(F Communications/Creative Vibes)

What a celebratory album this one is!  My first listen to Sacrè Live was on a cold and rainy Melbourne day, there was really not too much to be happy about when looking out the window but Sacrè live definitely helped to raise my somewhat gloomy spirits.

Firstly I should give you a little run down on Frèdèric Galliano.  Frèdèric has been a DJ since 1992 and a producer since 1996 on the F Communications label and creator of his own label Frikyiwa in 1998.  Residing in the south of France Frèdèric, he takes references from art, philosophy and the cultures of different countries.  His recent exploration sees him researching the relationship between different electronica, jazz and African influences.

Having heard a few of his works from the ‘Frèdèric Galliano presents The African Divas’ release of 2002 I was quite intrigued by this unique fusion of sounds, the African chants and vocals, jazzy breakdowns and extremely infectious house beats and percussion.  This particular project included fifty guests he met on the jazz scene and during numerous trips to Africa and the project was built around duos of African divas and dancefloor programming. 

Sacrè Live is the live recording of a Frèdèric Galliano & The African Divas concert, so you can hear audience cheering alongside the joys of spontaneity and energy of a live performance, Sacrè Live really is a special capture of a celebratory moment.

The African rhythms and beautiful vocals of the African divas mixed with the smooth house beats of Frèdèric Galliano place you right smack bang in the middle of the concert, the atmosphere and the spirit of it all can be felt and heard as if you were there.  I truly enjoyed how all this was put together and effortlessly achieved.

The word Sacrè, is a French word which means, “fucking great, kick ass” and is a positive way to describe something or someone, so Sacrè Live, pretty much translates as “kick ass concert” and this album gives you the pleasure of seeing for yourself just how kick ass it really was.

All twelve tunes are fun and dancefloor friendly, I especially like Hadia La Gunièe-Conakry, Galliano lays down bass heavy beats as the African Divas do their thang over the top… such fantastically strong vocals.  Awesome

Woualaï is the tune that got me into this distinctive Frèdèric Galliano project with the African Divas and I was so happy that they included this tune in their live performance.  It is so hard to pinpoint out favourite tunes or describe each one separately, as I can only really look at this CD in terms of one whole performance, the tunes are all familiar from one to the other but different at the same time.  The crowd cheering and clapping in between each tune reminds you of its ‘aliveness’ and the great time that was being had.

If you were looking for something different, festive and wordly, then this album would be just the ticket.