Afro-Pop @Tollwood, Muenchen: Jobarteh Kunda

Jobartehkunda.de The Band !

I'd seen Afrikan Pop several times on the screen, but never really in person. And lo and behold, Tollwood (echt toll !) Sommerfestival in Muenchen was a-w-e-s-o-m-e. On the music front especially. I was lucky to have caught the closing day for this summer. They also run a winter festival (which I really think is worth considering!).

The man himself!

And so I heard Jobarteh Kunda LIVE! (so cool, I'm such a nut for live music). The Zelt had the usual German benches to be shared with random people and as I stepped in to find a platz, I realised some people were in front of the stage Afro-and-random dancing to the beats and the music that really felt happy. In general, I am very shy with dancing because I really am not a dancer. But this was a non-dancers dream, the people I was going to be attending with were late, I was alone, I didn't care, and nor did anyone around me. Besides, I genuinely felt happy seeing people enjoy and just *joined in*. It IS special music that can make you dance even though you don't understand the music, are stark alone in an unknown crowd, and still join in. Also the band itself is highly international with people from the US, Canada, Aruba, Germany, Senegal, Italy!

His extremely hippy and strikingly stylish daughter : & a fantastic dancer!

The crowd was obviously far more informed than I were, in all probability 'fans'. Once the band finished playing all the Afro fans moved over to another Zelt and collected for a JAM session. Anyone could play the African drums, dance and just make good music alongside others.

The festival also had a "Delhi Haat" with the worst Punjabi singer ever. Of course there were people enjoying that too. I felt too snobbish there, cos I understood better and quickly moved over to 50s rock and roll.

And for anyone interested the Afro-drum Jamming group apparently meets in Englisher Garten, where one has the just "follow the drums" :-)!