Journalist at RFI (ex-DW, BBC, CBC, F24...), writer (on art, music, culture...), I work in radio, podcasting, online, on films.
As a writer, I also contributed to the New Arab, Art UK, Byline Times, the i Paper...
Born in Paris, I was based in Prague, Miami, London, Nairobi (covering East Africa), Bangui, and in Bristol, UK. I also reported from Italy, Germany, Haiti, Tunisia, Liberia, Senegal, India, Mexico, Iraq, South Africa...
This blog is to share my work, news and cultural discoveries.
One of the most inspired and relevant bands of our time:
Algiers - "Cleveland" (Official Audio)
Published on 13 Jun 2017
From Algiers' new album 'The Underside of Power' released by Matador Records on June 23rd, 2017 and available for pre-order now: http://smarturl.it/TheUndersideOfPower
"A recurring theme in our music is the idea of injustice and the bitter understanding that obtaining justice in this world is all but impossible--particularly for black and brown people.”
- frontman and lyricist Franklin James Fisher
CLEVELAND lyrics
I never saw your face but I can tell
you’re there and waiting at the Right Hand
Satan laughs but I swear
I can hear all the saints on their way down
Here come the Shirts in Brown and Black
With the flashing lights
They’re hiding
In different colors in the dead of night
They’re running Waller County, Texas where 4,000 died
And down in Jackson, Mississippi they don’t have to hide
But innocence is alive and it’s coming back one day
Here come the(m) boys in black and white
With the kerosene
It’s been the same evil power since in ‘63
They hang in Homewood, Alabama with the whitest sheets
And in Montgomery County, Maryland from a sapling tree
But innocence is alive and it’s coming back one day
I don’t think you’re gonna get away
With the Seal I can hear them singing
Kindra Chapman (we’re coming back)
Brother Andre Jones (we’re coming back)
Lennon Lacy (we’re coming back)
Sandra Bland (we’re coming back)
Roosevelt Pernell (we’re coming back)
Keith Warren (we’re coming back)
Alfred Wright (we’re coming back)
We’re coming back and any day now — it won’t be long…
The hand that brings the gavel down
is the hand that ties the noose
The hand that finds you behind
And ties the thirteen loops
But that hand is gonna fold
The day is coming soon
When we fill it full of dust and resurrect the truth
‘Cause innocence is alive and it’s coming back one day
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You can also read this article by Consequence of Sound:
Algiers pay tribute to victims of police violence on “Cleveland” — listen
A haunting gospel punk track from the band's forthcoming The Underside of Power
When it comes to music with political statements in 2017, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything more powerful and overt than Algiers. The New York/London band recently announced their sophomore album, The Underside of Power, with its hard-hitting, soulful title track. Now, they’re back with another culturally critical single, “Cleveland”.
The track title references Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old black boy who was killed by police in November 2014. “Cleveland” serves as a tribute to all victims of unchecked police brutality, however, as a press release notes “the lyrics summon Kindra Chapman, Andre Jones, Lennon Lacy, Sandra Bland, Roosevelt Pernell, Keith Warren and AlfredWright.” Like the previous track, there’s an air of affirmation in the song’s dark tones, only this time they’re buried far deeper under electronic textures and heavy punk gospel. In fact, there are actually the sounds of people crying layered into the mix.
“A recurring theme in our music is the idea of injustice and the bitter understanding that obtaining justice in this world is all but impossible — particularly for black and brown people,”frontman Franklin James Fisher explained in a statement. “I wanted the song to sound like the Final Judgement in the Bible, wherein the wicked are judged and condemned by the righteous with all the ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth,’ of the damned when justice is finally realized. This translates in the ‘solo’ section of the song. It consists of various recordings of people inconsolably crying and weeping while the guitar and lead vocal mirror their contortions. If you’ve ever witnessed something like that in real life, sound of a person’s sorrow is equal parts frightening and musical.”
The Underside of Power is due out June 23rd on Matador Records.
Algiers are currently touring Europe with Depeche Mode in support of the release, with North American dates coming in July. Check their schedule below.
Algiers 2017 Tour Dates:
06/15 – Paris, FR @ Secret Show
06/17 – Aarau, CH @ Kiff
06/18 – Zurich, CH @ Letzigrund Stadion *
06/19 – Heidelberg, DE @ Karlstorbahnhof
06/20 – Frankfurt, DE @ Commerzbank Arena *
06/21 – Munster, DE @ Gleis22
06/22 – Berlin, DE @ Olympiastadion Berlin *
06/23 – Berlin, DE @ Musik & Freiden
06/25 – Rome, IT @ Stadio Olimpico *
06/26 – Milan, IT @ Santeria Social Club
06/27 – Milan, IT @ Stadio San Siro *
06/29 – Bologna, IT @ Studio Rentao Dall’Ara *
07/01 – St. Denis, FR @ Stade de France *
07/04 – Gelsenkirchen, DE @ Veltins-Arena *
07/13 – Vancouver, BC @ Cobalt
07/14 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
07/15 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
07/17 – Oakland, CA @ Starline Social Club
07/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
07/22 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
07/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
07/24 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
10/15 – Atlanta, GA @ Afropunk Festival
One day for millions of people forced to leave their country...
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On this day, the UNHCR remembers the over 65 million refugees and displaced persons around the world. We acknowledge and celebrate the strength, courage and tenacity of millions of refugees forced to flee their homes because of war, conflict, and persecution.
The theme for World Refugee Day 2017 is We Stand Together #WithRefugees.
The theme is aimed at drawing global public attention to the millions of refugees worldwide.
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Here is a few more details about the situation in East Africa, where I was based around 2010/12.
From the UNHCR in Nairobi:
Kenya is one of the countries at the centre of the refugee and displacement crisis.
Kenya hosts nearly ½ a million refugees (490,656).
Most live in Dadaab in the north east (246,517). It’s one of the world’s most populous refugee camps, where some refugees have lived for decades.
Followed by Kakuma (176,872) in the northwest, which has seen a large influx of refugees from South Sudan, which has one of the highest number of persons fleeing globally, after the Syrian refugee crisis.
There are also (67,267) refugees living in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Women and children represent 79% of the total population of refugees in Kenya. 86% of the refugees live in camps and 14% live in urban areas.
The majority of the refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya originate from Somalia (62%). Other major nationalities are South Sudanese (21%), Congolese (6%); Ethiopians (5.6%). Persons of concern from other nationalities including Sudan, Rwanda, Eritrea, Burundi, Uganda and others make up about 5% of the total population.
The Government of Kenya, through its agency the Refugee Affairs Secretariat, takes the lead in refugee management, in collaboration with UNHCR and partners.
In a world where violence forces thousands of families to flee for their lives each day, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, believes now is the time to show world leaders that the global public stands #WithRefugees and that concrete solutions need to be found to the global refugee crisis.
To demonstrate this solidarity and encourage governments into action, UNHCR launched the #WithRefugees campaign and petition in 2016. On June 20th, World Refugee Day, UNHCR commemorates the strength, courage, and perseverance of millions of families forced to flee their homes. This year, World Refugee Day is also a key opportunity for the public to express their support by signing the petition.
Your signature will encourage decision makers to:
Ensure every refugee child gets an education.
Ensure every refugee family has somewhere safe to live.
Ensure every refugee can work or learn new skills to support their families.
The campaign continues until a global compact for refugees is adopted in 2018. Add your name to show the world you stand #WithRefugees.
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UNHCR
Join our #WithRefugees campaign Sign the petition today - For more on the situation in Europe, here again is my recent article about the role of France:
Refugees welcome?
After the closure of the Calais migrant camp, French charities call for more state help with accommodation
Hello again everyone. I've been to Breil-sur-Roya, South of France, very near the Italian border, in February, reporting on the refugee crisis. It is a lovely extremely beautiful village, full of committed people able of a huge amount of solidarity. Might go again late June.
These people are organizing an event around the art. Come and join!
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Cet événement est un un projet d’art contemporain "itinérant engagé", mené par de jeunes artistes, investissant des espaces ruraux sous forme de résidence...
Les œuvres y sont réalisées de manière collaborative, via des ateliers et discussions avec les habitants du village!
Pictures by myself in Breil-sur-Roya, Feb. 2017
oulalamaisqu’est-cequec’est¿ Edition n°2 à Breil-sur-Roya du 18 juin au 2 juillet
oulalamaisqu’est-cequec’est¿est un projet d’art contemporain itinérant engagé, mené par de jeunes artistes, qui investit les espaces ruraux sous forme de résidence afin de réaliser œuvres collaboratives, ateliers et discussions avec les habitants du village. De manière plus générale, le projet propose une réflexion sur les espaces d’exposition et les formats de médiation ; un questionnement autour du rôle et à la responsabilité de l’artiste face aux publics. Cette année le projet s’installe à Breil-sur-Roya à la frontière italienne pour deux semaines de festivités ! Au programme : expositions collectives dans les chapelles du village, installation vidéo dans le moulin à huile, conférence-performée sur le lac, marathon danse 6h chrono, intervention dans le cours d’art plastique du collège, atelier public musique-improvisation-dessin ouvert à tous, performances au marché le mardi matin et bien d’autres surprises… Le samedi 24 juin, nous vous proposons une « Mi-temps » dans l’aventure oulalamaisqu’est-cequec’est¿2, un temps de partage public de l’expérience vécue de la première semaine et une préparation de la semaine à venir ! Dès 17h, des visites guidées effectuées par les artistes partiront de la Kermesse de l’école primaire pour déambuler dans le village d’œuvres en œuvres et finir sous le chapiteau, où vous attendront stands de nourriture et boisson locales et bio, concerts de musique expérimentale, performances ! Des voitures déguisées par Crash-test vous guideront également vers le chapiteau… Lien de l’évènement Facebook, pour suivre au jour le jour le projet, et lien du site : https://www.facebook.com/events/1991163697778649/ https://oulalamaisquestcequecest.com Un rendez-vous chaleureux à mi-chemin entre fête de village et vernissage d’art contemporain ! À très vite, et n’oubliez pas : Breil-sur-Roya est le passage obligé... L’équipe oulalamaisqu’est-cequec’est¿ : Marguerite Reinert, Blandine Herrmann, Trécy Afonso, Cléo Lhéritier, Max Paskine, Morgan Patimo, Manon Rougier et Fanny Spano - AU PROGRAMME
> EXPOSITIONS COLLECTIVES rendez-vous à la st-catherine et la miséricorde du mardi au dimanche de 15h à 19h et sur demande à l’office du tourisme ou au 06 28 52 54 52
> INSTALLATION AU MOULIN À HUILE rendez-vous avec FANNY SPANO sur demande à l’office du tourisme ou au 06 28 52 54 52
> RELAIS DESSIN rendez-vous avec Manon ROUGIER pour alimenter sa carte géante avec vos témoignages dessinés tous les jours chez les habitant(e)s du village sur demande au 06 89 50 46 24 LES PREMIERS JOURS
JUIN DIM 18 🍷 COCKTAIL-CONCOMBRE D’ARRIVÉE 🍷 a ca de Breil, 18h en présence de tous les artistes
LUN 19 🌊 DÉPLOIEMENT / performance bord du lac, 11h-12h MORGAN PATIMO
« QU’EST-CE QUE LES BEAUX-ARTS¿ » / intervention collège l’eau vive, 14h00-14h30 FANNY SPANO
DESSIN_IMPRO_MUSIQUE / intervention collège l’eau vive, 14h30-16h MARGUERITE REINERT, MORGAN PATIMO et MAX PASKINE
Woke up quite disappointed and tired, by the irresponsibilities of our leaders, of voters in our democratic countries who don't bother to express their voice and let the elite run the world the way they want, start the conflict they want, steal the countries they want...
Disappointed at people's coldness and lack of solidarity.
But also woke up in love with my neighborhood, with the light, the summer that is coming, the loving memories of the moments I spent with lovely, committed people in Scotland, in England, with my friends with a big heart, in London and Paris yesterday evening, generous, listening, choosing without prejudices. Loving people. Loving light. Books I have to read, music. What else do we need?
Read, listen, learn, vote... We could have such a perfect system.
I'm a nomad, a sun flower, I'll just follow the sun. We are in June. Astrologically in the sign of Gemini, ready for sweet and loving Cancer around the time of the summer solstice, on June 21. June 20 is also World's Refugee Day and 21, in France, La Fête de la Musique...
All we need is light, warmth, water and gardens, art and music. And solidarity.
I'll follow the sun. And will try to forget how deeply useless my battles for democracy are...
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The song of the morning:
Ben Howard - 'Promise'
'Promise'
And meet me there, bundles of flowers
We'll wade through the hours of cold
Winter she'll howl at the walls
Tearing down doors of time
Shelter as we go...
And promise me this
You'll wait for me only
Scared of the lonely arms
Surface, far below these birds
And maybe, just maybe I'll come home
Who am I, darling to you?
Who am I?
To tell you stories of mine
Who am I?
Who am I, darling for you?
Who am I?
To be your burden in time, lonely
Who am I, to you?
Who am I, darling for you?
Who am I?
To be your burden