"Vendredi Magnifique" celebrates the party, the freedom and the night. A compilation of tracks written by the three artists, mixing acoustic and electro worlds, with an uncompromising groove as the common thread.
The Brussels-based trio released their debut album, Vendredi Magnifique, in April 25.
The brainchild of Beninese drummer Angelo Moustapha, a protégé of Philip Catherine, the group Ibiyewa brings together some of the capital's leading personalities: guitarist Joel Rabesolo, one of Madagascar's leading artists of the younger generation, and Toine Thys, the Belgian saxophonist with a wide range of projects.
Imagine the rhythms of a master drummer from Benin, the danceable harmonies of a guitarist from Madagascar and the melodic improvisations of a saxophonist in love with the equator. Wherever they play, from Brussels to Ouagadougou, from Conakry to Tananarive, from Luanda to Paris, their audiences are filled with joy and smiles.
The name Ibiyewa, "Here we are" in Yoruba, reflects their desire to transcend cultural barriers and create music that unites. Their music is an eclectic mix of African rhythms, grooves, electro, haunting melodies and bold improvisations. The result is music that thrills the listener, sweeping them away in a whirlwind of sounds and rhythms.
