A collective of producers lead by Damon Albarn recently visited the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to produce a new album for Oxfam. T-E-E-D (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs), Dan The Automator, Jneiro Jarel, Richard Russell, Actress, Marc Antoine, Alwest, Rodaidh McDonald and Kwes all made the trip with the plan - to make an album in 7 days.
Wracked by years of conflict, the DRC is home to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, and proceeds from the album will go to helping Oxfam's work, helping thousands of the DRC's poorest people.
DRC Music will be hosting an evening as part of Oxfam’s ‘Oxjam’ series of shows during September. All shows are in small venues.. so be quick if you want to attend!
Thu 29th Sep, 2011, Doors 7pm @ Secret London Venue TBA
feat. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Richard Russell (XL Records), Kwes (Warp Records) and more TBA
Buy tickets for DRC at Oxjam now
Workinonit;
Damon and Jupiter try to sing a simple song.
With only 5 days to communicate they spoke mostly in the language of music, which for these fanatics of phonetics was easier than any other.
We’ve only just begun to understand.
More to follow…..you’ll see what we mean.
The Beat Goes On.A working lunch in Kinshasa; Jnerio Jarel and Richard Russell appear to be lost in music whilst Dan the Automator and Damon discuss the finer points of how to make an album of all new Afro-Tech in a week, and how long Mr Automator can survive on a pizza only diet in the DRC.-Remi
Control Room Congo; Not only was it 1000 degrees in there but looks like Rich Russ(centre ) and Damon(centre right) have just discovered a bum note-zut alors!!. John the engineer (second from left )looks suitably horrified. Meanwhile an oblivious Jnerio Jarel (far left) is tweeting the fact that he might burst into flames if the air-con doesn’t start working soon.The heat is on…..-Remi
“Producers TEED, Richard Russell, Dan the Automator and Damon Albarn get involved amongst the tidal wave of jamming Congolese musicians that we were hit with for days. My art directing co-pilot Aitor Throup sketches the scene on his ipad whilst Damon uses his as an instrument to join the jam - reflecting the dichotomy between the latest technology and home made drum kits. The interaction of these Western producers and African musicians echoed as a constant reminder of the West’s hunger for the Congo’s minerals ,which they were using in their mobile phones and computers to make the music with”- Hardy Blechman. Actions speak louder than words, every time.
Downtown Kinshasa, a crazy maze of corrugated roof shacks and adhoc building,ribboned by potholed roads. There was so much electricity in this city you that felt on the verge of something all the time.Volcanic.-Remi
