NORWICH – Celebrating traditional African rhythms with a splash of un-traditional sounds of techno-hop and contemporary electronic dance moves, the band Burkina Electric has come a long way to perform for its first tour in the United States.
Burkina Electric will present their music to local audiences at 7 p.m. Friday at the Chenango County Council of the Arts.
Members of Burkina Electric, the first electronica band of the west African country of Burkina Faso, formed officially in 2004 and consists of backgrounds such as African, Austrian and German.
Lukas Ligeti, a renowned composer/percussionist originally of Austria and currently residing in New York City, worked in Africa for 13 years. In 1994 he and fellow band member German vj/electronicist Pyrolator worked for three weeks on the Ivory Coast and were introduced to the African culture and music. “It was a life changing experience ... it was a wonderful experience,” said Ligeti.
In 1996, Ligeti toured throughout Burkina Faso, one of the poorest countries in the world, and started working with his current band members, vocalist Mai Lingani, guitarist Wende K. Blass and Burkina dancers As Zoko and Vicky. “We all liked working together and decided to start a serious project,” said Ligeti.
The band, which has recently released its first CD, was invited to Chenango County through a grant from the New York State Music Fund. Ligeti says the grant made this week’s tour possible. “If not for this grant, we would not have gotten this wonderful experience,” he said.
Beginning Wednesday, members of Burkina Electric taught workshops to the students at Unadilla Valley Central School as part of a three-day residency. The students and teachers agree the experience was one that both represented the African culture and gave the students a chance to experience the un-traditional sounds through electronics.
During a rehearsal Thursday, the band offered students the opportunity to come and play on stage. As part of the performance being offered in Norwich Friday, band members say the students may be asked to accompany them in some of the material. Ligeti said the experience for the students meant a lot to the band as well, adding it was fun to introduce the students to their music and backgrounds.
Many of the songs by Burkina Electric are built upon ancient rhythms of the Sahel such as the Mossi peoples’ Waraba and Ouennenga, little-known even in Africa outside of Burkina. The dancers, whose choreographies meld together the elements of the traditional and the modern, invite audiences to discover that these exotic rhythms groove at least as powerfully as disco, house or drum and bass.
The group toured throughout Austria in 2004, and in May 2006, the group performed at the Festival Jazz à Ouaga in Burkina Faso and released their debut album Paspanga. Two video clips, produced for Burkinabè TV, are now receiving heavy play in Burkina Faso and surrounding countries. With the upcoming international release of a new album in the United States, Burkina Electric is on its way to emerging on the world platform.
Ligeti states the band chose to renounce traditional distribution and sell their album not in stores, but online and at concerts.
The band, following their performances in Chenango County, will head to the Gravity Lounge in Charlottesville, Va. for an Oct. 15 concert followed by a performance at the University of Virginia on Oct. 17 then to RPI in Troy on Oct. 18 . They will play at Johnny D’s in Somerville, Mass. and Oct. 20 their last performance will take them back to New York City, where they will perform at Joe’s Pub.
Tickets are still available for tomorrow night’s performance. To order tickets or for more information, call the Chenango County Council of the Arts at 336-2787 or visit www.chenangoarts.org.