GUO GAN / RICHARD BOURREAU /ZUMANA TERETA
Saba Sounds

fy 8269

885016826925
Felmay Records

 

The three violins on Saba Sounds combine the sounds of their respective cultures and countries: France, China, Mali. A project born and nurtured at a French festival by Richard Bourreau and Guo Gan and brought to fruition in Mali with the addition of Zoumana Tereta’s sockou and vocals.




Beppe Greppi

Not new to original and unexpected encounters, GUO GAN once again surprises us with a new album that sees him starring in an anomalous string trio consisting of RICHARD BOURREAU (violin) and ZOUMANA TERRETA (so kou - typical Malian string bowed instrument with a single string). The three, alternating in the role of main instrument bearer of the melodic line within each piece, make almost impossible to attribute the sound to a specific musical culture, be it Chinese, West African or European, accompanying the listener in a pleasant and fascinating sound walk that touches various geographical areas: from the sub-Saharan desert (6) to the overwhelming almost Gypsy-Balkan sounds (3) passing through the Himalayan Plateau of Tibet (2,8) with the distant echoing of the dramatic litanies of the mysterious rituals of Buddhist monks (8). Flying over the wide Chinese plains, where GUO GAN’s erhu can gallop in complete freedom (11), up to the imaginary visions of Cinéma El Mundo (12), a reinterpretation of a hit of the French group Lo'Jo, which closes the CD leaving us with the desire to leave again for another voyage as soon as possible together with this original and fascinating trio of World music in its most deeper sense.

Master GUO GAN is the first Chinese folk musician and Erhu player to win many international awards, including 2015 Medalist Of The Knights In French Literature And Arts. GUO GAN Holds a bachelor’s degree in music (Erhu) from Shenyang conservatory of music and a master’s degree from the National Music School of Fresnes in Paris. He joined over 5000 concerts in more than 100 countries, published more than 80 albums, integrating rich elements into them, including world music, classic, jazz, ballet, opera, modern and pop. His masterpieces are heard in many Chinese and western movies, such as Kungfu Panda 3, Shaolin, and L’Idole. He worked with a long list of well-known musicians, including Lang Lang, Hans Zimmer, Yvan Cassar, Didier Lockwood, Gabrel Yared among others. He also has a rich working experience with orchestras like the National Symphony Orchestra of Paris, New York and China.
ZOUMANA TERETA called « Zou », a musician from Macina region in Mali, has played his violin along the Malian and Ivorian roads for a while, and has played and recorded with the greatest Malian artists (Saly Sidibé, Ténin Djini, Damba, the Sidibé sisters, Hawa Koni, Maï Koné, Oumou Sangaré, Fantani Touré and many others). Iconic figure of the Badema National (official Malian orchestra), he adapted the SOKOU (his instrument) to Zion B rap music, and also played in many film soundtracks. Zoumana Tereta is considered as the master of sokou in Mali.

RICHARD BOURREAU is a musician from Anjou (France). He has studied classic violin, and is the cofounder of the band LO’JO in 1984, in which he still plays nowadays. It is inside this same band that he developed a growing interest pour world music. Many tours around the globe allowed him to play with many artists such as Achie shepp, Zakir Hussein, Airelle Besson Erik Truffaz, Boubacar Traoré, Louis Sclavis, etc... On a personal basis, he played with Yunchen Llamo, Toumani Diabaté, Hector Zazou, Cheik Tidiane Seck, Lama Guyrme,etc.