Successful first edition of Music Meeting XS
With four exciting concerts by Mayra Andrade (Cabo Verde), Kassé Mady Diabaté (Mali), Vincent Peirani & Emile Parisien (France) and Metá Metá (Brazil) – in a crowded and atmospheric venue Doornroosje in Nijmegen (Holland) – the Music Meeting XS can look back on a successful first indoor edition of the grand and renowned annual international music festival that normally takes place in May at Park Brakkenstein.
With the extraordinary international performances by before mentioned bands and artists the première of this indoor ‘winter edition’ totally lives up to the known slogan of the Music Meeting: ‘the best music you rarely see’. The honor to open this first run of the Music Meeting XS is for Mayra Andrade, the female singer of Cape Verde who is able to mix the island’s musical traditions like funaná and morna with Brasilian and Cuban influences in a resourceful way.
After a 45 minute break the stage is set for a great artist of Mali, Kassé Mady Diabaté. I presume a lot of people are especially present at the Music Meeting XS to see him perform. And for more than one good reason that is. On this occasion maestro and singer Kassé Mady – who was previously a member of various West-African super groups – brought some fine musicians along. Like kora-virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko, the great ngoni-player Badjé Tounkara and a marvelous percussionist, who shows his awesome skills on an African-like vibraphone.
Back in the sixties – as a member of famous orchestras like Orchestre Régional Super Mandé de Kangaba and Las Maravillas – Kassé Mady already contributed to the heydays of West-African music. And today this Malian quartet knows to excite the audience from start to finish with a wonderful and highly atmospheric performance. With it, they totally live up to the high expectations. And rightfully receive a standing ovation.
After the West-African music of Kassé Mady Diabaté – on which one could dance – with French duo Vincent Peirani & Emile Parisien it’s something completely different. The music of Peirani and Parisien – who both studied classical music – is to be called spherical and thrilling. Their exciting mix of accordion and soprano saxophone is extraordinary. This certainly is a concert to listen to with great attention. The way that they perform and play – as well as the cinematic character of the music – is mind blowing and invites the audience to fill up their minds with all kinds of adventurous thoughts.
The finishing performance is by Brazilian band Metá Metá who are considered to be the Brazilian equivalent to bands like Antibalas, Fools Gold and Vampire Weekend. With an inventive mix of South-American music, afrobeat and rhythms of the Afro-Brazilian candomblé they put a fitting end to a successful première of the Music Meeting XS.
The next big annual Music Meeting takes place at Park Brakkenstein on the 23th, 24th and 25th of May 2015
