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From:
oko drammeh <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
The Gambia and Related Issues Mailing List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 4 Dec 2010 09:53:24 -0800
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Culturally,............ English ex-colonies need a DE-Colonization from Colonial 
Mentality.
 
Hard road to travel.
Being an artists in Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Nigeria alined with the 
English National Culture is a Hard road to travel. The English have not much 
humor, and the areas of art in which they excel are few. Pop musaic yes, (the 
Queen had a stake in EMI records/making money with it), the Beatles, Rolling 
Stones , Elton John, Yes, but they have money to do this because they don't go 
to the moon. After what they have done to Africa, they are last in the race to 
the moon, heavy with sin.
 
The French are adventurist, the fake, they act and not too deep ( not much 
quality since Hilter destroyed their moral in 1945) but they are in space, they 
are also in the front line of culture and can't let the English Hollywood rule 
the world for Amusement & Glamour, they have their own too). They have been 
subsidising the artistswith financing, advice, infrastructurs, communication and 
science in the areas of arts and music both at home and abroad. They subsidize 
Artists housing/home schemes equipped with instruments & recording studios), 
music schools, Art teachers, rehersal studios and training programs, equipment 
assistance, costumes, and maintenence and production staff. And the have people 
WHO HAVE DONE IT BEFORE to handle it. Not Civil servants but artists and 
musicians.
 
Many may wonder why Senegalese- French artists Youssou Ndour is rich, even 
Thione Seck and not ex- Gambian-English - Musa Ngom or Paps Touray, Jaliba 
Kuyateh. The answer is simple, it's one ( YoussouNdour) is with a state support, 
subsidy & international aid through government instituitions and embassies 
support system and one, the Gambia witrh none of this, without 
representation............... D.I.Y 

(Do it yourself).
 
THE ESSENCE OF THE ARTIST:
GREASE THE FAITH OF NATIONHOOD, TO INCREASE NATIONAL PRIDE LEVELS, & UPHOLD OUR 
HISTORY TO INSPIRE US AND MOTIVE OUR SPIRITS OF JOY & SORROWS. REFRESHING OUR 
LIVES WITH SOUND WAVES ACCOMPANIED BY WORDS OF WISDOM AND HISTORY, LITERATURE 
 ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND AS A NATION. THE ARTIST IS OUR LIBERARY. WE 
MUST PRESERVE IT AND PROMOTE OUR HERITAGE.
This our artists do everyday  in the streets of the gambia!
 
Without financial support to get rid of the daily livelihood (family 
security) support of housing, utilities,equipment, training facility, family 
support fee, manifestatation platforms and talent exhibitions, you can't make 
the right success formula.. All Gambian arttists are poor on a daily basis. 
whatever they do is to buy food ( Hand to mouth), pay rent, not much for medical 
and school fees and not much to give charity. They can't even show up at the 
mosque and in public because they have not much left to give. The called them 
non worshippers and befriended to They are being starved by neglegence and lack 
of knowing. Some are cosidering living in Exile as a strategic retreat before 
they look poor and die poor in the eyes of lesser committed citezens/ civil 
servants who steal the resources of the nation and hold key jobs and yet blind 
to the arts and the entertainment economy.
 
Only Fela Kuti did this on his own because we came from a wealthy family. He was 
born in an educated and prosrperous famuily.The rest did it for themselves, some 
members of Osibisa became English and could enjoy government support in the UK 
but that was not enough to cover the acitvity range of a music career. Now they 
enjoy their glory in South Africa at the invitation of Nelson mandela and Hugh 
Masekela (the Nkuramah boys).
 
Hall of Fame is more likely in Dakar, Bamako, Congo, Burkina or Guinea, Togo, 
maybe Niger! 
 
South Africa stand  aside,
sometimes they look like they are not a part of the continent ( carried away bu 
buttered media grease).
 I can understand this, because the colonisers (both English 7 Dutch 
Afrikanners) wiped out the entire history and culture including music and art. 
The music and art in South Africa is shallow, they are in a renassaince, to 
re-disciver themselves (Whatevewr they do is fine, Kora Awards, Balafong Night, 
Djembe Throphy, its all good. This is light-weight and off-black, Europeans 
loves this and have a stake in it and they see their history and ethics in it. 
South african music, besides Hugh Masekela is partly Irish & Dutch. There are no 
African drums & percussion, partly churchish; always : Oh lord Oh lord, just 
like Senegal with Alla, Alla in all the songs. A people without culture is like 
a tree without roots.
 
 
Culturally,............ English ex-colonies need a DE-Colonization from 
 Colonial Mentality.
England is good at dismantling cultures, yoiu can't turn back ! 
Lets go back to Africanisation of our culture otherwise The USA & their Kenturky 
fried Rap music will come on us and their fake and misleading, fabricated and 
baked T.V  impressions will hit us harder than the king James version.
 
Wake up Everyone!
 
Oko drammeh
 



________________________________
From: Haruna Darbo <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sat, December 4, 2010 5:14:48 PM
Subject: Re: PROCLAIMATION 6th of December (Pap Touray Day) -Tribute to Paps 
Touray 2010

Great ideas from Prince I.

This guy is the hardest working Ellenite. Ace I think you should seriously 
consider Prince's ACTIONNABLE idea. African Artists Hall of Fame!!!!!!!! I think 
Prince I is really my cousin.

Haruna. off to Cirque de soleil. I wish you two were here in Fort Oglethorpe.


-----Original Message-----
From: Bubacarr Sankanu <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sat, Dec 4, 2010 3:56 am
Subject: Re: Fw: PROCLAIMATION 6th of December (Pap Touray Day) -Tribute to Paps 
Touray 2010


Thanks Brother Oko Drammeh,
  
  The IMMORTALIZATION of Pap Touray is long overdue.
  
  I pray for the day when the stories of SUPER EAGLES, IFANGBONDI (prove 
yourself) 

  and others legendary groups find their places in our national school books.
  
  I am also hopeful that one day a HALL OF FAME for the "who is who" in Gambian 
  Cultural and Creative Industries will become a reality.
  
  The departed "haudegens" will live in us.
  
  I will observe the Pap Touray Day.
  
  Prince B. Sankanu
  P.S. WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING RESEARCH FOR A MOVIE PROJECT ON "CAPT. THOMAS 
  SANKARA." I WILL BE AT NEXT YEAR'S PAN AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL (FESPACO) IN 
  BURKINA FASO WHERE I WILL MEET PART OF MY PROJECT TEAM.
  
  FOR THE MUSIC SCORES (SOUND TRACKS) I WILL BE COLLECTING ENTRIES FROM SEASONED 

  AFRICAN COMPOSERS AND MUSICAL ACTS. I HAVE YOU, TEJAY FAKOLI, ISMAEL LO, FRERE 

  GUISSE, BEMBEYA JAZZ NATIONAL AND SOME MALIAN ARTISTES IN MIND.
  
  I HAVE YOUR CONTACT DETAILS. I WILL GET TO YOU IN EARNEST WHEN THE TIME COMES 
SO 

  WE CAN ELABORATE ON THE DETAILS OF YOU AND YOUR CREW'S INPUT FOR THE SOUND 
  TRACKS.
  
  KEEP UP THE PRICELESS WORK AS "AUTHENTIC CULTURAL AMBASSADOR OF AFRICA". I AM 
A 

  KEEN FOLLOWER OF YOUR WORK.
  **********************************************************************
  -------- Original-Nachricht --------
  > Datum: Fri, 3 Dec 2010 07:41:00 -0800
  > Von: oko drammeh <[log in to unmask]>
  > An: [log in to unmask]
  > Betreff: Fw: PROCLAIMATION 6th of December (Pap Touray Day) -Tribute to Paps 

  Touray 2010
  
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > Tribute to Paps Touray 2010
  >
  > by Oko Drammeh 
  >
  >
  > PAPS TOURAY
  >  
  > BORN : 6th of December
  >
  >
  > MAYHIS SOUL REST IN PEACE
  >
  > PROFESSION: Singer of the Famous African Jazz Band, Super Eagles Band.
  > Ifang
  > Bondi & the Great Soto Koto Band Africa’s most dynamic Voice, Singer
  > songwriter
  > & Founder of the Afro-Mandingo sounds & the Viva Super Eagles success Paps
  > Touray was a singer, a lead singer of the Gambian African Jazz in the
  > 60’s. He
  > is the son of Wolof Griot vocalist Marie Samuel Njie of Banjul. Marie
  > Samuel
  > Nice was a singing griot legend who composed songs for social harmony,
  > social
  > living, high society, politics, patrons of the arts, people’s hobbies
  > and life.
  > The late Marie Samuel used to carry Paps Touray on her back. As she did
  > with all
  > her children including the historian, narrator & troubadour musician and
  > singer
  > Alhagi Efri Mbye.
  >  
  > Pap Touray started singing when he was a baby at the back of his mom and
  > never
  > stopped until he died on the 19th of May 2007in the city of Banjul. Paps
  > Touray
  > was the lead singer of the world famous Super Eagles band, which he formed
  > with
  > friend and brother Badou Jobe (guitarist & Bassist) to become the most
  > successful African Band and the runners up were The Bembeya Jazz of
  > Guineaand
  > The Ryco Jazz of Congo. This open heartedness and love for music always
  > forced
  > him to sing with others in duets, trios, quartets, and quintets. He was
  > free in
  > his heart and never eat alone. His songs were songs of joy and of love and
  > revolution. He composed the great Gambian music encyclopedia for beats,
  > rhythms
  > & melodies and harmonies.
  >
  > My Top 10 Great Songs of Paps are:
  > The Youth Song/ English
  > Halel Daii Maga, / Wollof 
  > Ham Ham/ Wollof
  > False Love/ English
  > Saraba/ Wollof
  > Armageddon / Creole
  > Yolele/ Fulani
  > Atis Atis/ Jola
  > Duma Julo/ Mandingo
  > Gambia- Watoo Sita/ Mandingo
  > Gal Gi Demna Gauge/ Sererr
  >  
  > Langauges : English, Fula, Jola, Creole, Sererr, Mandingo,
  >
  > All songs written by Pap Touray.
  >
  > Arranged by Senemie Taylor & Badou Jobe & Ifangbondi
  > © Daii Maga Partners/Promoter& Producer M. Oko Drammeh.
  >
  > www.sotokoto.tv
  >  
  > "The best things in life are for free, the sun, the moon ,
  > the stars for everyone is all for free, the flowers ,
  > the birds that sing in the spring, all for free to everyone, thats the way
  > life
  > should be.
  > Money is not god and cannot be worship and used to judge history".
  > You either make it or Be it.
  > Paps
  >  
  >
  >  
  > Pap Touray composed poetry and musical verses and notation scores that
  > became
  > the yard stick for weight & dept in Gambian music that wasn’t in
  > Americamusic,
  > free from impersonation songs, copy western clothes and fashion style,
  > reject
  > imitations and copying others. With Ifangbodi, Paps set the creative
  > cultural
  > musical revelation in Africa. If any other jazz band, Ifangbandi opened
  > the eyes
  > of Osibisa, Fela Kuti, Salif Keita, Youssou Ndour, Mory Kante, Manu
  > Dibango &
  > Tour Kunda and Jimmy Cliff who came to The Gambai in search of Ifangbondi
  > and
  > traveled with the band to Dakar. Dollar Brand also visited the Gambiafor
  > musical
  > inspiration. The biggest visit was the American Jazz Band, King Oliver
  > Nelson
  > with his 32 piece big band performing in Banjul at the McCarthy Square
  > (July
  > 22nd Park), Santana almost made it here but he stayed in Cassamance. Taj
  > Mahal
  > was the last greats to visit the land of music, the Gambia, the birth
  > place of
  > the musical instrument the Kora.
  > Paps Touray started playing music at Foyer French school music hall until
  > cousin
  > Laba Sosseh introduced him to the rehearing band member of
  > Portuguese-Africa
  > Origin, natives of the Cape Verde Islandwho migrated to Banjul, St.
  > Louisand
  > Goree. They foyer Hall was in the heart of Wolof and Portuguese town ward
  > of
  > Banjul South. These musicians used non-electric instruments like bongos,
  > box
  > guitars, contra bass, clarinet, violins and vocal groups and solo singers.
  > This
  > is were the first song bird of Paris and all Europe was born, the lady who
  > conquered Paris after the American belly dancer Josephine Baker, Miss
  > Vicky
  > Blain of Dobson Street in Banjul Half-die. Vicky was Paps Touray’s best
  > friend.
  > They together sang on stage the famous Vicky Blain song Black as Night
  > which was
  > a huge success in Monte Carlo, Ibiza, Monacoand in downtown Paris.
  >
  > Pap Touray together Senemie Francis Taylor, Badou Jobe, Modou Cham, Oussou
  > Njie,
  > Charles Valentine, Malando Gassama, Edu Hafner Pa Lamin Drammeh and Alieu
  > Kah
  > first started the Super Eagles before breaking though into the global
  > music
  > business and music scene. With an original brand of sound called Afro
  > Manding
  > Sounds, the sounds revolutionized and a re-branded the name to be called
  > Ifangbondi meaning to “Show Your True Self”. The Afro Manding Sounds
  > was the Pan
  > African sound for African freedom fighters for ONEAFRICA. Global and yet
  > local.
  >
  > The success Ifangbondi brought was an Anchor more than fitness for all the
  > African bands pursuing the Pan African sound and since the market range of
  > the
  > Gambia was small , a country of 600,000 people by then, they brought
  > Senegal on
  > board  a country of 10 million people, whose music had no originality and
  > direction because (of colonialism) most bands were white people from
  > France and
  > they were our neighbors, we integrated them into the music of the wolof,
  > the
  > Fula, The Jola and the Mandingos. Ifangbondi introduced modern music
  > instruments
  > sub region and teach people how to make tunes and chords to form musical
  > styles,
  > as well as electric instruments, synthesizers, the electric guitar, drum
  > set and
  > stage show appeal.
  >
  > Paps Touray and Ifangbondi migrated to Senegalto broaden their market
  > because of
  > a wider fan base to increase there income to start a music industry in the
  > Gambia. The Government at the time promised a piece of land at Tobacco
  > Road for
  > a multi purpose auditorium, recording studio and performance Arts
  > Centre.But
  > later through envy, jealousy and due to their fame and worldwide success
  > and
  > female fan appeal the officials did not like that, nor to see anyone
  > successful
  > and STAND OUT, totally liberated and free.
  >
  > They made a second request for land for a music school and music business
  > centre
  > but the application was rejected. The band was taking water to the sea and
  > that
  > is spending without returns or recognition within The Gambia. Facing
  > denials and
  > impossible situations and political harassment. Later in the year of 1981
  > Paps
  > Touray was arrested beaten and tortured and from that day on wards broken.
  > Asking god “What have I done, my lord”. They beat him and sentenced
  > him. He
  > later was released and he traveled to Europea free man but a lonely man in
  > because Gambiais all that he loves. Music was banned in the Gambiadue to
  > the
  > state of emergency in July 1981 and the band members took a strategic
  > retreat in
  > Europe.
  >
  >
  >
  > This was going to be our Hollywoodhad it had NOT been abandoned. By this
  > time we
  > would have been making CD players, DVDdisc at low cost and distribution
  > network
  > worldwide. We could have been distributing to Europe, Asiaand Americamusic
  > from
  > all over Africaprocessed, mixed, mastered in the Gambiaand sent all over
  > the
  > world.
  >  
  > Ifangbondi was DENIED the rights to their VISION to start a music capital
  > in the
  > Gambia. The fabulous life of Pap Touray was more accepted in Senegaland in
  > the
  > UKthan in the Gambia.
  >
  > If any thing, there was a musical scene in The Gambia, instrument shops
  > and
  > repair studios, with a transport system and communication system
  > supporting the
  > music industry.
  > Ifangbondi opened an administrations office at: 20 Hope Street in Banjul
  >
  > and employed a secretary on pay roll, they employed technician and drivers
  > on
  > pay roll, the paid all salaries on time and support all promotion action
  > both
  > locally and internationally.
  >
  > They never condoned injustice.
  >
  >  Ifangbondi & the Pan African Movement
  > Pap Touray was Paul Robeson, the great Black American Singer who advised
  > Kwame
  > Nkumarah, Jomo Kenyatta, I G Garba Jahumpa and Julius Nyerere that they
  > must go
  > back home and free Africa. Paul Robeson was awarded the Grand Order of
  > Russia by
  > Stalin and died in the USA in the early 60’s.Ifangbodi sang
  > Gambia-Zambia
  > calling for African to Unite way before Bob Marley & the Wailers hit the
  > road
  > wirth Africa Unite on theSurvival album.
  >
  >
  > Paps was a man of sport, national goal keeper or of the Gambia, a youth
  > leader
  > and a champion of workers rights in general. He was the fashion eyes of
  > Gambia
  > Ghana and Senegalwith great suits costumes, gloves, hats and sexy looks
  > that
  > killed all women all over the world. He was a REALSTARand the first
  > Gambian
  > Superstar.
  >
  >
  >
  > One day he left his work at the Police barracks the to attend the Gambia
  > workers
  > strike for salary increase and he was spotted singing “
  > we-shall-not-be-moved”
  > The next day he was dismissed from the police force and later that day he
  > went
  > to Dobson Street in Banjul to join the African Jazz under the later the
  > direction of Alhagi Chamsu Coker.
  >
  >  
  > From African Jazz, he summoned the Eagles band with Malick Secka, then the
  > Super
  > Eagles with Solo Darboe, and then he started in London, England the world
  > famous
  > and the pride of Africa and The Gambia the Formidable Ifangbondi Band and
  > lastly
  > he went solo with the Soto Koto Band and recorded all his compositions
  > with
  > vocal instruments readings with the Higher Octave records of Hollywood,
  > California and recorded for Generations to come.
  >  
  >  Paps Touray A.K.A Abes, was an intellectual, and a flamboyant artist. He
  > had a
  > message and he never work for money but labored for love.
  >
  >
  >
  > He always said “money cant buy you love” and also money he don’t
  > want to keep
  > but only to pay bills and give away the rest to the needy. One needs money
  > when
  > the bills come, food to eat and life.  Paps was real. His name will live
  > in the
  > lips of generations to come.
  >  
  > May his soul rest in perfect peace.
  >  
  > By Oko Drammeh,
  > Producer
  > & owner of Soto Koto Music & Recording company
  > www.sotokoto.tv
  >
  >
  > Source: (c) Picture: Pap Touray by
  > H.A.Fermate
  > Amsterdam
  > www.galleryfermate.com
  > DIED: 19th of May 2005
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
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