Many have criticized the term “world music” as simply a lazy catchall term for non-Western music. But Zap Mama’s founder and leader Marie Daulne embraces it—and with a musical style drawing on roots in Congo-Kinshasa, an upbringing in Belgium, and an infusion of American hip-hop and R&B, it is easy to understand why.
Zap Mama opened Monday night’s show with a few tracks from their 2009 release, ReCreation, which takes Daulne’s world-spanning influences a step further, adding a Brazilian influence. “Vibrations” and “Do You Wanna?” settled the audience into a tight groove, while Daulne let the audience know “I’m gonna zap you to another place . . . .” And zap us to another place she did!
Within just a few songs, the drummer had unleashed some standout hip-hop drumming reminiscent of The Roots’ ?uestlove, the mood had mellowed out for an acoustic–guitar driven ballad, and the audience had been driven into a hilarious near-line-dancing experience during “Yelling Away,” an Ancestry in Progress track that guest-starred Talib Kweli and Common. Though they performed the song without either rapper, I’ll never forget the steps to the dance: “One step forward, move around. One step backward, boogie down. One step right, one step left, one step, one step, one step, one step.”
Daulne’s stage presence was spectacular throughout, and it is clear that she’s been performing for decades. Throughout the concert she made use of two microphones—one clean and one that ran through a number of pedals. Through the latter, she used a looping pedal to thickly layer singing, blowing on bottles, and beatboxing, frequently opening a song with her own groove and then bringing in her full band—consisting of a drummer, guitarist/keyboard player, bassist, horn player and two backup singers—to kick it up a notch.
Nearly every album selection was extended with either a vocal or percussion breakdown, or in one case a vocal/percussive conversation between Daulne and the drummer; it may have been the highlight of the night. Zap Mama closed the concert with Supermoon’s “1000 Ways,” which is a great album track, but ten times better (and longer) live.
Much to the delight of the raucously applauding Paradise crowd, Zap Mama returned for an encore, bringing out G. Love to perform “Drifting,” a duet they recorded for ReCreation. They followed with “Bandy Bandy,” the band’s biggest hit from Ancestry in Progress, and then closed with a fantastic funk jam replete with James Brown-esque funk guitar and Daulne’s requests for “Hit me 1 time! Hit me 2 times! Hit me 7 times!” Before leaving the stage, Daulne demanded one last jam from the bassist and guitarist over which she offered the mic to the audience. A few volunteers surfaced, singing sweet riffs along the lines of “Thank you for coming to Boston, you all were amazing”—and I couldn’t have agreed more.
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Four Tet - 2/26
Doug Fir Lounge
The Builders And The Butchers + Federale + Dr. Helicopter - 12/31
Mississippi Studios
Quasi performs The Who + The Shaky Hands + Inside Voices + DJ Safi - 12/31
Doug Fir Lounge
The Roots + Orgone + Lilla D’Mone - 1/2
Roseland Theater
Grass Widow + White Fang + Hornet Leg - 1/7
Artistery
The Moondoggies + Sera Cahoone - 1/8
Doug Fir Lounge
Steve Earle + Hayes Carll - 1/19
Aladdin Theatre
good thing cudi never claimed to be thuggin’ because that punch would out him as poseur. i feel bad for him, that would suck to get captured on tape. especially when you are a hip hop artist.
by colin on Tue Dec 22, 2009 at 01.16 am from the entry: Douchebaggery, Dumbassedness, and the Death of an Icon: Top Ten Lowlights of 2009
this will NOT turn into a discussion on oden’s injuries. he’ll be back next year to crush the world!
back on topic, i was terribly unimpressed by cudi’s “punch.” the only thing weaker was the fan’s attempt to throw the wallet on the stage. pathetic!
by josh on Tue Dec 22, 2009 at 12.21 am from the entry: Douchebaggery, Dumbassedness, and the Death of an Icon: Top Ten Lowlights of 2009
God, could Greg Oden be anymore like Sam Bowie?
by Colin on Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 11.39 pm from the entry: Douchebaggery, Dumbassedness, and the Death of an Icon: Top Ten Lowlights of 2009
Yeah, if Reatard didn’t have a track record, it’d be no big deal. Kinda like Greg Oden and knee injuries.
by Jarrod Dunham on Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 09.25 pm from the entry: Douchebaggery, Dumbassedness, and the Death of an Icon: Top Ten Lowlights of 2009
I honestly don’t care if something sounds derivative as long as it sounds good. You have to create something good with what you take and I see that you think that AC made something good. While I agree with you that it’s a good album, it’s not great, and I don’t see how it can be compelling (which is a strong word), when it frequently sounds like they are using the same formula for pretty much every song. It all just runs together.
And you’re right, O Brother was good.
by colin on Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 08.19 pm from the entry: Top 10 Best Albums of 2009!
“If they didn’t create it and someone else did, they jacked it.” cf: Mayer Hawthorne.
Anyway, vindictive stab at my least favorite album on this list aside, all pop music is derivative. But when the Thrills ape the Beach Boys, they don’t sound anything like Animal Collective aping the Beach Boys. Nor does anybody else, which is what makes MPP compelling. Highly original take on old material. Like O Brother Where Art Thou?
by Jarrod Dunham on Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 08.11 pm from the entry: Top 10 Best Albums of 2009!
one thing I noticed: the reatard punch in memphis was justified since he was attacked on stage. you have to defend yourself when two people come at you.
and that michael jackson super mario bros clip is priceless. nice find.
by colin on Mon Dec 21, 2009 at 08.06 pm from the entry: Douchebaggery, Dumbassedness, and the Death of an Icon: Top Ten Lowlights of 2009
I can not believe I left before G. Love showed up! My 15-year-old Philly girl self would be so ashamed of lame, future Beth.
Also, Marie Daulne is gorgeous.