"Afro music is too vague a term. For there is as many styles as there is stars in the sky."

Ras Smaila: The Soul of Mama Africa

A cross over between Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and Fela Anikulapo Kuti all mixed in a down home Blues and Soul stew. Ras Smaila grew up between Africa, the West Indies and Europe and did most of his schooling between Porto Novo (Republic of Benin), London and Paris. After rocking the 80’s London scene touring ‘round Europe and jamming with some of the greatest he looked up to while still in his teen learning to play his axe well (Luther Allison, John Paul Hammond, Memphis Slim), Smaila released his 1st CD Black Man’s Blues (an ex Night & Day record).

"Blues is a Root Music it's rough and organic and it can't be any other way. When things get too artificial always come back that instant when one feels like his brain and ears have been numbed by too much easy listening and that it's time to wake up."

He also wrote the soundtrack for the US version of Med Hondo’s film WATANI shown at the 1999 L.A Pan African Film Festival and at the London Film Festival the same year. His 2nd CD True Story (1rst a Dixiefrog record) is available since Feb 2012. He has kept busy playing radio concerts and festivals to live TV shows and gigs ‘round the globe, also backing other great acts such as Diana Hamilton (WOMAD 06) Boney Fields, Lyricson, Sai Sai Salim Jah Peter or Ras Naya & Free I Land in Angola (Jan 2012). His record SMAILA LIVE as well as all his previous stuff. A drum machine free 100% organicaly grown goove. Meanwhile, keep an ear out on his afro led Freakin’ Funky n’ Kosmic Bluesy Soul. Here comes the next generation ! 

Interview by Michael Limnios

What do you learn about yourself from the blues, what does the blues mean to you?

That whatever the pain or the hard time one faces in his daily life, Night must be dark enough so you can see the stars and one out there keeps on shining for you and will eventually see you thru dark and lonely days. In other words Sun will always shine after the Rain. No need to butcher your wife and kids after you lost your job. Ah Ah Ah.

Just keep the Faith up. That what Blues means to me.

In what age did you play your first gig and how was it like (where, with whom etc.)?

I was 16. I was in college then (Claude Bernard Paris France).

1981'summer holidays were near and the Principal thought it would be cool to run some sort of a concert to end the school season. Me and some school mates I was hanging out with offered to put it together.

The thing is we had to find a P/A system plus all the back line equipment and the wires and plugs that goes with it.

We were teenagers with no dow to hire all this stuff. Fortunately I had a friend from Haiti lead singer and guitar man in a band and we agreed that he would provide us all this material for 1500 Francs. See that's long time ago. Ah ah ah.

But the night before the show it has been more than 2 weeks since I've heard from my man. I was freaking out. There was no mobile phone or internet then and when I went to school that day it was like climbing the steps to the gallows. When I got in, the entire college was exited at the sight of the heavy gear that had been delivered and stored in the middle of the main entry hall the evening before. It really looked like the Rolling Stone were gonna come. No need to tell you how crazy the principal got nor to mentioned what a big but joyful mess the all thing turned into. We didn't bother much about playing in tune then. Remember according to Neil Young, Johnny Rotten was the King of Rock. Hey hey my my...

My first Blues lessons for I had to sell my first electric guitar to pay back the guy who brought and operated the P/A system since we didn't make enough money at the door. 

What experiences in your life make you a GOOD BLUESMAN and SONGWRITER?

Many ups and downs that eventually but fortunately didn't made me bitter or left me with a victim mentality thinking he or she has no affect onto his or her reality and therefore cannot change it. The World is truly what we make of it. Once we accept we're always at least 50% responsible for all the good or bad that is down to us, things get brighter. 

I don't know if I'm good as a Bluesman but I'm fully entitled to claim the title.

To quote Gil Scott Heron "BLUESICIAN" sounds good to me too. Ah ah ah. And remember BB KING was not too keen on the term either due to the "Looser image" attached to it since the 70s and on thru all the house music era.

As a musician I begin to dig what I play better. As a song writer I try to make my message sound more universal. There are painful issues that need to be addressed and sometimes the BLUES remains the best medium to convey these messages. The Magic of Music lies within her power to enlighten us while having our foot loose on some wild and groovy beat.

"Work your axe. Have Faith in yourself no matter what. Be open. Be curious. Read books. Travel as much as you can for the world is beautiful and very inspiring especially on board of a long distance train." Photo by Aminata Djegal

How do you describe Ras Smaila sound and progress, what characterize your music philosophy?

AFRO FREAKING FUNKY KOSMIC SOUL N' BLUES

100% DRUM MACHINE FREE ORGANICALLY GROWN GROOVE

NO I.S.M JUST RHYTHM

When I first started it was nothing but the Blues. I mean it was the only music I'll ever play all thru my life.

Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix still are but were the only cats worth listening too back in my training days... But then I saw James Brown started smoking weed just when Bob Marley began to expose the then fascist and racist shitstem of apartheid that ruled South Africa then. I was brought back to my roots when Fela Anikulapo Kuti came to perform at Brixton Academy London and set the whole place on a Voodoo fire.

From whom have you have learned the most secrets about the blues music?

I'm self taught. I've been giving thought to going back to school one day. Ah Ah ah.

Oh but yeah I remember of someone who showed me how to tune my guitar on open tuning. I had an acoustic guitar (J200 Gibson P Watson copy) and I still play it.  She's to me like my Grand Ma's 1rst washing machine. I can't get rid of it.

But that was truly the turning point to me. Playing slide guitar healed my frustration of not having a Fender Strat plugged on a Twin reverb amp. I was only 18 homeless in Marseille France and busking in front of restaurants or in pedestrian zone for my daily yield and a room in a cheap and shaggy hotel in the ghetto.

Most of my music schooling has been down from going to gigs and listening to a lot of music.

Which was the best moment of your career and which was the worst?                                                                 Photo by Daniel Meignan

Playing at Athens HALF NOTE for a week in 1996 was a great moment indeed.

2000 UK tour when we had a chance to also perform live at Birmingham BBC studio for Paul John's Blues review.

Angola in 2011 was great fun despite total disorganization...

I had many great moments but the worse that I can recall was when I ended up jamming for the first time on Paris scene.

It was on a Monday night in a club called "Baisé salé". An American band was hosting anyone of us guitar plucker feeling big headed enough to go and make a fool of himself or ready to tear the place down. When my turned came my now great friend Amar Sundy got on stage too. Some bastard had just robed his guitar in the venue and Amar was mad as hell. What I didn't know was that he was "Z" Local Hero, had already moved around a lot with men like Jimmy Johnson and others. I was known in town. The only man I knew in the joint was Luther Allison whom I've met that very year (1983) at Salon de Provence Blues Festival (France).

We had a drink together and next thing I know is the world collapsed on me.

We plugged in and as soon as I began to play Amar started to raise his volume just to make sure I won't be heard. Each time I was taking the lead the guy would rush back to his amp to have it blast a little more while the crowd was yelling "Yeah right on Amar, you're the best, show the bastard, fuck him up, whistles and whistles boo boo... When I got off both my heart and mind were on the floor and worse of all Luther Allison had seen the whole shit. Yet he told me "Hey it reminded me back in my days when challenging Buddy Guy. T'was rude too but don't worry Little Brother it's still a good lesson and If you overcome your ego's pain you might rise up to the stars. 

Remember Nietzsche?

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" Ah Ah Ah.

What is the “feel” you miss most nowadays from the early 80's at London, and the Break For The Border?

There was a great sense of togetherness among the community. Live music was almost everywhere. Self-awareness and political involvement were the thing then. Remember Maggie Thatcher was in charge in UK and Reagan ruled USA. Lot of good music was being played and aired to denounce apartheid and all dictatorships. Demonstration and riots were setting the pace of what we hoped would be a World revolution. Break For The Border took a great part in it playing anti-apartheid concert or benefit gigs anywhere in UK.

Which is the most interesting period in your life and why?

I try not looking back too much even though I'm 51. I try to keep in mind that happiness lies in the "Now".

What has been done cannot be undone whether good or bad and trying to forecast the future is not an issue.

It's what I do now and how I do it that will determine my future days.

"The Magic of Music lies within her power to enlighten us while having our foot loose on some wild and groovy beat." Photo by Marie D

How has the music business changed over the years since you first started in music?

Musicians were playing music then and talent was still sought after. Now it's computers and synthesizers doing the work and all it takes to be on TV is the right face. Indeed we’ve lost a lot.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians thinking of pursuing a career in the craft?

Work your axe. Have Faith in yourself no matter what. Be open. Be curious. Read books. Travel as much as you can for the world is beautiful and very inspiring especially on board of a long distance train.

Are there any memories from Memphis Slim, John Hammond, John Lee Hooker, and Luther Allison, which you’d like to share with us?

I met Memphis Slim at London's 100 club in 86. At a break during his show I went to see him to tell him he should continue on his own for the guys who were backing up didn't play shit and were all over the place. I told him I had my guitar ready in case but nothing happened.

I met John Lee Hooker at the same Salon de Provence Blues Festival (1983) which also featured John Paul Hammond, Willie Dixon, Sugar Blue and Luther Allison.

We shook hand on the side of the stage right before his show and while I was pulling on a bong I offered him a pof but he kindly told me he had quit a few years back and as he was saying that I saw him swallow a white pill and a glass of water he said that would do good to his running bowel.

John Paul Hammond allowed me to play on his National Steel guitar and also introduced me to his lovely wife and daughter. He also gave me his address in King Street New York for future possible work.

Luther Allison saw me sneaking my way on stage that afternoon while he was sound checking and was really nice not to turn me to the festival security staff. Ah ah ah.

The thing is I didn't have any ticket to get in. But I had my guitar and was dressed in such a freaky way that when I presented myself at the gate and I began to speak with my best Down South home boy accent the bouncer just pointed me the access to the stage sure he was that I was part of the musicians expected to play that night.

"As a song writer I try to make my message sound more universal. There are painful issues that need to be addressed and sometimes the BLUES remains the best medium to convey these messages." Photo by Willy Victoire

Tell me a few things about your meet with Chas Chandler, which memory from him makes you smile?

Colin Newman (Trojan Records') CEO came one night to see us play in a Tex Mex restaurant called

"The break for the Border" on Tottenham court road London. We called ourselves Twin Silver Tracks then. He liked us renamed us "Break for the Border" because of the different places we were from and offered to book recording sessions at Thames Studio London prior to possible record deal. We were exited. And one day while we we're rehearsing he showed up with Chas Chandler who kind of dig us but needed to see us live.

Colin Newman invited him to come see us at our gig at The Carniven Castle in Camden town London the following Saturday. But all opportunity got lost when our drummer started to mess around with

Trojan Records 'CEO 's wife. That has been another hard lesson to understand.

"...Your worse enemy could be your best friend...". Bob Marley

What is the best advice a bluesman ever gave you?

I haven't been close long enough to any of these men and women I looked up too I'm afraid.

Most of them I met back stage before or after their show or mine.

But let me just quote Keith Richard "If you wanna play Rock n' Roll you need to know your Blues".

Richard Manuel from The Band: "We musicians probably will never make money but we'll have all the beautiful girls and the best dope possible"... Ah ah ah.

What the difference and similarity between the BLUES, REGGAE, and AFRO SOUL feeling?

A solid down to earth beat and the Love and social message all three convey.

"My dream is to see AFRICA fully Free and United again."

What are the secrets of Afro music? How does your Yoruba root come out of the music and your songs?

Afro music is too vague a term. For there is as many styles as there is stars in the sky.

Akpala Bigutsti Mbalah Bakanga Brakka High Life not to mentioned all the grooves you'll dance on Caribbean Islands or Latin America dance floor. Example: Tango Candombé Salsa Rumba Milongo Abandera Bigin Compa etc...

My Yoruba roots keep me connected and allow me to fit in any African act that would need a guitar player that can handle these fancy guitar licks they play in Congo.

Check King Sunny Adé, the late Franco de Congo, Zanny Diabaté and many others. They're my source of inspiration when I want to deal with issues like the urgent betterment of Africa "shituation".

By the way YORUBA means "Those who follow Horus". And as you know Horus was son of Osiris and Isis the principle Egyptian God and Goddess after Amon Ra who ruled over Egypt for thousands of year 'till Osiris was slained by his brother Seth.

Voodoo is the legacy of days of old Egypt religion. Way before the Persians the Greeks the Romans or the Arabs. Nothing to do with a so-called evil black magic. For Voodoo is mainly about :

"The 49 manners of loving and the 51 manners to being brave".

It all collapsed or went astray when both Arab and European slave trade began and the missionaries came passing out Bibles in Jesus name.

On that doom day the Blues was born.

Do you know why the AFRICA is connected to the MUSIS?

In ancient Egypt you could only graduate in Pharaoh's high school if you could master Astronomy Mathematics Rhetoric and most of all Music Harmony. It was already known that each of the 8 planets known then were tuned on all the basic note we use to do music.

In Africa music is more than just an art it's primarily a spiritual device that help convey our prayers to our Gods. That's why ain't no ceremony without percussions nor music.

Find out about Soundiata Keita's Kora (African harp)...

"Would be to fully be able to afford the Freedom which allows one to travel constantly and settle down anywhere we feel like. Happiness would be to see Love ruling our world once and for all and forever after."

What’s the best jam you ever played in? What are some of the most memorable gigs you've had?

I remember some great times with Phil Brown (Little Feat), Lucky Peterson, Boney Fields, Luther Allison and his son Bernard. I remember London's Bass clef back in the 80's and Robert Bravington's Station Tavern Bramley road London.The one and only "Bob's goodtime Blues". Most memorable were the standing ovations at Halfnote Athens, Hotel Meridien's fancy club Paris, Down by the river side Poznan Poland, Lisieux Blues Festival France, Disney village resort near Paris, the BBC sessions Notting Hill carnival London etc.

Some music styles can be fads but the blues is always with us. Why do think that is? Give one wish for the BLUES

Blues is a Root Music it's rough and organic and it can't be any other way. When things get too artificial always come back that instant when one feels like his brain and ears have been numbed by too much easy listening and that it's time to wake up. Well... I wish it was true ah ah ah. I told once to Luther Allison Blues will continue to be played so long as Peace Love Justice and Freedom will not be equally shared among all Men and Women on this planet.

It seems like it won't start tomorrow so meanwhile we'll carry on playing our Blues as loud as we can so the needy know they're not alone.

It's a pity we don't hear much Blues on mainstream radio channels or on TV though. This has to change and that's my wish so future generation will have a chance to know this wonderful music.

How do you describe your contact to people when you are on stage and what compliment do you appreciate the most after a gig?                                                                   Photo by Willy Victoire

Cheerful most of the time.What I like a lot is being complemented for my arrangements on covers like

Jimi Hendrix' Stone Free or Fela Anikulapo Kuti's Zombie. When the audience strums the beat when I play solo. When someone seems sincere enough when telling me he digs my guitar style. When I get to sell CD after the gig and beautiful ladies smiles at me tenderly while asking for an autograph. Main reason why I play guitar. Ah Ah Ah. When children dance before the stage is quit a precious moment too.

"Just keep the Faith up. That what Blues means to me." 

Which things do you prefer to do in your free time? 

Having a walk in a wood or anywhere with trees and animals running free. Meditating, teaching guitar English or French language to kids or grown up. Making love to my lovely Queen of heart. Exchanging feeling and insight with my friends. Talking about the revolution.

What is your “secret” DREAM?  

My dream is to see AFRICA fully Free and United again.

Happiness is……

Happiness?

Would be to fully be able to afford the Freedom which allows one to travel constantly and settle down anywhere we feel like. Happiness would be to see Love ruling our world once and for all and forever after.

Yeah that would be far out.

Peace

Ras Smaila - official website