FRANCK'BIYONG'-'AFRO'GALACTIC'SPACEWAY ! An"African"Cosmic"Jazz"Tribute"to"SUN"RA !

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FRANCK'BIYONG'-'AFRO'GALACTIC'SPACEWAY
! An"African"Cosmic"Jazz"Tribute"to"SUN"RA !
Release"date"!"May"10th"2019
Label:"Afrolectric"Music"Productions"Ltd.
Distribution:"Africori

Background:
The'Anthology'and'Audio'Books:
In"March"2016, "during" the" first"edition"of" the"Re!Imagined" Storytelling" festival"held"in"
Nairobi, " Positively" African" (PA)" launched" an" online" contest" inviting" African" writers" on"
the"continent"and"in"the"Diaspora"to"write"an"African"folktale"for"the"21st"Century."Out"
of" nearly" 100" entries, " twelve" were" selected" and" scheduled" for" publishing" by" Pavaipo"
(East"and"Southern"Africa)"and"Ouida"Books"(West"Africa)"in"an"anthology"called"Story, '
Story!'Story'Come! in"December"2018."Alongside"the"anthology, "Positively"African"also"
planned"to"release"audio"book"versions"of"the"stories, "with"original"music."However, "the"
age!old"tradition"of"oral"storytelling"is"on"the"decline."Rapid"urbanization, "the"breakdown"of"
the"extended"family, "technology"and"so"on"has"altered"our"social"fabric."Whilst"our"daily"lives"
are"still"peppered"with"snippets"of"remembered"words"of"wisdom"and"proverbs, "the"reality"is"
that"a" new"generation" of"Africans" has" never" had" the" pleasure" of"listening" to"a" story" being"
told"by"a"storyteller.
Story, 'Story!'Story'Come!"was"a"contribution"to"larger"efforts"to"revive"storytelling"in"Africa"
and"beyond."The"challenge"was"to"develop"new"narratives"that"speak"to"issues"that"are"
fundamental"to"Africa's"development"in"a"way"that"is"unconventional"but"true"to"our"past"
traditions"of"folktale"and"oral"storytelling.
There"was"also"a"growing"consciousness"to"want"to"know"more"beyond"the"fantastical, "
aesthetically"appealing"representation"of"Africa"in"fabric"and"art, "beyond"the"stereotypical"
entertaining"display"of"African"culture"through"music, "drum"circles"and"dance"displays."This"is"
where"the"art"of"authentic"oral"theatrical"African"storytelling"comes"in, "where"moods"are"
illustrated"sonically"and"dramatically"to"drive"home"the"message."With"this"idea"in"mind, "
Positively"African"decided"to"get"in"touch"with"musician Franck"Biyong, "one"of"this"
generation's"true"innovator"in"musical"interpretation"(who"credits"Cameroonian"virtuoso"
guitarist"and"master"composer"Francis"Bebey"as"the"main"inspiration"that"set"him"down"his"
musical"path"as"a"pre!teen, "and"also"cites"Fela"Sowande, "King"Crimson, "Pierre"Akendengue, "
Frank"Zappa"and"the"Art"Ensemble"of"Chicago"as"major"influences"on"his"artistry)"to"write"
original"music"for"each"story"of"the"planned"audio"books."
Receiving"musical"instruction"and"training"at"the"National"Institute"of"Arts"in"Abidjan"(Ivory"
Coast), "Biyong"scorched"a"brilliant"path"with"his"works"and"became"a"reporter"of"a"modern"
day"African"identity's"aspirations"and"ambitions."Franck"translated"these"experiences"into"15"
diverse"and"challenging"albums"ranging"from"orchestral"afro sound"to"black"jazz"pastoral"
pieces, "afropop, "electronica, "rock, "Afro"house"and"psychedelics"and"went"even"further"into"
musical"experimentation"while"completing"this"very"unusual"project:"""For"once, "it"wasn't"
just"about"writing"music"to"fit"with"words, "melodies"or"the"other"way"around…the"stories"
were"recorded"first"and"I then"had"to"work"more"like"a"sound"designer"or"painter"trying"to"
illustrate"each"particular"nuance"or"evolution"within"the"stories…and"it"wound"up"being"way"
more"challenging"and"mind"boggling"than"I"thought"it"would"be.."
Ultimately, "while"working"on"the"project, "Biyong"gradually"tapped"into"his"own"musical"
influences"and"piece"by"piece"began"designing"the"music"pieces"as"a"tribute"to"legendary"
Space"Jazz"innovative"composer"and"band"leader"SUN"RA, "now"widely"acknowledged"as"the"
pioneer"of"Afro"Futurism"and"creating"a"new"synthesis"that"used"space!themed"philosophy"
to"reflect"African!American"people's"linkage"of"ancient"African"culture, "specifically"Egypt, "and"
the"cutting"edge"of"the"Space"Age."
"I"think"there"is"something"quite"specific"about""African"Music""in"general:"There"are"as"
many"different"forms"of"music"in"Africa"as"there"are"many"different"countries, "people"or"
"tribes""who"speak"different"languages, "have"different"cultural"values"and"different"
history"and"lineage"even"though"they"also"may"have"a"lot"in"common."Each"of"these"
groups"has"different"ways"of"rejoicing, "celebrating, "praying"or"healing"through"the"
power"of"music, "dance"or"chants."Therefore"you"can"literally"say"that""African"music""
doesn't"exist"as"such"but"that"we"should"rather"speaks"of"the""numerous"and"various"
musical"expressions"coming"from"the"multiple"ethnic"groups"of"the"African"continent""
which"sounds"a"bit"long"and"complex"but"which"is"much"more"appropriate"if"one"has"to
consider"these"issues"seriously"."Biyong"also"reflected"on"the"role"of"the"griot"in"
traditional"West"African"African"society"for"inspiration:""We"seek"to"describe"the"
nature"of"our"local, "social, "private"identities"from"our"own"environment"and"native"
cultures, "to"the"ancestral"traditions"that"leave"many"of"us"amazed"today."
Africa, "which"is"believed"to"be"home"to"the"early"man, "has"a"rich"tradition"which"
dates"millions"of"years"back"and"is"in"most"cases"passed"orally"from"one"generation"
to"the"other"."The Griot"is"a"member"of"an"aristocratic"family"among"the"peoples"of"
Africa"whose"function"is"to"keep"alive"the"oral"history"of"a"tribe, "a"village, "a"lineage
or"ethnic"group;"a"masterful"travelling"storyteller"who"educates"and"entertains"with"
tales, "historical"narratives, "dances"and"recitals.
On"this"conceptual"recording, "Biyong"and"his"musicians"really"intended"to"tell"the"
story"of"culture"through"music; He"explored"the"dimension"that"lies"beyond"rhythms"
or"chants"through"the"eyes, "ears"and"wisdom"of"a"futuristic"Griot portraying"fictional"
characters"and"modern"African"heroes"leading"the"pace"and"narration"through"
modernized"tales."These"sonics"from"the"ancient"continental past"aim"at addressing
the"complexities"of"African"oral"tradition, "repositioning"African"folkloric"music"as"a"
futuristic"artistic"medium"and"inspiring"epic"stories"of"self"assertion, "quest"of"
knowledge"and"cultural"preservation"

FRANCK"BIYONG"!"AFRO"GALACTIC"SPACEWAY !
1! WATER"STRINGS
2! IVORY"DREAMS
3! ANTIQUE"ELECTRONICS
4! VOODOO"PULSES
PRODUCTION"
Produced, "Arranged"Conceived"by"FB"
Executive"Producer:"Maimouna"Jallow"for"Positively"African
(http://www.reimaginedstories.com/"and"https://www.facebook.com/PositivelyAfrican/)

Recorded"by:"David"Sanna, "Maxwell"Ochieng, "FB"
Recorded"@"Ndokoti"Studios"(Douala, "Cameroon), "
Afrolectric"Mobile"(Yaounde, "Cameroon), "HBS"Studios"
(Paris, "France), "Dynamix"Studios"(Nairobi, "Kenya)"
Mixed"&"Mastered"by"Wanyoike"Kimani"&"FB"
@"Square"Down"Studios"(Nairobi, "Kenya)"

MUSICIANS
GRANDMASTER"MASESE:"Bass, "Tenor"&"Alto"Obokano, "Percussion, "Mbira, "Kayamba
EDWARD"ODHIAMBO"OKUTO"a.k.a""ODADA":"Orutu, "Percussion, "Shakers, "Vocals
WILLIAM"RAMA:"Congas, "Djembe, "Tumbas, "Woodblocks, "Cowbells
AJOSE"ADEWALE"BABATUNDE:"Rhythm"Talking"Drum, "Congas, "Cowbells, "Shakers
OLASUNKANMI"OYENIYI:"Lead"Talking"Drum, "Congas, "Woodblocks
MOSES"NJOROGE:"Multiple"Keyboards, "Synthesizers, "Piano, "Organ, "Accordion, "Litungu
DEBE"DEBE"(Obuya"Owino"&"Daniel"Muhini)":"Ngoma"Drums, "Congas, "Djembe, "Kayamba
RILDHA"ESSO:"Nkul"(Tambour"d'Appel), "Bongos, "Congas
ASAPH"UZELE:"Electric"Bass, "Acoustic"Bass
ZACHARIE"ABRAHAM:"Double"Bass
NICOLAS"BAUDINO:"Tenor"&"Soprano"Saxophone
MARC!BORLET!HOTTE:"Trumpet, "Flugelhorn
JON"DACUNA:"Baritone"Saxophone
EMMANUEL"YAKOBO"OBEDO:"Drums, "Percussion
FELISTER"NGUNJIRI:"Vocals, "Handclaps
LYDIA"OGOTI;"V

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