A big thanks to Tchèga, who invited us to their launch of their debut record, ‘Kayamba’ last weekend at Lyric Lane in Maylands.
It was a wholesome afternoon for the family and although it was showcasing crèole folk music, from Rèunion island, Mauritius, Madagascar and Seychelles, it catered very well to those who were culturally curious. As a Mauritian myself, I was happy to see many familiar faces showing up and giving their support!
It was an intimate affair, with the very like-able, singer-songwriter Carole Katz. She was accompanied by her very talented team of musicians, Nathan Joseph on bass, Tao Mott on percussion and Ridge Moss on guitar. Visiting from Madagascar and seated in the front row, was Carole’s proud father. In the crowd and giving the cutest commentary throughout the show, was Carole’s child.
The show featured sega, seggae, maloya, afro-pop and soulful folk which were easy to listen to. Folks would have also appreciated some very clever arrangements for ‘Stand By Me’, ‘Diamonds’ and ‘Redemption Song’. These, along with a few others were given a unique, tropical twist. A tropical, French spin of ‘I Will Survive’ was my favourite.
The second set opened with Carole joining some very colourful island dancers for a classic Madagascan track, ‘Mariage’ by Fenoamby. I know this because my grandma loved this song and was a favourite at parties!
Carole also did a lovely duet with talented drummer, dancer and now author, Brigitte Underwood-Legeron, from Seychelles.
I could tell people were waiting for the right moment to dance. We creoles sure love our Sèga! As soon as the opportunity came up, the dance floor was packed with island-loving folk gathering onto the dance floor, including myself. I could have definitely spent more time dancing!
The show transported me straight back to my island home. So much so that that night, I dreamt I was touring Seychelles and speaking my native tongue! Thankyou Tchèga, for a great evening, and we hope to see more of these fabulous showcases in the future.