Krick? Krack! by Edwidge Danticat.

Beautiful words, wonderful insight.
This Haitian writer excels.

Favourite pieces: 'Children of the Sea' and 'Epilogue: Women Like Us'

*thank you for the heads up Warsan.

REVIEW: YolanDa Brown @ The Jazz Café (15th February)

With a venue renowned for its stellar acts and having heard good things about YolanDa Brown, my expectations were high. Judging from the queue already formed by door opening time (7pm prompt), it was clear I was not the only one who had been touched by her reputation.

Hosting the evening was up and coming comedian Eddie Kadi, whose bold and camp comedy style kept the eclectic crowd entertained. As he reeled off her achievements of sell-out shows, I could hear murmurs of “I was there”, amongst the audience. It was official, I was amongst fans.

As the lady herself took centre stage, wearing her trademark knee length frock and carrying her beautifully painted tenor sax; she appeared much smaller in person and I wondered how she would survive a two hour set in killer heels. I needn’t have worried, for YolanDa showed me how it was done.

“In the mood for love” was the theme for YolanDa Brown’s Valentine’s weekend concert and the first half of the act reflected this; kicking off with the title song. Next up was a slightly up-tempo rendition of Misty and Just Say, an original composition, moody and mellow enough to bang home the message of love. Throughout her set YolanDa invited the band to jam with her and to perform solo. At one point she introduced the musicians not just by name but by nationality, each playing a traditional sound from their native country: Brazil, Jamaica, London, Nigeria and Sierra Leone – I was being spoiled by a cornucopia of world music.

For the second half Ms. Brown re-joined us having swapped her modest bronze dress in favour of a brightly patterned, African-inspired number. The camaraderie between stage and audience continued, as she burst into an original, Festact Town, named after a town in Nigeria. As she bopped and jigged on stage, sax in hand, we couldn’t help but join in. Though highlights of the night included a performance of Story (another original composition) and a sax duet of Prince’s The Beautiful Ones, with vocalist Aaron, it was simply watching YolanDa do her thing that stood out most of all. Switching from an original to a popular song (Bob Marley’s Is This Love went down extremely well), from tenor sax to soprano and back; her passion and love for performing brought magic to the show.

© Rachelle Hull, 2009
Published at www.catchavibe.co.uk
Photo Credit: Richard Kaby www.flickr.com/photos/kabyric/sets

Interview: KWAME MANTE

Kwame vision
Written by Rachelle Hull
Wednesday, 21 January 2009 00:00

Filmmaker Kwame Mante is of the DIY generation. Armed with affordable equipment, bright ideas and a global audience just a keyboard away, Mante set about turning his ideas into celluloid. A young man made of one part humour and two parts ambition with a smile fit for any toothpaste advertisement, he is instantly likable.

Had you asked a younger Mante what he wanted to be when he grew up, his response would have placed him in front of the lens rather than behind it: “I was a creative kid and was really into acting; I guess you could say I was centre of attention a lot of the time.”

So, what changed? “I was also into storytelling and story making; so eventually decided I wanted to become a filmmaker,” he explains.

Dusting off the “old family camera” as a teenager, he began to put his career plans into action. Fast forward a decade and a degree later, BlakkDon Productions is in existence and has its first release: I’m An African, a short documentary exploring the 24-year-old’s personal experience as a British-born Ghanaian growing up in North London. He said: “Growing up, I felt that in the black community there was a difference between Africans and Caribbeans. When I was young, I didn’t understand it; as far as I was concerned, we were all black and from Africa – just via different routes. As I grew older I wanted to show what it meant to be an African and that became the premise for my documentary.”

Exercising the rights of the DIY generation, Mante posted the trailer for I’m An African on YouTube and MySpace, where it began circulating amongst university students. This eventually led to a personal invitation from the School of African and Oriental Studies to offer a special screening of his debut film.

Showing pride in African (specifically Ghanaian) culture and unabashedly ending on a positive note, Mante’s documentary is a far cry from the prevalence of media like Kidulthood and Bullet Boy. “I do appreciate those films for what they are; we cannot hide from the fact that certain things are happening in this society. However, I don’t feel these films tackle the underlying issues or provide solutions. We need to address a balance,” Mante said candidly.

Though his deliberate difference does not come from an egotistical urge to appear diverse, it does come from a place that advocates change. It is not surprising then that among his list of those who inspire him most are President Barack Obama, Lewis Hamilton, Quentin Tarantino and his namesake Kwame Kwei-Armah; all movers and shakers in their respective fields.

Fortunately for Mante, he was able to meet his number one inspiration, Spike Lee, at a recent book signing in London. His respect for the award-winning filmmaker is evident as he animatedly relays blagging his way into the building (due to sold out tickets) and being let in by Lee himself. Mid-conversation, Mante reaches into his bag and pulls out a book; Spike Lee: By Any Means Necessary by Jim Haskins. ”It’s a great book. I’m a fan of all of Spike’s work and now I’ve been getting a picture of his life. I’ve come to realise that a lot of his films are quite autobiographical – most of them taken from his personal life. I feel it’s pretty similar to mine; we are both from a middle-class background and have been instilled with the value of having to work hard. I like the route Spike Lee has taken.”


Does this mean we can expect to see Mante appearing in his own films and espousing mantra-like mottos? “As filmmakers, we have to give a piece of ourselves in order to get that recognition and to show where we’re coming from,” he said. “Spike just did it literally and figuratively. As for mottos, I think of inspiring thoughts or phrases for the day, put them on a post-it and stick it on my wall. I can’t even see my wall anymore. If you don’t motivate yourself every day, you might as well stay in bed.”



With a wall of wisdom in existence, one has to ask if there are any pearls he would care to share with budding filmmakers. Without hesitation he says, “You cannot be a wallflower and be a filmmaker; that doesn’t make sense. You must have an idea and be confident that it will work. You have to put yourself out there and take risks in order to grow and develop. I’ve had to put myself out there and it’s not easy; not everybody has warmed to the things I have done. But you have to take certain things on the chin and develop a thick skin; self-efficacy is something I have taken to hand.”



Despite his passion for all things film-related, Mante is hesitant to label himself, or at least stick with one label for very long. “I don’t consider myself just a filmmaker. I write poetry, blogs; I’m in the process of writing a novel as well as working on I’m An African Part 2. At the moment, I have my ‘social commentator’ hat on. I really want to explore the society we live in and explore roles that aren’t necessarily tackled. For people of African descent, our traditions are steeped in the oral; I feel we need more of a documented legacy.”

© Rachelle Hull, 2009
Published at www.sevenglobal.org

Interviews: SAMATA ANGEL and PANDEMONIUM

*Double click images for a larger view


FASHION DESIGNER: Samata Angel





MAKE-UP ARTISTS: Pandemonium


© Rachelle Hull
Published at www.flavourmag.co.uk

REVIEW: John Legend - Evolver

After two successful albums, John Legend is back with his third release. Aptly entitled Evolver, we see Legend experiment with this latest installment of lyrics and melodies. Teaming up with producers Andre 3000, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West expect to hear smooth synths and plenty of bass. Upbeat tracks dominate the first half of the album, but dedicated fans will be pleased to know that Legend’s soulful and easy-listening vibes take precedence in the final half.

Though his (reggae-influenced) duet with Estelle was expected, his duet with Brandy comes as a welcome surprise as they harmonise perfectly over electro-pop, on the standout track Quickly. Other noteworthy tracks include Green Light, Everybody Knows and No Other Love.

On If You’re Out There, we hear John Legend take a break from his usual soliloquies about love and relationships and delve into political territory, by calling for change in the world (the track also features on the official website of President-elect Barack Obama).

Though Evolver is not instantly catchy and may take a while to grow on you, with this offering, John is once again proving that he is musically talented enough to carry an album without an entourage of guest artists; and that he may be on his way to becoming a legend in his own right.

© Rachelle Hull, 2008
Published at: www.catchavibe.co.uk

REVIEW: Blessed Souls - Open Mic Event (November)

In the basement of Adulis Eritrean Restaurant an intimate showcase took place, amid leather sofas and a smattering of candles on tables. With live music from MAC band (bass, keys, drum and sax in full effect) and hosted by Adelaide McKenzie, the night promised to be an enjoyable one.

Open mic nights tend to be musical translations of Forest Gump’s chocolate box - you never know what you are going to get – and I found the Blessed Souls event to be no different. From a harmonica-player, speaking Hebrew lyrics over a solid reggae rhythm; to a humorous poem about God told in Patois; the unique and wonderful shared the stage with aplomb. In between acts a selection of soul, r&b and dancehall tracks were mixed by DJ KMT, to keep the crowd entertained.

Highlights of the evening included a Norah Jones-esque ballad by a young lady called Matshidiso; an energetic and crowd-pleasing performance by self-proclaimed street psalmist Karl Nova and a beautifully passionate performance by a Ms. Rachel Kerr. Despite the sound-checking interruptions at the beginning, due to a late start, Adelaide’s lively and engaging banter with the audience quickly won me over. As I reclined on the mocha-coloured leather sofa, and soaked in the laidback vibes I felt as if I were receiving a live gig in the privacy of my living room. My only gripe for the night was the event lingered on a little bit too long and having to use the upstairs bar instead of the one in the basement.

For those interested in great music and good vibes, with spiritual undertones, Blessed Souls is the perfect spot.

© Rachelle Hull, 2008

Published at: www.catchavibe.co.uk

ESSAY: Obama Election Result: Where Were You?

At some minutes after 3am this morning I could not sleep. Whether it was due to the surprising humidity (in November!) or because my subconscious was encouraging me to bear witness to the historical event taking place; I am not sure.



From the comfort of my bed, I logged onto the site that never sleeps (otherwise known as Face Book) and I discovered I was not alone in my need to be awake. Plenty of friends (mainly from the UK) were alive and kicking; discussing and celebrating the victory that had recently occurred.



On hearing the news I felt anticlimactic and I immediately began to question whether this moment - this day - equated real change and for whom? Expressing my thoughts on FB I was soon to find out what the rest of my peers thought; old friends and new.



I was questioned about questioning the event. Did I not realise the significance of what had just happened? Not only for Americans, but for people all over the world. Not to mention the added significance for Black people all over the world: African-Americans; Black Brits; Kenyans; Canadians; Afro-Europeans; Bajans; Nigerians; Brazilians; Sierra Leoneans - and the list goes on.



Venturing downstairs to the living room I tuned in to BBC1 to hear the first speech, live, from the President of the United States: Barack Obama. In short, Barack delivered. His speech was passionate, inspirational and honest. The sight of tears from Oprah and Jesse Jackson (for whom I cannot imagine how this moment feels), I began to understand. Regardless of my earlier fears and questions this was a moment to be enjoyed and to be treasured.



As the hours passed and the UK began it’s morning “business as usual” routine; I noted a group of young black boys (no older than eight) on their way to school. With smiles on their small brown faces, they argued amongst themselves and I heard shouts of “I’m Obama!”, “No, I’m Obama!”, “No, he’s the President!” The moment was surreal and I realised that for today, at least, it wasn’t “business as usual.” I have witnessed a historical event that truly means something to me; one that I will relish telling my children in the future.

I know where I was on the 5th November 2008, physically and emotionally, where were you?

© Rachelle Hull, 2008