Sitting on his Ka drum, Philippe Makaïa is gifted with an exceptional sense of rhythm and improvisation. He belongs to those, whom, by their intimate knowledge of the Gwoka music, can lighten your daily burden. His music tugs your body and soul. He remains faithful to the Gwoka, although he mixes tradition and modernity. This complete art invented at the Guadeloupean sugar cane and coffee plantations by the slaves dragged out of Africa.
Philippe Makaïa didnt choose the drum, it was literally imposed to him. In the 70th, at his fourteens, he could be seen at Morne-àl'Eau, (his place of birth) beating the seven fundamental rhythms of the Gwoka on a Ka, for hours and hours. During his youth, he met, played and sang with masters such as: Lambert
Milon, Robert Loyson, Gérard Pommer, Marceau, Linlin and, in particular, Vélo, who he accompanied several years at Point-à-Pitre. With others of his age, he created the group Gwo Siwo, with who he makes the album Ka Fraternité while looking for new sound exploring the deepest mysteries of the Gwoka that they recompose according to their imagination.
A rich international experience
At the age of 21, Philippe Makaïa becomes a professional musician, and in Paris he joins Guy Konkèt's band, the greatest voice of the Gwoka. While playing with this exceptional and innovative singer, who introduced without hesitating modern instruments, such as a guitar, a double bass and a piano, he opens his mind and enters into new dimensions of mastering his art.
Curious and eager to meet other people, Philippe Makaïa travels all over the world and collaborates with major of Jazz music like Liz mc comb,pharoah sanders,Bobby Few, David Murray, Faton Cahen,Hamid drake, and with masters of Mandingue music such as Ousmane Kouyaté and Cheick Tidiane Seck, and with the inevitable musicians of the Chilean and Argentinean music like Anita Valejo and Aleph Tropical Band, and also with the illuminated of
the new French scene: Señor Holmes and others.
The group of Philippe Makaïa
Philippe Makaïa, always offered his talent to others even though he is a recognised and requested percussionist, but today he offers us the result of his rich experience. By gathering around him 3 musicians: the Savoyard bass player Claire Gillet, the Martiniquais trombonist Pierre Chabrele and the Guadeloupean guitarist Franck Currier, he expresses his ideas and a concept of Gwoka which is deeply fixed into tradition and open to the world, with melodies
and lyrics celebrating nature, friendship, music and denouncing the difficulties affecting the planet and his island, Guadeloupe.
Quelle signification on donne a les batiments qui levent au ciel sans entrave? Est-ce que la puissance des hommes qui les dessinnent? Peut-etre. Mais, vraiment, ils manifestent une puissance qui vient avec utiliser les outils, les outils simples, les prolongements des capacites des hommes. Comme creant des chateaux du sable. Qui disparaissent dans un instant quand l'ocean les emporte. Cela, c'est une experience humaine et temporaire. Comme la poesie, la musique qui évanouit avec le passage du temps. Tous montrent le courage a exprimer la condition humaine. L'ame humaine. Profond amour et sentiment de la vie. Comme nous la savons.
Sous le pont de mes reves, On manage le jour dans une facon qui est la meilleure possible. Quelque temps, disant les histoires De mes jours me deranger. Les jours passent Sans mon attention a chaque minute; Mais je me souviens des evenements qui construisent l'experience: La totalite des minutes. L'experience est plus grande que des minutes qui constituent les jours.