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« African Roots in Jazz »: the come back of a precursor
Major percusionnist of the free jazz and bee-bop scene of the seventies, veteran of African music belonging to the generation of Manu Dibango, Pierre Akendengue and alike, Cheikh Tidiane Fall has continuously endeavoured to re-connect afro-american music to its roots, while simultaneously exploring new forms of expression.
Scholar in musicology, playing drums and congas altogether with traditionnal instruments in improvisation, his unique and widely recognized talent has brought him to play with such legendary figures as Sunny Muray, Dexter Gordon, Pharoah Sanders, Abbey Lincoln, Herbie Hancock, Steve Lacy, Chris McGregor, l'Art Ensemble of Chicago, Chico Freeman, etc.
While questionning his "africanity" via multiple and fruitful musical meetings, Cheikh Tidiane Fall has found - at the crossroads of the cultures of the world - his very own language.
Drummer with a surprising sound and virtuosity, the music of Cheikh Tidiane Fall brings us back to a genuine page of our musical history, somewhere between "black Europe" and "white magic", echoing a not so long ago period of time when African and European musicans were inventing an unpreceeded North-South music, long before afro-beat and the first steps of what will be called "world music".
After his last album recorded with Carine Bonnefoy (piano) and Raymond N'Doumbé (bass), Cheikh introduces his new scalable project (from trio to quintet) - "African Roots in Jazz" - in the company of musicians such as Essiet Okun Essiet, Alain Jean-Marie, Frank Avitabile, Stéphane Belmondo, Jean-Jacques Elangue, etc.