Mali Project Summary (May-June/04)

Project Description: Woodchoppers Association
Multi-disciplinary Tour to Mali

Organizers: Dave Clark, Lewis Melville, Bay Weyman,
                     JP Melville, Tannis Slimmon 

The goal of this project is to develop an ongoing cultural collaboration between Canadian artists and their peers in Mali, West Africa. Working in partnership with the Developing Countries Farm Radio Network (DCFRN), and the Institut National des Artes in Bamako, artists from both countries will channel their creative talents in a campaign to raise awareness about agricultural issues in West Africa. Agricultural issues are key to the stable development of the world's poorer countries. Making good, practical information available to farmers is an important step towards solving many of the basic challenges. In many countries, however, information is not available in local languages and dialects, and therefore not accessible to farmers. Mali is one such country. Radio, however, has been proven to be an effective vehicle for providing information and education to farmers in these areas. The DCFRN coordinates the production of important agricultural programming on small local radio stations in West Africa and around the world. By focussing the spotlight on the DCFRN and other non-governmental organizations working in agriculture we hope that this project will facilitate the continuation of their efforts.

Mali is also at the hub of the West African musical tradition. Malian music is considered by many to be the birthplace of the blues, which in turn has had a profound impact on North American roots, jazz, and popular music. Thus it is a place of great cultural interest to musicians and music fans around the world. Music has always been a positive tool leading to understanding between people from different cultural backgrounds. As musicians the Woodchoppers recognize the value of the cultural contribution of Mali to the world of music, and would like to ensure these contributions continue to grow and flourish to the benefit of all.

The "Mali Project" is an ongoing "group initiative". The initial stage included a series of collaborative multidisciplinary workshops, visits to agricultural projects in Mali, and musical performances involving the Woodchoppers Association, Tannis Slimmon, Mansa Sissoko, Jah Youssouf, students at the National Institute for the Arts, and other Mali artists and musicians. Supported by a CIDA grant, Bay Weyman (Close Up Films, Toronto) filmed these interactions and for a documentary about the project which has a tentative release date in late 2006. In collaboration with Mansa Sissoko, Lewis Melville and Dave Clark produced a compilation benefit album of music by local Mali artists which was presented to the Farm Radio Network. The DCFRN and other agricultural NGOs will use this music and additional materials such as interviews, music recordings, film footage, and narrative experiences to help with their funding campaigns, and as a promotional resource for a media initiative in Canada.

About the Participants: The Woodchoppers Association is a jazz improvisation orchestra started in Toronto in 1995. Founded by bandleader Dave Clark (Rheostatics, Gord Downie Band) and associate Lewis Melville as a vehicle for bringing together a community of like-minded Canadian musicians, it’s members share an interest in cross-cultural musical collaboration as a source of new ideas and creative inspiration. The Woodchoppers have released three albums and perform regularly at festivals and special events. Over 150 musicians from all walks of musical life have contributed to the Woodchoppers, including Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip,Kevin Hearn, Jose Contreras, SookYin Lee, Nick Didkovsky, Tim Posgate, Justin Haynes, and many others 

Lewis Melville is a Guelph, Ontario, composer, producer, and recording artist. He is an original member of the Woodchoppers Association. As a producer and performer his various musical adventures have taken him across Canada, North America, Europe, and Asia. In 1993 he co-founded   DROG Canadian Recordings , an organization dedicated to catalyzing new music by independent regional Canadian artists, building community through music, and using music to promote goodwill worldwide. Over 100 albums have been released on the DROG label, including five benefit theme albums and three compilations.  Lewis also works as a research associate in the Department of Botany at the University of Guelph where he studies symbiotic associations between soil micro-organisms and the roots of plants. He has co-authored over 15 publications and two books.

Dave Clark is a drummer, percussionist, vocalist, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, tubaist, trumpeter, Gemini Award winning composer, arranger, bandleader, conductor, music instructor, band manager, audio engineer, record producer, graphic artist, multi-media arts festival director and poet who has participated in music and art internationally for 24 years. Clark is well known for his ability to conceptualize, organize and mobilize instant musical and multi-media events. His work as the leader of the WoodChopper’s Association illustrates a high degree of inventiveness and tenacity. Dave is presently studying, creating, performing and teaching music.

Mansa Sissoko is an accomplished kora player (a multi-stringed instrument with 21 strings made from the gourd ‘calabash’ and cattle leather). Mansa was born in the village of Ballya in the region of Kaye, about 200 kilometres from the capital, Bamako, and sings and composes in a traditional style called Mandingue. A ‘griot’ by birth (a storyteller), he carries on the tradition of singing about family lines, society, and history.  He performed with Habib Koite for five years, and is currently on tour performing and recording with Tiken Jah Fakoly as well as organizing the National Kora Festival in Bamako, Mali.

Bay Weyman is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker with over 15 years experience in writing, producing, and directing documentary films. Weyman has explored his parallel interests in social issues and popular culture through a wide variety of productions, ranging from reality series and social docs, to arts documentary and performance films. His work has been broadcast by all the major networks in Canada, and as far away as New Zealand. Bay is currently working on FINDING FIDEL, a feature documentary about Canadian war cameraman Erik Durschmied, who in the fall of 1958 on the eve of the Revolution, traveled to Cuba to track down Fidel Castro at his camp, high in the mountains of the Sierra Maestra (in development with TVOntario, Knowledge Network, SCN, and VRT Belgium for production in 2004).

JP Melville is an international Development Planner and Project Manager specializing in agricultural projects in developing countries. A graduate of the University Guelph with a degree in Rural Planning and Development (International), he has over 15 years work experience in many countries, including Bhutan, Thailand, Tibet, Benin, and Mali. He is currently working and living in Bamako, Mali, West Africa with his family.

Tannis Slimmon is a songstress (singer/songwriter/player) living in Guelph, Ontario who has been performing, recording and touring for over twenty years (Bird Sisters, Crows Feet, Benji) and has appeared as a guest vocalist on over 45 recordings by numerous artists (Willie P. Bennett, Valdy, Rheostatics, Luther Wright and the Wrongs). Her songs have appeared on several compilations and she is now embarking on a career as a solo artist, with her debut album Oak Lake.

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