This is something I have not heard about until web searching just now, funny I am listening to Syliphone LP #55 Kélétigui et ses Tambourinis "Le Retour", but the legendary reedman (and composer of "Diaraby" I must add, I am obsessed with Diaraby this week), bandleader and one of the grand teachers of Guniean jazz  first recorded on Syilphone (#1 is by Orchestre La Paillote, was listening to that as well this afternoon) died on the 11th of November 2008 at the age of 74. I have always wanted to meet this man, a great reedman and a huge influence on my current musical life. Here is a (very) short article from a blog by worldservice:

"One of the monuments of Guinean music, Maître Kélétigui Traoré, founder and chef d'orchestre of the former national orchestra Kélétigui et ses Tambourinis, has died in Conakry on November 11 at the age of 74. He had been ill for quite a while.

He was one of the original members of the Syli Orchestre National, founded
in 1959. After this orchestre had been disbanded for the first time in
1962, Kélétigui formed an orchestra which played at La Paillote. The
orchestra was later renamed to Kélétigui et ses Tambourinis.
The orchestra also performed as a backing band to other artists such as Sory Kandia Kouyaté and Miriam Makeba, and has toured the world as representative of Sékou Touré's Guinea."

If you have the CD put out by disque Syliphone (see below), by all means put it on, and listen to the rhythmic displacement of the horns, the guitars and the drummer, not to mention the groit type vocals on certain titles while the horns are playing jazz . I find that first Lp the best, but also enjoy such titles like "La Byclettia" from the early 70's.  Thanks for reading, I know this is not about me, but I have yet to really get my live journal blog into play, sort to speak

bonjour (i should say bonsoir, for i can't sleep as of late- i am moving in a few weeks, kinda getting to me where and who and all that zazous) ...

 ... yves francois et rocambu jazz will have a new cd (what?) in the next few months (finally, i hear), however, i have had several friends who are not from Chicago who want to know what the band sounds like live. we play many kinds of music, from New Orleans and Harlem  jazz to biguine, rumba , highlife,  blues and sometimes even thew odd afro beat funky groove, but since i have only one swing title (with the legendary Franz Jackson on clarinet), i thought it would be nice for those who don't see us live to hear us ... doing the anti recession love song," i can't give you anything but love". yes, its me "singing" it (with fellow trumpeter Frank Youngwerth and Ellen Joy both helping me out) and it was done at a new years party in Milwaukee Wisconsin (at a murder mystery, they are a lot of fun, let me know if you are interested*), it's a real barrelhouse groove (much thanks to Tim's wonderful drumming) performed on  dec 31 2008.
   a couple of other notes, i will be trying to play in both Paris and possibly Rome this fall, once i know when i am there i will let you know about it.

now to the intellectual corner of this blog:

   i have always wondered what "diaraby" means, and have found out, in the net by one SUNTOU TOURAY from Gambia:
   ..."There are many Mandingo love songs, the version are mainly in the Diaraby or jaraby tune. Diarabe mean infatuated or extreme love. Like if you can't go without someone. A love that must work whatever it takes, whether it means cuting ties with ones family or Friends, the love must work. No wonder jaraby is always a hit. Although my curiosity is to satisfy an appropriate Mandingo words to once in a while express my undying love for my wife."

   ... well it kinda makes sense to me, always felt the song was a love song , now I can see how this sort of groove is all about passion, i do honestly believe that the true passionate love is diaraby (as opposed to the universal love for all people, an equally important love), I have always liked that section of Africa's popular music (at least in the 60's and 70's), and now I see the words, like the Congolese rumba bands of the 50's to 70's, also have some similar character (though it flows more in the way other French outposts of the Francophone world, after all those most common words that always show up (eg moteba ma cheri bolingo) is rather heart felt about the undying love for a woman.  

   BTW i am wanting imput on album name, what, maybe Hola Ca Va? I don't know, reminds me of the Hola Amigos reissue by Don Dean^ on Argentine Vuictor, but maybe not. Any ideas? Also, promo video soon, would love some of you to be there, let me know
have to sleep, spent all night tonight editing music from a dvd of the band (provided by Dwaine)
enjoy "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and the rather recently added "Sandena" (another Guinean jazz band tune, that sounds much like a million other French quadrilles), Live it gets tangled up with "Iko Iko" at certain points (if Frank or Diana are present), here it'sd just the old Palm Jazz title ...
   ... as a friend of mine said to me at  a recent gig, enough with the history lesson already, get on with the music (LOL)
love and peace to all
yves francois

PS a congolese song will be soon up, i promise (maybe a kalle song, maybe a kashama/francois orginial), or who knows, maybe we will finally record "Delicano", "General Da Banda" or "Tanguaro"

* or call Mystery Ltd at 773.267.6400, let them know Yves Francois sent you

^i would think only my friends from Argentina and possibly a couple of the record collector sorts know of Don Dean, a band that introduced big band jazz to Argentina around the early 30's (though the best jazz came later in the 40's, Oscar Aleman, Hernan Oliva, Ahmed Ratip, some French musicians - Pierre Allier and Louis Vola to name 2- from Ray Ventura's band, and the American reedman Booker Pittman)

Bonjour
      Carnival is fast approaching us, so if you cannot take
a plane to Brazil or New Orleans and want to have some Mardi Gras fun,
hear Yves Francois et Rocambu jazz @ the HotLoft located above Fizz @
3220 North Lincoln in Chicago. Show time is 9.30pm and there will be 2
sets. The price is 8 dollars and it's going to be FUN!!!
  
    Get your beads, funky costume and sexy mask to join HotHouse for a
night of fun & mischief...Mardi Gras style !!!!! HotHouse presents
"Mardi Gras from around the world" with Yves Francois et Rocambu Jazz.
Yves Francois and his band will play some of the most unique jazz
inspired by Mardi Gras and Carnaval celebrations across the globe.





Yves Francois et Rocambu Jazz




New Orleans trumpets growl while clarinets swoon under the palm trees
of the Caribbean. Guitars make a web of koras and thumb piano like
sound while drummers bring Congo Square, New Orleans back home to
Africa.


Yves Francois et Rocambu Jazz formed in 2001 by jazz trumpeter,
Yves Francois  and other like-minded musicians. The mission of
Rocambu Jazz is to explore rhythms of African & Afro Diaspora
musics. They find the common bonds between music from West Africa
(highlife and the Guinean and Malinky music of Senegal and Mali), Congo
(old school rumba, soukous), Martinique (biguine), Haiti (compas), Cuba
(son, conga ), Trinidad (calypso), Brazil (choro, samba,
bossa nova) and New Orleans (early jazz/dixie land). Rocambu Jazz
exploits common bonds of these musics in unique interpretations of the
various forms.


The name Rocambu has a history from an old Ki-Kongo expression
"rocamambu", meaning one who looks for problems and ways to deal with
them. Like the prodigal son who is kicked out, and comes back later
rich. One who is a sort of misfit, and causes spirited conflict, a
necessary element in all Creole musics. An excellent band had a similar
name in Congo in the 1950's by Jean Serge Essous and Rossingol, the
famous "Orchestre Rock a Mambo". A true populist music, early jazz was
derived from dance music (i.e. biguines, rhumbas, congas). Be it from
New Orleans, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Cuba or the Congo, Rocambu Jazz
brings it all together in a fresh and festive Retro-Afro-Caribbean
sound.


While Yves Francois et Rocambu Jazz plays certain sounds that are
over 100 years old, the music remains fresh and beckons you to dance!


ALSO:
THIS SUNDAY THE 15TH FEB
Yves francois et Rocambu Jazz
will also be @ AFRICAN HARAMBEE, back after a couple weeks to play
Sunday Nights for your pleasure, rumbas, biguines and jazz. Come on by
and enjoy the great food and ambiance at 7537 N Clark Street 7pm

Yves Francois et Rocambu jazz for your holiday pleasure @ African Harambee
7537 N Clark St
Chicago, Illinois 60626
(773) 764-2200
    Yves Francois et Rocambu jazz are playing at the African Harambee restaurant on 7537 N Clark St Chicago, we will be playing 2 sets from 6.30 or so to about 8.45 pm. African Harambee is an excellent pan African restaurant (and by Sunday, would you not be tired of all the turkey and stuffing LOL) and it does have a liquor license as well, please come enjoy the music and the excellent food now on Sunday, November 30th
and on Tuesday December the 1st, also be aware that first Tuesday means Yves Francois returns to
Quenchers
2401 N Western Avenue
Chicago Il 60647
(773) 276-9730
First Tuesday of the month and what a PARTY it will be with Quenchers' European Beer Tour!!!! First Tuesday also means Yves Francois' is swingin' @ Quenchers, playing jazz , biguines and highlife's to make the evening most fun, enjoy some great beers and extensive liquor selections (and not to mention the killer veggie garden pesto pizza), see you there, Yves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWkhzcGeqsg

check this one out, it's live in dowigiac michigan featuring me with the legendary billy "sticks" nicks on drums and some rocambu's, notably jim christopher (reed soloist), other rocambu's are marc smierciak (clarinet), pat mc clintock (guitar) and joey spilberg (bass), we love dowigiac, and would love to play in your town soon, merci

Description:Yves Francois et Rocambu jazz are playing at the African Harambee restaurant on 7537 N Clark St Chicago, we will be playing 2 sets from 8 to about 10pm. African Harambee is an excellent pan African restaurant, and does have a liquor license as well, please come enjoy the music and the excellent food on october the 10 , merci yves francois

10/07/2008 09:30 PM - Quencher's
2401 N Western Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60647


First Tuesday of the month , so you know what that means, Yves @ Quenchers, playing swinging jazz , biguines and highlifes to make the evening most fun, enjoy some great beers and extensive liquor selections (and not to mention the killer veggie garden pesto pizza), see you there, Yves