O Rappa and AfroReggae on Asian Dub Foundation's trail
English-Indian band jams with Afro percussionists in a workshop in Vigário Geral and records with Rappa
Silvio Essinger
25/04/2001
Celebrated for their mesh of rap, drum'n'bass, reggae, rock and Indian music in explosive songs, whose lyrics carry highly political messages, London-based group Asian Dub Foundation has become one of the most respected names in alternative pop. Touring around Brazil, the members made a point about contacting bands that shared with them the taste for brewing dance floor-driven sounds with indignation. In Recife, during the Abril Pro Rock festival (where they performed on Friday - read article), the members were seduced by Nação Zumbi. "It was the first band that I saw - and it blew my mind", said drummer Roc. But not as much as the meeting with Afro Reggae.
Yesterday afternoon, Asian Dub participated in a workshop at the favela Vigário Geral, in Rio de Janeiro (where they perform with O Rappa today). There, on the balcony of the Centro Cultural AfroReggae, the Indian-Brits met with the band from Rio, originally created as a means to offer some kind of hope to the youngsters from inside the community that became known when the police massacred inhabitants with no apparent reason (read article). The idea of the meeting was to teach the locals how to operate electronic equipments (which Asian Dub often does at the Community Music, in London) - but after AfroReggae's presentation, the foreign band turned into pupil. "Brazil needs to see this", said bassist Dr.Das in awe.
During the workshop, DJ John Pandit (Pandit G) explained to Jonas Michel de Souza, 14 years old (who plays the cavaquinho with AfroReggae), how a drum machine works (see pic
). He got excited with "that funk sound" that came out of the machine. But AfroReggae's drums were even louder. With them, Asian Dub (guitar, bass, drums, DJ and 2 MCs) ended up participating in a remarkable jam session that started with two of their songs: Naxalite and Buzzin'.
By the end of the meeting, Dr.Das explained that, while the first song "is about the daily lives of poor Indian immigrants in England", the second "is about racism". Impossible to be more politically correct. While the music went on, producers were trying to make arrangements for AfroReggae appearance during Asian Dub's concert, tonight.
Lobato and Lauro, respectively drummer and bassist with O Rappa, also attended the workshop. Two days ago they remixed, with Asian Dub, the song Collective Mode, turned into an almost-samba, with acoustic guitars, percussion and a new name, Instinto Coletivo. Since both bands are on Warner's cast, the company intends to include the remix as a bonus track on both bands' upcoming albums. Let's wait and see what comes out of this India-England-Brazil connection.
Yesterday afternoon, Asian Dub participated in a workshop at the favela Vigário Geral, in Rio de Janeiro (where they perform with O Rappa today). There, on the balcony of the Centro Cultural AfroReggae, the Indian-Brits met with the band from Rio, originally created as a means to offer some kind of hope to the youngsters from inside the community that became known when the police massacred inhabitants with no apparent reason (read article). The idea of the meeting was to teach the locals how to operate electronic equipments (which Asian Dub often does at the Community Music, in London) - but after AfroReggae's presentation, the foreign band turned into pupil. "Brazil needs to see this", said bassist Dr.Das in awe.
During the workshop, DJ John Pandit (Pandit G) explained to Jonas Michel de Souza, 14 years old (who plays the cavaquinho with AfroReggae), how a drum machine works (see pic
). He got excited with "that funk sound" that came out of the machine. But AfroReggae's drums were even louder. With them, Asian Dub (guitar, bass, drums, DJ and 2 MCs) ended up participating in a remarkable jam session that started with two of their songs: Naxalite and Buzzin'. By the end of the meeting, Dr.Das explained that, while the first song "is about the daily lives of poor Indian immigrants in England", the second "is about racism". Impossible to be more politically correct. While the music went on, producers were trying to make arrangements for AfroReggae appearance during Asian Dub's concert, tonight.
Lobato and Lauro, respectively drummer and bassist with O Rappa, also attended the workshop. Two days ago they remixed, with Asian Dub, the song Collective Mode, turned into an almost-samba, with acoustic guitars, percussion and a new name, Instinto Coletivo. Since both bands are on Warner's cast, the company intends to include the remix as a bonus track on both bands' upcoming albums. Let's wait and see what comes out of this India-England-Brazil connection.