Interview in The New York Times

5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Jazz Flute

The flute is one of the more overlooked instruments in jazz, but it’s been making an impact on improvised music for more than 50 years. Let 10 experts take you on a guided tour.

We’ve taken you through the great jazz pianists, the vocalists, the careers of Alice Coltrane and Ornette Coleman and Mary Lou Williams. This month, we thought we’d go down a less-trodden path, taking a look at one of the more overlooked instruments in jazz: the flute.

Sure, we were prepared for a few Will Ferrell jokes to crop up in the comments (or maybe jump up on the table?), but we had no idea that this piece would land in the biggest cultural moment the instrument had seen in years. Then André 3000 dropped his flute-laden album, “New Blue Sun,” and our timing became all too perfect.

The flute doesn’t have the gravitas or the boisterous sound of a saxophone or a trumpet, and it didn’t fully infiltrate the realm of improvised music until the 1960s, with the likes of Yusef Lateef, Eric Dolphy, Herbie Mann and Hubert Laws — not to mention the salsa and pachanga scene in New York, where the flutist, bandleader and record executive Johnny Pacheco was a major presence.

Since then, as you’ll see below, the instrument has found a home everywhere from the avant-garde to fusion to straight-ahead. Read on for a guided tour of the flute’s role in jazz, brought to you by 10 writers, musicians and educators. You’ll find a playlist at the bottom of the article, and be sure to leave your own favorites in the comments.

T.K. Blue, flutist

“Cherokee” by James Moody

I started playing flute as a student in high school on Long Island, and under the guidance of Eddie Jefferson (a close friend of my mentor, the tap dancer Little Buck) I was instructed to travel to New York City for my first “jazz” flute lesson. When I arrived at a hotel in Midtown, I was greeted by none other than Master James Moody! Having an obeisant attitude toward my elders I listened quite ebulliently as Moody spoke with encyclopedic erudition of jazz performance and all its major innovators. Though he was quite prosaic in his approach, he shared tremendous insight regarding flute improvisational technique. This experience changed my life forever! Please check out Moody’s rendition of the standard “Cherokee” from 1968. It’s nothing short of splendiferous! Moody’s warm tone, impeccable articulation with execution, creative ideas, high velocity, and dexterity on the flute puts him on Mount Rushmore! Not to mention he was the very first I heard use the circular breathing technique on flute, which is a herculean task indeed!

 
 

A Tribute To My Big Brother Bobby Few

A Tribute To My Big Brother Bobby Few

By T.K. Blue (Talib Kibwe) 2/22/22

 

Mr. Bobby Few was a musician of immense musical offerings and rests in the highest pantheon of jazz masters! I was so fortunate and blessed to know him and share his stage in the creation of art deemed necessary and vital for the nourishment of the human soul!

Upon my desire to move to Europe in the fall of 1981, a close friend advised me to check out Paris, France. She was a singer and also suggested I should seek out pianist Bobby Few. I knew of his recorded work with Albert Ayler and Booker Ervin, which impressed me tremendously.

After a two-month stay in Switzerland I arrived to live in Paris December of 1981. No doubt I made a beeline to the first jazz club where Master Few was performing: The Dreher in Chatelet, Les Halles.  We clicked immediately and went on to establish a profound and wonderful relationship. I remember one of the very first concerts we did together at a church on the outskirts of Paris, which featured vocalist Bobby Helms, drummer Oliver Johnson, pianist Booby Few, myself on alto saxophone, and a bassist I can’t remember precisely but it could have been Jack Gregg or Andy McGee.

We performed a multitude of times together in various formats. On one occasion we went to Algeria as part of singer Joe Lee Wilson’s band. It was an exquisite experience as they produced our concert in a huge soccer stadium in Algiers. At the sound check we noticed all the backline was present except a PIANO!!! As a result, brother Few played cow bell on this gig! In addition he did an admirable job and never complained!!

In 1985 I had the esteem opportunity to record my very first LP as a leader in Paris entitled Egyptian Oasis. I assembled a band with Bobby on piano, Sangoma Everett on drums, Louis Petrucciani on bass (the brother of piano legend Michel), and Edouard Detmer the producer of this date. At a rehearsal Bobby was warming up playing a tune I never heard before entitled I Love Music by Emil Boyd and Hale Smith. Both Emil and Hale are from Bobby’s hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. This composition is a jewel and Bobby’s arrangement transformed it into a multi carat diamond!!! I leaned over his shoulder and said, “my dear brother let’s record it”. The rest is history and this composition remains as one of my most treasured musical experiences.

After hearing of Bobby’s illness I went to visit him and his dear wife Simone, who was always by his side. The memory of seeing him and Simone is priceless. I asked him to play the piano, which he did magnificently! It brought tears to Simone’s eyes, as he had not touched his piano in several months.  I was speechless and treasured every note, phrase, and musical nuance crafted by a master artist.

I had on my phone the Egyptian Oasis recording, and played I Love Music for Bobby. He said, “Wow Talib, you wrote a fantastic arrangement of Hale’s song”. I had to remind him this was his incredible arrangement!!!!

Simone called me from the hospital a short period before Bobby’s transition to the world of our ancestors. It was my last conversation with a dear friend, big brother, and musical mentor. I miss knowing he is no longer with us on the physical plane, but he is forever with us in our hearts and memories. May his soul rest forever in Paradise, shining much love, wisdom, and musical intuition upon us all!

T.K. Blue—Talib Kibwe

Bobby Few and TK Blue Bobby Few at the piano
 
 

Motherland Connections and Reflections Part 1: My voyage to Mozambique with Chris McGregor and the Brotherhood of Breath 1982

Africa has been calling my spirit since adolescence growing up in Long Island, New York.  As a precocious teenager, I acquired tremendous ebullience with a desire to know more about the land of my ancestors.

Serendipity played a part when I went to a jam session in London, England during the early 1980’s. I was there to perform with NEA Jazz Master Dr. Randy Weston for the International Book Fair organized by John La Rose and Sarah White. One night I decided to go to a jazz club, which hosted a jam session and on piano was none other than South African pianist Chris McGregor (he was exiled in protest of Apartheid). Chris had a large ensemble called The Brotherhood Of Breath, comprised mostly of British musicians with additional players from South Africa and Ghana. While I was in the middle of an alto sax solo, I heard a voice shout from the piano bench “Can you go to Mozambique next week?”

I was residing in Paris, France and left the following week for my maiden voyage to East Africa: Mozambique. We performed three concerts to very enthusiastic audiences and it was absolutely a splendiferous experience. There were four Americans in the band: myself, trumpeter Kamal Abdul Alim, baritone saxophonist Bruce Grant, and drummer Barry Altschul. On bass from Panama was Santi Debriano. During my departure at the airport in Maputo, I attempted to check my baggage when a hand came from behind me and took my luggage off the scale. His name was Mario and he was a film producer from Brazil. He explained his acumen for jazz as he heard the Brotherhood of Breath the night before. He was fascinated with my musicianship and offered me to stay two additional weeks to compose music for his documentary “The Black Women of Maputo”

My plans suddenly changed and my stay in Mozambique was extended two weeks.  Needless to say it was a marvelous experience. In addition to composing music for Mario’s documentary, my extension afforded me the opportunity to hear and experience the extremely multifarious traditional music of Mozambique, entrenched in the fecundity of the African aesthetic.

I heard ensembles playing the Chitata (see photo), an idiophone from the family of hand-held finger pianos that exist in other parts of Africa: sanza, lukembi, mbira, kalimba. I also experienced performances from the ancestor to our modern day xylophone/marimba/vibraphone: Timbila and Mbila (see photo). These instruments are also from the idiophone family and their orchestras are quite varied. They are similar to the balaphon (see photo) you find in West Africa and come in a multitude of sizes, including some quite large that are played over large empty oil barrels. Lastly I also heard an ensemble of Nyanga   the panpipe wooden flutes (see photo). These are from the areophone family of instruments and you find extensions of these flutes in Ecuador. The African drum is also quite prevalent in Mozambique with a vast variety of shapes and sizes.

 

Chitata Mbila balaphon Nyanga

While in Maputo, I was also quite fortunate to meet one of Mozambique’s most renowned artists: the painter Malangatana Ngwenya. We became great friends immediately and his artistic expressions are extremely prolific. I became obeisant in his presence, realizing he also drew the artwork on some of the LP covers for legendary trumpeter Hugh Masekela. Master Malangatana’s drawings are also featured in a book on the traditional music of Mozamboque, as well as many museums, buildings, and galleries throughout the country.

Mr. Ngwenya later came to Paris, France with his wife for a visit and I offered him my studio apartment during his stay. He was so appreciative that he drew an exquisite picture, which he signed and dedicated to my mother Lois Marie Rhynie (see photo), as she held a Master’s Degree in Art History. Sadly to say Master Malangatana joined the ancestors in 2011.

Lois Marie Drawing

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Motherland Connections and Reflections.

God Bless—T.K. Blue

 
 

Reflections of Melba Liston

Melba Liston was a true unsung hero of Jazz and a trailblazer for female instrumentalist within this art form. No doubt women were and to some degree still are marginalized within Jazz and they deserve much more recognition and accolades for their incredible work, creativity, and accomplishments.

I grew up in a small town in Long Island about 45 minutes from NYC called Lakeview. My parents divorced when I was 10 years old and fortunately I had several male adult mentors who shared their wisdom and guidance. They were like surrogate “fathers” for myself and I cherish their memories immensely. Residing right down the street from my house were: Conrad Buckner (Little Buck) who was an outstanding tap dancer and close friend of Jazz singer Eddie Jefferson; Roger Lewis, who had a very successful business in architecture and he designed Milt Jackson’s home in Queens; and saxophone master Billy Mitchell, who worked extensively with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band as well as Count Basie Orchestra.

While in high school in the early 1970’s, I met the great Melba Liston at Billy Mitchell’s home. At that time she was traveling back and forth to Jamaica, West Indies where she taught Jazz at the university in Kingston.

She had such a sweet and loving demeanor. I had no idea at that time how important was her contribution to Jazz history. After graduating from NYU in the mid 1970’s I was very fortunate to become friends with piano icon Patti Bown, who took me under her wing. At this time Patti was close with a gentleman named Richard Jennings, who was very instrumental in presenting Jazz at the United Nations. Patti had a concert at the UN and asked me to perform with her quintet: Earl Williams on drums, Bob Cunningham on bass, Harold Vick on tenor sax, myself on alto sax, and of course Patti on piano. Melba and Patti were good friends having worked together with the Quincy Jones Big Band, so Patti asked Melba to write her arrangements. This was the first time I had the opportunity to witness Melba’s genius as an arranger. I also found out about her wonderful work and arrangements for Quincy Jones and Dizzy Gillespie.

Some years later I started performing with the great Randy Weston, who also worked closely with Melba. They were intimately united in the symbiotic relationship of composer and arranger.

Melba arranged and performed on many of Randy’s early recordings, the first of which was Seven Waltzes for Children. She also arranged for many large ensemble recordings in the canon of Dr. Weston. Their most famous and important “oeuvre” was Uhuru Africa in 1960!

Randy mentioned he became so attracted to Melba after hearing her trombone rendition of “My Reverie”, featured with the Quincy Jones Big Band. He always talked about her warm and huge sound. Melba was a true trailblazer who had to overcome many obstacles and adversity, being an African-American, a female, and a Jazz musician.

Besides being an excellent and prolific arranger, Melba was also a very fine composer. The Wilbur Ware institute under the direction of Gloria Ware honored Melba’s legacy back in 2014 at the Manhattan School of Music in NYC. I was part of this celebration and was able to check out many of Melba’s excellent compositions.

On my latest CD Amour (Dot Time Records) I recorded one of Melba’s songs entitled Elvin Elpus, written in dedication to drummer Elvin Jones. In addition an incredible saxophonist from Chicago Geof Bradfield wrote an extraordinary suite in dedication to maestro Liston called “Melba”.

I am so thrilled to see that a children’s book of illustrations on the life of Melba Liston came out and her image is being used to advertise the next JEN conference. On April 23, 1999 we lost a true heroic figure and one who blazed the path for other amazing female performers to follow.

I will always cherish the memory of Melba Liston!!!!!

 
 

Spirit Of Our Ancestors

T.K. Blue’s reflection on the Spirit Of Our Ancestors recording by Dr. Randy Weston May 1991.

May 20, 1991 marked the first day of a landmark recording by Dr. Randy Weston and African Rhythms at the world-famous BMG studios in New York City. When I arrived at the building lobby the elevator door opened and standing inside was Dizzy Gillespie with his longtime close friend and associate Jacques Muyal, who was living in Switzerland. On my first trip to Tangiers in 1985, I visited Jacques’s home and met his mother and brother. Mr. Muyal is an extraordinary gentleman and jazz producer with a deep love of our music.

I was quite overwhelmed knowing I would be on the same recording as the great Dizzy Gillespie, responsible for the major evolution in jazz history called Bebop. We hit it off right away and Maestro Gillespie greeted me with a warm smile and hug. Once we started the session I handed Dizzy a Bb trumpet lead sheet for African Sunrise. He stated his preference for a concert lead sheet. After his perusal of the music he noticed an E minor 7(b5) to A 7(b9) resolving to D minor 7.

Dizzy then went to the piano and said “look at the E minor 7(b5) as a G minor 6th with 6th in the bass. Then he proceeded to play the most gorgeous chord progression. He was a pure musical genius! When he later did the first and only take of African Sunrise, Dizzy never looked at the music.

Soon to arrive in the studio were the leader Randy Weston and his longtime arranger and trombonist Melba Liston. Melba had recently endured a stroke and was confined to a wheel chair. However she taught herself how to compose and arrange on the computer using her left hand only (her right hand was incapacitated due to the stroke). Preceding this recording Randy and I were performing in Los Angeles and we would frequently check on Melba to see how she was doing health wise and how the arrangements were unfolding.

Shortly after their arrival an A list of jazz practitioners blessed the room with their astonishing presence: Idrees Sulieman-trumpet and who also could burn on alto sax

Benny Powell—trombone (Benny and I had become really close since our joint performances and tours for African Rhythms dating back to 1985. I was also featured on his album: Why Don’t You Say Yes, Sometimes? It was recorded around the same time as Spirits Of Our Ancestors in 1991)

Billy Harper—tenor sax (I first heard Billy with his band at Joe Lee Wilson’s jazz loft The Ladies Fort Festival in the mid 1970’s. He was on fire and I also heard him later with Max Roach.

Dewey Redman—tenor sax (Dewey often spoke very highly about a young upcoming tenor titan that was not very well known, but soon to be the unconquerable master musician Joshua Redman) It was my first time to play with Dewey and he was also featured with Randy’s band for a concert at Lincoln Center not too long before he passed away. He was a gentle man and a giant on the tenor sax!

Pharoah Sanders—tenor sax (I was a huge fan of Mr. Sanders since my high school days in Long Island. During my senior year the early 1970’s The Creator Has A Master Plan was our anthem. It was quite awe-inspiring to have an opportunity to record with a master and spiritual beacon of improvisation.

Alex Blake—bass. Alex and I are best friends and his artistry on the bass is quite breathtaking. This was our first recording together. I first heard him in duo with Randy at the Village Vanguard in the mid 1970’s.

Jamil Nasser—Maestro Jamil and Randy were extremely tight. Randy credited Jamil with introducing him to four great pianists: Oscar Dennard, Lucky Roberts, Phineas Newborn, and Ahmad Jamal. I was blessed to be a member of Benny Powell’s Quintet since the late 1980’s and Jamil was one of the bassists. He knowledge was vast and deeply spiritual.

Idris Muhammad—drums. It was my first opportunity to perform with Idris. Wow he always displayed an in-depth sensibility for the second-line New Orleans aesthetic and kept everything modern with melodic underpinnings. Randy loved Idris dearly and they had previously recorded together for Verve Records.

Big Black—words are inadequate to describe his dexterous rhythmic interplay and soulful drive on the hand drums rooted in the Mississippi delta blues, jazz, and the traditions of Africa and its diaspora. I was so overjoyed to perform many concerts with Big Black and his sense of time and swing was quite astounding!

Azzedin Weston—The first time I ever heard Randy Weston perform live was at the East in Bed-Stuyvesant Brooklyn circa early 1970’s. His band was a duo with his son Azzedin. Their communication and symmetry were beyond belief and the rhythmic pulsating groove remained ever present. I later performed with a group in Jamaica, NY and we opened for T.S. Monk’s band, which featured Azzedin on percussion. He was a natural genius who also spoke several languages fluently and his artwork could rival Picasso’s!!! We were like brothers and I was very sad at his passing.

Yassir Chadly—genbri and karkaba. Yassir was part of the Gnawa musical tradition from Morocco and he resided on the west coast. Randy’s original plan was six Gnawa musicians from Morocco but they were not allowed visas at the last minute. Yassir did a wonderful job as their replacement.

Producer: Jean Philippe Allard and Brian Bacchus
Photos: Ching Ming
Ehgineer: Jay Newland
Talib Kibwe—music director

This was the first time I was designated as Randy’s musical director. It was physically difficult for Melba to direct so I was called to the task. I also had to solo after Dizzy on African Sunrise, which was a daunting endeavor.

I will always remember this date and the unbelievable bond established among all participants. Melba wrote some immensely memorable arrangements capturing the spirit of our ancestors. Please check out the three tenor saxophones in battle on The African Cookbook!!!

My last visit to Randy’s place in Brooklyn was on Sat August 18th. He was so happy and energetic. Coincidentally when I walked in the room he was listening to a CD of his solo improvisatory piano incursions of the highest level. With each note and phrase both of us were in a profound state of excitement. I asked “Hey Chief, where’s this from?” He candidly replied “The Spirit Of Our Ancestors” T.K. Blue (Talib Kibwe) Sept 16, 2018.

Subsequently I went on to record the following projects with Dr. Weston:
–Volcano Blues
–Saga
—Khepera
—Spirit, The Power Of Music
—The Storyteller (I was an associate producer)
—The African Nubian Suite (I was an associate producer)

I was very fortunate to spend 38 years performing, recording, and touring the world with Dr. Randy Weston, an African Griot of the highest magnitude, who embodied the spirit of his ancestors.

 
 

Dr. Randy Weston

On Saturday Sept 1, 2018 we lost a true musical giant, innovator, NEA Jazz Master, and a warrior for the elevation of African-American pride and culture. His compositions disseminating the richness and beauty of the African aesthetic are unparalleled. Randy was born during the era of extreme racism, segregation, and discrimination in the United States. His life’s mission was one of unfolding the curtain that concealed the wonderful greatness and extraordinary accomplishments inherent on the African continent.

I am blessed and honored to have been a member of his band for 38 years. Baba Randy was a spiritual father and mentor for myself, and so many people. Our last public performances were in Rome, Italy July 19th and Nice, France July 21st with Billy Harper on tenor sax Alex Blake bass Neil Clarke percussion and T.K. Blue alto sax and flute.

I will always remember his extreme kindness and generosity. My first four impressions of Dr. Weston reveled who he was and what he cherished:

–Early 1970’s Randy in performance at the East in Brooklyn with his son Azzedine on African percussion (a clear demonstration of his love and mentorship for his children. I also remember Randy inviting the great James Spaulding to sit in on flute)

—Late 1970’s I performed with South African legend pianist Abdullah Ibrahim at Ornette Coleman’s Artist House Loft in Soho NYC. Randy attended this show with his father Frank Edward Weston and his manager Colette (his profound love, respect, and reverence for the elders and his admiration for other artists, especially from the continent of Africa)

—-Late 1970’s I had the first opportunity to perform with Randy at a fundraiser for SWAPO and to raise funds for support against Apartheid in South Africa (another demonstration of his commitment to struggle for civil and human rights world-wide)

During the summer of 1980 I was overjoyed having my first hired performance with Randy and his African Rhythms group at the House Of The Lord Church in Brooklyn which again displayed his support and commitment to keep jazz alive in black community and his in-depth love for the African-American church)

Lastly when my mom Lois Marie Rhynie passed in 2014, there was a last minute issue with the church piano. Dr. Weston paid for the rental of a beautiful baby grand piano and performed gratis.

Randy Weston is the last pianistic link between Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk. His forays into improvisation are clearly a manifestation of the highest tier regarding a creative genius with astounding originality. His compositions are in the pantheon of renowned jazz standards.

Words are inadequate to express my love, admiration, appreciation, and gratitude for such an incredible human being. May his spirit rest in paradise for eternity. We will miss you Baba Randy!!!

 
 

The Motherland Connections

Jazz is an American art form born out of the creativity of African-Americans during the early part of the 20th century, and their desire to adjust and cope with often, adverse conditions in the United States during the post-slavery era. The unique blending of European and African musical sensibilities gave birth to a new music that would emancipate the spirit of the practitioner and thus elevate the status of a people often relegated to the lowest level in the hierarchy of a dignified society.

We can never underestimate the importance of Africa’s contribution to the inception of an improvisational art form born in America that has endured the test of time and disseminated its wings across the globe.

From the early evidence of slave work songs, field hollers, call and response, early “Negro” spirituals, ring shouts, and the blues, we have a substantial trove of musical offerings that laid the groundwork to an early form of jazz expression. Congo Square in New Orleans served as an incubator mixing European and African auditory flavors.

It is a well-documented fact that the inception of the “Blues” gave rise to jazz in the USA. The connections between early blues practitioners in the Mississippi Delta and the African Griot or Jali are quite astounding. The Griot is the oral historian of any particular region or society in Africa. They are master musicians who play specified, traditional African instruments and can resonate a vocal style very reminiscent of the early blues singers in the American south.

The Motherland Connections explore these correlations between jazz musicians in America and traditional African musicians from the “Motherland” In addition we will explore the music of the African diaspora, which also carries the torch and cultural aesthetic of a continent rich in ethnic diversity. Jazz has evolved into a very broad term that can be reflected in a variety of surroundings, which are continually manifested throughout the world’s global musical community.

Sincerely T.K. Blue

 
 

Greetings from Goree Island Dakar Senegal

Greetings from Goree Island Dakar Senegal at the ancient slave fortress outside the door of no return playing my flute for the spirit of my ancestors we are strong we survived and we return to Mother Africa to claim our heritage God Bless

–T.K.Blue Talib Kibwe

Happy New Year 2017 to everyone. I pray you all had a wonderful holiday season and I wish you a blessed new year. I was very fortunate to spend my holiday 2016 in Dakar, Senegal West Africa from Christmas Day until Tuesday January 10th. Africa is a very magical and mystical place where one can witness the origins of mankind and world culture. Africa is full of love, generosity, and sharing beyond measure. Often we only hear about negativity, disease, famine, terrorism, and war. However there are many, many positive aspects of life in African society that one can experience while visiting this incredible continent of aesthetic beauty.

Upon arrival I went to visit NEA Jazz Master Pianist Dr Randy Weston and his lovely Senegalese wife Fatou. They have a beautiful home in Mbao near the ocean about 30 minutes from downtown Dakar. I played on Friday night December 30th with a fantastic vocalist from the USA: Electra Weston–no relation to Randy. She performed at Hotel Keur Gainde’ Route du CVD Hann Marinas and was accompanied by a Senegalese trio. After I went to a very hip club called Just For You. They had a wonderful fashion show in progress and I must comment on how beautiful the African sisters were who participated. They all walked with an air of royalty and respect that echoed the aura of an African princess or queen from an ancient African Kingdom. After the fashion show I was honored to be invited on stage to perform with the legendary Senegalese musician/vocalist/drummer Cheikh Lo. I met Cheikh Lo last April 2016 in NYC when I performed with his band at NYU. I was very elated to play with him again.

I spent New Year’s Eve with the Weston family and later that evening I connected with my friends from the group Xalam, who were performing at a club called Surf Paradise. I met Xalam while I resided in Paris in the early 1980’s. We went on to perform and record together until the leader Abdoulaye (Propere) Niang suddenly passed from a rare form of cancer. I wrote a song dedicated to Prospere on my new CD Amour.

On January 1st new year’s day I joined the Weston family at the Sorano Theater in downtown Dakar for a stunning tribute to the Senegalese master musician and drummer Doudou Ndiaye Rose, who passed away earlier in 2016 at the age of 80. Doudou is a legend in Senegal and I was extremely fortunate to see him in performance over the years. Often he would perform with close to 100 drummers, most playing the sabar drum. His choreography and arrangements are superb and reign supreme in the pantheon of African drumming. I last saw Doudou at the 2010 Black Arts Festival in Dakar. My band performed at the Place De La Renaissance and Doudou was in attendance. The tribute honoring his legacy at the Sorano Theater echoed a grand celebration reminiscent of carnival or mardi gras. The brothers and sisters on stage and in the audience were dressed magnificently, adorned in a myriad of colors and African print fabrics. The elder women wore head wraps that would rival the lovely hats worn by African-American women on Easter Sunday! The saber drummers stole the show with their impeccable rhythms and precise arrangements. This show also featured a “griot” or African storyteller who pranced across the stage emitting words of praise and wisdom regarding our dear departed elder Doudou Ndiaye Rose. Often throughout the show, women from the audience would approach the stage to dance with the drummers or offer money to the performers, which is the custom in traditional African society. In essence it was truly a joyous tribute to a master musician!!!

While in Dakar I received word that my dear friend Abiodun Ayewole from the Last Poets was also in Dakar doing a video shoot for a new recording of poetry. I was hoping to connect with him despite not having any of his contact information. Sunday January 8th I visited the slave fortress on Goree Island. I arrived at the ferry terminal in Dakar to catch a 10am boat to Goree Island. To my wonderful surprise Abiodun was on the same ferry!! We connected and hung out on the island. I participated in his video shoot as I had my flute with me and it was a fantastic experience. Also featured on his new recording are a group of Senegalese brothers called Bideew Bou Bess–New Star In The Sky. They are three brothers who are incredible vocalists and musicians. They are certainly destined for stardom!

Before the video shoot on Goree, I visited the slave fortress. This was perhaps my fifth time here and I was thinking of what my ancestors had to endure being enslaved and treated like property. The elder curator for the fortress died about ten years ago. His replacement spoke very profoundly about the times of slavery and in particular this fortress with its “door of no return”. It’s quite sad to imagine that over the period of four centuries involving the transatlantic slave trade, close to 100 million Africans lives were lost. In fact for every one African that made it to America, The Caribbean, or South America, seven perished during the journey!!! I played a dedication to the spirit of my ancestors who made it to the Caribbean and those who lost their lives enduring a hardship that is unimaginable. I am alive today because of their ultimate sacrifice.

As mentioned Africa is a very beautiful place with a rich history and legacy of world culture. Quite often I hear traditional music that reminds me of the Blues, Samba, Bossa Nova, Reggae, Zouk, Calypso, Funk, and Afro-Cuban music with all its derivatives. Everywhere in Senegal I was greeted by strangers with “Na nga def”–How are you? Ana waa ker ga–How is your family? Jamm ak jamm—peace with peace….In addition I was invited constantly to the homes of folks to have food. Most share everything they have with you without waiting for a thank you. Everywhere I walked people greeted me with love and respect. They treated me as their brother and part of their family. When you thank your host for the wonderful hospitality the response is always “nee or ga buk”—you are welcome–please don’t thank me for this food as it comes from God and it’s for everyone!

I look forward to my next voyage “home” God Bless
–T.K. Blue