Franck and The Diamane Bantu Messengers Ki I Ye Yi

Franck Biyong's 9th album "Ki I Ye Yi" ("The one who doesn't know knows" in Basaa language), is a rare treat in the current Afro revival, blending the lost big band Central Africa tradition of the church choirs, national orchestras or military bands, with the urban 70s funk & afrobeat sound of the Paris Djs production powerhouse. You'll hear in this album a true anthology of Central Africa's poly rhythms and melodies blessed with a solid and sophisticated production, a celebration of diverse influences, driven by a heavyweight spatial sound, the missing link between the bold roughness of Fela Kuti and the melodic sophistication of Manu Dibango. "Ki I Ye Yi", mixed and mastered with Grant Phabao (who collaborated with George Clinton, David Byrne, Chuck D. or Adrian Quesada among many others) is available on iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, Paris Djs and other digital networks.

Franck Biyong and The Diamane Bantu Messengers Fe Bain
Franck Biyong and The Diamane Bantu Messengers - Ki I Ye Yi
(Digital Album) Afrolectric Music / Akhetaton Records / T.I.M.E.C. / Paris DJs, 2012-10-15
File under : Afrobeat, Afrofunk, Pan-African Grooves, World



Tracklisting :
01. Ndeda Yosona 02:26
02. Fe Bain 05:01
03. Ambom 06:03
04. Ndjoké 04:04
05. Nsebla Bakugi 02:55
06. Bonalembé 06:18
07. Di Gwesna 02:34
08. C.F.A Music 06:51
09. Liyagal 05:24
10. Jerry Malekani 06:59

Fe Bain by Franck Biyong

Ambom by Franck Biyong

Links :
Buy it on Bandcamp or iTunes
Franck Biyong : official | believe | facebook | itunes | myspace | soundcloud | twitter | youtube
Grant Phabao : official | bandcamp | facebook | myspace | parisdjs | soundcloud | youtube



Press Release :
Franck Biyong's 9th album "Ki I Ye Yi" ("The one who doesn't know knows" in Basaa language), is a rare treat in the current Afro revival, blending the lost big band Central Africa tradition of the church choirs, national orchestras or military bands, with the urban 70s funk & afrobeat sound of the Paris Djs production powerhouse.

Franck Biyong is a Cameroonian musician, composer and singer, creator of the Afrolectric sound fusing Afrobeat, Electro-Funk, Avant-garde Jazz and rock sounds. The band Massak that Franck had formed in 1997, and toured with extensively for at least a decade, ended shortly after the release of the "Visions of Kamerun" album in 2010 ."It was the end of a cycle. We had done everything we had to do together so, it was time to move on. Moreover, going to Africa to record and learn opened my eyes to new possibilities. I knew something in the music had to change", says Franck about the new directions showcased in this new album, undoubtedly the best endeavor of his already prolific catalog.

In 2010 he started collaborating with Paris DJs' afrobeat experts Grant Phabao and Djouls, who picked his amazingly original new single "Fe Bain" for their upcoming compilation "Dis Is good For You - Tropical Grooves and Afrofunk International", and helped him produce a rich Afro jazz-soaked tapestry in a collaborative spirit. Recorded in Paris, "Ki I Ye Ye" is a dazzling feat of musical chops leaning towards the concise and hummable, presenting for the first time The Diamane Bantu Messengers, a brand new band formed with young Cameroonian musicians living in Paris. This is the beginning of a new adventure for Franck Biyong, and maybe the most accomplished ensemble playing of his career.

The core of this album's appeal is its effervescent interplay between roots driven beats and arrangement overdrive: "Fe Bain", also know as "Fai Mbu", is a frantic cover of the great late Cameroonian singer and trombonist Francis Ndom (originally released on the 1982 Afrovision compilation "Fleurs Musicales du Cameroun"). Pride in roots, culture and color infuse tracks such as the Afrobeat groove of "Ndjoke", a vibrant tribute to Manu Dibango, and the Bikutsi Ewondo rhythms of "Jerry Malekani". Hectic horns enhance a description of the gritty chaos of his home on "C.F.A Music", a criticism of the neocolonial realities of our times, still ruling all over Africa today.

Numerous guests are also featured on "Ki I Ye Yi": the grainy voices of Désiré Nkouandou, Soraya Ebelle, Emilio Bissaya and Oloo Bwemba enlivens the delicate interplay on the lengthiest songs. The adventurous playing of musicians such as tenor saxophone player Ben Abarwolff (Ebo Taylor, Afrobeat Academy) and Paris-based Les Frères Smith's horn section spotlights some rich and thumping harmonic options.

You'll hear in this album a true anthology of Central Africa's poly rhythms and melodies blessed with a solid and sophisticated production, a celebration of diverse influences, driven by a heavyweight spatial sound, the missing link between the bold roughness of Fela Kuti and the melodic sophistication of Manu Dibango.

"Ki I Ye Yi", mixed and mastered with Grant Phabao (who collaborated with George Clinton, David Byrne, Chuck D. or Adrian Quesada among many others) is available on iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, Paris Djs and other digital networks.

All songs arranged by Franck Biyong

Production :
Recorded at Afrolectric Music Studios, Njopam Studios, T.I.M.E.C. Studios Winter 2012
Engineered and mixed by Grant Phabao & Franck Biyong
Produced by Bayiha & Grant Phabao

Note : this is an Afrolectric Music / Paris DJs / T.I.M.E.C. production
Artwork layout by Djouls (Paris DJs)

Musicians :
DRUMS: Désiré Nkouandou, William Ombé (4)
PERCUSSION: Désiré Nkouandou, Franck Biyong
BASS: Maurice Biyong, Franck Biyong
KEYBOARDS: Brice Essomba, Grant Phabao, Franck Biyong
GARAYA & GUEGERO: Emilio Bissaya
RHYTHM GUITAR : Jules Essoua, Grant Phabao, Franck Biyong
LEAD GUITAR: Jules Essoua, Michel Ngueti

BARITONE & ALTO SAX: Arnaud Dumartin, Nicolas Sakelario
SOPRANO SAX & CLARINET: Jean-Sébastien Lacroix
TENOR SAX: Ben Abarwolff, Fab Smith
TROMBONE: Giovanni Hector
FLUTES: Sandra Ellama
BACKING VOCALS: Soraya Ebelle (2), Swala Emati (3) (8), Viny Besnard (1) (5) (7), Oloo Bwemba (2), Désiré Nkouandou (2) (10), Maurice Biyong (2), Brice Essomba (2), Franck Biyong
SPOKEN WORDS: Soraya Ebelle (5) (7), Oloo Bwemba (1) (3) (4) (6), Franck Biyong
LEAD VOCAL: Désiré Nkouandou (2) (10), Swala Emati (3) (8), Emilio Bissaya (9), Franck Biyong

(c) 2012 Afrolectric Music / Akhetaton Records / T.I.M.E.C.

Original post on Paris DJs