Name: Psychedelic Sanza 1982-1984
Brand: Francis Bebey

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

BB064LP

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

U.K. Import

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Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2022-09-06

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Lasgo

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

3521381530322las

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Total Cap

2 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

BORNBAD 064LP

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Black

Double LP version with printed inner sleeve.

2014-09-23

Forced Exposure

3521381530322

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2 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Francis Bebey

Genre US

African

Label US

BORN BAD RECORDS (FRANCE)

Francis Bebey, born on 15 July 1929 in Douala, Cameroon and passed away on 18 May 2001 in Paris, France, was a multi-talented artist. He was a singer in Duala, French and English languages, as well as a guitarist, flutist, journalist, sculptor, composer, musicologist, writer and polemist. With his diverse range of skills and talents across various art forms, Francis Bebey left an indelible mark on the world of music and beyond.

Born in Cameroon but later settling in France, Bebey's unique musical style blended traditional African rhythms with contemporary influences. His songs were sung in multiple languages which showcased his linguistic versatility. As a musician and composer, he created captivating melodies that resonated with audiences worldwide.

In addition to his musical prowess, Bebey was also known for his work as a journalist and writer. He used his platform to address social issues through thought-provoking articles and books. Furthermore, he expressed himself through sculpture - another medium where he showcased his artistic talent.

Born Bad Records presents the music of Cameroonian musicianFrancis Bebey, circa 1982-1984. "The first time I saw a sanza (a type of African 'thumb piano'), it was just sitting there on a piece of furniture in my family's living room/dining room — a space that our father also transformed into a recording studio every day. It seemed more like a box than a musical instrument: a mysterious instrument, which arrived at our house, like many things, in a somewhat miraculous way. The sounds it produced seemed particularly bizarre; to my young musician's ears, trained in Western classical music, it sounded out of tune. That's because, like my brothers and sisters, I had been trained on the piano. I had trouble understanding how anyone could endure these tones and, honestly, our father's passion for 'unusual sounds' did not interest me. I was in secondary school at the time (the very late 1970s) and was not at all oriented toward musical projects. I planned to graduate, and then become a chef. In the early 1980s, my interest in music picked up. I was still undecided about my career. I was content to pursue my 'serious' English studies while hanging out at jazz clubs at les Halles in Paris, where I sometimes joined jam sessions. Next, I put together my first band with professional musicians; I had hidden my age and lack of experience from them. France was just beginning to accept 'world music.' Musicians of every nationality were performing in Paris. It was a wonderful period. My father asked my brother Toups and me to accompany him for a few concerts. In particular, we toured Tunisia together at the time of the 1983 Carthage International Festival. Back then, my father was renowned across the French-speaking world. Everyone looked forward to hearing his humorous songs, like 'Agatha' and 'La condition masculine.' But, behind the scenes, he continued his research concerning electronic music, the sansa, pygmy polyphony, etc. One day he put a sansa in my hands, without saying a word. He was sending me a message: 'Let's see what you can do with it!' That's when I really discovered something. Exploring the instrument and playing, I transcended the 'imperfect' aspect of its sound and began to discover its fascinating potential. Playing the sansa, you enter a world that enraptures you in a very serene and mesmerizing way. I think its sounds evoke a rainbow, with rain falling while the sun shines. A very peaceful feeling. It allows you to make music that truly sounds like life. The sansa is also the instrument that my father and I shared the most because I am a pianist and he was a guitarist. I also share this eminently African instrument with my musician brother, Toups. Our father loved to tell us one of the legends of the sansa: how it even managed to dispel the boredom felt by... the Creator himself! This instrument gives life to the world, to beings and things. I did not participate in the production of the various records that my father devoted to the sansa. He did it himself, you might say, in his 'laboratory.' Yet today, I cannot imagine playing a concert without using a sansa. The piano remains present so that listeners don't become disoriented and wonder about the weird sounds invading their ears! However, I find the eccentric and disturbing side of sansa interesting. And the sansa always affects the audience: in reality, it excites them. The secrets of this instrument are surely its beneficial powers and... its magic!" —Patrick Bebey

Psychedelic Sanza 1982-1984

Music US

Buy Francis Bebey - Psychedelic Sanza 1982-1984 (Vinyl, CD) now from Rough Trade - independent purveyors of great music, since 1976.