#233 Magatte Fall- Percussionist for Angélique Kidjo, Black Panther, Educator & More!
This episode is sponsored by Dream Cymbals.
This week’s guest is Magatte Fall. Three-time Grammy Award winner and credited drummer/composer for “Black Panther”, Magatte Sow, aka Magatte Fall represents the best of both worlds.
Coming from a long line of musicians. At a very early age, Magatte Sow has been around West African music and dance and was exposed to innumerable artists from around the world that influenced him greatly. So it is no surprise that Magatte’s first performance experience began at the youthful age of 2 years old for his parent’s West African Drum and Dance Company.
During this time Magatte knew that he wanted to be a percussionist, and studied intently on djembe, sabar, and tama. His djembe teachers includes his father Malik Sow, Maissa Thioubou and Kissima Diabate. For sabar, he’s studied with Omar Mboup, Chiekh Tirou Mbaye; and Tama he’s studied with the late great Ndongo Mbaye. As he learned, he continued to perform with different artists in Los Angeles; and served his own community by drumming for many dance classes that he continues to do until this day.
As he got older, the demand for his budding talents got greater. He was casted in the movie “Amistad” and has recorded on albums for Ashley Maher, Angelique Kidjo, Rob Thomas, and many other artists. He has performed on many televised award shows as a percussionist, including the Nobel Peace Prize Awards; and has performed with artists from many different styles of music like Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, The Very Best, Ashley Maher, Andre Manga, Munyungo Jackson, Leon Mobley, Youssou N’Dour, Baba Maal, and Salif Keita, John Legend, Jill Scott, Janelle Monae, Dianne Reeves, Pedrito Martinez and etc.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. Bernard Lee Purdie is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul, funk, and jazz musician. He is known for his precise musical time keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the "Purdie Shuffle." He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013.
He hit the New York music scene in the early 1960’s, and landed his first hit with Mickey and Sylvia — the beginning of a stellar career. This led to his 25-year association with Aretha Franklin. Purdie started working with Aretha Franklin as musical director in 1970 and held that position for five years, as well as drumming for Franklin's opening act, King Curtis and The King Pins. He performed with both bands at the Fillmore West; the resulting live recordings were released as Aretha Live At The Fillmore West (May 1971) and King Curtis's Live At Fillmore West (1971). His best-known track with Franklin was "Rock Steady", on which he played what he described as "a funky and low down beat". Drummer, musician, producer, arranger and musical director, Bernard Purdie can be proud of a discography of over 3,000 recordings.
His grooves have been sampled, cut and pasted on dance tracks and his groove is sought after in all genres of jazz, soul and funk. He is now a reference point in the basics of modern drumming with the innovation of the Purdie Shuffle, which was the inspiration behind Jeff Porcaro’s ‘Rosanna’, a fusion of Purdie’s Shuffle and John Bonham’s 'Fool In The Rain.' His definitive style has anchored sessions on some of the greatest songs of the modern era.
Happy Birthday to Monette Marino. Monette is a world percussionist and friend of the show. She spent the majority of the last 20 years studying under Master Drummer Mamady Keita from Guinea. In 1999 she received her Teaching Certificate from Mr.Keita and opened a branch of Tam Tam Mandingue USA in San Diego, California. From 2004–2012 she managed Mamady’s world tours, assisted him in teaching master classes, and performed with his ensemble, Sewa Kan. She received her diploma from Mamady Keita & Tam Tam Mandingue in 2011.
She has since branched out as a solo artist releasing her debut album “Coup d’Eclat” and also opened her own school of percussion called MO’RHYTHM. In addition, Monette Marino has created an iPhone App “Mo’Rhythm Africa – Play Along Djembe/Dunun App” now available on iTunes for iPhone/iPad/Apple TV. Prior to her involvement in West African percussion Monette studied folkloric and popular rhythms from Cuba, Brazil, and Korea.
Gig Alerts
The City of Chicago is officially offering free Lollapalooza tickets to residents who receive a COVID-19 vaccine at one of four designated sites, which will feature DJ performances, additional giveaways, and more. -Article
Damon will be playing an acoustic duo set with Billy Ruegger at Cisco Brewers Stamford, CT at The Village on Friday June 18th from 5-8pm. Here’s a video below that Damon and Billy were featured in during the quarantine.
Product Review
Damon took a pandeiro lesson with friend of the show Brian Potts. If you are in the market for a pandeiro, he helped design one with Cooperman Drums that friend of the show Keita Ogawa also uses.
For other choices, you can go to the website by the German company Kalango.
Iconic Recording
The iconic recording for this week is "Rock Steady" That is a song written and performed by Aretha Franklin and released in 1971, from the album ‘Young, Gifted and Black’. The single reached the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart. For the credits of who played on this song, CLICK HERE. To see the other songs that “Rock Steady” was sampled on, CLICK HERE. The song is also featured in the “Iconic Pop Percussion Tracks” playlist.
Music News
The New York Times reported that NYC government officials had enlisted the 89-year-old Clive Davis to executive produce the “blockbuster” musical event, which is scheduled to take place at Central Park’s Great Lawn in August. Additionally, the Brooklyn native Davis – who in late February canceled his pre-Grammy gala after being diagnosed with Bell’s palsy – acknowledged his involvement with the mega-concert on social media. -Article
SummerStage in Central Park is returning in person next month, with the line-up announced. The concert series pivoted to a virtual performance last year amid the coronavirus pandemic. Now the famous Central Park live attraction is returning to an in-person concert series for this summer. The SummerStage 2021 line-up was also announced today. -Article
Guns N’ Roses have announced their rescheduled stadium tour dates – beginning in July. Wolfgang Van Halen’s new band, Mammoth WVH, will open for the show in North America and Gary Clark Jr, will open in Europe.
Make Music Day, Held on June 21, is part of the international Fête de la Musique, taking place in 1,000 cities across 120 countries. The daylong musical free-for-all celebrates music in all its forms, encouraging people to band together and play in free public concerts. Learn more at makemusicday.org. The Percussive Arts Society is proud to partner with Make Music Alliance and the NAMM Foundation to bring Make Music Day to life on June 21st!
On Friday, June 18th, from midnight to midnight Pacific Time, Bandcamp will hold their second annual Juneteenth fundraiser where they donate 100% of their share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The LDF has a long history of effectively enacting change through litigation, advocacy, and public education, and they’re doing this annually in recognition of the fact that real progress towards racial equity requires a sustained, ongoing commitment. They’ll promote the fundraiser to fans the week before June 18th, and hope you’ll help them spread the word.
Also! The next Bandcamp Friday will be on August 6th, and they’ll continue to hold those on the first Friday of the month for the rest of 2021.
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate the new federal holiday in Juneteenth, you can check out THIS ARTICLE for ideas.
Magatte Fall Interview
Magatte explains the difference between his given name (Sow) and his stage name (Fall).
Magatte’s parents met and then performed in the National Ballet of Senegal. The premier dance company in West Africa, Le Ballet National du Senegal, has won international acclaim for its exuberant, colorful and precise performances representing the nation’s 15 distinct ethnic groups. Founded by poet and national leader Leopold S. Senghor in 1960, the year of Senegal’s independence from France, the company features the nation’s finest
young dancers and musicians. In a 1995 story, the New York Times Union asked, “Looking for
the origin of the jitterbug, frug, charleston, shimmy and shake, and maybe even the spiritual roots
of dance? Look to Senegal.”
The performances of Le Ballet National du Senegal are characterized by high-energy
choreography that soars above the stage, performed by 16 dancers with unmatched physical gifts
and discipline. Music, the foundation of each performance, is provided by Le Ballet National du
Senegal’s 15-member ensemble of drums and traditional instruments, including the kora, the dan,and the balafon dalinke. Beyond the music and movement, the company is renowned for the
infectious joy that fills the stage for every performance.
Magette’s mom is from the Serer tribe in Senegal who originated the Sabar drums. Magatte’s father is from the Fulani tribe. Both his parents have the Manding tribe in their lineage.
Lots of artists coming through NYC would stop at Magatte’s house and Wolof was spoken a lot in the house.
Magatte and his dad were both in the movie Amistad.
Magatte mentions visiting the Door of No Return when he goes back to visit Senegal.
Growing up in a musical family Magatte knew he would always go into music. His first big performance was at 5 years old with Earth Wind and Fire.
Damon saw Magatte Fall’s name on Ginger Baker’s album credits and Magatte points out, it was the other Magatte, who he was named for.
Damon brings up the video of Salliou playing the Cas Cas shakers, also from Senegal.
Magatte talks about being respected more for being honest about playing certain instruments or admitting you don’t play certain instruments when called for a gig.
Damon and Magatte talk about how Ludwig Göransson wanted to make sure the music for Black Panther was authentic.
Because of Black Panther, Damon bought a Senegalese Tama (Talking Drum). Magatte teaches lessons from time to time.
Magatte mentions that the original Magatte Fall as well as Assane Thiam were two of the legendary tama players. Assane also played in Youssou N'Dour’s band.
On the Black Panther soundtrack, Massamba Diop played the tama. Massamba is a master of the tama or talking drum from Senegal, West Africa, and the co founder of The Senegal-America Project. He has worked with Afro-pop superstar Baaba Maal (who was singing on the soundtrack) and his Daande Lenol Orchestra since its inception over twenty years ago.
You can check out Magatte’s band Generation Percu.
Damon talks about some of the concert precautions people are taking as things start to open up.
Magatte started his relationship with Motherland Music with his father teaching there every Saturday.
Magatte also tours with Angélique Kidjo and tells the story of how he got the gig.
Magatte recommends finding people to study with if you are interested in the music. He names people like Mamady Keita, Amadou Kouyate as well as friends of the show Weddie Braimah and Monette Marino.
Magatte mentions how important Doudou N’diaye Rose is for the Sabar drums. Magatte also mentions Mahiri Fadjimba Keita-Edwards in the Washington D.C. area and more!
Damon mentions some of the more recent popular music coming out of Senegal with artists playing M’balax.
Magatte talks about his learning process with music.
Damon and Magatte talk about challenges and competition in music within yourself as opposed to other musicians.
Magatte attended Inglewood High School and Morningside High School.
Magatte grew up with friend of the show, Kahlil Cummings. He mentions how Malang Bayo and his father and Rahsan Cummings all had a group together in the 90s. That group was called the Sona Sane West African Dance Ensemble.
Magatte uses Latin Percussion instruments. Special shout-out to his teachers starting with his mother and father. Also, shout-out to Motherland Music, Drumskull Drums, Wooden Roots and others.
Latin music legend, Grammy Award-winning percussionist and friend of the show, Ralph Irizarry has traveled the world three times over, with some of the biggest names in the music business, and as a renown and beloved music and cultural ambassador. But for over 40 years, he’s always called Brooklyn his home. Now, in a frail and critical state of health, the home and well-being of this giant musical icon are being threatened with eviction.
There is a GoFundMe page set up to help him out. If you are able, please donate to this living legend and gem of a human being. Check out the videos below (in English and Spanish) for a bit more details.
