OK, so 9am is too early- the ales and lagers did go down pretty well last night. Since Space won't be at the grounds before 2pm I decide to head out early and see what's around.
Poor Susana Baca has the unenvious task to wake everyone up in the beat-down heat but she does it with flair. I decide to look at Tecoma on the smaller stage 4- this is a bit of a weird duck- fourpiece band fronted by a young female songwriter who dictates the sound- she's a bit like Beck in how she cuts up a rootsy bluues/country amalgam with some dancebeats, soundtrack-imagery (Morriconish) and a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek pop sense. From Australia. Not quite my style but interesting for sure- the few in attendance thought so.
Another Australian band, Sydney's Watussi fire up proceedings on stage 2- it's a band like last years' participants San Lazaro or Blue King Brown who, formed by migrants from South America take the latin-form to modern heights. It's great to see the response to this music, simply because it reflects the heritage of great Latin-artists like Johnny Pacheco, Roberto Roena, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto...they could have easily recorded an album for Fania. The self-written pieces at times lack a bit of oomph but showcase in volumes that this band's got what it takes to headline- plenty of 'gusto' and salsa picante to entice the heatstruck mob into a sweating frenzy.
Time creeps up already and blimey, if it ain't Space ambling towards my way in front of the mainstage, awaiting eagerly Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra. Space is a quite down-to-earth chap who doesn't fuss around. He's definitely in the mood for some music and what better way then through Mali's finest...
Toumani Diabate (left)...the Hendrix of the kora.
...What you lookin' at? The Symmetric Orchestra gets ugly.
The Symmetric Orchestra is a ten-piece band around the famous kora-player but as much as Diabate's the namegiver of the band, he remains fairly anonymous as it is the band (dressed in traditional tribal robes) that take centre stage. Especially the bald singer Kasse Made Diabate takes up the lead role- his irresistible energy combined with the joyful demeanor of his bandmates lead to a dancefest in which only 4 songs are performed in total- the extended version of Salsa takes about 15 minutes. Complete with dancers including the huddle plucked from the crowd and little impromptu-solos from the mad djembe-player whose ugly face-expressions lighted up the people there was plenty there to keep the attention- the atmosphere was electric. Highlight of the festival for mine.
Three days later I watch the same band turn up an amazing performance at the Sydney Opera House where Diabate's kora is more the highlight of the show- a solo-performance during this gig was one of the most exhilarating things I was privileged to watch- I cannot enough recommend his solo-CD the Mande Variations. Truly an artist who has brought us all the best of Mali-music (not African music, as he taught us, it's music from the Mande-Empire) not only in rhythm but also in classical acoustic sense. What an artist.
Goosebump wonders whether his Antipodean Assessment-mix was slightly harshly judged recently by dolomite...
After this spectacular gig the three of us retreated to initially watch the Billy Cobham Septet- with saxophonist Ernie Watts, the Thunder From Down Under, Mr. Frank Gambale on guitar,trombonist Marshall Gilkes, trumpeter Guy Barker, pianist Jukkis Uotila and bassist Phillipe Chayeb under the guidance of the drum great treat the audience to some uncut jazzrock. Even though he plays classics like Moon Germs, the lure of beer and shade is too big.
We retreat close to the beer tent to catch up. First off, Goosebump surprises both Space and I with two of his homemade mixes- I will surely now have to follow suit! After extensively discussing the best part of all you mob out there it's time for food- I decide on some Jamaican goat for dinner (spicy!). The afternoon passes slowly by and while the Samba Parade (hosted by a Brazilian dance school plus scores of children who have made their own costumes at the Kidzone for the last couple of hours) snakes under heavy samba music through the crowd it's time to see what's on for tonight.
Quark, Sincereness & Charm...Space contemplates the next beer.
We decide firstly on Speakers' Corner with Billy Cobham. Last year he became a festival legend by performing an exhilerating hour long drum solo and orchestrating the All Star Jam, which both were highlights...
Cobham is full of stories. The interviewer only has to mention Miles Davis and John McLaughlin and Cobham tells...the amazing way how Miles racked up scores of brilliant musicians for his Bitches Brew-sessions and conducts them to play exactly what he wanted (when Cobham voices Davis during the anecdotes he curiously makes him sound like The Godfather)...the idiotic amount of gigs The Mahavishnu Orchestra played after they were just conceived...you wouldn't know how much he was telling as time flew by.
As previously mentioned by Goosebump, we were in the mood to ask questions- What did he have for breakfast? What was his favourite Steely Dan-album? (a slight return on the dumb decision from MOJO to award the number one spot in the How To Buy-episode of that band to Can't Buy A Thrill) and of course, the main question we all wanted to know- What did McKendrick ask Leonard Cohen in the taxi?
Brash as usual I grab the mike from Bernard Zuel, the interviewer and what did I ask? None of the above- I chicken out and ask him about his gig with the Adeladie Symphony Orchestra last night where he played the material of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Billy is blunt but honest- didn't go as well as expected at first but worthwile to hang on and there's a chance there's more gigs to come. Beauty!
After dealing with the scorn and derision of Space and Goosebump it's time to find a spot for the highlight of Sunday night- the unexpected main event, after Cesaria Evora had to call in sick- Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings. Anyone who has seen a Dap-Kings gig kows how tight and funky the crew is- after four songs sung by MC/guitarist Binky Griptite (who must have been the first artist ever here mentioning their fucking website onstage! Twice!) the pocket rocket arrives. The essence is very heavily centred on their last album 100 Days 100 Nights which shows a more soulful side to the band- not that you know it because in the first four songs Jones and the band belt out spiky hard funk that get the crowd in a frenzy. It's a lovely contrast to see the red hot diva turn it up in front of the stage and the band softly swaying right behind her. Every note of brass, bass, guitar and drum is placed with a militant precision. I cannot help but think that if Mavis Staples was to front this band she had to be stretchered off after two songs.
Space in, er, heaven...watching Sharon Jones.
Jones' forte as a front woman makes sure that the gig doesn't strand in sameyness- a feeling that I tended to get last time around when I saw the Dap Kings, belting out song after song without a pause. Her interplay with a young man she drags on stage when she sings a song to him is funny (especially when she finds out the boy's girlfriend's name is Toy).
The heat and dust do wear her down, after an hour it looks like she is ready to call it a night. But she hasn't let up, given up, her punches are as crisp and damaging as ever and when the band closes up after Jones leaves the stage there's an insatiable desire for more- me personally did a reasonably good impression of Ozzy Osbourne shouting for his wife!
One hell of a finish, one I fear that Cesaria wouldn't have been able to equal. It's the adage for this festival goes: People wanna dance- Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings have supplied that to the crowd in multifold.
Got A Thing On My Mind...Sharon Jones gets (it) off onstage...WOMADelaide, March 9, 2008.
There's more to come on the festival, some chill-out music but after such a high, who wants to come down? It was a right pleasure to meet up with Goosebump and Space_Is_Deep.Somehow, sommewhere we have got to do this again...perhaps when the Allman Brothers Band are touring down under one day?
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