David Murray & The Gwo-Ka Masters - 2001 - Yonn-Dé

David Murray & The Gwo-Ka Masters featuring Guy Konket & Klod Kiavué

2001

Yonn-Dé

01. Twa Jou San Manjé 11:22
02. Youyou 11:03
03. On Jou Maten 10:05
04. Onomatopée (Boula Djèl) 4:48
05. Nwèl’o! 4:41
06. Yonn-Dé 9:56
07. La Pli La 9:28
08. Moman Colombo 9:01

All selections by Guy Konket.
Recorded and mixed at Sound on Sound, New York City, January 10 & 11, 2000 and February 14 & 15, 2000.

David Murray – Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet
Guy Konket – Vocal
Klod Kiavué – Gwo Ka Drums, Vocal
François Ladrezeau – Gwo Ka Drums, Vocal
Hugh Ragin – Trumpet
Craig Harris – Trombone
Santi Debriano – Bass
Pheeroan akLaff – Drums

Saxophonist David Murray revisits his Creole project and this time sucessfully negotiating the music of Guadeloupe on Yonn-De. His prior outing, the 1998 Creole, adapted the Caribbean Island’s French, Spanish, African, and South American musical culture to a very recognisable American jazz and blues. This outing, he adapts his sound to the percussion-heavy music of the Gwo-Ka Masters. Gone is the flute, guitar and piano and most traces of our North American sound.

Murray’s horn shares equal spotlight here with the music of songwriter and vocalist Guy Konket. This recording centers on the African percussion music of this former French Antilles possesion. Vocalist and political activist Konket supplies the emotion, as Murray and company take on the unfamiliar role as sideman. His rhythms are straight out of Guadeloupe as the band ventures only once into a truly American R&B groove on “La Pli La.” But Murray is game for this drum-fest. So too are the jazz guests Pheroan Aklaff, Hugh Ragin, Criag Harris, and Santi DeBriano. Murray’s big slurring tenor melts with the groove-centric beats and powerful combo of Hugh Ragin’s trumpet and Craig Harris’ Trombone accent the pulse nicely.

Avant-garde tenor icon David Murray continues to explore the music of the African diaspora on Yonn-Dé, focusing on percussion and vocal traditions from Guadeloupe. Three masters of gwo ka music -- vocalist Guy Konket and percussionist/vocalists Klod Kiavué and François Ladrezeau -- appear alongside Murray, trumpeter Hugh Ragin, trombonist Craig Harris, bassist Santi Debriano, and drummer Pheeroan akLaff. Guy Konket composed all the music and it is remarkable. Based on extended vamps that are repetitive but by no means stagnant, these tracks draw upon the ecstatic dance vibe of Afro-beat and the majestic cry of the blues in equal measure. Sometimes the vocal parts become the percussion, as on "Onomatopée," a striking dialogue between the voices and Murray's bass clarinet. "Nwél'o" and "La Pli La" are irrepressibly funky and fast; "On Jou Maten" and "Youyou" are mellower and more hypnotic, but every bit as grooving. It is Santi Debriano who proves to be the beating heart of the entire project, lending harmonic shape and direction and making every track a unique journey.