 Drumshop, Guinea Conakry, 2.03 photo Yael Shacham |
Subject: Guinee BUZZ - Etoile, Wamali and Groupe de Sorel! Date: Jun 4, 2004 Salut encore mes amis! As many of you know Yael and I are committed to assisting our artist friends in Guinee. There is so much talent (and need) in Conakry alone that it is difficult to decide where to put our energy. So it often comes down to personal relationships. The following artists have captured our attention and hearts, and we offer you merchandies in support of them, all profit going direct to them . . . I thank you for taking the time to read this and for your ongoing support of our art and dedication to the folks in Guinee who influence it so deeply. Marafanyi (Love), Lara LES ETOILE DE BOULBINET (The Stars of Boulbinet) "Controler" cassette import $15 When I first journeyed to Guinee over 4 years ago a small version of this group charmed me at an acoustic "house concert". I purchased their first two cassettes then (guinee music is 99% cassette based), wore them out and blah blahed to anyone who would listen about their talent. Last year Yael and I experienced them together at a muchb larger "house concert" bon fete for a Muslim holy day called Tabaski (the day of the goat). This time they were plugged in (complete with pas bon ampli) and debuted an innovative electric version of a traditional Guinean instrument, the gongoma, which is like a large m'bira or kalimba but with only 3 metal keys and a big gourd resonater. Their electric version is handcrafted to look like a guitar! Too funny. This year I fell completely under their spell in a big way. I lived in the village of Sandervalia, next door to Boulbinet, with friends of the band so the artists were at my house and around town all the time. As luck would have it their 3rd recording "Controler" was just about to hit the airwaves and I still can't believe what a phenomenal experience I had watching and listening to all this go down with a bird's eye view. I kid you not, every artist there (including myself!) was huddled around a boom box night and day learning all the lyrics, harmonies breaks and changes. Every house and taxi was playing this cassette non-stop during my entire trip and the madness didn't seem to be letting up upon my departure! My luck continued, I was able to see them perform this year three times including at the Palais, the biggest venue in Guinee - they are now at the top of their game and ready to tour abroad, enshallah. The group boasts 5 singers, a ridiculous percussione section (djembe, krin, castagnettes, semi-traditional drum set), bolon and gongomas (traditional bass instruments) acoustic guitar, balafon, harmonica original lyrics (french and sou-sou) and songs that can't help but put a smile on your face and make you shake something! We used some of your donation money to purchase cassettes to sell for them here to assist them with finances, promotion, exposure and forward motion. If you would like to support this group and purchase "CONTROLEZ" their 3rd and newest recording for $15, please respond to this email. We also have some unique instruments coming from this group to sell, details to come. WAMALI PERCUSSIONE DE GUINEE www.wamali.com t-shirts $20 Yael and I saw this group for the first time in Guinee last year and our mouths dropped open. They are incredible and not one company member is over 25 except the very talented artistic director, Sekou Sano (son of Kemoko Sano, longtime choreographer for Les Ballets Africaines and now Merveille in the States). Their arrangements, choreography and costumes are fresh, innovative and offered a contemporary spin on the traditional songs, dances and rhythms that Guinee has to offer. Our minds were blown by, Mohamed, the 13 year old prodigy djembe player who clearly stole the show. Sadly, we reported last year, just around this time, that Mohamed fell ill with a "fever" and quickly passed from this life. Just like that. Gone. This year I was curious to see how the group had evolved in his abscence and was pleased to see they are moving forward by leaps and bounds. They continue to hone their live performance and the focus is on djembe, with phenomenal technique and chops, and charisma up the wazoo. These guys can play circles around some of the best. I studied djembe with Kanase and balafon with Sory from the group, and also doundoun/songban/kenkeni with Sekou Sano. I am committed to assisting these artists for life! They have stolen my heart and have proven to be exceptional and driven performers, and incredible teachers, extremely generous with their art. Last year I designed a website and t-shirts for them pro-bono, and our friend Anthony at ABTs www.abtees1.com continues to give us a generous break on printing. Our plans for assistance this year include editing video and audio to create promo material for them (can anyone help us with this??) that will hopefully generate management interest so they can tour abroad. If you would like to support this group and purchase a fabulous t-shirt for $20 please respond to this email. We also have some instruments coming from this group to sell, details to come. GROUPE DE SOREL artist djembe $425 This was my first experience meeting the very young artists from this brand new percussion ensemble. Each of the members played a big part in working on our shipment of drums so I was with them on a daily basis and got to know them quite well I also studied djembe with Sorel - he is a phenomenal teacher, incredibly patient, mature and skilled at such a young age. They are all great guys with so much to offer and clearly are committed to their chosen path. Their presentation of traditional material (mostly Malinke) is engaging, and the arrangements are complex, peppered with songs and also Kora (24 stringed gourd instrument). They have begun to incorporate dancers into their show and, God-willing, will make great strides in the next year. Our promise to them this year is to edit video footage I took while I was there for promotion, and also to edit a recording of a fabulous live performance they did on the island of Kassa for sale and promotion (can anyone help us with these tasks?). Their challenge at the moment is to raise funds for instruments (They are borrowing from other artists for performances and repition). We have one djembe for sale now that belongs to group member, Ballaket Cissoko, for $425. Please respond to this email if you are interested. We also have more instruments coming from this group to sell, details to come. Subject: Mango Madness in Guinee Date: May 4, 2004 Encore I send you greetings from Conakry! I am still here and will be returning to the States next week. I thank everyone for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers. My trip has been challenging and full of wonder. I have learned to finesse the art of patience once again, and I continue to be in awe of the level of talent I am surrounded by. The continuous flow of moments full of magic and the intimate time spent with my teachers and friends, new and old, make it difficult to leave. I cried for three days and then decided to stay. I am also having a love affair with mangos. I am relishing the success of one of my favorite bands here, Etoiles de Boulbinet. They just released their 3rd album and played the biggest venue in Conakry, the Palais. I have been watching them progress with great interest the last 4 years and hope to turn you on to them as well. I will be returning with 3 very special djembes to sell for artists here at $425 each and some other drums and instruments. If you are interested in purchasing one of these drums please let us know ASAP, we are accepting deposits. We will also have other imported goodies for sale including fabric. Again, Yael and I thank you for your generous donations (over $700 at this point!). Upon my return I will give you an update on the funds raised, dispersed, and our plans for future assistance in Guinee. We continue to accept your donations through this week, please respond ASAP to make arrangements that include a promotional listing on our website in exchange for a donation of any amount. I know Yael has been diligently arranging appearances and workshops in my absence, and I look forward to seeing you and sharing my tales in person sometime soon enshallah! LOVE, LARA Subject: Beaucoup de Pluie in Guinea! Date: Apr 26, 2004 Bonjour Mes Amis, Last night I experienced my first big monsoon style storm here in Guinea - WOW! My friends took advantage of the weather to bathe and wash clothes. The rainy season is approaching. I have decided to extend my stay here for another week because my business is not finished. I apologize to anyone whose schedule I may have screwed up as a result and thank you for your understanding. For those folks who ordered drums and krins they are finished and beautiful, and the bags for the djembes are fabulous! I may ship one or two EXTRA DJEMBES with me to sell for Guinea artists. These drums will be $425, if you are interested please respond to this email to arrange for a deposit. I will also be shipping GOAT SKINS for djembes, good price. ONE MORE SHOUT OUT FOR DONATIONS of any amount. Each day I am here someone else is sick or someone has died. It can be most distressing. Much fever has been quelled by the kind donations of aspirin and ibuprofin. Since I last wrote you the following donations distributions have been made . . . - A gentleman whose right side is paralyzed as a result of fever and is unable to work to support his family (he will recover in a few months with meds and physical therapy) - A dear friend with a severe knee problem, unable to walk much (he too will recover in a few months with meds and physical therapy) - transport for a friend to Faranah where he is attending university for 5 months. - transport for a teacher to Kourousa to take care of some personal problems in a traditional manner. - assistance with Visa funds for an artist trying to get to Italy I am hoping there will be donations left by the end of the trip for a few other things . . . Artist Assistance - Wamali www.wamali.com wants to make a live promo CD while I am here to sell both in Guinea and abroad. Yael and I are donating design and duping services. Communication Assistance - cell phones here are golden. They are often shared by 10 or 20 people, not just one person. We want to gift 2 or 3 to the community. On-Going Medical Assistance - as you already know, new problems arise daily. Please keep me in your prayers and you are in mine. I will relish reconnecting in person upon my return and sharing my experience and all I have learned. Much Love and Endless Thanks, Lara Salut mes amis! Just a quick note from Guinea to thank you all for your kind support and assistance. It is of course wonderful to be back here in this fine country I love so dearly. To those who sent supplies and donations - they are most incredibly appreciated by the folks here. Some of your donations went to transport extra luggage filled with supplies and over- the-counter meds. The rest has been given to several friends who need to by prescribed medicine. There are many friends here who are sick and in need of medication (malaria, stomach ailments most common) - if anyone else would like to make a donation, big or small, anything is welcome and needed, you can do so by responding to this email and Yael will help you and arrange for me to receive the money here. Thanks to my business partner here, those of you who ordered drums will be very very pleased upon their arrival to your waiting hands. We began arranging as soon as I stepped off the plane and the drums are being hand crafted as I write this message. I thank you for these orders, they made it possible for me to come here, for Yael to have small income while I am abroad, and most importantly this creates commerce and work for friends here. This week I will truly get down to the business of drum and dance for myself. I have been visiting repition for the drum and dance company Merveille de Guinee and am climbing out of my skin! The artists are incredible here . . . Much love and bright blessings, Lara 3.04 Good news!! By the skin of her teeth Lara will head back to Africa at the end of March to take care of some very personal business! In addition she will be doing small outreach and diving more deeply into the culture, music and dance she and Yael have fallen so in love with! So, we extend our fundraising call . . . Through the month of APRIL we welcome a special two-fold $15 donation from our tribe: $10 of your donation will go directly to assist artists, friends and teachers in Conakry, Guinea $5 will go towards towards developing 30 rolls of film (that our sponsors so generously donated) from Lara & Yael's journey to Guinea, West Africa last February. Some of these photos will be used for promotion of artists in Conakry and will also be shared with you via this website. If you wish to make a donation over the suggested amount any extra funds will be used for Guinea aid. We thank those who have donated so generously already! DONATION DETAILS BELOW, scroll down SHOUT OUT FOR MEDICINE/SUPPLIES Throughout the month of March the Duo will be welcoming donated supplies, medicine and wish list items. You can either hand these items to us in person at any of our scheduled appearances this month or send them. SUGGESTED ITEMS: ** special shout out to any of our supporters who happen to work for pharmaceutical companies, we are looking for donations of QUININE and CIPRO in particular** - over the counter meds (ie aspirin, ibuprofin, children/infant medicine, etc) - multi-vitamins, vitamins C & B12, other (adult and children) - first aid items - tooth brushes/toothpaste/floss - anti-bacterial wipes & liquid hand sanitizer - batteries - 3.5" floppy discs - small flashlights/candles/lighters - pencils/pens/magic markers/crayons - basic English language learning books (soft cover if possible, for adults/children) - shoes, sneakers (practical, new or in good shape used, men/women/children, all sizes) - walkman, portable cd player (not necessities but much appreciated, new or functionally used) - disposable cameras (not a necessity but much appreciated) WISH LIST: These are special items needed for Lara to document her journey (and for future endeavors of the Duo). If you are considering an upgrade to any of the following equipment and would like to donate your outdated (but functioning) items to Roots Heart Pulse we appreciated it and will put this technology to good use! And hey, if you are feeling especially generous and want to gift us something new, of course we would accept that as well. If we receive duplicate items of anything we will donate extras to our friends in the Guinea-based drum/dance company we have committed to assisting, Wamali Percussione de Guinee - digital camera (and discs) - 35 millimeter camera (and film) - digital video camera (and tapes) - mini-disc recorder (and discs) Peace, Prayers, Much Love and Respect,   Click here for journal entires prior to 2004  left to right Louis and Mohamed, Guinea, 2.03 photo Yael Shacham |
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