By Ogova Ondego
Published February 23, 2020

Seasons of India - Seasonal Ragas by Baluji ShrivastavA new African music album that calls on humanity to wake up from routine to what unites them for the good of the universe is ready for release.

Titled Yewoulen and recorded in the Wolof language of West Africa, the nine-track album that runs 43 minutes blends horns, trumpets, saxophone, electric guitar and traditional Senegalese drums to produce a memorable sound to the ear.

This Senegalese soul that is written by Senegalese singer Biram Seck  and engineered and mixed by band leader, French guitarist Thibaut Remy, recorded and mixed in the heart of south London in England and released on the ARC Music label of Britain, shall be officially launched internationally at The CLF Art Café in the British capital, London, on March 27, 2020. Before then, publicists Angie Lemon PR say the band shall hold a pre-album launch concert in the British capital, London, on March 24, 2020.

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The publicists say Yewoulen, from Awale Jant Band whose name means ‘let the sun pass through’, follows on from the band’s debut album, Just Have to Grow, that is co-produced by Nick Page whose credits include Jah Wobble and the late Joseph Tshabalala’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

“Awale Jant Band have good reason to celebrate! The band’s last concert in 2019 was an all-African celebration headed by “perhaps the greatest drummer ever” (Brian Eno), Nigerian percussion master Tony Allen and then straight into 2020, with Yewoulen – their first signed album for international release on the ARC Music label,” Angie Lemon PR say in a statement.

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Titled Yewoulen and recorded in the Wolof language of West Africa, the nine-track album that runs 43 minutes blends horns, trumpets, saxaphone, electric guitar and traditional Senegalese drums to produce a memorable sound to the ear.Awale Jant Band is a combination of Biram Seck’s Jant Band and Thibaut Remy’s London group, Awale, that comprises African, French, British and Senegalese musicians who have been performing over the last 10 years in London.

Biram Seck, the son of a gawlo or traditional story-teller who sings in Wolof, French and English, says, “I love music because it is a means of communicating ideas to broaden minds and build an integrated world… a world of peace!”

Consequently, Seck, who is believed to have inherited the ability to tell stories at an early age from his father who is said to have been a master of the traditional West African guitar/banjo, the xalam, proceeds to sing Songs of peace in Wolof on the Yewoulen recording that appears to be a clarion call to people to look at how they can work together as opposed to their differences.

The Awale Jant Band consists of:

  • Biram Seck – vocalist, sings in Wolof, French and English
  • Thibaut Remy – guitarist, composer and record producer based in London. He has recently co-produced The Turbans’ latest record out on Six Degrees Records
  • Kevin Toublant – bass, has played with a broad range of artists: Róisín Murphy, Earl Thomas
  • Wonderboy, Doigt Droit, The Dowtown Dukes, Republik, Human F.E.A.X, Abbeon Fat Track
  • Kaw Secka – sabar drums, gawlo (griot) from Senegal and Gambia, now in London via Sweden. He also plays in Fofoulah
  • John Martin – saxophone, a member of the critically acclaimed contemporary jazz folk septet Metamorphic and the Dr Das Dubnoiz Coalition, the side project of Dr Das, the bass player and founding member of the Asian Dub Foundation
  • Ben Brown – drums. Established himself as a sought-after drummer, for his rock solid groove, subtle touch and reactivity. Check out his band Waaju!
  • Laurence Wilkins – trumpet, part of the new London jazz scene making waves with his project Zeñe, and
  • Medoune Ndiaye – Senegalese percussionist has played with Thione Seck and Youssou N’dour.

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If you enjoy world music, you may also be interested in MandolinMan Plays Bossa NovaThe tracks on Yewoulen are
1. Sope 03:49
2. Domi Adama 6:42
3. Cubalkafro 6:31
4. Jules 5:31
5. Amandine 4:35
6. Just Be Free 2:53
7. Kassak 3:36
8. Jeunesse 4:25
9. Yewoulen 6:43

If you enjoy world music, you may also be interested in 10-track MandolinMan Plays Bossa Nova and 7-song Seasons of India – Seasonal Ragas by Baluji Shrivastav, two other albums released on the ARC Music label.

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