Reviews
Artist:Rafiki Jazz Album: Nduggu Dust
Label: Koni
Tracks: 8
Website: https://rafikijazz.co.uk/product/nduggu-dust/
Based in Sheffield, but with roots that spread far far beyond that South Yorkshire City, Rafiki Jazz are a truly global band. With a slowly evolving line up NDUGGU is the mighty band's fifth album in an exciting fifteen year career.
"Naalaikku Nalla Naan" features the first appearance of the rich warm voice of Vijah, Rafiki Jazz's South Indian violinist. The upbeat song celebrating harvests, lovers and the hope of tomorrow. Vijah's playing of the Bansuri, an Indian bamboo flute and the nimble percussion grounds the song's sound, but the Kora and Steel Pan adds another dimension. Nothing is ever as simple as it first seems with Rafiki Jazz and their enriching multi-cultural approach to music making on an album that brings together a very long list of instruments, genres and disciplines. Such is the skill and sure touch the band have, that the blending and meeting of elements always work and always sound right. "Nduggu Bouy", sung in Fula by London based Griot, Kora player Kadialy Kouyate, warns of desertification and the concequences of global warming in The Sahal. The song, arranged by Rafiki Jazz was written by Badou Jobe from the amazing West African Afro Manding band, Ifang Bondi. ( Their 90s album Gis Gis is well worth checking out as rather like the Rafiki's Ifang Bondi mix traditional instrumentation and the rock back line to create a rich and broad sound).
Kouyate's nimble rhythmic Kora, the kawala an Arabic cane flute and vocals by Kadialy and Sarah Yassam provide a soothing balm, despite the troubling message. Millie Chapanda provides the lively percussion, a counterpoint to the mesmeric voices and music. "Tum na Aaya" is a profound poem by Pakistani Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, put to music by vocalist Sarah and Rafiki Jazz kingpin bass player Tony Koni. Sarah's spellbinding voice and Mina Mikhail Salama's eerie duduk (an instrument I could listen to all day) join the Kora, rock solid bass and rich percussion to create a beautiful whole. So often with this band repeated listens means you hone in on different elements in the carefully layered sound. "Ngozi Ucheoma" brings guest singer and percussionist K.O.G to the band. Between the lead vocals of K.O.G and the rippling Steel Pans of Rafiki Jazz's Catherine Ngozi Carr, the hand swings with feel good Nigerian Highlife. With hand claps, warm vocal harmonies and those evocative percussive pans, this is the sound of summer. Guided by the visceral and resonant voice and oud (another favourite instrument) of Mina Mikhail Salama, this is coptic devotional music that swirls and intoxicates. Amir Ezzat's percussion, Sarah Yassen's jazzy guitar chords and Vijay Venkat's layered Egyptian sounding strings all create a sense of North Africa with Sarah and Mina's shared vocals being the top notes on a rich aural feast.
Kadialy sings again on "Bani" a traditional Mandinka, Senegalese tale with a beautiful Kora and Ney melody. The hypnotic "Hukus Bukus", part of a suite of songs on Rafiki Jazz's previous 2019 album gets a revisit. Sarah Yassen sings the vocals on this timeless Kashmiri spiritual. The bansuri and santoor playing at the start is just divine with Vijay and Sarah's reflective vocals very much fulfilling the calming sense that this song traditionally fulfils. Calming and reflective too is "Gesi Baglari" the groups take on a Turkish lament. Again Rafiki Jazz blend together delightful elements, Catherine's guitar, Kadialy's Kora and Vijay's Bansuri flow around driving but never frenetic percussion and Tony's solid bass, while Sarah's wonderful vocal soars over the top. 2020's unique contribution meant that all the musicians recorded remotely at home, sharing their contributions, rather than recording in the round in the studio. From difficult circumstances though comes warmth and connectivity, the mastery of Rafiki Jazz collectively and individually means that it doesn't show, the players lock together sympathetically, meshing to sound like 12 heads and twenty four arms with one mind and a shared vision.
This is an album by deeply connected musicians that celebrates what connects us all and the music we have in common with a huge smile and joyful movement in its feet and body. If World Music means music that sounds like all of our world, rather than a lazy term for anything not recorded in the UK or the US, then Rafiki Jazz are a world of music. Share the love and play it long and loud.
Marc Higgins
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