MMM#3 - Danyel Waro

Danyel Waro is a singer and percussionist from the Reunion Island who is responsible for the revival of a traditional musical genre known as Maloya. Maloya uses various percussion instruments and call and response singing over a very peculiar 12/8 rhythmic structure. It was originally a slave music, and as such has spiritual (if not musical) parallels with early blues.

I first discovered Danyel Waro on the beautiful album that he and Olivier Ker-Ourio did together (Sominnker), but being a jazz project, that album parted from Maloya proper by adding harmony. I later got hold of Danyel's solo albums, and while it's a much rawer sound, it's also extremely powerful music.

What really moves me about Waro's stuff is the power and amplitude of his voice, first and foremost, and the fact that the backing rhythms are joyous despite the usually somber themes mentioned in the lyrics (at least what little I understand of the creole lyrics.) This song, called Labatwar (L'abbatoir, the slaughterhouse) is characteristic of that paradox. It talks about black men lined at the slaughterhouse, and while I don't get the exact gist of it, that tells me all I need to know about the topic. Waro's voice is charged with emotion, high pitched but growling at times. It really does something to me...

Another thing I discovered while listening to Danyel Waro's music, in particular on his 2003 album Bwarouz, is the complexity of the rhythmic lines. The sound may be primitive, but the construction is very elaborate, with several responding drum lines. It's really opened my mind on the role of rhythm...

Hope you enjoy it!

Comments

[Tom]

I've actually seen Danyel Waro live, in Beijing. He's very good indeed. At the gig, the organisers lept shutting down the stage due to rain or imminent rain (that they a) didn't expect rain and b) didn't have a waterproof stage still amazes me).

Waro and his band, however, got bored after abotu 20 minutes and just brought all their instruments off the stage, down to the front of the audience and played as loudly as they could so people could hear.

Cool.