Blick Bassy: Parisian who never left Africa

“The soul of my music isn’t so much in the words, it’s in the way I sing,” says Blick Bassy of his music. Melody dictates Bassy’s lyrics.

Paris-based Bassy recently performed at the Carnivore’s Simba Saloon as part of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Alliance Francaise in Nairobi.

And although the Cameroon-born Bassy sings in his native Bassa, one does not have to understand the language to enjoy the music.

Bassy’s is African soul music that reflects the ever evolving melting pot of world music and in particular, the relationship between African musicians in the diaspora and those coming of age in their mother country.

The singer-cum-songwriter, guitarist and percussionist, was born in 1974 in Cameroon’s capital Yaoundé, a city where people from all parts of the country fused together.

His first languages were French and English although his family is of the Bassa ethnic group, a nomadic people whose origin can be traced to Egypt.

His name Bassy literally means “people from the earth.”

Now living and performing in Paris, Bassy’s talent was first spotted by Malian musician Salif Keita and he later recorded in Paris and at Keita’s studio in Mali.

Coming from an ethnic group that is fast losing its traditions, Bassy’s music is informed by these concerns.

On his way to Nairobi from Paris aboard national carrier, Kenya Airways, Bassy said he was pleasantly surprised when all the announcements over the intercom by the flight crew were first made in Kiswahili, then in English.

“I felt very proud to be African. This is the way to go,” he said.

It is sad, noted the musician, that many Africans including his own people in Cameroon are fast losing their traditions and culture.

“They hardly speak their mother tongues. The losers here are the future generation.”

It is for this reason that Bassy opted to sing in his mother tongue, Bassa, which is one of the 260 languages spoken in Cameroon.

“Everyday, African cultures and traditions are being lost forever and this should not be allowed,” he said.

The organisers of Bassy’s Nairobi concert said, it was meant to expose the audience to up-and-coming and leading African musicians in the diaspora with the aim of bridging the East-West African musical divide.

And he did not disappoint. His guitar strumming was effortless.

His soft voice, accompanied by the kora, calabash and a double bass blended into a unique, haunting sound that was subtly harmonic, raw and rhythmic. And the audience loved it.

His band consisting of two guitarists also acted as his back-up vocalists, and one of the guitarist adeptly played a small drum tucked under his armpit, drawing applause from the crowd.

On his musical background, Bassy recalls that his mother used to sing from morning till night.

He credits her for his love for music.

On his debut album Leman, which means “mirror,” Bassy connects the music of Central and West Africa and mixes it with bossa nova, jazz and soul.

Leman was recorded in Salif Keita’s studio in Bamako, Mali, and also in Bassy’s current home town of Paris.

It was co-produced by Jean Lamoot (known for his work with Souad Massi, Salif Keita, Nneka and Kasse Mady Diabaté) and Jean-Louis Solans.

At the tender age of 10, Bassy was sent to live with his grandparents for two years in Mintaba, a village in central Cameroon.

His grandparents initiated him into traditional customs and culture, training him in hunting, fishing and agriculture. He was also educated in musical traditions.

A musical background

In Mintaba, daily life is accompanied by music and it was while here that Bassy learnt about Bassa music and the various traditional chants that accompany it.

He set up his first band, Jazz Crew, at the age of 17.

Playing a fusion of African melodies, jazz and bossa nova, Jazz Crew quickly became the most sought-after group in the city.

In 1996, he formed a new band called Macase.

To date, Macase has released two acclaimed albums, Etam (1999) and Doulou (2003), as well as picking up various regional and international awards — the RFI Prize at the World Music (2001), Best Group at the MASA (2001), and Best New African Group at the Kora Awards (2003).

In 2005, Bassy decided to leave Macase and Yaoundé for Paris where he soon found work with Manu Dibango, Cheikh Tidiane Seck, Lokua Kanza and Etienne Mbappé.

A few years later, he signed upto the World Connection label and began work on his solo debut.