Toubabou - Le Ble Et Mil + Attente (Reissue 2004) (1974-75)

Remastered 2-CD collection of both complete albums by this band led by percussionist Michel Séguin.

Toubabou is a sort of continuation of the supergroup VEBB (Ville Emard Blues Band which was anything but a blues band, most member having played or will play in other Quebec major progressive groups). Despite Stanley and Farmer ending up in HARMONIUM and Lise Cousineau having played in many groups before, the real leader is percussioniste Michel Séguin (no relation with twins Richard and Marie Claire Séeguin also on the progressive front of music), the group even taking their name after the nickname of Séguin given to him by Africans friends: Toubabou Djebe Folla - white men playing drums. The groups starts from the meeting of students: artistes from Mali, Senegal and Togo as a cultural exchange.

The first album will be recorded live at the Superfrancofetes on the Abraham plains (where Quebec had lost its independence over the loyalists in the 18th century) in front of a crowd of 50 thousands +. The thread of the album is to present the two units one jazz rock (so typical of the superb instrumental jazz-rock invogue in Quebec around the time), the other playing traditional African chants. As the concert unfolds there is more and more interaction between the music, some tracks veering towards Cajun music. The following year, Toubabou will release a second album with two new members including a brass player, the album being quite different presenting a progressive funk-jazz but the percussive elements still very present.

Both Toubabou albums are highly recommended to those really wanting to discover a textbook case of fusion music.