Photographer Simon Weller and author of South African Township Barbershops & Salons, recently put us onto Kanaga System Krush (K.S.K); an independent fair-trade ethos record label also based out of Nevada City, California. They refer to themselves as a collective of musicians, engineers, visual media artists and permaculture designers who aside from being beat junkies shared the ever increasing weariness of the one microphone “field recordings” of ethnomusicologists keen to preserve the music yet paying little heed to the artists themselves.
K.S.K was intent on addressing this short-coming and have been documenting small groups of musicians ever since, releasing acclaimed works from artists such as Lobi Traore. Their focus continues to be the preservation and promotion of traditional music from West Africa. To this end, one of the projects that has been gestating for more than 10 years with over 600 hours of footage, is the feature-length documentary currently in post-production, the labour of love, “Music in Mali: Life is Hard, Music is Good.” The film will offer many a viewer, the chance to learn of the rich traditions of this West African nation including its tradition of orally handing down its history, culture and wisdom through allegorical tales about life.
“You cannot run away from your destiny.
Let’s get focus
your best is when you can
Let’s get focus
The world is based on back stabbing
Let’s get focus
Musicians are back stabbing each other
Let’s all listen carefully
I listen to my heart
so I can get focus”
Excerpt of Taga Sidibe singing “N’diya Ma’na ban” over the rhythm of didndi
If the trailer is evidence of things to come, then K.S.K.’s work is awe inspiring. The care shown and calibre of documentation, a wide cross-section of talents both old and young, famous and hardly known, female and male. The film’s synopsis includes a historical journey that will elucidate the Manding Empire’s influence and direct relationship with American music culture, from Blues to Rock, Jazz and even Hip-hop. When listening to the late Lobi Traore, these influences seem so apparent. However, despite the richness of the music and the vibrance of the people featured, the documentary does not pass-over the harsh and often times impoverished living conditions of many a Malian. Rather, they bring to light the triumph of the human spirit, to rise beyond physical circumstances to find joy. A joy through music, expressed through each individual’s adept musical talents and this joy does oh so permeate throughout this small snapshot. Truly, Life can be hard but nevertheless music is good. We will look eagerly forward to this movie’s release currently slated for late Spring / early Summery 2012.
About
Kanaga System Krush (K.S.K.) is an independent record label, operating on a fair-trade principle, focused on the preservation and promotion of traditional music from West Africa. By bringing this music to the world market, K.S.K. is opening new channels to an old tradition, as well as providing direct support to the carriers of this ancient knowledge. K.S.K. and acclaimed producer Oz Fritz have produced and released nearly a dozen albums over the last five years, most notably Lobi Traore’s career-topping electric live set Bwati Kono.
Where is Mali?
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Images courtesy of K.S.K. on kickstarter.
