A few months ago I wrote about a feeling I called ‘The Worldwide Effect‘. I suggested that Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival in Sète was an experience made up of magical moments strung together by our favourite music. I recently returned to France to find that in its fifth edition, the festival has grown significantly, so much so that some old faithfuls may consider this a year of transition and change of direction. Although they will perhaps mourn the intimacy lost apropos of previous editions, it is clear on even the most superficial inspection that its valued spirit of familiarity remains untarnished.

This year’s edition confirmed that the Worldwide Festival is a space for friendships to be made and consolidated. As soon as I landed in Sète I was met with warm faces, both old and new, and it was not long before a spontaneous crew was assembled that would see us through the weekend. This friendly outlook also found expression on another level, as the frequent collaborations between performers – conveyed most notably by Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay, and Laurent Garnier’s playful sparring on the last night – indicated that this festival is also the place where the artists get a chance to get together, relax, and enjoy the convivial atmosphere. Furthermore, on a strictly utilitarian level, these friendships were fundamental to the festival’s success this year. Untimely cancellations from Gil Scott Heron, Joy Orbison, Flying Lotus, Ross Allen, and Kev Beadle forced significant and hasty readjustments that could not have been met without the good will, flexibility, and energy of artists of the calibre of Laurent Garnier, LeFtO, and SBTRKT.

The festival was organised into four arenas that, whilst complimentary to one another, remained clearly distinct experiences both atmospherically and musically. In past editions the festival has, to a degree, felt like a DJ’s playground but this year the organisers have really hit the winning formula with regards to live performances: energetic music with strong percussive foundations and the single-minded aim of bringing the audience to its feet. The festival’s live repertoire began at the street party on the Thursday afternoon at the Centre Régional d’Art Contemporain in town. The sounds of Half Seas Over gently shuffled the audience into cool before Dorian Concept matched the blistering heat with an infectious and feverishly energetic performance. Soon after, as Gil Scott Heron’s cancellation was announced, the momentum that had gathered waned. Nevertheless, his brilliant band kindly took to the stage, but through no fault of its own, it struggled to hold the crowd’s attention, which missed the charismatic presence of its frontman. It was, however, the two evenings at the wonderful Theatre de la Mer that were the most memorable, as its sloped seats became an impromptu ballroom for the sun-kissed crowds.

The evening music was dominated by big bands, big sounds, and big horns. In its exploratory tour of the urban influences currently touching Afro Cuban traditions, Gilles Peterson’s Havana Cultura project effectively integrated hip hop and club shades into rumbas and high energy latin jazz. Danay Suárez’s controlled and personal delivery was a particular stand out, as was Roberto Fonseca’s muscular playing, which brought necessary intensity to the danzón numbers. The pair’s matching in the mournful ballad ‘Lágrimas de Soledad’ gave me a real feeling of presentness, as if all my senses were momentarily in absolute harmony with the experience. Then, the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou thrilled the crowd by propelling the complex rhythmic heritage of Benin’s Vodoun traditions with a touch of analogue Africa. A cheerful disposition accompanied bellowing horns and agile guitar licks and, with a little help from an intense thunderstorm, the band provided a memorable finale, continuing to play as the stage crew covered the musicians in loose sheets of golden foil in a scene reminiscent of James Brown’s infamous cape routine.

My personal highlight of the festival came on the second day, courtesy of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble’s irrepressible, raucous, and theatrical stage show. Blaring bold melodic hooks, the nine-piece band drew from the ceremonial street music traditions of the earliest days of both jazz and hip hop, teasing the audience into rhythmic and vocal call-and-response games over the dark basslines served up by the mighty sousaphone. However, their show was not all party: as the band abandoned looping lines in favour of crafted harmonic fanfares, the real depth behind their music was brought into view. When the chance comes, make sure to seek out these boys. After the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble’s pulsating display, I seriously feared for the Quantic y su Combo Bárbaro performance that would follow. In spite of that, my doubts could not have been dispelled more quickly or thoroughly, as Will Holland’s lush band furnished us with the perfect soundtrack to the summer evening. Like the members themselves, the music was a multicultural blend of upbeat tropical numbers that moved from cumbias to latin funk to boogaloos. Although Alfredo Linares’ extravagant piano and flavoursome montunos merit special mention, the general musicianship was exceptional. For my money, Quantic’s ensemble is one of the best latin bands in the world at the moment.

One of the things I like most about the Worldwide Festival is the clear and attainable time slot given to each performance. Although circumstances conspire to make the audience relax, with a little organisation, you can see virtually everything. After the evening performances came the festival’s clubbing experience in the fondly dubbed “car park rave” at the Phare du Mole. Foreign Beggars got the party started on the opening night before an expansive and uncompromising set by Mala, which enveloped the crowd in a penetrating and almost tangible sea of bass. Floating Points and Fatima delivered an elegant and versatile house session that set the tone for a soulful contribution from Mr Peterson. High off the Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou performance, the second night at the Phare du Mole brought to stage a badly mistimed, careless, and arrogant performance by Gaslamp Killer and Gonjasufi which provoked the only negative audience response I heard at the festival. Nevertheless, along with any residual irritation provoked by Joy Orbison and Flying Lotus’ impudent absences, such woes were swiftly forgotten the moment the first strains of Laurent Garnier’s relocated surprise set kicked in. Garnier delighted the audience with a multifaceted performance that combined moments of dubstep and drum and bass with his signature techno sounds. To close the night, SBTRKT featuring Sampha lay out some subtle neo-soul vocals over crashing, grimey beats. On the Saturday, the unwavering few that made it down early were lucky to be eased into the night by a carefully constructed set by Jeremy Boon, who drew on warm disco, soul and house sounds. Kyle Hall’s tight deep house set lived up to its promise, with a welcome touch of acid chucked in to the mix. In stark contrast, the much hyped techno-cabaret act dOP was wildly disappointing and will be remembered only for the frontman’s nude antics with two progressively uncomfortable audience members. Thankfully, Josh Wink’s bass-flavoured techno rescued the night by holding the audience in tense raptures until the strings of an immense edit of fellow Philadelphia native Teddy Pendergrass’ ‘The More I Get, The More I Want’ came to a final fade.

During the day, the crowds descended upon the ACD beach for some sunshine, detox, retox, and late afternoon dancing. Early sets by Hugo Mendez and Klub Des Loosers generated a relaxed atmosphere that was much welcomed, but it was the late afternoon shows by LeFtO and Simbad on the Friday, and Ladybugz on the Saturday that really smashed it. LeFtO and Simbad closed last year’s festival and their beach performances are without question one of the festival’s consummate acts. These boys could happily play the entire four days and I doubt either they or the audience would get tired. This time they displayed an astonishing fluency and range, flying seamlessly through Brazilian to hip hop to pure party jungle. On Saturday, the Ladybugz adopted a similar celebratory and eclectic stance, bringing a bit of West London to the sea. Featuring Marshmello on MC duties, the girls dropped a sunny selection of bouncy classics, drawing from broken, UK boogie, and big edits – Yam Who’s reworking of Grace Jones, Maurice Fulton’s remix of Alice Smith, and Todd Terje’s excellent edit of Chic’s ‘I Want Your Love’ – to drench the beach in bright and hugely catchy sonic goodness. Peven Everett has never sounded so awesome.

For the final day, the beach was transformed into a fifteen-hour party. Norman Jay encapsulated the mood of the festival with his singularly uplifting sounds and disco-inspired shakers, but it is Jeremy Ellis and his magical fingertips that deserve to be remembered. His electrifying cyborg-funk performance was a genuine revelation to me, combining live sampling, dirty vocals, and keyboard wizardry. My attention then turned to the World Cup Final for a couple of hours, until nerves finally became elation. As the final whistle blew, my handful of Spanish friends and I discussed whether we would rather be here or in Madrid tonight, but soon our doubts were overcome with the joy of watching three giants – Garnier, Jay, and Peterson – fight for a moment’s glory in a night they too recognised as special. The host could not contain his enthusiasm and guaranteed that with the possible exceptions of Madrid and Barcelona, we were all witnessing the biggest party in the world. Indeed, as the final hour approached and Cee Lo’s evergreen ‘I Want You’ came out of the speakers, there was no other place and no better company that I would have rather been in. It was nothing short of amazing.

John M. Gómez

Worldwide Festival

Music festivals are places in which myths get disseminated. Their self-imposed boundaries encourage a sense of isolation from civilization, and once inside their physical and imagined limits it is easy to get caught up in a feeling of liberation from the pace of the world outside. However, these places absorb and appropriate whatever events are going on in the real world and imbue them with a significance so particular that it feels impossible to separate them from the context of the festival.

Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Festival in Sète has such a mythical quality. On one level, the festival is everything its supporters claim: a factor 45 hit of sunshine, music, and dance. On another, it stops being an event in which people go to listen to their favourite music and becomes laden with legendary associations. In 2009, the festival found an emblem in Michael Jackson after his sudden and recent death, and his spirit recurred across sets. This July, the World Cup will undoubtedly shape the mood. However, there are specific Worldwide stories that exist in lieu of real news items and that somehow take precedence to them. Last summer, it was difficult not to overhear someone raving about Gilles Peterson’s marathon back-to-back session with Laurent Garnier at the beach party in 2008. This year, you’ll probably hear about Dorian Concept fighting a thunderstorm with great panache, Theo Parrish rewinding The Crusaders’ ‘Sweet n’ Sour’ on Gilles’ demanding request, and dancing away to ‘Thriller’ on a beach full of people illuminated by a full moon. The festival is made up by these moments, but even if you weren’t there to experience them firsthand, these stories draw you in rather than push you away. In hearing them you participate in their continuation and this process creates an inclusive sense of community that lies at the core of the event’s personality.

This community is not without its characters. Last summer I could not help but notice the emblematic and flamboyant figure Gui l’Amour ambling around in his custom-made Worldwide tailcoat. One night he was seen dancing on the main stage next to Carl Craig, another day he was furiously taking to a set of congas during Jazzamar’s beach set, and on another occasion, he was the man serving me at the bar. Or what about Montpellier’s answer to Kris Kross, in the form of two teenagers in bright matching shorts parading a vintage boombox around the beach on the last night? These people are as much the icons of the festival as the performers. With no overt division between public and artists, the festival feels welcoming at every level. And – as Theo Parrish’s energetic, if carefree performance demonstrated last July – the artists get lured in by the weather and the relaxed atmosphere and return a genuine humility, enthusiasm and friendliness.

Of course, the spirit of the festival is not only encapsulated in its people, but also in its four days worth of performances. Looking through the ever-growing line-up, it is difficult to anticipate who will deliver one of those magical Worldwide moments this year. Having said that, the recent confirmation of Gil Scott Heron opening the festival provides enough material to write a review already. This quality is far from singular, as this year’s edition boasts an unprecedented wealth of talent and variety. The latin-tinged live performances of Roberto Fonseca and Quantic y su Combo Bárbaro, and the voodoo afrobeat of the sensational Orchestre Poly Rhythmo de Cotonou promise to be a perfect soundtrack to the irresistible Sète sunsets in the Theatre de la Mer. And sets by the likes of Joy Orbison, Floating Points, and Norman Jay will put enough pep in your step to glide you deep into the early hours. Nonetheless, it must be noted that this festival buzzes around the clock: not only do the parties keep you up late, but the beach gets you up early too. In other words, just plan on sleeping when you get home.

Last year, a friend observed how the moment the last note of ‘Beautiful’ by L.A.O.S. was played at 4am on a Monday morning, the countdown to this year’s edition had commenced. He was right, and that is the Worldwide Effect: a feeling that amounts to more than the inevitable reshuffle of iPod playlists that will occur during the summer months as people attempt to recreate the warmth, vibe, and happiness of the experience. It is a complete alteration of people’s capacity to think and talk about anything else. The festival’s boundless energy and spirit sucks you in and makes you want to come back again and again. I’m just happy that the countdown is finally coming to a close. It’s almost time for some octopus pie again.

www.worldwidefestival.com

John M. Gómez

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http://www.bopstar.tv/promo/Bopstar-MaterialThing-radio.zip

No comments ]]> http://www.shook.fm/content/2010/02/bopstar-feat-baby-sol-%e2%80%9cmaterial-thing%e2%80%9d/feed/ 0 http://www.shook.fm/content/2009/11/build-an-ark-and-zen-badizm-live/ http://www.shook.fm/content/2009/11/build-an-ark-and-zen-badizm-live/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:26:27 +0000 JMG http://www.shook.fm/content/?p=4074

Phil Ranelin. Image: Simon Green/eventful

Dancers. Image: Simon Green/eventful

Dwight Trible. Image: Simon Green/eventful

Fatima. Image: Simon Green/eventful

When I looked through the London Jazz Festival’s schedule a couple of weeks back I was thrilled to see the incorporation of Build an Ark and IG Culture within its list of performances. Bands like this, who offer a more leftfield interpretation of jazz, don’t often seem to get the recognition they deserve within big festival schedules. It is hardly surprising that Karen P is to be thanked for widening their exposure. Her promotional work with Broad Casting has been responsible for putting on high quality nights in London for some time now and this is no exception. The night is impeccably managed to the point that the projection of Red Bull Music Academy’s real-time video makes it feel like you are immersed in vintage jazz footage.

Sets from Karen P, IG Culture, and Kindred Spirits/Rush Hour’s Antal set the tone with African rhythms and jazz old and new, and, suddenly, the venue is filled. When IG Culture’s Zen Badizm Workshop band take to the stage, the prevailing aesthetic of the night is indicated: behind the musicians, IG Culture’s album cover is projected onto a screen, featuring a large silhouette of Africa shaped by the faces of Marcus Garvey, Sun Ra, and J-Dilla amongst other figures. The artwork conveys a strong sense of historical Pan-Africanism suffused with contemporary urban culture. The music also reflects this feeling, as Zen Badizm revisits the conscious sounds of Tribe, Impulse!, and Strata East through a London Soul lens. Though I’m usually sceptical of stage adaptations of producer-led albums, IG Culture has clearly thought this one through. This is a consolidated performance of an exciting live project that IG has stylishly arranged and that is held together by an impeccable rhythm section formed by Richard Spaven on drums, Kaidi Tatham on keys, Akwasi Mensah on bass, and IG himself on percussion. The band is tight and meticulous, and it doesn’t take long for the dancers to assemble in front of the stage as a result. The routines of Jerry IDJ, Gary Nurse, Sean Graham and others burst with energy and animate the audience. On top of this, Fatima’s loose soulful voice and jagged hip hop delivery makes for a particularly fresh rendition of Maiden Voyage. But my highlight of the set is Eric Appapoulay’s elegant and discreet guitar, which integrates perfectly with Tatham’s sparse chords and the relentless groove held by Spaven and Mensah. The Zen Badizm project is growing and I can’t wait to see what shape it takes on next.

With the likes of Phil Ranelin and Dwight Trible in the band, the transition from Zen Badizm to Build an Ark feels, perhaps inevitably, like a move from the inspired to the inspiration. Build an Ark are visually imposing, for a start. The band’s frontline, composed of Ranelin and Trible, as well as reedman Tracy Wannomae and singer Waberi Jordan, evokes an era in which robes, beads, and cosmic consciousness were the norm. Their new album on Kindred Spirits, Love Part 1, is also a substantial proposition that continues to spread the message of unity – “we must extend a hand of peace to all mankind”, sings Trible – which the band, and the label more widely, have been communicating for some time now. Build an Ark’s live performance integrates elements from African music, readings of mystic Sufi poetry, and a whole lot of love. Like much of the spiritual jazz that they take their cues from, Build an Ark discard conventional head/solo/head form to inspire a stream of incandescent energy and organic growth. The freedom provided by this simple approach is used intelligently, constructing extended, textured, and colourful compositions with shaded latin pulses. Though solos are on the economical side, the result is a heavy sea of sound that gradually envelops the audience and holds it in raptures throughout the performance.

The vocal rendition of A Love Supreme’s Acknowledgement takes on the incantation style of Coltrane’s epic version. The sparing collaboration between Tribe’s deep baritone voice and the gossamer flutterings of Wannomae’s soprano capture the sense of disparate higher spiritual powers that inspired Coltrane. Trible’s intense ululations, based around the original suite’s mantra, emphasise the piece’s wondrous bass motif and feel like a giant slowly stepping up a mountain. Perhaps the tribute lacks a certain authoritative toughness, but Wannomae and Ranelin’s subsequent ‘speaking in tongues’ solos bring a welcome edge to Build an Ark’s performance. Whilst Wannomae’s fiery tenor possesses an unruffled quality reminiscent of an early Gato Barbieri, Ranelin’s warm and dignified trombone is simply lush. Ranelin shatters the calm with raucous vibratos, yet his phrasing is carefully controlled. You can sense a mild reverence towards him in the group dynamic, and this is totally justifiable: his performance evinces his depth of experience and his position as an original trombone stylist. If this playing does not deserve to be in the jazz festival I struggle to know what does.

Build an Ark’s new anthem-in-the-making, Sunflowers in my Garden, conveys a sense of peace after the storm. As this gentle song plays I notice that Build an Ark’s overpowering message of love is starting to scratch at my cynicism. Nevertheless, I decide to let it wash over me for a while, as there is no denying the energy, sincerity, and talent with which it is communicated. In fact, Carlos Niño, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and Build an Ark possess a real communicative quality that makes the whole evening feel like a celebration of transatlantic community. This feeling is only heightened when the set closes with Pharoah Sanders’ You’ve Got to Have Freedom, one of the most iconic tunes of the early days of the British jazz dance scene. Though the strong symbolic references made by the two bands to past musical traditions and African and Eastern cultures suggest a yearning for an imaginary world more congenial than the current L.A. and London, the enthusiasm displayed by the musicians, DJs, dancers, and punters make of the evening something not short of an uplifting commemoration of the two cities. This atmosphere is beautiful to witness.

John M. Gómez

For those that could not be there as well as those who want to be transported back you can now listen to live recordings of the gig at Red Bull Academy Radio.

With little need to introduce either the man or his influence, it will suffice to say that I trust Gilles Peterson to take good care of my ears. In the four years that it has been running, his festival has become the choice summer party for restless listeners who seek something different. With showcases in both France and Singapore this year and the planned additions of Montréal and São Paulo in 2010, the festival is quickly growing into a global phenomenon that does justice to its name. The European – and still the original – version takes place in Sète, an idyllic port town in the south of France, from the 2nd to the 5th of July. It is organised by the boys at FRESHLY CUT EVENTS in Montpellier, and it promises to be as eclectic, exciting, and engaging as Peterson’s own musical selections. If what you want is a touch of intimacy, quality musical selections, and a healthy dose of sun in a beautiful setting, you know this festival is as tailor-made as it gets.

Need convincing? Take a peek at the line-up:

Laurent Garnier live, Gilles Peterson, Diplo, Todd Terje, Theo Parrish, Carl Craig, Jimi Tenor live, LeFtO, Mocky live, Sébastien Schuller live, Soil & “Pimp” Sessions live, Principles Of Geometry, DJ Suv, Stereotyp’s KU BO Project, Fuzati, the bPm, Sundae, Son Of Kick, Jazzamar, Elan Mehler live, Dorian Concept live, Martyn, Aline & Da Vince, Garfld, James Stewart, Boozig aka Velcon, Michael Rutten, Trus’me, Earl Zinger, DJ Oil, Shuya Okino, Jazzanova, Fulgeance live, dOP live…

I, for one, am counting down the minutes to the beach parties and the live sessions, all backed by the sun setting on the Mediterranean. Is it time to find an absurd justification to cross the pond? I know I have already found mine. The only real question is how much longer it is going to take you to find yours. Come. It’ll be Worldwide.

More news soon…

www.worldwidefestival.com

Worldwide festival 2008 “the aftermath” from Morzy on Vimeo.

Words: John M. Gómez