Nàmàkàlà

Nàmàkàlà is the meeting of Madagascan guitarist Joël Rabesolo and Belgian saxophonist Damien Brassart, two musicians united by their passion for traditional West African music and jazz. Together, they revisit Mandingo standards and mix in their own compositions, inspired by this rich and deeply expressive musical tradition.

For this concert, the duo welcomes a special guest: Beninese drummer Josaphat Hounnou.

The pieces performed by Nàmàkàlà - whether from the traditional repertoire or their own creations - tell singular stories driven by emotion: joy, love, nostalgia, melancholy, passion... Stories that the music makes universal.

In Malinké, Nàmàkàlà means ‘to bind people together so that they can get along’. This is one of the roles of the griots in West Africa, and it is this role of intermediaries that Joël and Damien wish to embody: creating links between cultures, between people, between emotions, through music.

Both trained in jazz at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, the two musicians found a deep source of inspiration in Mandingo traditions. Jazz, and more specifically improvisation, allows them to appropriate this music to tell their own story - a story shared on stage with sincerity and generosity.

https://youtu.be/59SHndHA6iI

https://youtu.be/ssPnAjnnSqE

https://youtu.be/t4Qvz_nKvAM