2015/01/14

Red Monkey Jam

So far my time in Zanzibar has been a flurry of activity, so much so that the memories don´t feel quite set or fixed in form, but more like a desert mirage or tidal flow. All of a sudden the end is in sight, or rather, the beginning of the next phase.

As of yet I´m not quite sure what my next steps are. One of the incredibly characterful things about touring in Africa is that many of the gigs happen spontaneously. It works to its own structure and rhythm. Several times I´ve had a quick call a couple of hours before the gig, and then suddenly found myself playing shortly later.

For now it is possible that I may be flying to Northern Tanzania this weekend as there are 3 potential gigs in Arusha. There is a vague plan to jump on the ferry to the main land and then catch an internal flight. We´ll see. After that things have a more fixed form in Dar Es Salaam, where once again I have some residencies. So playing some gigs for bed and board.

For now though I have had a good long sleep for the first time in several nights, and an easy morning. Monday night was once again the jam at Red Monkey. These nights are famous on Zanzibar and can attract anything from 150 to 400 people. I´ve played a few and the exciting thing about them is how different their characteristic is from week to week. It´s also a tribute to Mark and Kristine who run the night that the night fuses so effortlessly the local scene with musicians from Tanzania, the rest of Africa, and indeed, the occasional British exile drifting through.

It was a great joy to play with Mzungu Kichaa and some of the members of his band on the first session. I will write more of this incredible musician and generous man later, but for now, just a tip worth checking out:

http://www.mzungukichaa.com/

The most recent Jam was centered around the sets of myself and the wonderful local band Swahili and Friends. I find it difficult to express what a pleasure it has been to get to know these guys since arriving. It is always an experience deep in the heart when a musician or band embraces you, especially when you are on a new continent. We´ve played some sets together, very spontaneous and with minimal structure. In the picture we´re working out a couple of ideas, a few sequences to base the songs around. For me, as a solo artist, to jam freely on stage is something I have not done for quite some years, as my focus is on songwriting, and the path of a solo artist is often solitary. For Baila, Mr Karabash and Friends of Swahili on the other hand, jamming is an extension of the spirit and sensibility of the local culture. So I was grateful to them to accept an ugly duckling into their pool for these jams! Great fun, and once again an education for me.

My next show is on Friday on Dreamers Island. It is a restaurant on top of a wooden platform floating on the sea just off Stone Town. Waterworld meets Jamie Oliver. I´m looking forward, as well as the next morning most likely clearing my head on the ferry to Dar Es Salaam.