Echoes of home

The Acoustic African Nights Cabaret celebrates world music

Fringe ArtsPhoto EssayJulia Cieri — Published November 8, 2024 3 minutes

The program spotlights international artists based in Montreal who have messages that need to be heard, cultures that need to be shared, and unique fusions of traditional and contemporary music that need to be spread to as many ears as possible. The world music cabaret runs all year from Thursday to Sunday inclusively.

Here are a few of the many talented artists featured in the program, hailing from various countries around the world.

Originally from Burkina Faso, Lasso Sanou immigrated to Montreal in 2009 and continues to perform solo, in duos, trios and full bands. Sanou plays many West African instruments, his mastery being the flute. 

“I am born an artist,” Sanou said. “I’m born into a griot family, where music and speech are at the heart of life.” 

Griots are the librarians of oral history, according to Sanou. This can be done through both music and speech. The profession is hereditary and has been present throughout West Africa for centuries, with the traditional role of preserving the genealogies, historical narratives and oral traditions of their people. 

“My music represents advice music,” Sanou said. “I talk a lot about peace, love, union and co-existence.”

Samba Canjerê formed serendipitously in 2019 through a Brazilian community association in Montreal. Rafael Branco, the group’s leader, was born in Brazil and has been a Montreal resident since 2002.

“Our music represents a lot of things,” said Branco. “It’s a mix of our ethnicities, but there’s a spiritual element as well.” 

With roots in West African traditions, Samba Canjerê’s Afro-Brazilian sound blends heritage, spirituality and cultural authenticity, with percussion at its heart.

Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Mateo has been making music since he was five years old. 

“My parents put me in a specialized school in music,” he said. “This is what initiated my love of music.”

Blending elements of Latin rock, Mateo hopes to offer the world a fresh sound that stands out from the homogenized version of Latin music that people have today. 

“My music represents my soul and my being, the materialization of my ideas and emotions, and an alternative sound from my Latin American culture,” he said.

Mamoutou Dembélé, originally from Mali and now a Canadian citizen, has been head of his band, BABA MD, since 2004. Born into a griot family, he sees music as a way to foster peace. 

“Us griots are guardians of culture, and we bring peace,” Dembélé said. “We play at marriages, funerals, conflicts and so on. I play a lot of instruments.” 

With his band, Dembélé has developed an Afro-blues sound that mixes soulful melodies, intricate guitar riffs and African percussion.

“My music represents social cohesion, it unites and it allows us to love each other,” he said. 

Dembélé believes cultures have no boundaries, and that on this earth we are all interlinked just by having blood running through our veins. 

“My goal with my music is to constantly share my own culture while continuing on learning from others, because every part of the planet has its beauty,” he said.