Last night we went to the 12th International Cape Town Jazz Festival, to see Youssou N'Dour perform. He sang Bob Marley's Redemption Song, propelling the crowd into bliss.
In my mind and my heart, Redemption Song is a sweet memory from the first time I came to Cape Town, 11 years ago. That time, I took the ride to Robben Island, to see the cell where Nelson Mandela spent a lifetime before peacefully pushing the apartheid government into extinction. The song was playing on the ferry on our way back, with the bluest sky ever hanging over Table Mountain--the sun light as clear as it can only be in the cape.
Seeing Youssou N'Dour last night was wonderful! Not only does he stand for everything I love in African music, but also for the spirit of Africa, the humility and the human dignity that is so unique to the continent. He is a bit older than I expected. He looks thinner than I thought he would. But he is larger than life.
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I remember when we had this discussion that at the time concluded with my now famous statement about the superiority of European Classical over, specially, African music. A conclusion that of course my dear Cosmic Mouse has had the kindness to remind me over the years, moving in the meantime hidden threads for me to be aware of sounds and rythms my cultural education was built to ignore. Eons after and using a more than valid juustification, she has located for months in my vicinity her entire collection of African music (including of course Mr. N'Dour), and the natural result is: OK, my dear, there are ways to human sensibility that not necessarily need to pass through Bach and Mozart. Now we can enjoy together Salif Keita and Vladimir Horowitz' version of Chopin Nocturne No. 2... Thanks again to the art of friendship.
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