Sabar Ring

Thôt / Ivan Ormond / the Sabars from Saint-Louis, Senegal

Alto sax Stéphane Payen, guitar Gilles Coronado, bass guitar Hubert Dupont, drums Christophe Lavergne, percussions Ivan Ormond, Fodé Diop, Abdou Khadre Diop, Cheikh Thioune Diop, Cheikh N'Diaye Diop, Daouda Diouf, Ibrahima Diassé, vocal & dance Mane Beye.

Coproduction Festival Banlieues Bleues /Théâtre de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, scène nationale / Festival A Vaulx Jazz / Phonèmes - FRANCE - Creative residency february 2007, Saint-Louis du Sénégal.

This project is the result of a meeting between two ensembles of different musical cultures that have both firmly placed dialogue at the epicentre of their work. Sabar Ring find, between themselves, the common language to share the heritage of each other's traditions, whilst at the same time creating their very own form of expression, a truly groundbreaking intercultural experience, rather than a culture-clash.

In Senegal, Fodé Diop and his group daily live their tradition. Centred round festive occasions and rituals of everyday life, where all come to dance to the beat of the drums, Sabar music is the framework for joyful social interaction. Musically, a place equally for soloistic virtuosity and forceful ensemble, yet still it is a music whose responsibility to the community ensures meaningful and perpetual self-refreshment.

In France, Thôt led by Stéphane Payen, whose every creation is a major event in the jazz world, have waited a long time for such an exchange with African musicians within their home environment. This has been made possible in this field through Ivan Ormond, the first French musician to gain a teaching diploma in Sabar. He has made the best connections over a number of years studying with the musicians of Saint-Louis, Senegal - where he becomes the natural link between this tradition and the music of Thôt. Two absorbing musical worlds who both gracefully share their daring and joyful rhythmic explorations.

Through this musical exchange we will discover the fruits or an artistic harvest, carried out in both Senegal and France, full of the bustling energy of their communities and the surprise of the unexplored.