Jazz on my mind x Zone Franche, jazz & world!
Jazz On My Mind (Samuel Nja Kwa) © Samuel Nja Kwa
By: Laurence Aloir
7 mins
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We welcome the photographer
Samuel Nja Kwa
for the release of his photo book
Jazz On My Mind
and the protagonists of the
30 years of Zone franche, Amandine Saumonneau
(coordinator)
and Hussam Aliwat
(oudiste).
1st guest: Samuel Nja Kwa
Never has an African photographer devoted his main work to Jazz.
Child of jazz,
Samuel Nja Kwa
is a one-of-a-kind author. Born in Paris to Cameroonian parents, he has been passionate about this music since his childhood. He makes his subjects dance according to his imagination, the sap of which draws from jazz, African music and traditions, the plastic of the universe. His approach is that of a messenger carrying through his images a meaning and an aesthetic that he wishes to reveal to others. The intimate. It was at the age of fifteen that he developed a particular interest in the world around him, the humanity that people and the ubiquitous symbols that create a bridge between them. After his studies in Political Science at the University of Quebec in Montreal, his professional project will become obvious. Reports and portraits. Samuel's commitment to his profession complements his demanding eye.His quest for freedom and his great sensitivity make him an exceptional photographer.
Geri Allen.
© Samuel Nja Kwa
When Route du Jazz, Éditions Duta, was published by the photographer in 2014, it was acclaimed by the press to the point of becoming a major work in the world of jazz.
Through portraits in Black & White, the photographer gives voice to jazzmen and jazzwomen who highlight their Africanity.
The release of this beautiful book accompanies a photographic exhibition in Africa and Europe: Abidjan, Durban, Johannesburg, Bamako, Saint-Louis, Dakar, Marseille, Brussels, Tourcoing, Tournai.
Jazz On my Mind, Éditions Duta, 2021.
McCoy Tyner.
© Samuel Nja Kwa
The idea of this second book is not trivial. The photographer tells. "
Being a freelance photographer and journalist, like many people confined as of March 2020, I found myself with little to do and a little helpless at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. My travels, my photographic exhibitions , everything was canceled. So, I took the opportunity to take stock of my work, I immersed myself in my photographic archives and I appealed to my memory. I rediscovered certain images, I I put them chronologically. Over the days, I realized that these images tell my own story, my relationship with jazz. " Thus was born the idea of making a work of it
. He pursues. "
The title of this project came to me while listening to the song Soul Shadows by African American pianist Joe Sample from The
Crusaders ".
Samuel and Manu Dibango.
© Samuel Nja Kwa
Samuel Nja Kwa's playlist
Manu Dibango
Besoka on Salsa
Joe Sample
Soul Shadows
Natacha Atlas
Out of the Time
Hervé Celcal
Jazz is danced
Geri Allen, Ron Carter and Jimmy Cobb
Portraits and Dreams
Amandine Saumonneau and Hussam Aliwat at RFI.
© Laurence Aloir / RFI
Then, we
welcome Amandine Saumonneau
, coordinator for 10 years of
Zone Franche
and the oudist
Hussam Aliwat
.
The network is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the
Franchement!
Tuesday 21 at 360 Music Factory and Wednesday 22 at FGO Barbara (Paris) with
Hussam Aliwat, Kandy Guira, Taranta Lanera, Cynthia Abraham, Ana Carla Masa, Bedouin Burger, Komasi.
Zone Franche in a few words:
The Zone Franche association
was created in 1990,
when the encounter between music from an oral tradition and the sounds of globalization installed new languages and soundscapes. Today, around 200 structures are united around professional and political issues. The diversity of our members finds its unity in the sharing of values set out in the
World Music Charter,
it constitutes a rare wealth in that it allows daily interaction between different professions, different legal statuses, different territorial establishments, at the service of an abundance of aesthetics, practices and musical inspirations.
Under French law, the association is administered by a Board of Directors elected by the members meeting in General Assembly at least once a year.
It receives support from the Ministry of Culture and Communication (triennial convention), the CNV (triennial convention) as well as the help of civil societies (ADAMI, SCPP, SPEDIDAM, SACEM), and the FCM.
The contributions of its members represent more than 10% of its operating budget.
Activities
Professional meetings
around different cycles: Professional meetings have the will to cross views around contemporary issues, related to world music, proving that doing and thinking go hand in hand and are mutually reinforcing.
The different cycles of meetings build the "story" of Zone Franche and constitute as many spaces for meetings and projects. *
Economic visibility
: presence at trade fairs (Womex, Babel Med Music, MaMA, etc.).
The network also makes it possible to obtain preferential agreements, for example during these fairs and international markets, and searches for new opportunities.
Artistic mobility, Artist visa committee
: the creation in 2009 of this committee was motivated by the need of professionals to pool their knowledge and their networks in order to unblock visa refusal situations when the applications comply with the regulations.
The expertise of Zone Franche guarantees the seriousness of the files and motivates the intervention of cultural diplomacy.
Hussam Aliwat.
© Clara Abi Nader
Hussam Aliwat
is one of the artists featured at
the Franchement
!
Passionate, fiery, tormented. This is the relationship that
Hussam Aliwat
has had with his Oud since childhood. Hussam Aliwat merges styles and boundaries into modern and powerful music, driven with ardor by an oud that challenges both East and West: a thrilling revolution that shakes up jazz, film music and rock. He is one of the protégés of the
Joubran Trio
and of
Marcel Khalifé
. Nevertheless he embodies a new generation, more current, kinematic, powerful, accompanied by 2 cellos and a battery.
Gifted self-taught, he transgresses the standards of the oud as other geniuses have broken the codes of their instruments: the bandoneon of Piazzolla, the guitar of Jimi Hendrix and brings together lovers of Oud, fans of jazz, as well as fans of alternative rock.
Through his first album soberly titled
BORN NOW,
Hussam Aliwat presents us with emotional, cinematic and dense music, between oriental heritage, polyrhythms, dreamlike layers, an intensely rock spirit and jazz modulations.
First
Born Now
album
available (Gaya Music Production / L'Autre Distribution).
Amandine and Hussam playlist
Taranta Lanera
Focu d'Amore
(scheduled for ZF's 30th anniversary with Hussam Aliwat on 09/21)
Hussam Aliwat
They Who dare
(21 to 360)
watch the clip
Ana Carla Maza
Desamor
(winner of the Born on Line party on 09/22)
see the clip
Bédouin Burger
Taht el Wared
(winners of the Born on Line party on 09/22)
see the clip
Hussam Aliwat
The Passerby
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