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PARISSOWETO is proud to bring you a special “Fête de la Musique” edition playlist in association with The Alliance Française of Johannesburg, the French Institute of South Africa, the Bassline and Total SA.
This very special playlist features artists that will perform at this year’s event – a one-day festival organised in and around Newtown Junction on Saturday, 18 June 2016.
The Fête de la Musique is a worldwide event and originated in France in 1982 under former president François Mitterand and former Minister of Culture Jack Lang. The day – 21 June, summer solstice in the northern hemisphere – sees music take to the streets of every city, town and village across France. The concept is simple: free music for all – and the event has spread to cities across the world, and in South Africa this includes Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, East London and others.
French cultural institutions such as the Alliance Française and the French Institute – also present in every country across the world – are true pillars of arts and culture as they cultivate exchange between France and their host countries. This means that South African audiences have been exposed to some of the French-speaking world’s finest cultural exports, from jazz maestro Erik Truffaz to Touareg/Woodabe rockers Etran Finatawa. This year sees Vaudou Game (a French-Togolese voodoo funk outfit) travel across South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Similarly, South African artists are making a name for themselves in France and, lately, we have seen more and more South African bands tour to Reunion Island (a French territory off the coast of Madagascar).
It is for this reason that Parissoweto is very pleased to collaborate with the Alliance Française of Johannesburg and the French Institute of South Africa: in this playlist you will find the songs and sounds of a new generation of South African – and Afropolitan – artists whose music resounds because it is free, independent and self-assured. From the BLK JKS’ inner-city psychedelia to Hellen Dikobe’s mesmerising Botswanan melodies, Urban Village’s modern interpretation of roots music, to UJU’s special brand of “world-punk”, this playlist – and the Fête de la Musique’s line-up – will provide its audience with a sonic sample of what’s brewing in rehearsal spaces and concert venues across southern Africa.
While the line-up features mostly local talent, the French Institute of South Africa is bringing over a handful of French and francophone acts, including:
Vaudou Game (French-Togolese voodoo funk), Zanmari Baré, traditional maloya music from Reunion Island, French accordionist Daniel Mille and electro duo Jesse and Crabbe.
The Southern African acts include the well-established BLK JKS, UJU and Guy Buttery, along with exciting newcomers Bombshelter Beast, Urban Village, Unity Band, Morayks, Watching Over Africa FringerPrint5, Mapumba Cilombo, Black South Easter, Ben Dey and The Concrete Lions, Hellen Dikobo (Botswana), Iphupho L’ka Biko, Kevin and the Love World, Kinsmen, Nono Nkoane and more.
∇ TRACK LIST ∇
- FingerPrint 5 (ZA) – Chekule
- Vaudou Game (FR/Togo) – Pas Contente
- Hellen Dikobe (Botswana) – Mmatsale
- Guy Buttery feat. Piers Faccini & Vusi Mahlasela (ZA) – The Upper Reaches
- Urban Village (ZA) – Inkani
- Zanmari Baré (Réunion) – Mary Salangann
- Black South Easter (ZA) – Indoda
- Iphupho Lika Biko (ZA) – Buyel Ekhaya
- Kinsmen (ZA) – Water
- Mapumba (DRC / ZA) – Le Souhait
- UJU (ZA) – Thath’ umthwalo
- Ndyebo (ZA) – Uzosulile linyembezi Zam (radio edit)
- BLK JKS (ZA) – Lakeside
- AF Diaphra (FR) – Sine of the Times (Bazzerk Free Bucket #2)
- Academie (ZA) – Harsh Land Bruise
- Watching Over Africa (ZA) – Inyanga
- Morayks (Lesotho) – Lesotho
- Les Fantastiques (Congo) – Shauri Yako
- Kevin and the Love World Band (ZA) – Luphelile
- Ben Dey and the Concrete Lions (ZA) – Easy Love
PARISSOWETO Δ 