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Saturday, August 16, 2008  Return to the musical scene: Xalam makes good on its bet Nobody would have believed it! Nevertheless, that's what happened. The group Xalam, “rehabilitated’, is back in the game. They performed yesterday at the Quai des Arts Saint Louis where they left a strong impression. The musicians revisited their rich repertoire and fired up the packed cultural temple in order to pull in the flood of people. Those in Saint Louis, nostalgic, begged for more. Yet, the schedule may be full for Sheik Tidiane Tall’s group with, which just might be the next edition of the International Festival of Jazz in Saint Louis. Negotiations have started between both parties. In any case, the organizers are focused on this prestigious encounter written into the cultural agenda of the ancient town. The day before yesterday, the Quai des Arts was a convergence of music lovers. They came in masses to attend the first concert of the group Xalam; they came from different horizons to witness for themselves the performance by these musicians of international renown. People of all ages were present. Everyone wanted to be there. “I could not miss this great, memorable return of Xalam,” said Mr. Bocar Bob, who points out: “Never in the memory of a Saint-Louisien, has a room welcomed so many people.” Like true professionals, Sheik Tidiane Tall’s band (editor’s note: group leader) appeared on stage before midnight to honor their commitment to music buffs. Quite a few were not able to see the beginning of the concert. For more than three hours, Taffa Cissé (percussion), Sheik Tidiane Tall (guitar), Baye Babou (bass guitar), Ablo from Burkina Faso (drums), Ibrahima Koundoul and Souleymane Faye (vocals), and Jean Phillip Rickel (keyboards), along with Henry Guillabert on keyboards, took their fans’ breaths away. These musicians of proven talent revisited their rich repertoire to the applause of an emotional, ecstatic crowd. In nostalgic form, they began their face to face after more than a decade of separation with Gorée, plunging the music lovers straight into their past. This first piece sufficed to set the stage, on which all the ingredients were reunited for a great performance. The sound was perfect and not a bad note was to be heard. It was awarded the “Palme d’Or” at the Festival of Berlin in 1979. It constitutes a souvenir. Then, they followed back to back with Kanu an homage to the Senegalese struggle, and Keurgui, in which the hardships of the Senegalese family are denounced. Everyone there was moved by the beautiful performance. Hits like Doley, Africa, Lémé, Sama Waye with a hard-line rhythm, got the audience moving. The fans vied with their talent. Within this circle, it was very difficult to recognize who was the authority, because each person exhibited their own talent as dancers. Later, a small break was taken to allow the audience to regain their strength and to face the musicians determined to "spoil" them. The beginning of the second act was more mellow. Waliyane and Xarit drew everyone into chaos. The rhythms of green Casamance, Koumpo and Tékéressa, finished the evening. Xalam, a group of proven professionals. It was like listening to a CD. We didn’t feel the absence of either Prosper Niang, whose memory hovered nearby, nor the horn players Ansoumana Diatta or Yoro Guèye. Despite their absence, and the presence of only four founding members of Xalam II on stage (Henry Guillabert, Ibrahima Koundoul, Taffa Cissé, and Baye Babou), one might be forced to say that everyone had the impression of being face to face with the great Xalam II, complete, based on such an astounding performance. Sheik Tidiane Tall, equalled only by himself in lyrical melody, amused the audience with his nimble fingers. Bassist Baye Babou, once again performed his bass lines using his bag of tricks to the max, sending the fans into the maze of the group's golden years. The most impressive this evening was the young drummer from Burkina Faso, who, pleased by our attention, had the heavy task of replacing Abdoulaye Prosper Niang. Ablo demonstrated his talents and confirmed that Afro-beat is universal. Taffa Cissé, apt pupil of Doudou Ndiaye Rose, revisited the underside of the 80s. Jean-Phillipe Rykiel remains the soul of Xalam’s music. He marked his presence with a groove which has always made the group unique. Henry Guillabert kept the group’s rhythm on keyboards, contrary to the typical marimba one usually hears. Souleymane Faye and Ibrahima Koundoul, professionals that they are, succeeded in retaining the vocal inspirations from the 70s and 80s. This all proves that Xalam is back, to the good fortune of Senegalese music, as well as for consumers of good music. “It’s excellent! It’s a pleasure to digest...”, the CROUS Director was heard to say. Karim Cissé clarified “when professionals reunite, everything becomes easy. Today, it’s a successful comeback for Xalam. I can assure you that nothing in their music has changed.” Their performance encouraged the organizers of the International Jazz Festival even more to invite the veteran group to attend the 2009 edition. Ten years later, Xalam returns in force  The mythical group Xalam were reunited with the Senegalese public, after a more than ten-year break. And so having sealed this pact long-awaited by music lovers (in Saint Louis, last Thursday, August 14th), they repeated the performance Friday the 15th and Saturday the 16th in Dakar, at Just 4u. Over the course of Saturday evening, the group brilliantly demonstrated, once again, that the flame had never actually died. And they all came through with flying colors. The band revisited their repertoire with glee. The members of the audience, having turned out in droves, gave an enthusiastic and warm welcome to the godfathers of Senegalese music. Doubt and initial hesitation made way for a strong desire to share and bond with the audience. They were all determined to win this bet of a successful return. And they showed they had lost nothing of the energy and the dynamism which had always set them apart from other groups. Both singers contributed tremendously to restoring this magic flame, which was always able to get the crowd moving. They started off the evening with Gorée: a song which will ever carry the indelible mark of the band’s much-missed drummer and timekeeper, Abdoulaye Prosper Niang, whose presence was felt the entire evening. The young drummer from Burkina Fasso, who took up Prosper’s sticks, exhibited such mastery that he ended up convincing everyone of his immense talent. Abdoulaye Zon could only be described as stately. Jean Phillipe Rykiel, the talented keyboardist without sight, amazed those present because his fingers had lost nothing of their magical dexterity. Guitarist Sheik Tidiane Tall displayed all of his class yet again. The obvious pleasure could easily be read on his face; which was quite understandable, since he had spared no effort in reuniting his erstwhile companions. Henry Guillabert, the keyboardist come from Saint Louis; Baye Babou, the bass player; Moustapha Cissé, the hard-hitting percussionist, were all at the top of their game. Songs such as Doley, Africa, Keur Gui, Xarit and many others, were offered this second time around to the audience, who exuberantly showed their enjoyment in attending this grand reunion. Finally, after an amazing two-hour show, the members of Xalam took leave of their fans. Many musicians had travelled to render deserved homage to these worthy ambassadors of Senegalese music: Habib Faye, Jimmy Mbaye, Ablaye Mbaye, Ablaye Seck, the Guissé brothers and many more, all had come to embolden this new departure full of promise… El Hadji Massiga Faye – Monday, August 18th, 2008  XALAM II Successful comeback for the legendary group After their first outing at the Quai des Arts in Saint Louis, it was Dakar’s turn to welcome the group Xalam II. Two concerts were planned Friday and Saturday at Just for You. A successful comeback. That was the general feeling noted about the performance of Xalam II. Along with Sheik Tidiane Tall, Henri Guillabert, Souleymane Faye, the fans encountered Moustapha Cissé, Ibrahima Coundoul, Jean Philip Rikiel, while the deceased Abdoulaye Prosper Niang was replaced on drums by Ablo Zon, native of Burkina Faso, who plays in the same style. To kick off the open-air show, honors were given to the young singer Shula Ndiaye to ensure an opening act on a rather acoustic beat (keyboard and vocals). Amid this ambience, Xalam II appeared on stage, and the crowd of admirers was not disappointed with bygone hits like Massamba bey di daw and Ade. The music teetered between a dominance of African percussions tinged by a hint of pop rock, and Afro-beat, unmistakebly Xalam II. The notes on the guitar, masterfully played by an imperial Sheik Tidiane Tall, competed for attention with the keyboards, roundly headed up by a Jean Philippe Rykiel at the height of his talent. And if that wasn’t enough, vocalist Souleymane Faye's scorching timbre blazed a trail deep into the night, under a heavy winter sky. The weather was unable to shake the enthusiasm of an audience made up essentially of adults. On a backdrop of African percussion toying intimately with funk and pop melodies, Souleymane Faye pulled new rabbits out of old hats with the legendary Doley and Yoow. Highly inspired, this message with strong social undertones, sets itself apart through its wisdom and its timeliness. A musical approach which ended up regaining the faith of even the most wary fans and winning over the less initiated. Xalam is a pioneering group. Champion of openness, this group from Dakar already had a lot of stage experience under their hats before arriving in France, but also an uncommon aura for an African group. Resolutely looking toward the future, believing in the progressive identity of a new Africa rid of colonialism, Xalam is one of the first Senegalese groups to have deliberately chosen to use the inspiration of traditional musicians to craft a new type of music, starting in 1976. Marrying tradition with modernity, Xalam draws this musical future of Africa in its own way. A music of dynamic, powerful, and efficient rhythms, a mixture of Soul, Jazz, Funk, Rock, and some hints of Mother Africa. Their Jazz/Electric alternative puts them in the ranks of some of the big American Jazz musicians, such as Dizzie Gillespie, Kenny Clarke or Sonny Rollins. Brass instruments so shiny as to be incandescent. Vocals melting with emotion. The cocktail from an incredible evening. “I have trouble seeing anyone who could resist the fury of their tempo.” The percussion of Xalam Senegalese in origin, the musicians of Xalam were the percussionists for the Rolling Stones and the partners-in-crime with Michel Blanc for Walk in the Shadow. Xalam (is) the inventor of the music of modern Senegal.... The group comprises four original members, plus the singer Seydina Wadé. According to H. Lee, “the musicians of Xalam turned their back on success because they believed in a new music when Senegal was still floundering in Afro-Cuban”. By Hélène Lee Xalam warms the winter in Niort,  Although they’ve recorded nearly a half-dozen CDs,..., these musicians were nevertheless the percussionists for the Rolling Stones and the partners-in-crime with Michel Blanc for Walk in the Shadow.... In all the “African music” hubbub from recent years, we had almost forgotten them. Xalam, inventor of the music of modern Senegal, survived the death of their drummer Prosper, and the depression which followed. Four original members, plus singer Seydina Wadé, their long-time friend, are back with Wam Sabindam, a mature, powerful album. The Xalam sound is intact and the craftsmanship that one senses throughout the album distinguishes them from all other cross-breed apprentice-magicians who attempt this kind of fusion. So, respect to these musicians...  ...like the Senegalese group Xalam, who are back with Wam Sanbindam. Jazz and voices like griots (ed: Griots are ambulant poets in Africa), a magic group... Go Xalam.   Xalam–Wam Sabindam. A mixture of jazz and voices like griots (ed: Griots are ambulant poets in Africa), made this group pioneers of the Senegalese world, starting at the end of the 70s. Overexposed in the beginning by a media which followed in the footsteps of some American jazzmen astonished by the African-Be-Bop crossing, Xalam (pronounced “ralam”, from the name of the stringed instrument) vanished for a time, doubtless to recover from the death of their drummer, Prosper Niang.Here again, more present than ever, is the mixture which made the group successful: the alternating between low and hoarse, and high-pitched and nasal voices; brass instruments alternately rapid and languorous, though a bit more in the background; as for the percussion interlaced with swing, it weaves a wild tapestry, at once sophisticated and melodious, painstakingly embroidered for the occasion of the famous double-skinned drum’s tale. It has been a long time since the five members of Xalam, who have much experience in the way of group creation, have succeeded in finding such a balance. Let us hope that this disc allows them to finally reconnect with a large public. By Éliane Azoulay  Xalam–Wam Sabindam. When they exploded onto the scene the mid-80s, in the syncopated spirit of their infernal percussion, their brass instruments so shiny as to be almost blinding and their voices projected in unison to break the sound barrier of emotion, the members of Xalam completely embody the image, at once primitive and yet so futurist, of an Africa in full mutation. Happening upon them in the studio, the Stones, overwhelmed, would record their LP Undercover of the Night with the active participation of Xalam. Regrettably, after the completion of their third album Xarit, the heart of the group suddenly stopped beating, with the disappearance of Abdoulaye Prosper Niang, their drummer/spokesman. Over the next five long years, through relentless touring, the Senegalese learned how to fill the void left by Prosper’s absence, and today, just as the sun bursts through the clouds to warm us with its beams, appears at last the much-awaited Wam Sabindam. The CD pounces with this song, its powerful background vocals like a charge of elephants in a thunderstorm of enslaved percussion. In reconciling their virulent roots with a well-crafted funky technological fusion, Xalam’s songs acquire an universal soul. Tcheur, with its hypnotic drums and its seismic bass tremors, is a little jewel of intense grooving. Afro-flamenco–M’Jomay, Afro-rasta–Yaram, and Afro-Afro– Dikeul, at once Fela and Earth, Wind and Fire, Mory Kante and the JBs, these twelve titles possessed by the gods of unbridled blackitude will shake you up for a long time. With this fourth album, Xalam’s tom-toms will receive the global reverberations which they deserve. By Gérad Bar-David |
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