Teber, Band Leader (Chef du Groupe): senga n'goma, dance, lead singer.
Elie: senga n'goma, dance, singer (lead & chorus).
Lassana Diatako: tamani (talking drum), Malian Soninke jali.
La Star, Awa Diabate: dancer, singer (lead and chorus).
Plus dun-dun, balafon, calebasse, and dancers.
IN CHICAGO: Teber, Mbay, and Pline Mounzeo, plus invited guests Titos Sompa, Tony Garrett of Ajoite, Kevin Gibbs, and Kim Devore.
Influences
Primarily traditional Congolese rhythms from all of the ten regions of Congo, especially Pool.
Sounds Like
No other group! The closest would be other Congolese traditional percussion groups, or the Drummers of Burundi, but really, TAMBOURS SANS FRONTIERES is unique!
The band was formed in Brazzaville, Congo, in 2000, by three childhood percussionist buddies- Teber, Kaela, and Mbay, who play the senga n'goma. In 2003 TAMBOURS SANS FRONTIERES moved to Bamako, Mali, under the leadership of Teber and Kaela. The band's name, which was suggested by the late Nkounk-Koung Mess-Mess (who also created the band Tambours de Brazza), means "Drums without borders", and that is truly what it is- always the senga n'gomas playing the traditional Congolese rhythms, but enriched by West African influences, breaking borders, fracturing frontiers.
Teber, or "Tchi-tcho" as he was known back then, like so many drummers, began by banging on empty cans: drumming was in his blood, via his father, Charly Milandou, and his maternal grandfather. Already by 8 years old, he was accompanying a church choir, and at 12 or so he began playing the senga n'goma in neighborhood ballets in Brazzaville. To foster his professional development he sought a master, "Bible". Then in '98 he was accepted into the Ballet national congolais, where he played both solo and accompaniement along with his childhood buddy, Mbay. The two of them had an awesome reputation among the drummers of Brazzaville- when they played at a wake, no one else dared challenge them!
Since Mbay and Kaela had left the band, Elie Bassouamina had arrived and has been steadfast in his loyalty; other Congolese musicians have come and gone. Since 2006, in Bamako, Teber has been the leader, guiding the band in its development. TSF has played in festivals in Francophone Africa: FESPAM (Brazzaville, Congo), FESPACO (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso), FESPOP (Louga, Senegal), Festival sur le Niger (Segou, Mali), Diamwari (Mopti, Mali). Boncana Maiga invited TSF to appear on his weekly TV-5 show, "Stars Parade" and then to play at one of his New Years Eve galas. TSF has been befriended and helped by Toumani Diabate and Habib Koite.
TSF got a well-deserved break when Teber was able to move to the United States to break more boundaries, or as Tiken Jah says: "ouvrez les frontières!" AS OF JULY 2008, TEBER HAS RELOCATED TO CHICAGO ILLINOIS, U.S.A. "FRACTURING FRONTIERES...!" With Mbay once again in the band, as well as Pline Mounzeo, TSF is starting to make their presence known with appearences in the venerable Evanston Ethnic Arts Festival and the World Music Festival- Chicago 2009. In addition, Teber has been working quite a bit with Titos Sompa (one of the first Congolese musicians to move to the US), giving drum and dance workshops and concerts all over the US- NYC, Michigan, New Orleans, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah.
...Un pas de plus pour soutenir l'émergence artistique africaine. ...Un pas de plus pour renforcer la scène live, le spectacle vivant dans sa forme complète à l'opposé du playback qui dépossède l'artiste de son art ...Une programmation qui défend la qualité artistique et des paroles fortes qui témoignent au delà des styles musicux
Concerts gratuits! le Gang Rebel du Faso + Invités & 1eres parties/ Films /Stages Artistiques/ Conférences/ Débats/ Village associatif..
Une effervescence présente sur 3 quartiers de la ville.
AFRO PEPITES SHOW : Du 15 au 31 déc 09, concours dédiés à tous les artistes de tous les continents autour d’un seul thème la culture Africaine ! Venez participer !
- The competition Music of CENTRAL AFRICA is opened From 1st till 15 November : : musicians, share with our Internet users your best composition. Music lover, share with us the link towards the most beautiful composition which you like listening to. See how participating on our page. - Discover the participants of the competition of the music of CENTRAL AFRICA: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=228693288&blogId=517096606
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Speak about the Competition opened to the whole world !
We opened on our page the AFRO PEPITES SHOW : The 1st competition researcher of AFRICANS PEPITES ( Photos, Paint, Videos, sculpture, musics, modes, hairstyles..). .. Fast come to discover what an AFRO PEPITE on our site...
The news of the AFRO PEPITES SHOW : - The competition Music of SOUTHERN AFRICA is opened From 15 till 31 October : musicians, share with our Internet users your best composition. Music lover, share with us the link towards the most beautiful composition which you like listening to. See how participating on our page. - From November 1st, it is the competition Music of Central Africa that opens. - Discover the participants of the competition of the music of SOUTHERN AFRICA: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=228693288&blogId=514902612
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Spend the information, Competition opened to the whole world !
last saturday of each month, latin influenced party
w/hosts &resident dj's:
CHRISTIAN VERA (soulphonetics) & CASWELL JAMES (soulphonetics)
Guest dj: DAVID CHAVEZ (soulphonetics)
Latin Jazz. Samba. Bossa. Brazilian Break Beats. Baile Favela Funk. And a mixture of latin influenced beats to make your mind, body and soul elevate into the cosmic clouds of bliss...
with Teber Milandou-Sita Thursday at 6:00 PM 4544 N Lincoln Ave
Teber Milandou-Sita, from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, is a master drummer and dancer with 20 years of experience with his country’s finest traditional music and dance groups. He will give a drumming and dance workshop based on traditional Congolese rhythms. These will include: zebola, used in initiation rites, mountwash, pure original rhumba, and esoli, a rhythm of the hunt. The drum used is the senga n'goma or djembe. Students should bring their own drum although some loaner instruments will be available.
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