YAKIR ARBIB & CONTI BILONG – Afro Baroque – LP – 180g Vinyl [OCT 24]

LP – 180g Black Vinyl.

Elsden Music presents the debut recording by Afro Baroque, comprising award winning pianist and composer Yakir Arbib and Cameroonian virtuoso drummer and vocalist Conti Bilong, the duo explore traditional rhythms from central Africa and the Middle East, amalgamating Baroque style counterpoint and dynamic jazz interplay.

An unlikely pairing given the difference in their musical backgrounds, Arbib and Bilong nevertheless discovered a phenomenal synergy from the very first time they met in a small rehearsal room in Paris and started playing ‘Caravan‘ by Duke Ellington. Yakir states that “something inexplicable happened. An instantaneous musical connection resulting from the alchemy of this unlikely encounter.” This surprising connection manifests itself through genuinely unique music, the quality of which is more than evident on the Afro Baroque recording.

Hailed by the press as “the king of improvisation”, Yakir Arbib is an award-winning pianist, composer and improviser. Yakir made his recording debut at age 19 when he was signed by the Italian Philology Jazz Records (Chet Baker, Lee Konitz and Phil Woods) following his winning first price at the Massimo Urbani International Jazz Competition in Italy. After which an international career ensued with performances at some of the most prestigious concert halls in the world including Salle Pleyel, Montreux Palace Theatre, Steinway Hall Boston, the Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts and the Jerusalem Theatre among others.

Conti Bilong‘s journey from a self-taught drummer in Cameroon to a celebrated figure on the global music stage, has seen him tour with the legendary Sam Fan Thomas, catapulting him onto international stages touring Gabon, Kenya, and the United States. Bilong’s prowess on the drums soon caught the attention of other musical giants. His work with the iconic Soul Makossa Band led by Manu Dibango, and collaborations with renowned artists like Oumou Sangare, cemented his status as a notable figure in world music. Bilong’s achievements are as diverse as his musical repertoire. From producing albums for Cameroonian artists to touring internationally, his contributions to music are multifaceted. His exploration of various genres, including jazz-rock, bolobo, maloya, salsa, and samba, reflects his unending quest for artistic growth.

In a joint statement, Afro Baroque say “We believe that now more than ever, we need connections, bridges, and strands of colour and beauty that connect opposite cultures, traditions, languages, and religions together from across the world. Afro Baroque’s music is exactly that! We connect seemingly diametrically opposed worlds: the studious European counterpoint on one side, and the unstoppable force of joy, rhythm and dance coming from Africa on the other.”

Tracklist:

Side 1
1. Ngola and Ekang
2. Wana So
3. All Blues
4. Mout Binam Nou

Side 2
1. Afro Baroque
2. Muna Wondja
3. Stuck in Dagestan
4. Barbes-Rochechouart

Yakir Arbib – piano, keyboards
Conti Bilong – drums, percussion, vocals

Omar Vazquez Rubio – producer of introductions to Stuck in Dagestan and Barbes Rochechouart

Recorded by Arthur Gouret at Studio Sexton La Fonderie, Paris
Mixed by Greg Dowling at Elsden Music
Mastered by Russ Hepworth-Sawyer (www.mottosound.com)

Front cover painting African Dancers by Angu Walters (www.artcameroon.com)
Rear cover photo (c)2024 Mehdi Hassine

Design by Amanda Chapman-Bruce
Representation by Peter Conway