the essential
A new percussion ensemble was born last September in Narbonne. It emphasizes its Caribbean specificity, particular instruments and vocal involvement. Carnival will be the opportunity to hear it for one of their first strolls.
“For years I wanted to found this type of ensemble which corresponds more to my culture than Brazilian percussion “, confides Harry Lunion who worked for a long time within Rougaï Percu: “I was waiting to find another musician who had the same passion; I met Claudio and Antoine Nestor, the director of the MJC, supported me on this project. During the association forum, six musicians joined us and Since then, we have worked two evenings a week, Mondays and Fridays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at La Palefermière. “
It is not necessary to know how to speak Creole to be part of Mizikaraïb, but you have to end up learning it a little, in fact, we also sing there.
Musical wandering
The group plays a strolling music called “le mas” (from mask, in Creole, which is worn during carnival) while “gwoka” is static, played with an instrument of the same name which is not carried. The “chacha”, a calabash, gives the tone of a drum. The “bass” marks the beats, the “double bass” marks the syncopations and the “tambouchants” sing in the high notes. We also discover one of the oldest wind instruments in the world: the “lambi”, a conch, a pierced shell which is used by the leader to announce breaks, warn of nuances of volume or call for rhythmic but also vocal responses.
Among the eight musicians, two girls. Sylvie, from Narbonne, plays the double bass. “It was at 5 p.m., during the Association Forum, that we stopped at the stand run by Harry. I had no technical musical knowledge even though I knew this culture and I like this style. At the first rehearsal, I said: this is where I want to go! It took some work at first, but now I’m enjoying playing“. Ingrid also wanted to join an ensemble like this. She heard about it from a friend and she is so hooked that she comes from Fraïsse-des-Corbières twice a week to play the drum.
