|
View video with Busi from Rouvanne's blog
Born in 1950, Max Lässer has long been one of the most successful and creative of Swiss guitarists.
A professional musician since the 70s, his early years were devoted to
folk music, and as his music started to evolve he spent many happy and
successful years working with Toni Vescoli. In the mid-eighties, Lässer
was part of Andreas Vollenweider & Friends, with whom he toured
Europe and America, playing some 80 gigs. Following this he went on to
play as a jobbing guitarist for the likes of Andreas Vollenweider and Stephan
Eicher, and as a producer for Jellyfish Kiss and Les Reines Prochaines.
Lässer's highly individual and quite unmistakable sound was fully
realised with 4 of his albums by 'Max Lässer's Ark'. Earthwalk, his
1987 album, made its way to the top of the American jazz charts, but it
is only when he travelled to Joburg to work with local artist that Max realised how well known this music was and
still is in the townships of South Africa.
Albums:
- Ark - A Different Kind Of Blue
- Between
- Madamax
- Madamax Bafo
The album Between (BW103)
was originally planned as a solo project, but then Max got a shot of
Afro-rhythm while recording on Robert Trunz's invitation in
Johannesburg with local musicians from the MELT family. He followed the
album and its rhythm by touring Switzerland with such artists as Pops
Mohamed, Busi Mhlongo, members of Amampondo including Lungwisa Plaatjies, Dizu Plaatjies, Mzwandile Qotoyi and Simpiwe Matole,
all of whom appear on the album, Between, along with the likes of
Jessica Lauren, Sipho Gumede and Mabi Thobejane. Max's continuing love
affair with South African music and people has culminated in further
collaborations with South African guitarist Madala Kunene and Lungiswa
on the unique album Madamax (BW2119) compared by many journalists with
Ali Faka Toure's work with Ry Cooder.. The collaboration came about
when Max was in South Africa and MELT founder Robert Trunz got the twomaster guitarists together in Downtown Studios in Johannesburg. The second album of the two accomplished guitarist, BAFO,
released in September 2005 was joined by Madala's long time friend and
bass player Sibusiso Bernard Mndaweni.Max and Madala are unique
guitarist, both have their own style and yet when playing together the
result is something else, something "primordial and confrontational."
The two artists complement each other in an extraordinary way, and this
album can only be described as an organic unity of the best of two
cultures, or as Max describes it: "a perfect marriage." Max says that
meeting Madala was like finding a brother from another culture and part
of the world, "He really opened my heart to African music and to a
different view of playing music than I was used to. He really made me
play some of my best yet." Robert Trunz has described the collaboration
as an "epiphany" a "profound connection" between Europe and Africa.
Visit Max Lässer's personal website http://www.maxlaesser.com
|
