Francois Raulin on piano and mbira, Majid Bekkas on guembri, guitar and vocals, Emille Biayenda on drums and percussions join forces in an irresistible trio. At the crossroad of European, Gnawa and Central African traditions, these masters keep open to all winds of freedom. They hit the road from Latvia on 30 and 31 October, continue through Estonia on 1st November and reach Tampere Jazz Happening on 2 November.
“As fission is to atoms, fusion is to jazz: it generates energy. The ferociously heated junction of Western harmonies, insistently hypnotic gnawa, and the beat of Congolese rhythms produces a conflagration with trancelike echoes, dizzy with improvisation. The piano lets loose with a barrage of complex polyrhythms; the guembri obsessively repeats its pentatonic themes; the drums, beaten by one of Brazzaville’s masters, pulsate with the sound of life and freedom. On stage, three cultures busily join forces, observing their common ground, and embroidering on their differences. They produce danceable jazz on the complexity of these complexes, raising small monuments to brotherhood. Fearsomely poetic jazz, strong and proud, that holds its head high.”
Festival Sons d’Hiver 2024
(c) Martin Stahl
Trio Raulin – Bekkas – Biayenda (FR-MAR-CG)
Francois Raulin piano mbira, compositions
Majid Bekkas guembri, guitar, vocals
Emile Biayenda drums, percussions
Tour program from 30/10 to 08/11/2025
Latvia
Thu 30/10 Riga, VEF Jazz Club
Fri 31/10 Rezekne, GORS
Estonia
Sat 01/11 Võru, Kannel
Finland
Sun 02/11 Tampere Jazz Happening 2025
Mon 03/11 Helsinki, Malmitalo / Malmijazz & Etnosoi!
Wed 05/11 Oulainen, Merkuriussali, Oululaisten Musiikkiviikot
Thu 06/11 Raahe, Friemanintalo / Rantajatsiklubi
Sat 08/11 Turku, Logomo: Logi-Sali / Flame Jazz
Tour production: La Forge CIR (Grenoble)
Tour booking and management: Vapaat äänet (Helsinki)
Tour support: AJC-Association Jazzé Croisé, Spedidam
Partner: Kumu drums