Creole-Soul & Zouk from Guadeloupe via Cork City
A new Supergroup has emerged from Cork City's diverse musical underground and they are playing Creole (Gwoka) Soul music from Guadeloupe. See review of Pitak's debut theatre gig in Waterville Co Kerry
PITAK 2014: Pitak are delighted to announce their successful Arts Council tour funding award for a 10 date tour of Ireland starting in July 2014 with dates in Waterford, Wexford, Omagh, Belfast, Clifden, Cork, Belmullet, Sligo, Monaghan & Naul. Please check the Pitak 2014 Tour Dates on the right hand side of this page with links to the venues and events. Click here to see videos from all the events.
PITAK CD: Pitak went into the studio in September to start recording songs for their new album and have three tracks recorded with many more in the pipeline (enough for more than one CD). We hope to have the new CD out in early 2014 and are currently in negotiations with a major record label for the eventual manufacture, release & distribution. You can see Pitak in the studio recording the first track off the production line, and mixed by Jerome Rimson 'Mwen Pa Moun Isi' here, or on the right hand side bar ⇒
Playing a set sung entirely in French-Creole, Pitak are the sound of the French-Caribbean. Combining elements of Reggae, Jazz, Soul, Samba and West African rhythms, Ines Khai's voice rises above like an eagle soaring on the warm Caribbean breeze. Her emotive songs about the struggles of life and love in Guadeloupe are illustrated by her dramatic stage presence, Ines commands the stage, and the audience. like a Guadeloupean Griot. It is easy to see that every second of her performance comes straight from the heart, you may not understand the lyrics but you will still be taken on the journey. Daniel Muyombo's West-African Blues guitar style sits very comfortably alongside the voice of Ines underlining the cultural ancestry of the African people from Guadeloupe, mainly from the area between Senegal & The Congo.
Ines Khai's amazing vocal range is accompanied by a fabulous line-up of seasoned and diverse musicians; including one of Ireland's top bassists, Jerome Rimson (from Detroit), two Congolese musicians from Ireland's best traveled African Band (The Lace) Daniel Muyombo & Troca on electric guitar & Drum Kit respectively and Ireland's Patrick Naughton playing Djembe, percussion & shakers making up the quintet. It is testament to the quality of Ines performance that she has been able to gather such a high quality line-up as her backing band.
Ines, Jerome, Daniel, Patrick & Troca have been busy in the studio re-arranging and re-working the songs of Ines so that they can be played by a quintet and tour the country (then The World). Pitak's debut Ireland concert was staged at An Conair in Dingle on 8th June. Videos from their debut performance can be seen on the right hand side bar on this page, along with others from different venues.
THE REVIEWS.
"After their 60s heyday, the rootsy French Antillean drumming traditions- Guadeloupean Gwoka and its Martiniquan cousin Bele- were swamped by the cadence and zouk crazes. Early legends such as Anzala, Eugene Mona, Velo and Esnard Boisdur either disappeared, or found occasional studio work with the new horn- and electro-based sound. But with today's renewed interest and pride of a younger Caribbean generation in Kreyol culture, language and music this unique and thrilling sound is rising from the ashes, with groups like Voudoum in Paris, and others in Gwada, Haiti and NYC. It's all the more exciting, therefore, to see an authentic and powerful Gwoka outfit -complete with soulful female vocalist- starting up in, er, Ireland! make sure you catch Pitak early -so you can say that you were there first." - JOHN ARMSTRONG
A truly fantastic performance that swept me clean off my feet. It is very rare for me to be so impressed! PiTak was a fantastic night out full of music all the way from the Caribbean. The music was so beautiful and the singer? Wow, just wow, she had a voice that made my jaw drop so that I have to tape it up like Jim Carrey in 'Yes Man' just to contain my amazement. The rhythm swept through the room and everyone was rocking their heads and singing alone where appropriate.The feelings the music gave you were almost like tangible things you could pull out of the air! It was thrilling! Amazing! Spectacular! I clapped so much my hands were too sore to write! If you missed it at the Tech, then please. Please please please please, please. For your own sake make an effort to go see them next ........they are magnificent! No one should miss this because they blew everything I have previously heard out of my mind! - STEPHANIE SMITH from WHAT'S UP IN WATERVILLE BLOG
The Bios.
INES KHAI: Although born in Paris, it was Caribbean music sung in Creole that resonated in the family home of the young Ines. The years passed in music until she crossed the path of director Mohamed Rouabhi in the late 90s. This meeting allows her to take her Creole all over France and further afield (Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Senegal, Brazil ...) and with plays in the theatre, Malcolm X, Requiem Opus 61 and Vive La France, where Ines sang and played comedy. Meanwhile, she discovered the Negro Spiritual in the choir Gospel Dream and with the contemporary gospel that we know better today as R&B. Her repertoire while absorbing influences of 'Nu Soul' was still sung in Creole.
In Paris she met DJ Phonie and Exxos who introduced her to their 'Kako Mizik' a sub-genre of hip hop made in Guadeloupe, where ka drums are sampled to mingle with American classics. It is from these influences that the first album was born in 2008 'Bwabwa' and performed on many stages including The French Caribbean for two years where she was nicknamed 'The Queen of Creole Soul' . She left an indelible mark on the Afro-Caribbean musical landscape and was invited to make guest appearances on albums by Dominik Coco and Damogueez.
JEROME RIMSON: There is not enough space on this page to do
justice to Jerome's musical career so here are a few edited highlights:
1969
Toured and recorded in Detroit Michigan with the Detroit Emeralds /
The Contour’s / The Fantastic four & Edwin Starr
1974-1984 Ten years musical director for
Van Morrison, playing on
several tours including the famous
Montreux Jazz Festivals
in Switzerland with further concerts in Australia and America.
1976 Grammy for Jazz, recording with
Al Jarreau. One of the most famous concerts in Hamburg, Germany is
released on Video/DVD.
Jerome played bass on the Soundtrack for Sgt. Pepper’s The Movie
staring the Bee Gees The record was produced by
George Martin and the tracks Jerome contributed to were: Maxwell's
Silver Hammer and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Finale)
2002 –
present Jerome is back with
Van Morrison since 2002
and responsible for rehearsing the band and discovering potential
new additions. At the same time songs were written and recorded
which resulted in the release of one of the best Van Morrison albums
to date in 2005,
Magic Time. Apart from
the bass parts Jerome also contributes with
vocals & harmonies on two
tracks. Recently Jerome was back on stage again in Dublin for a
live concert with Van Morrison. The set included some tracks of the
new album together with all the golden oldies. Next to the bass
parts Jerome also contributes with
vocals & harmonies on two
tracks.
2005 Go Live from Paris with Stomu Yamashta and Steve Winwood. The first steps and drafts have been made towards a book that Jerome wants to publish. 35 years of working with the greatest is enough material for more than just an average book. Negotiations are ongoing to incorporate a CD Album to accompany the book
DANIEL MUYOMBO: Born in Kinshasa Daniel has performed with some of the greatest and best known Congolese acts ever formed, including Luambo Franco’s OK Jazz and Zaiko Langa Langa (among many more) before moving to Ireland in 2002.
One of the original founding members of
Ireland’s first professional all-African band, Daniel's voice and
guitar style are truly from the golden age of Kinois’ Rumba/Soukous
and his experience of performing with many mainstream Congolese
bands back home in Kinshasa reinforces the authentic feel and ‘real
sound' of Congo Kinshasa.
Daniel has been the band leader with The Lace since 2005. In 2012 The Lace were awarded funding from The Arts Council of Ireland under the ‘Touring & Dissemination Scheme’ where the band toured all over The Republic playing many festivals & Events, including North Dublin Music festival, Clifden Arts Festival, Feile na Bealtaine, Bray Summerfest, Donegal Bay Festival, Crosshaven Regatta, Waterford Spraoi, Cairdre in Sligo.
MBIKO FOLOLO OSCAR ‘TROCA’: Troca was born in Kinshasa and moved to Ireland in 2002. Mr Reliable, always on the beat and one of the founder members of The Lace formed in Cork City in 2003. Troca was an essential part of The Lace arts council funded tour of Ireland in 2012 and is a key member of The Cork City African Gospel Choir and is undoubtedly the best African Kit drummer currently living in Ireland. Troca formerly played with Mbonda Africa, Victoria Eleison, Anti Choc and Zaiko Langa Langa before moving to Ireland and joining/forming The Lace with Daniel Muyombo, Clement Katebe and Kevin Senga
PATRICK NAUGHTON: Patrick’s musical journey began at the age of 10 when his father gifted him with a Bodhran and Banjo and included him in a family musical project which saw them play in hundreds of different venues throughout Ireland in the 1980′s A further stint in his school's classical orchestra playing Snare Drum and Timpani was his first taste of formal education in Percussion.
A return to music in 1996 saw Patrick embrace the West African Djembe and its tradition.” In 1996 in Ireland there were very few players who knew anything about the Djembe but there still was a lot of energy and enthusiam about and around it with the emergence at that time around world music”. Attending a workshop by Bisi Agun a Nigerian and listening to the likes of Kila and De Jimbe who utilised West African Percussion in their sound saw him collaborating with street percussionists, Community parades, Drum Circles and musicians furthering his enthusiasm for the drum. In 1999 Patrick travelled to Gambia west Africa where he experienced first-hand the power of African Drumming with lessons in Moussa Camara's compound in Banjul in Gambia and nightly performances by the resident Guinean Percussion group “Fatala” in venues around the city. A futher foray inland to Pakaliba, Gambia Patrick witnessed Traditonal Sabar drumming in a traditional Village setting. In 2004 Patrick travelled again to West Africa, this time Abene ,Cassamance in Southern Senegal where he further enhanced his studies of percussion.
Patrick's project Full Circle Percussion was founded in 2006 in a response to peoples' desire to drum. Since 2006 Patrick has worked in numberous 3rd level Colleges, Schools, Art projects and community groups facilitating Percussion workshops as well as teaching a weekly class to Adults and students. His commitment, passion and enthusiasm for drumming is the vehicle by which he communicates his authentic knowledge of Mandingue Drumming to all age groups. This is always done in a fun, relaxed informal way so that the participants get to experience the full power, atmosphere and feel of West African Drumming creating a lasting memorable experience.
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