Jesse has got a sweet first trailer for the Movie! We still have quite a few more scenes to film, which requires another trip back to Gambia this Spring. We’ll be launching a Kickstarter campaign soon to fund the movie. We’ll keep you posted. Meanwhile enjoy this nice 10 minute+ trailer!
Hello Mandinka music lovers! I know, it has been a long time.
But, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes, which we are about to unleash upon y’all! These include: a Promo video for the school, a trailer for the Documentary, some exclusive tracks for your listening pleasure….and more!
Oh and I disabled comments for the “Unsigned in,” so I apologize if you don’t want to go through all that….too much spam!
Well, Everyone. It’s been a week here in Gambia at Konteh Kunda. I had a few days to catch up on sleep and getting used to the time zone, albeit between rehearsals, which started within hours of arriving.
We’ve been brainstorming about the school and contacting architects in Brikama, and all sorts of stuff. Jesse showed up last night with his cameras was serenated for 3 hours until he nearly fell over. He had the blissful glow I had on my first ever night in Africa. Today we had a full band rehearsal for Jali Bakary’s 2nd cd, and I’m even more excited than I was before. Talent oozes from these musician’s pores and egos (musical ones at least) don’t seem to exist here. Jesse filmed the whole thing and couldn’t be happier with the general photogenicity (is that a word) of the play. Not bad that the music was so amazing.
I’m tried uploading a tune from our rehearsal today for your enjoyment, but it keeps crashing right as it is about to finish…Gambian internet! I’ll try to get it up soon
Meanwhile, check the latest batch of photos here on Facebook
Tamala
Help Build a Music School in Gambia
March 4th, 10pm-1am, Toad in the Hole, 116 5th St. Santa Rosa, Ca
1st Friday with Steve Pile Band, and DJ Brian Taylor
www.thetoadpub.com
March 5th, 3-6pm, Spoon Bar, 219 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA
DJ Brian Taylor, Steve Pile solo, Kids welcome!
www.h2hotel.com/spoonbar
In 2008, Steve Pile went to Gambia to study Kora (an African harp) and record an album for his Kora teacher, Jali Bakary Konteh. To power his laptop studio he used solar panels funded by family and friends in the US and primarily Sonoma County. The album, Konteh Kunda, was a great success, and the family is still using the Solar panels.
This March, Steve is returning again to lay the groundwork for the Konteh Kunda School of Music on Jali Bakary’s compound. Jali Bakary, though featured in the Lonely Planet guide to Senegal and Gambia as the premier kora teacher in Gambia, has no facilities to house students and conduct lessons. Steve will be filming a documentary on Jali Bakary with filmmaker Jesse Wippert and finding out what will best work for Jali’s future school. He will then return within the year to begin construction.
He and Jesse are funding this part of the project out of pocket, without grants, and it is very expensive. Please join us for these 2 great fundraising events to help ease the financial sting of this labor of love. No amount is too small (or Big!). If financial help is not possible, fun gifts for kids (stickers, pens, silly bands, etc) are great.
Dj Brian Taylor is a North Bay native who is able to move seamlessly from dub to funk, breaks, and house. His large collection of Afro-beat records and genre jumping tastes make him perfect for this event. Brian contributed to the Jali Bakary’s Konteh Kunda album and is sure to throw in his remix of the crowd-moving single “Combination.”
The Steve Pile Band is a North Bay staple combining Blues, rock, country and African rhythms into one infectious stew of sound. They will play Friday at the Toad in the Hole, and Steve will do a solo set on Saturday at the Spoon Bar.
For more information and donate online, visit www.kontehkunda.org
contact Steve Pile at:
steve@stevepile.com
or 707-889-0639
We’re building a music school and we need your help!
Steve Pile and Jesse Wippert will be heading over to Brikama, Gambia in March 2011 to film a documentary and start laying the groundwork for the construction of an official Konteh Kunda School of Music.
We’ll have 2 fundraisers, March 4th and 5th in Santa Rosa, CA and Healdsburg, CA respectively and more details are coming soon.
You can also donate right here on the site. No amount is too small (or too Big…) and we REALLY appreciate the help. Please leave your full name if you do donate through Paypal, and we’ll put you in the credits of the Documentary and a copy when it is released!
Explore around the site to get a better idea of what we’re doing…take a look and a listen, and contact us with any questions.
