Erik Aliana & Korongo Jam

"A wind of Africa comes to you shiver in the ears, a burst of warmth that takes you beyond the borders..."

When traditional music is synonymous with modern touch

Korongo : musical instrument, according to legend, intended to awaken the people and restore hope through songs and stories.

Bikutsi : traditional rhythm and dance nonsense. Just "kut-si" which means "hit the ground".

"Ms. Africa in the spotlight"

"Sometimes serious, often smiling, often fragmented, sometimes delirious, sometimes subtle, always terribly alive..."

"An artistic approach that takes a real social meaning in the sign of cultural pluralism"

• Erik Aliana

  Born in 1973, Erik Aliana hails from Badissa in the Department of Mbam-et-Kim located in the Central Province of Cameroon. He comes from the people O'Sananga. Son of a teacher, he moves between Yaounde where he followed his studies at the Western school and home town, where he spent his holidays. Two cultural divides and two ways of life that will mark its understanding of music.

  The music that always rate him, the drums, the shrill singing of women, the deep voices of men, dance and trance, rituals and initiation ceremonies conducted at the heady rhythms are sources of inspiration in Aliana which draws its power to find, including food sensitivity, to forge its own identity.

  At the age of eight, adrum was offered to him, he will learn to play alone. It occurs in small ensembles in school and in 1995 made ​​his first professional cabaret.

  In 1999, Erik left the university and created the group "Korongo Jam". Multiple collaborations with other artists would follow as a singer, drummer, percussionist or art director. Among others, he is artistic director of the show of the group in Cameroon "Takam II" in 2004, three singles in 2006's album "Tasch," a group of Swiss and made ​​the drum and the choirs of disk "Doc Native" released in 2006.

  Erik also leads and oversees artistic workshops (singing, dancing, African drumming) with children, disabled and academics in France, the United States and Japan. It also runs workshops in these countries, which he explains the importance of music in the Cameroonian culture, describing the many styles and the social use of it.

  When asked what his musical influences, Erik talks about the balafon and percussion of the village, which in his view have determined his music more than any known artist. Today, when he returned to Cameroon, he is greeted warmly by his family to the image it conveys the passion throughout the world for this country and the respect he has for his fathers.

• The Korongo Style

  The rhythms used are Kindo (bikutsi form) and Makossa, that originate from populations of the equatorial forest of Cameroon. The music of Erik Aliana is directly inspired by that of his ancestors, while his lyrics, sung in o'sananga, French, English, deal with current issues and social problems such as alcoholism in Cameroon, AIDS, respect for women or immigration but also and especially the revitalization of African traditions and values ​​such as respect of the bond of marriage, the right to be born, tolerance and solidarity. Erik Aliana denounced the pillaging of African countries by their leaders and their accomplices from elsewhere.

  It also takes his songs to depict a beautiful and vibrant Africa must retain its identity and its wealth and trying to fight the disastrous image that some people like to peddle the continent. A wise way to put this music into modernity.

  The challenge is not to distort this ancient music while modernizing it. While some were able to export with the talent Bikutsi Makossa and around the world, others have reduced to a music too frivolous and superficial shortcuts too simplistic a way to execute them. With this show, Erik Aliana attempts to demonstrate that one can perfectly combine these very special rhythm with other sounds and other influences. This is to include the roots of this sound, its meanings and impregnations while enriching it with new colors like funk or jazz. But no need to be initiated to get caught up in this music sometimes wise and sometimes festive which one never tires to assess the quality.

  Erik Aliana shares with us here O'Sananga of Kindo (where it has its roots). It differs from the known nonsense Bikutsi (Cameroon tribe belongs to the people or Osananga Oki), in that it is richer and more diverse but also more "roots".

  With the "Korongo Jam", it is a fragile memory ambassador because too few broadcasts. This author-songwriter would be one of the few musicians to spread around the world the true nature of this sound, but somehow perfectly al accreditation of its various alliances sound he has the secret.

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  Beyond the stage

  Erik Aliana & Korongo Jam, but also socio-cultural interventions in different places and varied to increase exchanges and discover the culture of Cameroon (and more generally, African) to a wide audience.

  In sessions organized for this purpose, they have ethnic origin of sounds and instruments they use, the important place that takes the music in African culture. They also offer workshops in African drumming and dancing Makossa Bikutsi and destined for children and adults, beginners or experts.

  Some interventions

  • August 2010: Workshops and talks on the rhythms, customs and traditions in Cameroon
  • May 2009: Workshops and activities in the region Poitou-Charentes in France
  • August 2007: Dance Workshops in Japan
  • August 2006: Events and Workshops in Japan in a center for the disabled and school
  • Summer 2006: Speaking at a training percussion in Lozère in France
  • March / April 2005: Events and Workshops in the U.S. (public school, university, cultural center): Reed Wipple Cultural Center (Las Vegas), Crystal Bay (Nevada), International Festival of Louisiane
  • 2003 to 2005: Events and music awareness (African percussion, vocals, guitar, balafon, etc.). With the young people from 2 to 14 years

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  Just Africa
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  Mouana (Infinity of sound from IS)
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  Songs From Badissa

• Presentation brochure
  
• Techrider
  
• Stage plan
  
• USA Tour march-april 2005