Congo Square Festival returns to its namesake

19th March 2012   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

It’s simply great news that the Congo Square Festival, now officially and appropriately dubbed the Congo Square New World Rhythms Festival, returns to its historic locale at Congo Square in Armstrong Park. The event (March 24-25), which was previously held in the fall, has jumped into the spring, a move that puts it in the position of kicking off New Orleans’ incredibly active festival season.

It appears as if the presenter, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, really wanted to kick the free festival up a notch. Perhaps in celebration of it being held again in Congo Square, where it hasn’t taken place since 2009, the activities have expanded to two days that boast a wonderfully ambitious musical line-up of international and local acts. Other venues, such as St. Claude Avenue’s Healing Center, will also host events in association with the Congo Square Festival.

In many respects, the expressively modern group, Africa Brass, represents the continued lineage that has long linked New Orleans and the African continent. The forward-thinking band, which plays often in the Crescent City and has enjoyed an ardent following, performs as part of the Ogden Museum’s ongoing series on Thursday night, March 22 and on Saturday, March 24, at 1 p.m. at the Congo Square New World Rhythms Festival.

Exceptional musicianship defines the ensemble that is lead by Guinean Thierno Dioubate on balafon and djambe drums with New Orleans saxophonist Tim Green, tuba player Matt Perrine, trombonist Charles Joseph and percussionist Jeff Klen and also often features vocalist Michaela Harrison and clarinetist Brian Asher. The elements of the band that speak most strongly of the African/New Orleans connection are the shared rhythms and the deep sense of spirituality. The musicians’ diverse musical and cultural backgrounds – African Dioubate, creative jazz saxophonist Green, traditional trombonist Joseph — excitingly highlight its we are one aura.

Saturday offers a provocative line with the great Diblo Dibala headlining and closing out the evening at Armstrong Park from 6 p.m. until 7:15 p.m. It’s definitely jump up and party time when the energized guitar master Dibala gets going playing African dance music called soukous. He and the style both originated in the Congo (now Zaire) and the master guitarist has gained world-wide recognition fronting his own groups as well as performing with another soukous giant, vocalist Kanda Bongo Man.

Many of these artists may be unfamiliar to the general audience and even carry some rather unusual names like Chopteeth Afro­Funk Big Band that performs on Saturday’s bill at 2 p.m. This propulsive 12-piece, rhythm-heavy outfit hails from Washington, D.C. The music derives its sound from the afro-beat style of such renowned purveyors as the great Fela Kuti. Chopteeth funks it up updating classic West African big band sounds plus adding original material. It’s lively, it’s fun.

Guitars, drums, horns, congas, vocalists and dancers drive the 13-piece Interactivo band from Cuba that performs Saturday at 4 p.m. The group of fine musicians brings it on with a modern fusion of funk, Latin, jazz and more. Anything goes with this group.

Having international artists such as these quality ensembles performing on a program that includes New Orleans own fine talent — dance and drumming ensembles, Mardi Gras Indians – is beneficial in realizing roots. Because this city is a bit isolated, having new experiences such as hearing music from beyond our borders can fuel musical inspiration and broaden horizons.

Sunday offers another adventurous schedule that really stretches out going from Latin rhythms from the likes of our own Fredy Omar Con Su Banda to a hip-hop summit featuring the very musical and affable rap of Dee-1 and others. Then the Grammy-winning ReBirth Brass Band teams with Partners-In-Crime and a host of other guests like DJ Jubilee for some real bounce get down. In gatherings of old friends such as these, it’s difficult to say who has more fun the crowd or the musicians.

Meanwhile, on the street just outside the gates of Armstrong Park, the Revolution Social Aid & Pleasure Club presents its annual Sunday afternoon parade that starts at 1 p.m. and heads uptown. At 3 p.m. the finalists in the Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s high school brass band contest Class Got Brass? take over the street to compete for $20,000 worth of musical instruments for their respective schools. Three bands will be chosen by such luminaries as Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, clarinetist Michael White and trumpeter Gregg Stafford for first, second and third place awards. With the money and their pride at stake, these young musicians should be kickin’.

Where there’s a music festival, there’s of course an array of food and arts and crafts. There are so many extra-curricular, associated activities it is impossible to highlight them all. Go to www.jazzandheritage.com/congo-square for the complete schedule.

The Congo Square New World Rhythms Festival promises to be a major happening and a unique musical experience in New Orleans. The drums remain the heartbeat of Congo Square and the ancestors’ rhythmic gifts to the city and the world will be remembered and continued.

This article was originally published in the March 19, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper