The London-based quintet Fofoulah (meaning �it's there� in Wolof) was formed in 2011 and features Tom Challenger (Red Snapper) on saxophone and keyboards, Phil Stevenson (Iness Mezel) on guitar, Johnny Brierley (Outhouse Ruhabi) on bass, Dave Smith (Robert Plant�s Sensational Space Shifters) on drums, and Kaw Secka (Irok) on Sabar drums.
With the rhythms of the Sabar drums - a traditional form of Wolof drumming from Gambia and Senegal � at its heart, Fofoulah�s music has evolved into an inspired cosmopolitan m�lange that also incorporates elements of electronic music, dub, improvisation and afro-rock. Like the complex city they live in, their music is shaped and lifted by diverse sound-worlds and cultures.
Produced by drummer Dave Smith (Robert Plant, JuJu) �FOFOULAH� is a previously unvisited crossroads where Sabar rhythms meet dub basslines and sci-fi synths; liquid melodies and Wolof rap entangle with trance-like dance grooves; and raw guitars, horns and samples blend with west and north African song forms.
Fofoulah is not merely a cross-cultural project. They are a dynamic band born naturally out of personal friendships and varied backgrounds, the nerve net of contemporary London and the post-global interconnectedness we all experience daily. The band is propulsive, innovative, celebratory and always leaning forward. They are a thrilling extension of the deeply rooted Sabar rhythms upon which their music revolves. �Lets join together, leave conflict and work together. There is peace in community� --No Troubles (Kelinte) �If you don�t appreciate the truth of who you are and what the world brings to you, you will struggle. As we work we offer ourselves to the world.� --The Clean Up (Rahas)