion of the musicians was felt by the audience and we didn’t need to understand the lyrics to appreciate the beautiful music. Unlike the traditional African or tribal music, the music being performed is influenced by other genres and styles, so it is contemporary and distinctive. Meanwhile, it also acts as a powerful weapon to draw people’s attention to the ongoing conflicts in Western Africa. The performers are not well-known in the UK, but they are talented and compelling, so I want to share their music here:

Nabil Baly Othmani is is the son of iconic Algerian Tuareg singer Othman Bali. Nabil is following in his footsteps, while at the same time carving out his own musical path. His music is a mix of flamenco, fuzzy rock, melancholy folk and even electronica, so it is unique and refreshing.

Nabil Baly Othmani – Menna (2014)

Steve Shehan & Nabil Othmani – Awalin (2009)

Tartit is a Tuareg band from the Timbuktu region of of Mali consists of five women and four men, all of whom are Tamasheq-speaking Tuareg. Tartit formed in 1992 in a refugee camp in Mauritania, where their music was a means of survival in the face of the economic, social and political difficulties in the region. Tartit’s compositions include traditional Tuareg ballads, dances and call-and-response songs. These instruments are accompanied by chants and percussive handclaps.

Tartit – Ichichilla

Born in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria and now based in Barcelona, Aziza Brahim is the granddaughter of Al Khadra, the legendary ‘Sahrawi war poetess’. Playing hand drums and backed by a Spanish acoustic band which infuses flamenco and jazz to her Sahrawi rhythms, Aziza is using her music to make people aware of the conflict in her homeland.

Aziza Brahim – Julud (2014)

Young Mauritanian singer Noura Mint Seymali is the daughter of Dimi Mint Abba, the ‘Diva of the Desert’. Noura fuses ancient and modern Moorish influences, blending psychedelic guitars and transcendental grooves with impassioned, commanding vocals.

Noura Mint Seymali – Tzenni (2014)

Flamenco in Andalusia

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Toothpicker

Street artists performing in Granada

Flamenco is originated from the Romani people ( also known as Gitanos) living in Andalusia centuries ago, with influences from the Moors, the Jews, and the Mozarabic. Many foreigners do not realise that the essence of flamenco is not the dance itself, but rather the cante (song), one of the four components of flamenco, along with toque (playing the guitar), baile (dance) and Jaleo (handclapping, foot stomping and shouts etc). And out of the different cante styles, cante jondo (deep song) is considered to be the oldest and the most distinctive.

Not surprisingly, flamenco has become a ‘key attraction’ in the region. Flamenco performances take place daily from the streets to cafes, bars, museums and various music venues. Some are tourists traps and the standards may not be up to scratch, so it is important to get some recommendations beforehand.

As a fan of different dance forms and music styles, I frequently watch performances at Sadlers Wells and its Flamenco festival is one of my favourites because it always feature world-renowned flamenco dancers and musicians. Hence, I was keen to see an authentic show in the birthplace of flamenco.

Casa de la Guitarra in Seville

Luckily, I was not disappointed… while I was in Seville, I saw a passionate and mesmerising performance at Casa de la Guitarra, featuring an award-winning Cuban dancer, Yasaray Rodríguez, Manuel Romero (singer) and Javier Gómez (Guitarist). And I could tell by the audience’s reaction afterwards that every person in the room was touched by the heartfelt performance. The three performers all played equal parts, and non over-shadowed the other throughout the show.

The center was founded by the well-known flamenco guitarist José Luis Postigo from Seville whose career spans over 45 years and has made over 60 albums with famous flamenco artists. Although the venue is quite small, it houses an amazing flamenco guitar collections dating back to the 19th century, and it features an original 12th century archway (see above) which was part of a traditional Arab bath. This venue is truly one of the best in the city.

For other authentic performances, it is also worth checking out Seville’s working class district of Triana, the supposed birthplace of flamenco. Whether this is the truth or not is hard to tell but it is certainly the birthplace for many famous flamenco singers and musicians and they are commemorated by the ceramic tile plaques in the area.

Middle: Flamenco festival posters; Right: Lina’s exhibition at Seville Musuem of Arts and Traditions

Besides music venues, traditional flamenco fashion and accessories can be seen at Seville Musuem of Arts and Traditions. During my visit, I saw an exhibition of the well-known flamenco fashion designer, Marcelina Fernandez, also known as Lina. Since 1960, Lina has been creating flamboyant and exquisite flamenco ‘couture’ dresses and wedding gowns, and it was eye-opening as I did not realise that there was a couture market for flamenco fashion!

Top left & right: Plaques made of ceramic tiles in Triana commemorating flamenco dancers and musicians; Bottom: flamenco bars in Seville

Most cities in Andalusia also have a flamenco museum, but I think the best way to try and understand the music and dance style is to watch the performances or listen to the music and ‘feel’ the emotions and passion esp. for those of us who do not understand the lyrics. After all, these two elements are the common language shared between humans regardless of the race, age, gender and culture. Perhaps the music or dance style may evolve in the future, but hopefully, the flamenco spirit will live on.

Arabesque by Jane Birkin

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Toothpicker

When I was a teenager, I became obsessed with everything ‘French’ because of their immaculate taste in art, fashion, design, culinary and cinema. I indulged in French cinema ( esp. Eric Rohmer ) and even spent 7 months living in Paris trying to improve my English-accented French learned from school here. During the time in Paris, I spent hours at Virgin or FNAC listening to new released CDs by French and other artists from around the world.

Even though I grew up listening to British pop, I never shared the Brits’ sneering attitude towards French music. I think French music offers something completely different, often more poetic and diverse in style. As a teenager, I was introduced to Serge Gainsbourg, Françoise Hardy, Les Rita Mitsouko, then Mylène Farmer, Alain Souchon, Liane Foly, Patricia Kaas and Enzo Enzo etc ( these days, I listen a lot to the talented Camille).

As far as I can remember, the name Jane Birkin has always been associated with Serge Gainsbourg ( rather than the Hermès bag!) and their famous chanson, “Je t’aime… moi non plus“. I would read news about the iconic singer/ actress/ activist now and again, but not paying too much attention until I watched a documentary on her visit to Fukushima in Japan after the tsunami disaster. Jane visited the area and gave a charity concert singing in French. Although most of the local residents did not know who she was nor did they understand her songs, they were moved by the emotions in her voice and her sincerity. I was rather touched by her actions and singing, and so when I found out that she was in town performing for one night only at the Barbican, I was eager to see her perform live.

It is hard for me to describe the evening because it was beyond my expectations in many ways. Jane reinterpreted Serge Gainsbourg’s classic songs with an infusion of Arabic music performed by Djamel Benyelles, and his band Djam & Fam. The music and performance by the band was faultless, but it was Jane who took me by surprise, despite the fact that she doesn’t have the ‘best’ voice. However, her voice conveys a lot of emotions, and it is not necessary to understand all the lyrics to appreciate them. I also love her humour, sincerity, playfulness and sensitivity, it is hard to believe that she is already 66 years old, I wish I could be as cool when I reach that age ( I guess I have hope since we share the same zodiac sign)! The concert hall was almost full and the atmosphere was fantastic with the audiences giving her standing ovation at the end. She was also very touched by the overwhelming positive responses and claimed the evening to be “one of the happiest moments of her life”.

Do the French have good taste? No doubt about that, just look at the English actresses who made it in France apart besides Jane Birkin, there is also Charlotte Rampling and Kristin Scott Thomas, who are all intelligent, natural and aging gracefully ( without the need of botox and personal trainer). There are some people who are born effortlessly cool and there are fewer of them who would become icons.

What can I say? Life has always been rather unfair.

Milonga by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Toothpicker

I have seen several shows choreographed by the experimental Moroccan-Flemish choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui‘s at Sadlers Wells before, including: Sutra ( a collaboration with Antony Gormley and a group of young Shaolin monks in 2008), Babel ( another collaboration with Gormley and Damien Jalet in 2010) and TeZukA ( on the works of the master of Japanese manga, Osamu Tezuka in 2011). Needless to say, I did not want to miss his new tango show Milonga, especially because of my own interest in the dance.

If Cherkaoui was a chef, he would probably be a ‘fusion’ one but with the creativity of someone like Heston Blumenthal ( as the term ‘fusion’ does not always bring excitement). But unlike his previous pieces, the dancing style in Milonga is more traditional than I expected, focusing more on the connection between the dancers rather than reinventing or fusing it with some other dance style. It is refreshing to see the incorporation of visual effects like shadow cutouts and video clips of the Streets in Buenos Aires ( even though it feels rather random), as well as some humour, which is often lacking in tango shows ( or even at most tango milongas). The live music is mostly nuevo with many pieces by Astor Piazzolla and some milonga for the lighthearted part. Having previously seen the more traditional tango shows by companies like Tango Fire or Tanguera which often showcase the techniques of the dancers but fail to update the stereotypical ( or cheesy) image of the dance, Cherkaoui‘s Milonga is certainly a step forward. The dancers are given the opportunity to showcase their personal dancing styles rather than being choreographed in a certain routine as a group, hence the contemporary style couple really stands out from the ensemble. However, I feel that the show is slightly restrained compare to the choreographer’s previous work; perhaps he was under pressure to not go too far, so this show feels like the beginning of something that could be developed or explored further.

My favourite part of the evening is the dynamic men trio, which ultimately reflects the dance’s essence and roots i.e. Argentinian tango started as a dance between two men. I have always enjoyed seeing men dancing tango with each other because of their powerful energy and spontaneity, and the chemistry between men is very different from a man/woman couple. I love watching Los Hermanos Macana, the two brothers who dance and perform together, I find them so inspiring! ( you can watch their jaw-dropping performances via their website above)

I rarely see men dancing with each other at milongas in London ( although there are more women dancing with each other these days) because of the rather reserved tango culture here. Having visited milongas in other cities, I find the London tango scene very uninspiring and so have taken a step back…

I hope that Cherkaoui‘s Milonga will change some people’s views on Argentinian tango, which is very different from the “Strictly come dancing” style! The show will end on 10th Nov, so go see it if you can.

The coolest and quirkiest… Cibo Matto

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Toothpicker

I rarely write about music on this blog but in fact, music has always been essential in my life. I don’t buy many CDs now ( like everyone else, I have switched to downloading online) because I am running out of space for them; having bought over 700 ( a rough estimation) in the past ranging from pop to world, rock, electronics, jazz, instrumental, bossa nova, Cuban, tango, soundtrack and classical.

Recently, I found out that the New York-based band, Cibo Matto ( with two main Japanese members) has reunited and will be releasing a new album, I was quite excited and immediately searched for their first album, “Viva! La Woman” from my collection. It’s still refreshing to listen to this album again even though it was released in 1996. It’s almost hard to categorised their genre because it seems to be a fusion of trip hop, indie and Shibuya-kei, but the lyrics are often fun and slight bizarre.

Then I got even more excited when I found out that they will be playing at Meltdown festival curated by Yoko Ono at the Southbank Centre. Finally last night I went to see them play live which made me love them even more! The energy and vibe at the concert was superb, the audience stood up and danced to the music after some encouragement from the lead singer, Miho Hatori.

The big surprise of the evening was to see Sean Lennon ( who was also a band member) and Yoko Ono who came on stage for their last song of the evening, “Know your chicken”. By this time, the place was roaring with excitement, and it was hard to believe the legend dancing and singing on stage is already 80 because she seemed so much younger and so full of energy. Shocking.

Now I am really looking forward to their new album and will happily add it to my CD collection!

Live at Meltdown festival at Southbank Centre

Here are also two music videos from their first album, Viva! La Woman including the super cool “Sugar water” directed by the well-known French director Michel Gondry:

“Sugar Water” from Viva! La Woman directed by Michel Gondry

“Know your chicken” from Viva! La Woman

Fiesta Flamenca at The Forge

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Toothpicker

It has been a while since I last attended a live music/ dance gig, so when I found out about a live flamenco performance at The Forge in Camden, I suggested it to my friend, who is also a fan of different dance forms.

I only discovered The Forge last year and was surprised that there is such a contemporary, laidback and friendly music venue in the middle of Camden. The venue has two floors, with bar and restaurant serving tasty British and European food and cocktails. The unqiue courtyard with glass rooftop and vertical garden is where the music performances take place, so unlike many other music venues, it is airy with good acoustics.

The foundry at The Forge also serves lunches and weekend brunches

The evening performance was performed by London-based, Fiesta Flamenca, made up of vocalist and dancer Anita La Maltesa and guitarist Ramon Ruiz. Joined by another vocalist Javier Macías and dancer Jorge Muelas, the performance was exuberant and captivating. Aside from the superb skills, the energy, passion and joy conveyed on stage was almost contagious. The only downside was that my friend and I would rather be inside a local tapas bar in Spain than a wet and cold London… having said that, I think the ‘heated’ performance more than made up for the freezing temperature outside.

Tango moments

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Toothpicker

Tango al fresco at Regents Park

You don’t have to be a tango dancer to appreciate this sensual and elegant dance, and I am talking about Argentinian tango, not the dramatic ballroom or ‘Strictly come dancing’ style. A lot of people get confused with the two as they still have this idea of women dancing with roses in their mouths and find it hard to believe that we can dance in jeans, which is quite amusing!

I became interested in Argentinian tango and its music many years ago, but was too shy to take up group classes until a few years ago. As much as I love the dance and music, the journey hasn’t been easy esp. because it is an improvisational dance that requires two people, so it is not always within one’s control. Hence the term ‘it takes two to tango’ makes total sense to me now. What I find particularly interesting is the psychology and behaviour of the dancers, which can be turned into a book based on my own (and friends’) observation and experiences.

For me, the greatest joy of tango derives from being ‘in the moment’ or ‘in flow’. If you are familiar with Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi‘s ‘flow’, then you will understand that the state of flow is a liberating and ‘out of this world’ experience. However, like with everything else, this mental state is not something that you can maintain consistently, sometimes it happens unexpectedly, other times things just will not go your way esp. when you try too hard.

It never ceases to amaze me when a strong chemistry or connection is felt between two strangers dancing for the first time. For some dancers, they constantly seek that connection or the ecstatic state of mind, but from my personal experience, it is not something that happens regularly (for me anyway); though when does, you and your partner will not want to let go of each other’s hands and embrace for the rest of the evening…

Whether you like tango or not, these interesting tango videos will demonstrate how sensual, diverse and creative this dance can be:

Milonga, a short film by Marco Calvise

Perdizione – tango in the supermarket

One of the most popular tango videos on Youtube is this Los Hermanos Macana tango performance in New York Times Square. The legendary Argentinian brothers, Guillermo and Enrique De Fazio or ‘Los Hermanos Macana‘ as they are known, are not only technically brilliant but they like to add wit and playfulness into their dancing, pushing tango to a different level.

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