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RADIO TRANSIT BIO The RADIO TRANSIT Theater Tour brings a selection of Radio Transit artists together with two writers, around the migration/refugee theme. Musicians Piet Maris, Theophane Raballand (Jaune Toujours), Katia and Mielka Pohlodkova (Mec Yek), MCs JSP and SL (Afrozquad) and Samson & Samuel work together with writers Chika Unigwe (her book De Feniks) and Bart Demyttenaere (his book Verkeerde Tijd Verkeerde Plaats), in an organisation by Wereldsolidariteit. RADIO TRANSIT also means the release of a fresh, variated compilation CD, with music of refugee and migrated musicians. The label is Choux de Bruxelles, distribution for Belgium by Play It Again Sam and a selection of Oxfam shops - ref.: chou 0603, pias 900.0078.020 On 14/5/06 RADIO TRANSIT was on the scene for the first time (Mano Mundo festival) - it became an item in the Belgian, Dutch spoken television news (VRT): Click here to see Radio Transit in the VRT television news THE ARTISTS: AFROZQUAD presents mc's JSP and SL (originally from Angola) and DJ Goofstarr; hip hop with original lyrics in Lingala and Portugese. CHARLES BLACKMAN brings west-african calypso reggae, singing about freedom for the people, about Jah Almighty and sometimes about love, which is the key to life. HEARTWASH is a band of African and Belgian musicians, formed by Ishaga Sillah. His reggae songs deal with African issues and the need for justice in the world. Click here for the website of Heartwash JAUNE TOUJOURS which is commonly known for its explosive cultural mix and widely appreciated in world music and other musical circuits, regularly takes position for those who are not heard, like refugees and sans-papiers. With Radio Transit, they have the refugees themself speaking. KINCH: Congolese party music. Rather than playing safe with Colgolese stereotypes (soukouss, rumba, ndombolo), Kinch worked on a style of his own, which he calls Kibuyu. He mixes traditional rhythms and melodies from central Congo with blues and jazz elements. His music not only invites to dance and party, but also talks about violence, hope and freedom, calling for tolerance. Click here for the website of Kinch LAMP FALL SARAFINA: Reggae blues from Senegal. Singer Jupiter started with the succes of the Senegalese hiphop formation Jef. J (album Ben Bennal sold 25.000 copies). However, he searched for a more spiritual form of music, fitting in with his Bayefal belief. Click here for teh website of Lamp Fall Sarafina / Jupiter Diop MEC YEK are two young Romani singer, backed up by musicians of Jaune Toujours, making a fairly fresh approach of the repertoire of the Roma (gipsy people). SAMBA DJANGO: Desertblues in the tradition of the Peul. Already when he was six he drummed on empty barrels to accompany his voice. His uncle, the famous Baaba Maal, made him familiar with the stage and at the age of 12 he danced with Youssou nąDour at a concert in Matam. Samba has learned his guitar skills by his own, has an authentic, emotive voice and composes his own music. He sings also about less obvious themes like racism and domestic violence. SAMSON & SAMUEL: Ethnic music from Eritrea. Samson, originating Eritrea, started in Belgium to cooperate with the Ethiopier (!) Samuel, playing compositions in the Eritrean tradition. His voice is being accompnied by a "krar" (= traditional string instrument), which they build themselves from Belgian apostacy wood. ZIONYOUTH: Roots rock reggae with a positive message;
Jah Rastafari, justice for all people... Click
here for the website of Zionyouth
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