SOUNDTRACK: VOX SAMBOU-GlobalFEST Tiny Desk (Home) Concert #135/151 (January 13, 2021).
GlobalFEST is an annual event, held in New York City, in which bands from all over the world have an opportunity to showcase their music to an American audience. I’ve never been, and it sounds a little exhausting, but it also sounds really fun.
The Tiny Desk is teaming up with globalFEST this year for a thrilling virtual music festival: Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST. The online fest includes four nights of concerts featuring 16 bands from all over the world.
Given the pandemic’s challenges and the hardening of international borders, NPR Music and globalFEST is moving from the nightclub to your screen of choice and sharing this festival with the world. Each night, we’ll present four artists in intimate settings (often behind desks donning globes), and it’s all hosted by African superstar Angélique Kidjo, who performed at the inaugural edition of globalFEST in 2004.
The first band on the third night is Vox Sambou a Haitian band recording in Montreal.
There are few performers as “alive” as Vox Sambou, whose energy and soul transcends the virtual space. He starts his performance at Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST with a short moment between himself and his son, overseen by a painting of his mother, highlighting the ways we pass down traditions from generation to generation. Based in Montreal, Quebec, Vox Sambou writes and performs in Hatian-Creole, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese. His music is a joyous fusion of Haitian funk, reggae and hip-hop.
He starts with a call and response with his adorable son. Then the music starts and doesn’t let up There’s intense trumpet, lots of percussion and some fantastic dancing from he co-singer. He introduces everyone, but between his accent and their very French names, I couldn’t pick out a single one.
“African Diaspora” has fast intense and fun rapping and singing in French. The joyousness of the music is infectious, and i love watching everyone dance.
“My Rhythm” is slower with a pronounced beat. It’s great watching them all move in synch to that rhythm. The song pauses for a few seconds until another dancer comes out. There’s a ripping trumpet solo followed by a cool sax solo with all three up front dancing. There’s even a brief time to show off the conga players.
“Everyone” ends the set fast and intense. So much drumming, so many horns. It’s pretty wonderful.
These guys must be exhausted!
[READ: December 16, 2020] Something to Live For
S. read this book last year when it was called How Not to Die Alone. In her post about it, she comments about what a great title it was. I agree with that and am not sure why they changed it to the more generic Something to Live For. Although it was the cover/title that grabbed me when I saw it at work, so I guess this new title is good to. But I think the Die title is better.
Compared to some of the more complicated stories that I’ve been reading lately–where I feel like a lot of background information needs to be filled in–this story was delightfully straightforward. It was an enjoyably fast-paced read and resonated in a surprisingly powerful way.
Andrew is a middle aged British man. He had worked in a public service role for many years until his position was terminated. His boss helped him find a new job in the public service field.
This new job is absolutely fascinating to me and I have to wonder if we have such a job in the States. Andrew’s job is to go to the house of a recently deceased person. These are people who died alone and apparently have no contacts. Andrew’s job is to determine if the deceased has someone to contact to come to (and pay for) the funeral or if the deceased has enough money in their apartment to pay for the funeral themselves. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 