Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Ben Lowes-Smith enjoys a night of joyous performance and melodic beauty
Image by Ben Lowes-Smith
In an insecure and transient world, there isn’t anything quite as life affirming as the endless nature of art. Tonight Ata Kak is playing songs to a packed out Cluny 2 from his 1994 album Ooba Sima; initially released as run of 50 copies – three of which were sold before a tape was bought by Awesome Tapes from Africa’s Brian Shimkovitz, who introduced the record to a brand new audience. Kak’s music is joyful, borrowing from the melodic landscape of highlife cross-pollenated with more Western influence; clattering 808 funk, hip-hop and pop.
At 66, his sprightly, energetic presence and compelling falsetto belie his years. What is really tangible here is the love in the room; the beautiful celebratory music defies generational boundaries. Drawing from the high-energy tunes on Ooba Sima with a simple but effective set-up (and a frankly astonishing bass player), Kak has a room of people singing his songs back at him: a testament to their joyfulness and infectiousness. Tonight’s performance is truly a joy to behold, and a remarkable testament to the transformative nature of timeless art.
