Afrissippi / Alliance (Hill Country Records 2008) 1. Singha 6. Sonna

Afrissippi / Alliance (Hill Country Records 2008)
1.
2.
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Singha
Guelel Kumba
Leeliyo Leele
Maasina Tooro
Debbo Ngoodu
6. Sonna
7. Raas
8. Ngoppe Kam
9. Gede Nooro
"… what might have happened if Ali Farka Toure recorded for
Fat Possum." ~ Ian Anderson (Editor, fRoots)
“Kumba’s vocals mix seamlessly with the deep-fried guitar of Mathus and the gritty beats of Kimbrough and
Burnside, recalling all at once Miles Davis’ Live Evil psychedelia, old and new country, ancient African history,
and downhome rock n’ roll ... Afrissippi represents a new high-water mark in the cultivation of the connections
between American blues and its African relations.”
~ Corey Harris (Living Blues)
Alliance is Afrissippi’s second full-length album, following up on the acclaimed 2006 debut Fulani Journey, It was
produced by Grammy winner Jimbo Mathus and Afrissippi bassist Justin Showah; recorded completely live in one day
at Mathus’ Delta Recording Service in Como, Mississippi.
Alliance continues the remarkable story of Guelel Kumba, a singer-songwriter from the delta country of Senegal,
West Africa. In 2002, Kumba, guitarist Eric Deaton and drummer Kinney Kimbrough (the backup band of the late
hill country trance blues master, Junior Kimbrough) got together for a jam session at the home of the legendary
R.L. Burnside. Immediately, these musicians felt the potential to create an entirely new exploration of the
uncanny similarities between North Mississippi trance blues and traditional West African music. Fulani Journey
was the result of that first inspiration, and with Kumba now making his permanent home in Mississippi this vision
has taken on an even more cohesive and finely crafted sound in Alliance.
As the title suggests, Alliance is an album that unifies the history of blues: from its roots in centuries-old West
African prayer chants; across the Atlantic to the field hollers of Southern plantations; to the original blues
music which is one of America’s true indigenous sounds and which in turn inspired African greats such as Ali Farka
Toure; and back and forth on the currents of modern innovations such as the Delta recording style that are shaping
the evolution of the blues all over the world.
This unique convergence of influences results in an appeal to a huge cross-section of audiences: from blues, roots
and folk, to African and world-music listeners; and also from younger listeners who are just beginning to
appreciate the history of American roots music to more mature music lovers who are already familiar with
Afrissippi’s lineage and will appreciate the deeper significance of the project. The appeal of Afrissippi promises
to grow through a high volume of overwhelmingly positive media response, rapidly increasing interest from
festivals (such as the Chicago Blues Festival), and an upcoming tour of the eastern and Midwestern U.S., and Canada
from late April to mid June 2008. For more info on the tour, please visit myspace.com/afrissippi
Management: Justin Showah, Hill Country Records (Oxford, Mississippi)
662.816.4000 / justin@hillcountryrecords.com
Bookings : Sebastian Cook, Small World Music (Toronto, Canada)
416.567.5016 / seb@smallworldmusic.com
Publicity : Beverly Kreller, Speak Music (Toronto, Canada)
416-922-3620 / bev@speak-music.com
Hill Country Records World Boogie 2008
All dates feature Afrissippi & Eric Deaton Trio unless otherwise noted
Wed Apr 23 : Oxford, MS, USA @ Two Stick (Eric Deaton Trio only)
Thu Apr 24 : Oxford, MS. USA @ Thacker Mountain Radio (acoustic)
Sat Apr 26 : Oxford, MS, USA @ Double Decker Festival (Noon)
Wed Apr 30 : Oxford, MS, USA @ Two Stick (Cd Release Party)
Tue May 6: Portland, ME, USA @ Empire Dine & Dance
Wed May 7: Saint John, NB, Canada @ Elwood’s Pub
Thu May 8: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada @ The Guild
Fri May 9: Halifax, NS, Canada @ The Marquee Club (with Zumbini Circus)
Sat May 10: Fredericton, NB, Canada @ The James Joyce
Sun May 11: Saint Andrews, NB, Canada @ venue TBC
Mon May 12: Portland, ME, USA @ Empire Dine & Dance
Tue May 13: Somerville, MA, USA @ Johnny D’s Uptown
Wed May 14: New York, NY, USA @ Terra Blues
Thu May 15 New York, NY, USA @ Terra Blues
Sat May 17: Montreal, QC, Canada (private party)
Sun May 18: Ottawa, ON, Canada @ Rainbow Bistro
Mon May 19: Toronto, ON, Can. @ Trane Studio (Workshop on griot music + Kinney Kimbrough with High Plains Drifter)
Tue May 20: Toronto, ON, Canada @ The Silver Dollar (Eric Deaton Trio with Son Roberts Band)
Wed May 21: Hamilton, ON, Canada @ The Pepper Jack Café
Thu May 22: Toronto, ON, Canada @ Hugh’s Room
Fri May 23: Burlington, VT, USA @ Flynn Center for the Arts
Sat May 24: Hartford, CT, USA @ Black Eyed Sallys
Sun May 25: Philadelphia, PA, USA (private party)
Tue May 27: Arlington, VA, USA @ IOTA Club & Café
Thu June 5 & Fri June 6 : Chicago, IL @ Chicago Blues Festival (with L.C. Ulmer)
Thu Jun 26 – Wed July 2 : Parma, Italy @ Rootsway Blues Festival (Eric Deaton Trio only)
Sat July 5 : Potts Camp, MS. @ Hill Country Picnic
Publicity: Beverly Kreller, Speak Music (Toronto, Canada)
416-922-3620 / bev@speak-music.com
Management: Justin Showah, Hill Country Records (Oxford, Mississippi)
662.816.4000 / justin@hillcountryrecords.com
Bookings : Sebastian Cook, Small World Music (Toronto, Canada)
416.567.5016 / seb@smallworldmusic.com
Special thanks to our tour supporters, partners and sponsors: Living Blues (Oxford), ComPosition Music &
Communications, Small World Music (Toronto), Honest Tune, Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival (Fredericton),
Toronto Blues Society, Lefty Productions (Saint John), The Argyle Cobbler Group (Halifax), 360 Artists & Touring
(Toronto), TheLiveMusicReport.com
** Afrissippi’s “Alliance” has been made possible in part by a grant from the Fund for Folk Culture’s Artist Suport
Program., underwritten by the Ford Foundation with additional support from The William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation. ** www.folkculture.org
.