Lo'Jo
Encyclopedia
Lo'Jo are a group of France-based musicians, performing and recording a blend of world music
with strong North African as well as French folk
elements.
The band was founded in 1982 in Angers
by singer/keyboardist Denis Péan and Richard Bourreau (violin/kora). These two have remained central to Lo'Jo throughout their history. For several years, with a rotating cast of members, they played events locally, working with acrobats, street theatre, mime, dancers and film as part of their overall presentation. They have subsequently maintained a communal lifestyle, based in Angers.
By the end of the 1980s, they were playing throughout Europe and had appeared in New York as part of an artists' collective. Including Nicholas 'Kham' Meslien (bass) and Matthieu Rousseau (drums) (later replaced by Franck Vaillant), they consolidated their line-up, and their first album, Fils de Zamal, was released in 1993. In 1995 the group added Berber
singer/saxophonist Yamina Nid El Mourid and her sister, Nadia, who brought a strong North African influence to the music. In 1996, the new lineup recorded Sin Acabar, and 1997 saw them complete Mojo Radio, both with English producer Justin Adams. Upon the latter's release they found more acclaim in the world music community, getting them on the WOMAD circuit.
In 1999, they journeyed to Bamako, Mali
, to begin work on Bohème de Cristal. While in Mali, they became involved in the organization of the Desert Music Festival
held in January 2001. They have also collaborated with a wide variety of musicians, including Tinariwen
.
In 2002 they released the acclaimed Au Cabaret Sauvage (originally issued in France as L'une des Siens). This was followed by a live album Ce Soir Là (2003), and a new studio album Bazar Savant (2006). In 2009 they released the album Cosmophono, and toured in the UK.
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
with strong North African as well as French folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
elements.
The band was founded in 1982 in Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
by singer/keyboardist Denis Péan and Richard Bourreau (violin/kora). These two have remained central to Lo'Jo throughout their history. For several years, with a rotating cast of members, they played events locally, working with acrobats, street theatre, mime, dancers and film as part of their overall presentation. They have subsequently maintained a communal lifestyle, based in Angers.
By the end of the 1980s, they were playing throughout Europe and had appeared in New York as part of an artists' collective. Including Nicholas 'Kham' Meslien (bass) and Matthieu Rousseau (drums) (later replaced by Franck Vaillant), they consolidated their line-up, and their first album, Fils de Zamal, was released in 1993. In 1995 the group added Berber
Berber music
The Berber people is the indigenous and major ethnic group inhabiting North Africa and part of West Africa . Berbers call themselves "imazighen"...
singer/saxophonist Yamina Nid El Mourid and her sister, Nadia, who brought a strong North African influence to the music. In 1996, the new lineup recorded Sin Acabar, and 1997 saw them complete Mojo Radio, both with English producer Justin Adams. Upon the latter's release they found more acclaim in the world music community, getting them on the WOMAD circuit.
In 1999, they journeyed to Bamako, Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, to begin work on Bohème de Cristal. While in Mali, they became involved in the organization of the Desert Music Festival
Desert Music Festival
The Festival au Désert is an annual concert in Essakane, Mali, showcasing traditional Tuareg music as well as music from around the world. The Tuareg band Tinariwen first garnered international attention with their performance at the 2001 Festival.A French language documentary entitled Le...
held in January 2001. They have also collaborated with a wide variety of musicians, including Tinariwen
Tinariwen
Tinariwen is a band of Tuareg-Berber musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali. The band was formed around 1979 in refugee camps in Libya but returned to Mali after a cease-fire in the 1990s...
.
In 2002 they released the acclaimed Au Cabaret Sauvage (originally issued in France as L'une des Siens). This was followed by a live album Ce Soir Là (2003), and a new studio album Bazar Savant (2006). In 2009 they released the album Cosmophono, and toured in the UK.
Discography
- Fils De Zamal (1993)
- Sin Acabar (1996)
- Mojo Radio (1998)
- Bohême De Cristal (2000)
- Au Cabaret Sauvage (issued in France as L'Une des Siens) (2002)
- Ce Soir Là... (Live) (2003)
- Bazar Savant (2006)
- Tu Connais Lo'Jo? (2007)
- Cosmophono (2009)