| A PALATE FOR GOOD AFRICAN SOUL FROM BURKINO FASO AT RWMF 2010 FARAFINA was founded in the early eighties. Right from the beginning they were enthusiastically welcomed by their audiences who were fascinated by so much virtuosity. Farafina has become a legendary group from Burkino Faso with a thirty-year history; their ability to expand their music without denying their traditional instruments has enabled them to experience new orchestral forms and melodies, while adding contemporary sounds and record with musicians such as Jon Hassell, the Rolling Stones, Ryuichi Sakamato, Daniel Lanois, Billy Cobham, Joji Hirota...they played several times at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and for 72 000 listeners at the famous Nelson Mandela's birthday concert in the London Wembley Stadium. Their music interweaves complex forceful rhythms with the melodic lines of balafons, flute and koras. The songs are played on traditional instruments while their lyrics deal with present issues of African realities in a critical yet positive outlook or a hopeful way. During their odyssey of 30 years the group naturally faced some changes. Thus, its founder Mahama Konaté left the group in 1991. Others came and went and still others died. New and younger musicians have joined the group. All came in through the so called "Farafina School" which continues the African tradition of having the children, from their youngest ages on; attend the concerts of their elders and trying to repeat the music they hear all day long. In this way an astonishing and remarkable musical continuity is guaranteed.
Reinvented by encounters with modernity, Manding influences, the music of Burkina Faso’s neighboring countries, the melodies of the people of Mali, Niger and the legends of Kong and the chants and drums of Ghana and Benin, all contribute to the richness of Farafina’s s work. Farafina creates a subtle music that is sensitive and ardent at the same time. It draws audience into discovering not only the African soul, but a universal spirit nourished with the rhythms of life that are at the roots of jazz, rock, and world music.
But they stayed faithful to their own track. So while integrating new orchestral forms and melodies, and adding contemporary sounds (guitar and keyboard), the balafons, koras, flute, djembes, tama, and baras still remain the core and hearth of their music.
Last but not least, the arrival of a female voice introduces a new colour to this up till now male only ensemble. The 13th edition RWMF features 20 confirmed performers; they are Watussi – (Columbia / Australia), Debu – (INDONESIA), De Temps Antan – (Quebec, CANADA), Farafina – (BURKINO FASO), I Beddi – (Sicily, ITALY), Kimura – Ono Duo – (JAPAN), Layatharanga – (INDIA), Leila Negaru – (REUNION ISLAND), Minuit Guibolles – (FRANCE), Monster Ceilidh Band – (UK), Novalima – (PERU), ReelRoad – (Russia), Shanbehzadeh Ensemble – (IRAN), Yerboli – (CHINA), Galandum Galundaina – (PORTUGAL), Musafir Gypsies of Rajastan, Bisserov Sisters – (BULGARIA), and of course BraAgas – (CZECH REPUBLIC). The other two local bands are Sarawak; Bakih and Pingasan’k. This 3-day festival (9 to 11 July 2010) is held at the Sarawak Cultural Village, a living museum where the traditional habitats of Sarawak's major ethnic groups have been lovingly reproduced. Hurry! Get your pass (festival tickets)! They are two types of pass; One-day pass – adult RM110 and child (aged 3 – 12 years old) RM55 and 3 days pass – adult RM300 and child (aged 3 – 12 years old) RM150. The 3 days pass will be limited and strictly not available on sale at the venue. Tickets are available on sale at Eclipse Booking Hotline: +6 03-7729 3829 / +6 016-688 1119. Booking/enquiries also possible via email: rwmf@eclipsecomm.net or at Eclipse Events @ L5.10 Wisma BU8, 11 Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Tickets are also available at Visitors’ Information Centres in Kuching, Sibu and Miri, Sarawak since May. For more information on the festival, please check: www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com. RWMF is supported by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, Ministry of Tourism and Heritage, Sarawak, and Tourism Malaysia. | 
