without a doubt the most important show of womadelaide 2008
stage 1 10pm saturday night and the crowd were all there
i did the usual pre-show manoeuvre to get a position of first choice
smack-bang centre about 10 metres back from the high stage
i.e. great view and pick up the sound from on stage and front of house
the anticipation was high for this performance and the crowd was buzzing
by the time the large band hit the stage excitement levels were very high
they warmed up with a very busy, tight and fast introduction
mostly featuring the djembe drummer (pictured)
who strode the stage like a man possessed and worked the crowd
an unidentified man dressed in all white traditional robes then sang
a strong and beautiful voice well matched to the music going on
he could have easily stayed centre stage all night but his stay was brief
it seemed his main role was then to bring on the main man
and so he guided the star with the aid of a crutch to his position
ensured he was comfortable sitting behind his kora and departed
and then things cranked up another level with the kora in the mix
i don't think i have ever heard such precision playing at womad
complex rhythms, players coming in and out, stop/start beats
each musician totally in sync with each other but looking totally relaxed
a wonderful piece of music that had me glancing skywards more than once
and bringing to mind heaven on earth thoughts only experienced in this place
that may be a bit of a big claim but womadelaide really can be that special
it's not just about the music - it's the warmth of the night air
and a special atmosphere resulting from a united crowd
toumani took time out at the end of one tune
to give us all a lesson in the magic that is his chosen instrument
spoke briefly of the griot tradition from his home country of mali
and then deftly demonstated the way in which the kora is played
21 strings and 10 fingers used to produce 3 quite separate sounds
a bass line, a melody and then improvisation added on top
another first for me at womadelaide
a workshop usually enjoyed on a minor stage now on stage 1
i suspect that toumani diabate would be one of a few that could do that
he also took time to explain the concept behind this current band
a respectful mix of old and new - instruments and musical styles
so with that all taken in we then experienced a wonderful set of music
so many highlights with various members of the band in the spotlight
our favourite djembe player relished his time in front
and the guitarist played duelling instruments with main man
thus not only demonstrating the strength of the sound of guitar and kora
but also proving the dexterity of the playing of both musicians
no wonder toumani diabate is held in such high esteem
he is a leader, composer, teacher and a master musician
for me i was totally satisfied and also unusually for me
i decided to hang onto the experience
and gave the final show for the night a miss
left the gardens and walked back to the hotel on a high
a very fulfilling day's music in my head
topped off by this magical show
as good as it gets
