New Music From Lo'Jo on Calabash Music

Mojo Radio

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:50:19 -0500

With origins in France’s popular art form of street performance, Lo’Jo began as the musical accompaniment for mythological and political mime, circus, acrobats, and even a film collective. These roots still show in their performances, sound and lifestyle. Over the years, the Angers, France-based group has developed a communal culture and a taste for West African, Gypsy and Caribbean music. And like no other band on earth, they are able to combine these disparate soulful sounds into seamless sonority that will strike you from your philosophical head down to your dance shuffling feet.

bohꭥ de cristal

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:50:19 -0500

Creators of a magic soundtrack to French urban life, Lo'Jo hail from the provinces, where they life in a commune, having started out as a theatre group. This versatile, quirky multicultural group is mysteriously changing its direction with every release. Produced by Justin Adams and lead by Denis Péan, this CD was recorded in Mali and France. As a result, they added n'goni and kora to their already eclectic instrumentation of accordion, fiddles, etc. Moving from various roots grooves, jazz and French cafe house to Arabic music, Lo'Jo create a theatrical and surrealist mix of neo French-Afro chansons.

Au cabaret sauvage

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:50:19 -0500

France has a strong tradition of producing bands that delight in casually mixing languages, instruments and cultures. Les Negresses Vertes and Mano Negra awakened the world at large to this unique musical blend. Now joining them at the top is another group that defies categorization - Lo'Jo. Using French, Spanish and Arabic, leader Denis Pean and the Nid El Mourid sisters create music that mixes European, Gypsy and African instrumentation and influences. Lo'Jo's third CD, Au Cabaret Sauvage, revisits the feel of the group's first major label release, Mojo Radio, with its nod to circus, tribal and flamenco music. “Memoire d’Homme” features Pean's gruff, half sung half spoken vocals (which at times sound strikingly similar to Tom Waits) set against Richard Bourreau's gypsy violin. “L'une des Siens” balances haunting vocals by Pean and the Nid El Mourid sisters against a klezmer style backdrop. Lo'Jo carefully mines golden nuggets of inspiration from a vast array of countries, then transforms, and augments those inspirations into their own unique new sound. Their three World Village discs, bohême de cristal, Mojo Radio and Au Cabaret Sauvage, show that this band, which has been working together for over two decades, shows no sign of stopping on their enchanting dance to the top of the world music scene.