By Khalifa Hemed
Published October 27, 2019
The 
Gambia Sessions with Musa Mboob and XamXam band is a collection of 10 songs that capture the exciting Gambian vibe.
This collection by Mboob, a percussionist, singer and dance artist born in Serrekunda, the largest urban centre in The Gambia but now living on the south coast of England, address various issues in life. They range from preservation of a people’s identity to the quest for peace and kindness among humanity and from being responsible in life and conforming to expectation to love and kindness across rural Africa.
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Musa Mboob, who started his career teaching drama, dance, singing & percussion at Secondary Technical School in Sukuta, is the founder of the HamHam Exchange and Knowledge project, funded by the South East Arts Council, in which he took eight musicians from England to work with four different Gambian tribes. The band XamXam, that comprises Musa Mboob (percussion, vocals), Tom Phelan (keyboards), Luke Rattenbury (electric guitar) and Tom Fairbairn (bass guitar), is the product of that collaboration.
Mboob says the aim of XamXam is to ‘bring you the perfect blend of traditional West African music with a modern twist’ and that as band leader he has made it his aim in life to continue the family tradition of playing percussion and promoting traditional music from The Gambia. It was this very reason, he says, that saw him in 2017 return to The Gambia with a new set of musicians and returned with The Gambia Sessions that was recorded at Alliance Française de Banjul Studio in Serrekunda.
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Mboob, who made his love of music his vocation and became a fan favourite in The Gambia and West Africa before relocating to England, says he learnt how to make music from his father, master percussionist Doudou Mboob.
All songs on the Gambia Sessions compilation are composed and arranged by Musa Mboob, produced by Mboob and Emmanuel OJ Rendall Wole, engineered by Emmanuel OJ Rendall Wole, mixed by John Halke and mastered by Diz Heller and ARC Music.
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Here is a summary of themes of the songs in The Gambia Sessions album:
1). Tumaranke
Moving to an unknown place is a big commitment and change in life.
2). Chossan
Chossan means ‘inheritance’. we need to go back to our roots; our tradition in Africa is disappearing.
3). Butum Belle
In African countries, the way people used to dress would signify something about them: who they were, their place in society, whether they were rich or poor.
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4). Yarabi
Yarabi means ‘peace’. Only peace can help us to be safe. Our responsibility is to build communities that are safe, strong and prosperous.
5). Ndoliwo Ndoli
Elders used to sing this song to children as a way of teaching them responsibility.
6). Jahalnama
Everyday something will happen to upset, hurt and worry people.
7). Jarindarey
It is not easy to live in the West without correct documents. If you need to see a doctor, they need to see your papers. If you want to deposit money in your bank, they need to see your papers. Only the correct papers will make you fit in properly.
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8). Silafandor
I’m singing in Mandinka that no-one lives forever, therefore we should treat each other with kindness, and compliment each other.
9). Samina (Watching After Cattle)
After many lonely hours’ vigil, the cattleman develops a rapport with his herd. The movements and sounds the heard make become like the rhythms played on the drums.
10). Journey
Travel through rural Africa with an open heart and you will meet village people who treat you as one of their own.
