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Ahmad COMPAORÉ
Drummer / Percussionist / Composer / Improvisor / Music Educator
Of Egyptian and Burkina Faso origins, Ahmad Compaoré is a musician of freedom. With feet, fists and hands, he hits, strikes, whips and strokes the brass of his cymbals and the skin of his drums. Ahmad has developed a career in the image of his personal history, based upon cultural encounters with musicians who have helped him build up an extraordinary destiny for himself.
There is, at the tip of his sticks or his fingers for that matter, an irrepressible energy springing as much from his toes as from his heart. The fact that he had the privilege, with a handful of his young Marseille colleagues, to work for a few years with Fred Frith and Albert Marcoeur, should not be seen as the tree that masks the forest, even if it proved to be a most important encounter.
In his early years, his keen frequentation of local cultural facilities allows him to attend, observe and use the many instruments lying around… But, it is with percussions and more particularly the drum kit that he finds himself at home. From this very moment, an ever growing thirst for musical knowledge is born. Ahmad is ever improving. His need to vanquish is immense.
At seventeen, he is discovered by Comorian guitarist and composer Ali Afandi. 1988/1989 sees him accompany the folk band Hari Na Hari and become part of many bands be it folk, rock or covers. 1990 is a turning point for Ahmad since Fred Frith, then in a eight-month residence in Marseille, notices the young budding drummer and hires him along with 14 other musicians to create the rock opera "Helter-Skelter", staged by François-Michel Pesenti. 1991 sees the birth of band Que d’la Gueule, formed of most of the Helter-Skelter musicians, leading to the touring of Europe major jazz scenes and the recording of "Helter-Skelter" album. In parallel, he teams up with Edmond Hosdikian, Farid Khenfouf, Richard Peter and Hakim Aghadda-Khattabi, to create the band Mais Bon, playing many local and international scenes.
In 1993, Ahmad leaves for Nancy where he takes a two-year course in drum playing at the Centre Musical et Créatif de Nancy (now M.A.I.), from which he majors highly commended. Back in Marseille, Maggie Nicols calls on him for the recording of the album "Méchantes" and invites him to play with the band at MIMI festival in 1994. Japanese percussionist Makoto Yabuki is in demand for Ahmad’s skills for the creation of Bamboo Orchestra de Marseille. Ahmad participates in the making of bamboo instruments and plays with the orchestra in several festivals. The album "Také" is recorded in 1995. That same year, he invites balafonist Mahama Konaté (leader of band Farafina) to come to Marseille for a residency of creation in partnership with l’AMI (Aide aux Musiques Innovatrices). Fred Frith hires him for the Graphic Score gigs in Europe. Then, his performance with Michel Petrucciani, Barre Phillips and Tom Cora at Aix-en-Provence Festival is highly remarked by the audience.
In 1996, Ahmad integrates an African groove band and tours France and beyond. The following year, he makes a CD-Rom devoted to African arts for Arte Editions called “Arman, African art collector” for which he composes the song "Africa" with pianist Christine Wodrascka. He plays many concerts with different ensembles such as Oriental Fusion (created with Hakim Hamadouche and Edmond Hosdikian). In 1998, Réunion musical wiz Ti Fock invites him to join his band for many gigs in the south of France. In 1999, he records the "Oriental Fusion" album with such free jazz luminaries as Barre Phillips and Tom Cora, and tours France and abroad. At Marseille Dansem festival in 2000, he gives an improvised performance with guitarist Jean-Marc Montera and dancer Michèle Ricozzi.
The creation of "Temporament" in 2002, with Egyptian choreographer and contemporary danser Karima Mansour (MA'AT Company), will take him for shows in France and Madagascar (2003). He gives a highly remarked solo performance at Nuit d’Hiver festival in December 2003 and starts a tour in duo with his longtime fellow musician Jean-Marc Montera. After a whole year spent touring Tunisia, Egypt and France for the "Temporament" duet, Ahmad begins 2005 with the creation of "Opus Mêkhanê" in Limoges, a piece written by Gilles Colliard and Jean-Marc Montera mixing classical, contemporary and improvised music.
Winner of "Villa Médicis Hors les Murs" (AFAA) in 2005, he lives in India during 4 months to be initiated into the art of tablas by master Sree Debasish Dass. From 2006 to 2008, he contributes to many concerts and international festivals with Fred Frith, Butch Morris, saxophonist Raphaël Imbert, Barre Phillips, Hervé Samb (David Murray's lead guitarist), Marc Ribot and Jamaaladeen Tacuma. The year 2007 is marked by the creation of Ahmad Compaoré Quintet with a unique repertoire mixing jazz, soul, world, rock and electronic music. Recipient of Culturesfrance "Hors les Murs" award in 2008, he resides in Tokyo for several months to complete a creation project with various Japanese musicians (Otomo Yoshihide, Seigen Ono and Semba Kiyohiko).
Free from boundaries, he leads in parallel the most extreme experiences in alternative and improvised music, jazz, fusion and world music. He also teaches drums and contemporary percussions at his studio La Boîte à Musique in Marseille. While giving master classes and concerts, Ahmad Compaoré is preparing his new album, continuing his journey on the road of rhythms, those of a musician without borders...
DISCOGRAPHY
- 2007 “Algéries-Andalousies-Marseille” CD, Canebière Mélodies - CMDC001
- 2001 “Unsolved Mysteries” CD, Jamaaladeen Music - ASCAP
- 2000 “Oriental Fusion” CD, Transes Européennes - Night & Day - TE025
- 1999 “Hallelujah, Anyway: remembering Tom Cora” CD, Tzadik - TZ 7602
- 1999 “Stone, Brick, Glass, Wood, Wire” (Graphic Scores) CD, I Dischi di Angelica
- 1997 “Arman, collectionneur d’Art Africain” CD-Rom, Arte Editions
- 1995 “Také” (Bamboo Orchestra) CD, Stupeur et Trompette - ST 1007
- 1994 “Méchantes” (Maggie Nicols) CD, Stupeur et Trompette - ST 1003
- 1992 “Helter Skelter” (F. Frith & F.M. Pesenti) CD, RecRec Music - ReCDec 40
- 1990 “Mighty Risen Plea” Vinyl compilation, Sacred Frame - Record 01
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