FUASI ABDUL-KHALIQ - CD ABAKUA

Popis - ABAKUA:
I have been performing professionally since 1972 where I studied with the late great African-American pianist Horace Tapscott in Los Angeles, California. This led to a lifetime relationship with Tapscott's Pan-African People's Arkestra, during which time I served as assistant conductor as well as arranger, composer, copier and player of saxophone, clarinet and flute. I have performed from coast to coast in the U.S. and in the last 16 years in Europe, both leading my own ensemble as well as sharing the stage with such greats as Walter Bishop Jr., Jimmy Garrison, Charles Owens, Jeff Littleton, Rudy Stevenson, Ed Blackwell, Arthur Blythe, Queen Negus H. Somayah Moore-Kambui and the Black Belt Symphony, Arto Tuncboyaciyan, Nathan Davis, Clifford Thornton, Danny Harper, Joe Jennings, Joe Bowie, Hal Singer, Sugar Blue, Joe Brazil, Sha'Ifa, Nedra Wheeler, Abdu Salim, Dick de Graaf, Abraham Burton, Frank Lacy, Omar Sosa and Winard Harper to name only a few. My professional credits also include three films. My theater credits include the writing of original scores for three plays as well as performing roles in these plays. I am performing original compositions from all the members of my ensemble as well as playing various musical pieces from established composers and performers from around the world. In 2006 I created a new group called 'The Horace Tapscott Memorial Ensemble'. We are performing compositions and arrangements from my late teacher and mentor, Mr. Horace Tapscott. (www.posi-tone.com/tapscott/). He was a musician, community activist and a folk hero in the Los Angeles area who dedicated his life to creating, archiving, performing, preserving and disseminating the musical achievements of the African-American musical community of Los Angeles, California so that all the generations afterwards would know and benefit from the contributions that the artistic members of this community before them had made. A little something about my songs on my CD “The Abakuá”: “Jibri Dance” and “Khari’s Gold” are the Alpha and Omega songs on the CD and are written for my grandsons, Jibri (13yrs) and Khari (2yrs). I wrote these songs as the reflection of both their personalities. “The Abakua”, the title cut of the CD is a dedication to my politically challenging times as Music Director/Bandleader in the European circus production called “Andre Heller’s Afrika Afrika”. “Güiro Blue” is a piece I wrote loosely based upon the Cuban rhythm called Güiro. I’ve been very interested in Cuban music and rhythms because of it’s lineage to the African rhythms from where it originates. “My Fuju’s Workin’” is the only piece on the CD that I have co-written. It was our first attempt as a writing team and based upon what came out of this union I think it will not be the last. “PushCart” is the oldest song on the CD being written over 18 years ago. It is a “friendship song” which was originally written for a theater piece about the life and times of Charlie Parker called “Yardbird’s Vamp, written by Robert Earl Price. This is my first recorded singing debut and I hope to be singing more often in the future. “A Nameless Child So Blue” is a ballad that I dedicated to all the children in the world who are suffering due to war, drought, starvation, racism, abduction and abuse. I pray for their liberation from their struggles and hope that one day they will be delivered from their plight of suffering. “Seek and Find” is a little “ditty” I wrote which reminds me of one of those old Peter Sellers’ type “who-done-it” movie tracks from the 60’s and 70’s. “Anansi” is another song I wrote due my experience in “Afrika Afrika” where I soaked up as much as I could the sounds, dances, singing and drumming which always made me feel like I’ve returned home. “Anansi” is the name of one of the most important cultural characters of West African lore/legend and is depicted as a spider in the folktales. I was very blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to record my original compositions in a studio setting with such great musicians from all parts of the world; some of them whom I wanted to perform and record with for many years. Working with musicians from Africa, Cuba, Europe, South America and Asia gave me a rich insight of ideas and elements that I was able to use to compose these songs. I hope you enjoy the sounds we are sharing with you on this CD as much as I do and whenever you have the chance to see us “live and in living color”, performing the extended, uncut versions of this tunes, please do. What you hear now is just the “Vorspeise”* for what we are really cooking up to serve you. Thanks again for listening. Bright Moments Fuasi * appetizer . . . hors d’oevre My discography includes: SPV Records - Big Light 'Give It A Break' (Remix), 1993 W.E.A. Records - 'At Last I Am Free' Maxi single with Sharifa and WordSong, 1995 Downbeat Records - ' Sharifa's Favorite Things' LP with Sharifa and WordSong, 1995 Amber Records - Cool Struttin' Vol.2 Chinyare 'Realize' 1995 WDR Records - Live at the 1995 Berlin Jazz Festival 'Sharifa and WordSong' SingSing Records - H-BLOCKX 'Step Back' (Remix), 1996 Groove Time Records - Eb Davis 'I'm A Fool For The Lady's' 1997 Lifelight Records - Fuasi & Ensemble 'Live', 1997 RSI Records - Tony Hurdle's ' Guardians of the Groove Live at the Yorchschlösschen', 1998 RSI Records - Tony Hurdle's Guardians of the Groove 'Make, Make The Money', 1998 Lifelight Records - Fuasi & Ensemble 'Fuasimodo Rings A Bell', 1998 Traumton Records - Jassa Mariano 'Caegada Global', 1998 Inferno Music Records - Mesut Ali and Oriental Connection 'Tülay', 1998 Ingo Musica - 'Fuasi & Ensemble en El Central', 2001 Zapp Records - The Lionel Haas Quintet 'Take The Jam- Track', 2004 Lifelight Records - 'Fuasi's Afro-Cubano Latin Jazz Connection', Live in Quasimodo, 2006 Lifelight Records - 'The Abakuá', 2008