Spain: African sounds reverberate at MAPAS music conference

The tri-continental market – held in Santa Cruz de Tenerife – also brought together 149 programmers of the various disciplines and 30 booking agencies from 40 countries. 

After songstress Diana Burco set the pace for the three days to follow with her Colombian folkloric sound at the AUD Plaza Castillo, Alvear Trio took the audience through a blend of traditional Ecuadorian music, jazz, reggae and rock and roll. This was just a taste of what was to follow. 

African acts took centre stage on the second and third day, proving the cultural richness of the vast continent. From the north, acts from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia presented the most eclectic sounds. Morocco's Mehdi Qamoum showed off the folk sounds of Gnawa music to loud applause. While his music provided soul healing, Lemma – the six-piece female band from Algeria – had the audience dancing late into the night. Led by the France-based Souad Asla, Lemma, which loosely translates to 'gathering' in Arabic, was founded in 2015 by Asla as a way to preserve and promote the rich musical heritage of her native Béchar city. The artists moved the audience with complex musical compositions while beautifully telling their stories. 

"We are privileged to play around the world to audiences that dance to our music as you are," Asla told the concertgoers. "A few years ago this would not be the case, as it was frowned upon women playing music. We are not only changing the narrative but also have the pleasure to have Hasna El Becharia playing the gumbri."  

El Becharia is considered as the first female to play the three-stringed, skin-covered bass instrument used by the Gnawa people. At 79 years old, there are no signs of El Becharia slowing down, as the band continues to perform at several French cities as part of their European tour, which kicked off on 9 June and will run through to the end of August. In February 2018, the band released its debut album dedicated to safeguarding the musical heritage of the Saoura region.

On 12 July, FRA! and Kyekyeku & Ghanalogue Highlife gave the audience a taste of Ghanaian highlife music. FRA! shared a great mix of technical prowess and melodic phrasing with progressive roots based on the band's Afrocentric heritage. 

Kyekyeku – regarded as the future of Ghanaian fusion that combines roots, palm wine, highlife and Afrobeat – introduced the passionate sounds of Accra to the MAPAS audience. Kyekyeku creates a unique, high-energy blend of Afro-funk and highlife made famous around the world by such musicians as Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas. FRA! and Kyekyeku & Ghanalogue Highlife have also been confirmed to showcase at the ACCES music conference in Accra this November.

Acts such as Lindsey Abudei from Nigeria presented a sound that is not often heard from the West African nation. Her music is an earthy mix of jazz, soul and alternative, creating an elegant contemporary sound.

"Platforms such as MAPAS are a great way to connect with fellow African acts," Abudei said. "It would be great to see a lot of collaboration within the continent and artists being able to access other markets easily. While we are on the continent, the challenge is always the ability to raise funds to move across different African regions."

Jupiter & Okwess from the DRC presented groovy beats without holding back. The six-piece band brought out their best. With each band member exhibiting a strong personality, the blend of their music and smooth dance moves got the audience on their feet despite the restriction of the auditorium setting. 

For Afrotronix, a Chadian electro act based in Montreal, the market was a great success. "Africa is one of the key markets for Afrotronix," Afrotronix manager Valentina Zanelli said. "Being at MAPAS and showcasing in front of leading African festivals and markets such as Sauti za Busara and Visa For Music gives us the possibility to connect and plan a multi-city tour in 2020."

After MAPAS, Afrotronix proceeded to tour Italy, Canada and the US, with performances lined up at World Music Festival Chicago, the Lincoln Centre and Global Roots Festival, among others.

Besides a strong showcase programme, MAPAS is also a knowledge exchange and networking platform. The conference saw practitioners debating issues such as new models for managing intellectual property, environmental sustainability and music festivals, women in music, and artists' rights, among other key issues.

The networking sessions allowed artists, booking agents and programmers to meet and explore collaborative opportunities. 

The market returns with its fourth edition in July 2020.