“The curious beauty of African music is that it uplifts even as it tells a sad tale. You may be poor, you may have only a ramshackle house, you may have lost your job, but that song gives you hope. African music is often about the aspirations of the A” - Nelson Mandela
In the following lines, we will know more about this project that talks about Africa, a continent to which we Portuguese are historically connected. It’s a different project, a valid cause and above all with a very important “minor” detail: The aim to mingle two different cultures in a musical and appealing way in order to capture a single moment of spontaneously creativity.
Events like this one make all the sense to take place in this country of ours. I sincerely hope that one year or a little more from now we can be talking about the Portuguese Africa Express edition review.
A special thanks to Andy Morgan from the organization for the following words. I hope you enjoy the content ant that it’ll be useful to you.
KL
The interview:
Dear Andy,
This e-mail interview will have the main concern of introducing you and your role in Africa Express to my readers and also to allow a brief explanation on the Africa Express meaning.
# 1 On your role in the so called music industry:
King_leer (KL) :
Andy, tell us a little more about you and your backgrounds. You are Tinariwen manager (http://www.tinariwen.com/). Besides that, what keeps you busy nowadays?
Andy Morgan (AM):
I've worked in music for 25 years, doing everything from singing in bands to handling marketing and international development for companies like WOMAD (UK), FNAC Music (France), Piranha (Germany), World Circuit Records (UK). I briefly ran my own label, Apartment 22 Records, releasing electronic world music. I've also been a freelance music journalist for the past two decades, writing for Songlines, fRoots, The Independent and the NME amongst many other publications. I've been managing Tinariwen since 2001.
# 2 On Africa Express ideal, idea and meaning.
(KL):
I've started getting in touch with Africa Express by the NME's reports and after that by following the news. What's the real story behind this ideal? It started with Damon's journeys and abroad experiences or was the combination of many factors?
(AM):
Africa Express started as a reaction to the Live 8 concerts of Bob Geldof. Many people in the UK and elsewhere felt that by excluding any African music from his concert programmes Geldof was presenting this false image of Africa. The impression he gave is that Africa has nothing to offer except AIDS, malaria, poverty, corruption and wildlife, and only deserves pity or charity. This is false. Africa can teach the world many things, and it also has great music. Initially it was just a group of people working with African music who came together with the idea of organizing some big concerts at which African and Western music stars would perform on an equal footing.There was Damon Albarn, but also others, especially Ian Birrell, the deputy editor of the Independent newspaper here in the UK.
Otherwise the team comprised a mix of promoters, journalists, label owners, managers etc etc. After spending a year trying to find the money to stage these huge concerts, Damon suggested that we try and do things differently. He wanted to go back to the grass roots, and organize trips and events at which the musicians from the west and those from Africa could mix and inspire each other.
# 3 Still on Africa Express
(KL):
When you put a new show on, how the bands get involved? It's "mouth by mouth" invitation or there's certain rule to apply?
(AM):
Basically, invitations go out to a huge number of groups, both form African and the west. We use all the leads and contacts we have to draw up as big a list as possible of potential candidates. Many people want to come but can't because they already have commitments. The principle is that no one gets paid a fee, only expenses, although sometimes the African artists are paid for broadcasting rights. It's supposed to be very democratic. We want to appeal to musicians' sense of adventure and curiosity, and not their greed!
# 4 You role and the organization.
(KL):
You told me that you are one of the ten directors from the organization. Explain me your role and how this committee works?
(AM):
The committee (it's not really called that...we don't have a name for it!) gets together about once every two months to decide what we should do...what events, what trips, what projects etc. We talk a lot and exchange a lot of ideas and usually arrive at some kind of agreement. Then various people are de4legated with the job of putting these plans into action. Each one of us has their own area of expertise. Mine is writing, communication, the internet etc, etc.
# 5 Last, on one eventual Portuguese Africa Express show.
(KL):
Our contact begun with the question for the possibility of having a Africa Express show here. If in the near future the project moves on, what kind of show we can have? It'd be interesting to merge our African background (former Portuguese ex-colonies) with your concept?
(AM):
Yes, it would be great to do something in Portugal. But it needs a very special combination of facilities and circumstances to be possible. First, you need a good venue, with a good atmosphere. Not too big...500 - 1000 capacity is fine. It needs to have a flexible license which will allow the musicians to continue performing until the early morning (2am etc). There has to be a good BIG space backstage, or close by, for musicians to be meet, hangout, jam, meet etc etc. The costs are big, so we need local backers and sponsors. It's a really big deal. There's no fixed fee because there's no fixed format.
The whole point is just to create a situation and an atmosphere where anything can happen creatively. We can only do a couple of shows every year.
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