Hi Ndey!
Sorry for this very late response. I had some internet
problems and could not send any mail for close to three weeks. Thanks for
your enquiries. As stated earlier, the failure of Gambian music can be
attributed to various factors. Lack of good management and advice plus lack
of facilities, support etc. all contribute. You asked whether we had plans
to set up a studio in The Gambia. One of my passions is the promotion of
Gambian culture. I shall try everything possible to contribute my quota to
the advancement of Gambian culture. You asked what we would need in the way
of support. One of the ways to help is to identify a Gambian musician back
home and support him / her by buying instruments for him / her, supporting a
project he / she is involved in etc. Thanks for your concern. I'm glad that
you are an Ifangbondi fan. I shall try to fix the Ifangbondi day on Raki Web
Radio now that my internet problems have been fixed. Hope you find the time
to listen. Have a good day.
Buharry.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ndey Jobarteh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2006 10:46 AM
Subject: Re: SV: Ifangbondi - History/ Bunda yele
>I guess this discussion is getting more and more interesting. I have
>listened to I fang music through my Mother who is a fan of Infang. She
>really explains those days with a huge smile in her face and explain some o
>these lyrics to us. I remember when my Mum starts to play their tapes we
>will say here she comes again. With my father on the other side listening
>to the Kaddy Kebbi's (I don't know who sang and narrative the story) and
>Lallokebba.
>
> I started listening to these songs when I came to Europe. I remember going
> home for holidays recording lot s of these tapes and my parents were so
> surprised because I never use to listen to these songs. I remember
> listening to them in my sad days in campus and it really cheers me up and
> then I understood why my mum and dad were in love with these songs.
>
> Anyway my question goes to Oko and Buharry.
>
> Could the failure of the Gambian Musicians be due to poor or lack of Good
> management and advice? I could remember some of these musicians ended up
> very poor with little hope for life. So what went wrong and what are the
> lessons to learn for younger generation of Musicians. This is does not
> only affect Ifang but all others. I don't know how many of you have listen
> to the Songs and stories of Kaddy Kebba. The lallokebba's little is know
> about these people even in our generation.
>
> In Buharry's analysis we can see a generation of younger Musicians
> emerging what does the future hold for them?
>
>
>
> The Struggle Continues!!!
> Ndey Jobarteh
>
>
>
>>From: Alieu Sanyang Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>>To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: SV: Ifangbondi - History/
>>Bunda yele Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 12:50:25 -0700
>>
>>Luntang/Modou Alieu, You might be right but don't you think some of
>>those "rebellions" as you call it have some negative effect on the way the
>>society also judged the band at that time? Could it be possible thatthe
>>society also "rebelled" against them? It is very refreshing to see what
>>is all being said about Ifangbondi and I must admit, I leanrt a lot from
>>these discussions. Ifangbondi really used to bring a lot of life in
>>Gunjur jsut like any where else they performed. I am really looking
>>forwrad to an Ifangbondi day in the Gambia.
>>
>> Alieu. Luntang wrote: I will not agree to your assertion "I remember
>> attending an Ifangbodi show in Gunjur and that night the way most of the
>> attendees and the band acted was one reason why I think the nation failed
>> to endorse the band at a higher level " . Yes some Youths used to drink
>> as a way of rebellion against the Society and as you mentioned some times
>> some of them coming from a very religious back ground but that blame
>> should not be laid on IfangBondi .I was among the very first people to
>> set up Ifangbondi Fans Club in Gunjur together with J.O.J , Amadou Bajo ,
>> Omar Janneh (Boy Eat) Lamin Darboe and Nfansu Touray that later became
>> famously known as Dabanani Club .We became the first to bring Ifangbondi
>> to Gunjur on Koriteh day 1975 to perform both Haware and Night Show
>> .Ifangbondi always played their best in Gunjur and that was why people in
>> attendance came as far away as Faraba-banta , Pirang , Bakau , Sukuta and
>> Brikama .I wish you succeed in organising an Ifangbondi Day .
>>
>>Luntang
>>
>>
>>----- Ursprungligt meddelande ----- Fr幩: "Alieu Sanyang" Till: Skickat:
>>den 26 augusti 2006 16:07 獻ne: Re: Ifangbondi - History/ Bunda yele
>>
>>
>>This is very refreshing. Thanks to all of you for bringing us all back to
>>life again. I subscribe to having an Ifangbondi day. As one suggested, the
>>government need to be involved in this. I remember fully how Ifangbondi
>>was well respected in the sub region especially Senegal and now having the
>>Senegalese music more in Gambia than our own says a lot how the system
>>failed the group and our culture. However, one question that came to mind,
>>and I think Oko might be able to answer this better is, did Ifangbondi
>>also failed us as a culture? My observation in those days are they also
>>did fail the Gambia. I remember attending an Ifangbodi show in Gunjur and
>>that night the way most of the attendees and the band acted was one reason
>>why I think the nation failed to endorse the band at a higher level.I even
>>confronted one of them at that time and ask why he was drinking but for
>>his parents were so religious but I got a rude awakening answer. And
>>unfortunately he stopped going to school too because he wanted to be a
>>musician. Most of the people at this show were drunk and alcohol and
>>prostitution was kind of being an acceptable forum for where ever the
>>group was.
>>
>>Alieu Sanyang.
>>
>>
>>oko drammeh wrote: Fye, Sincere greetings!
>>
>>There is an unofficial explaninatin of the lyrics of the song
>>"Nyepeto-Bunda Yele" since the band never registered the lyrics of the
>>song with a definative meaning. Maybe brother Badou will mcome up with an
>>authentic version of the meaning because he co-composed it.
>>
>>It is spelled Nyepeto-Meaning a Cockroach.
>>
>>The song is a love song that fall on the category of love betrayal. A wife
>>habours a lover while his husband was away. Returned expectfully and knock
>>all night but the door never open. Like Bob Marley put it.-"Waiting in
>>Vain"
>>
>>This is a musical family to "Super tem-temb" by Bembeya Jazz National of
>>Guinea.
>>
>>Please note that Ifang bondi (Gambia, Osibisa(Ghana) and Bembeya Jazz
>>(Guinea) influence one another. .
>>
>>As in music, So in Life Peace Oko Buhary.
>>
>>Thanks for the history on my favourite band.Ifangbondi did their best but
>>at the end the system fail them.Let Jammeh stop talking loud and doing
>>nothing and start supporting our artists as Senegal has been doing for
>>many years now.
>>
>>Btw i have a question for you,Oko or Badou Jobe if he is still with us...
>>
>>What does Pa Touray mean in his song *Nyepeto Bundayele* obs. the
>>spelling.
>>
>>Niamorkono.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On 8/20/06, Momodou Buharry Gassama wrote: > > Hi! > Thanks Oko for the
>>additional info on Ifangbondi. Pa Musa, Coach and > Karamba, thanks for
>>realising the role Ifang played in the subregion. I > hope > they will be
>>given their rightful place very soon, i.e., while the > remaining >
>>members are still alive. I will dedicate one of these coming days to >
>>Ifangbondi on Raki Web Radio. I will let you know the day. I hope Dave >
>>Manneh will be able to tune in as he is an Afromanding fan. Have a good >
>>night. > > > Buharry. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "pasamba
>>jow"
>>
>> > To: > Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2006 3:45 PM > Subject: Re: Ifangbondi -
>>History > > > > Buharry, > > Thanks for this wonderful info. It is always
>>refreshing to read > something > > inspiring about Gambian heroes, and
>>believe or not the Pap Tourays and > > the Badou Jobes are as important to
>>the shaping of Gambia's identity as > > any politician. Just maybe one
>>day, soon i hope, Gambia will put these > > great pioneers in their right
>>historical place, as Gambia's social and > > cultural icons. > > Pasamba
>>Jow > > > > Momodou Buharry Gassama wrote: > > Biography: > > > > For more
>>than twenty years the Gambian roots band Ifang Bondi ('be > > yourself')
>>has had a leading role within West African popular music. It > > was one
>>of the first groups that decided to return to its African roots > by > >
>>playing traditional Manding music. > > > > To talk about an influential
>>band such as Ifang Bondi, one needs to know > > how its origins came
>>about. It was the year 1970. The auditorium of > Legon > > University in
>>Accra (Ghana) was filled to capacity. There was an > > environment of
>>restless expectation awaiting the arrival on stage of the > > Super Eagles
>>of The Gambia. The devastating performance of highlife, > soul, > > Cuban
>>music, reggae and western pop songs which followed, faultlessly > >
>>delivered by the men in sharp suits, revealed why this band from The > >
>>Gambia had become West Africa's number one superstar attraction. West > >
>>Africa had just completed its first decade of independence and was in >
>>the > > throes of anticolonialist sentiment, pan-Africanism and 'Say it
>>loud, I > am > > Black and Proud'. This was to be the last time most
>>people saw the Super >
>> > Eagles, leaving only the legacy of their all-time classic album 'Viva >
>> > Super Eagles'. > > > > Unknown to their thousands of fans, this was not
>>the end of the story, > but > > just the end of the First chapter in one
>>of the longest-running sagas in > > African musical history. The truth is
>>that the founders of the band, > > leader Badou Jobe and vocalist Paps
>>Touray had taken a deliberate > decision > > to end Super Eagles at the
>>height of their popularity. Being true > > revolutionary pan Africanists
>>and musical pioneers, they had become > > increasingly disturbed by the
>>music they were playing and the image they > > presented. Despite the
>>greater fame and fortune that was theirs for the > > taking. They
>>radically gave it all up to go back to square one, back to > > the roots,
>>to create something African for Africans, to challenge the > > cultural
>>imperialism of the west which still gripped the continent. They > > went
>>into the bush to sit at the feet of the jelis - the master drummers > >
>>and the old maestros of the kora, xalam, and bala - the guardians of a > >
>>thousand years of culture and tradition. > > > > After two years of
>>exhaustive research and hard practice, Badou Jobe and > > the few
>>musicians like Paps Touray and Ali Harb, who had felt inspired > to > >
>>join, came back with unique new music, born from their amazingly rich > >
>>heritage. To their modern electric outfit, including the novelty of an > >
>>electric organ, they had added traditional drums, which, next to the >
>>drum > > kit's chromium sheen and the fancy sunburst of the guitars,
>>looked like > > alien objects from another planet. The new repertoire,
>>painstakingly > > composed according to the rules of the jeli teachers,
>>had meant a > struggle > > with unfamiliar scales and mind-boggling rhythm
>>structures. They proudly > > coined their music the Afro Manding Sound
>>after the legendary Manding > > empire, cradle of their West African
>>culture. > > > > By 1973 the group had shed its eagles' feathers to
>>reappear as Ifang > Bondi > > ('Be yourself), a fearsome Manding spirit
>>that puts the newly initiated > to > > the test and seeks out evildoers
>>within society. The band's First public > > performances were greeted with
>>dismay and disbelief by their devoted > fans, > > who were outraged by the
>>'bush' sound of mbalax and jambadongo rhythms, > > although the musicians
>>had been careful to hide the sabar (drums) under > > the British flag. At
>>that time this type of music was considered to be > > played only at
>>weddings and family-gatherings and not for big audiences. > > But
>>bandleader Badou Jobe, veteran of an earlier bade against caste > taboos >
>> > to become a musician in the first place, stuck by his guns through the >
>> > sticks and stones of this initial period. The only support at this time
>> > > came from fellow musicians, later to form Toure Kunda and Super
>>Diamono, > > who appreciated the Afro Manding Sound for the momentum it
>>was bound to > > give African music. Gradually their >
>> > revolutionary ideas got accepted, and this was the birth of the popular
>> > > West African modern music that has since catapulted Toure Kunda,
>>Youssou > > N'dour, Mory Kante, and Baaba Maal onto the world stage. > > >
>> > The role of Ifang Bondi has been pivotal - by rehabilitating the > >
>>traditional musicians they made people aware of their own heritage, and >
>> > they offered new dimensions to African artists in search of an authentic
>> >
>> > sound. To rigorously deprive a devoted public of their pop idols, the >
>> > ultimate symbol of modern western cultureto induce them to set their
>> > own
>> > > cultural values and to get rid of the inferiority complex, a
>> > > lingering legacy of colonialism, had not been a venture for the
>> > > faint-hearted.
>>But > > in the end the effort proved to be worthwhile. Ifang Bondi have
>>achieved > > their goal - to create something African for Africans -
>>beyond
>> > > expectations. > > > > Badou Jobe's innovative ideas, based on a vast
>>musical knowledge, have > > crystallized into a comprehensive artistic
>>concept that created also the > > inimitable sound, Ifang Bondi's
>>trademark. Throughout the years, Ifang > > Bondi has continued to develop
>>its unique music which reflects the > > enormous variety and richness of
>>authentic styles, be it Wolof, > Mandingo, > > Fula, Jola or other. The
>>band's line-up shows a similar ethnic diversity > > They put fresh blood
>>into musical traditions, not only by a prolific > > output of original
>>material but also by organizing festivals in which > they > > invited pop,
>>jazz and reggae musicians from as far as the US and Jamaica > > to play
>>with traditional performers. > > > > From the beginning Ifang Bondi have
>>acted as a true academy of music > from > > which many great artists have
>>graduated. Outside West Africa Ifang Bondi > > has always had a solid cult
>>following. The infrequency of record > releases, > > all sought after
>>collector's items, plus the enigmatic personality of > its > > bandleader,
>>who seems quite happy to stay out of the limelight, "I once > > opened the
>>door to the hell of stardom, had a good look around, and > > slammed it
>>shut again", has only enhanced the mystique surrounding this > > group.
>>Badou Jobe received the prestigious Kora All Africa Music Award, > > also
>>known as the African Grammy Award, in 1989. > > > > The band: > > > >
>>Badou Jobe - bass > > El Hadj Samb - vocals, percussion > > Jali Momodou
>>Suso - kora, vocals > > Juldeh Camara - riti, vocals > > Lin Diaw -
>>guitars > > Bassirou Mbaye - sabar, bugarabu, tama, jembe > > Tafa
>>Ndiaye - keyboards >
>> > Ibou Gueye - drums > > > > > > >
>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> > > > > Discography: > > > > Saraba (Disques Griot, 1979) > > > > Mantra
>>(Interstate Records LPH 2366, 1983) > > > > Sanjo (D&K 860017, 1989) > > >
>> > Daraja (MW Records MWCD 3009, 1994) > > > > Gis Gis (MW Records MWCD
>>3019, 1998) > > > > > > > > >
>> > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > >
>> >
>> > Booking: > > > > Musik + Aktion. Address: Uta Hofmann, Musik + Aktion,
>>Egilolfstr.77, > 91349 > > Egloffstein, Germany. Phone: +49 (0)
>>9197697970, Fax: +49(0)9197697971. > > E-mail: [log in to unmask] > > >
>> > > > > > > > Source:
>>http://worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1021 > > >
>> > > > 中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中中 > > To
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