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Freeplay: Toubab Krewe
By Shannon Yoshida
syoshida@mscd.edu

Toubab Krewe Live at Bonnaroo

If Toubab Krewe were a group of safari guides leading the way to the land of great music, they would go right to West Africa, where their style and talent originated.

Learning about West African music by visiting the region and absorbing the culture, they played with masters of their trade and developed a style that cannot be named or categorized. This quintet consists of Luke Quaranta on percussion, Teal Brown on drums, Drew Heller on guitar, bassist David Pransky and Justin Perkins, who has mastered numerous exotic instruments, in particular the kamelengoni, a twelve-string harp.

It’s difficult to pin this band to a certain style of music, considering they explore a hundred different genres and mold them into one.

Most of the group is from Asheville, N.C., and they are now touring the United States circulating their unconventional brand of music, playing in small venues or at notorious music festivals.

Their Live at Bonnaroo album, which is free at http://www.archive.org, showcases Toubab’s ability to stir up a crowd. Their unpredictable yet seemingly choreographed transitions bring surprises that make it necessary to stop, breathe and only then comprehend what was just heard.

Bassist Pransky is the heart and soul of Toubab’s uniquely, tasteful sound. His bass beat bumps consistently, only changing when the entire direction of the song does.

Perkins’ originality with the kamelengoni is a treat, blending steady bass with his intricate harp playing. It’s interesting enough that Krewe has a drummer and a percussionist, as it’s often a challenge to distinguish between the five riffs, licks and chords created by the different instruments.

Heller completes everything with his talented hands bringing the electric guitar to life. The West African Congo sound is melted together with mellow rock-n-roll beats.

Their live album progresses well, keeping initial interest alive with quick changes and prolonged jam sessions. They begin the album with five- to seven-minute tracks and later commit to 11 and 12 minutes of pure, relentless masterpieces.

A few of their best songs include “Autorail,” the first track on the album and one of the most captivating with its alarming introduction into this journey of sound. Then there is “Zaouli,” a 24-minute song split into two tracks and consisting only of drum solos.

These prodigal artists are certain to receive more recognition, however, they seem underrated considering their obvious devotion to being the first of their kind in world music.

Download Toubab Krewe’s Live at Bonnaroo at http://www.archive.org/details/toubab2006-06-15.flac