Montreal: Festival Mondial de Musique des Femmes, Nuits d’Afrique and more from Alex Boicel

Summer in Montreal? What’s going on? We take a look through the eyes of Alex Boicel in his videos from behind the scenes as well as in front of the stage. In this city dear to his heart, the streets and clubs were jumping, drawing jazz and international artists to outdoor stages and theaters downtown. The Festival Mondial de Musique des Femmes and The Montreal International Jazz Festival were in full swing and Nuits d’Afrique getting underway. Alex also shares highlights from a special show at Club Balattou where artists celebrated his birthday with impromptu greetings.

Festival Mondial de Musique des Femmes is Charly Maiwan’s production. He and Alex Boicel have worked together for decades promoting artists from around the world. The festival celebrates woman artists. July 5th was the 14th annual edition of the concert. FMMF has been held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire as well as Montreal.

Vivi Makado perfomed at MFFM, in 2019 she stepped out of her role as lead singer for the group Bella Mondo to record his first solo album “Ayiyalo” (The Time Has Come in the Dan language). Vivi is Ivorian from Gbatta located in the Tonkpi region and both her parents are singers. “the Tematé Jazz” is what she calls her musical style blending Dan rhythms with afrobeat and words sung in Yacouba a language found in the area she comes from.

Sunday July 7th, Alex Boicel was joined at Club Balattou by family members, members of the public and friends including at least one who remembers Alex’s restaurant, Cafe Kreyol, on Rue Ste. Catherine that he tells people he started with one chicken in 1977. The occasion was his 68th birthday. The evening was highlighted by tributes and impromptu jams, Ilam (Senegal), Mariaa Siga (Senegal), Vivi Makado (Cote d’Ivoire), and Deo Munyakazi (Rwanda) were among the artists taking the stage.

Festival Nuits d’Afrique ran from July 9th-21st, (Alex’s father DouDou Boicel, a painter and poet, was one of the founders 38 years ago). Montreal has warmly welcomed immigrants including Doudou, who in turn nurtured the international cultural vibe of the city by welcoming disaporan artists to perform at his club Rising Sun. The festival is now is bringing that ambiance to the cultural scene year round, particularly in the summer where Club Balattou continues to host touring artists from the continent and diaspora nightly.

Bombino the Tuareg guitarist form Niger perfomed at Nuits d’Afrique. Tuareg rock is known for its spacious grooves that unfold slowly as if moving through vast spaces. Bombino builds elaborate solos that increase in in tempo and intensity lifting the energy level to a peak, as can be seen in the vidoe from the Nuits d’Afrique performance, July 18th.

Lorraine Klaasen performed at The Montreal International Jazz Festival, July 4th. Daughter of jazz singer Thandi Klaasen, Lorraine was born and raised in Soweto, and so was exposed to both the harsh realities and vibrant township culture at an early age. Thandi Klaasen, was one of the best-loved singers of this time, she passed up an international career to remain in Soweto throughout the struggle for freedom. Lorraine’s music is nourished by her roots, Thandi, Miriam Makeba, Dorothy Masuka, Hugh Masakela and others are influences. So one is hearing that spirit come through when she performs, in fact the title of her latest album “Ukubonga” means Gratitude in Zulu language. On it she duets with guitarist Mongezi Ntaka on classics from that era.

Valerie Ekoumé, an aclaimed Cameroonian Afropop vocalist, performed at Montreal’s Nuits d’Afrique festival. Ekoumé embarked on a solo career after touring with Manu Dibango for eight years. She has three releases dating from 2015, Djaale, Kwin Na Kingue and Moné Moné, reuniting with Dibango's drummer Guy Nwogang who collaborated on the last release, and is the drummer on her current tour.