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Blending American and West
African influences into a sound
all its own, Toubab Krewe has set "a new standard for fusions of
rock 'n' roll and West African music" (Afropop Worldwide).
Since forming in 2005, the magnetic instrumental quintet has won
a diverse and devoted following at performances everywhere from
Bonnaroo to the legendary Festival of the Desert in Essakane,
Mali, the most remote festival in the world. The band developed
their unique sound over the course of numerous extended trips to
Mali, Guinea, and Ivory Coast, where they immersed themselves in
the local culture and studied and performed with
luminaries.
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But the group has its roots in Asheville, NC, where many of its
members were childhood friends and long-term musical
collaborators. It was at home in the Appalachians, where the
band recorded their sophomore album, Live at the Orange Peel.
Produced by Grammy winning
producer Steven Heller (who also produced the band's debut), the
new album captures their outstanding 2007-2008 New Year's run.
All of the songs are previously unreleased and continue to mix
American rock with the West African musical traditions the band
fell in love with on their travels. Along the way, they explore
the worlds of surf and zydeco, fusing it all together into what
the Village Voice describes as "a futuristic, psychedelic, neo-griot
frenzy" and Honest Tune hails as "one of the most innovative
voices in music today."
The new release features collaborations with legendary spoken
word artist Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets and fiddler Rayna
Gellert of Uncle Earl.
Toubab Krewe
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