Biography
Known as the "King of 6/8 Rhythm," Brice Wassy left an indelible mark on West African music. He formerly led bands for Manu Dibango and Salif Keita while collaborating with African performers such as Miriam Makeba, Mabi Thobejane, Madala Kunene, Toure Kunda, Doc Mthalane, Moses Molelekwa, and Busi Mhlongo, alongside international figures like French jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, Cuban percussionist Changuito, and Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira. The late Fela Kuti asserted that Wassy "opened our minds with the militancy of his message and our hearts to the rhythms of Afrobeat," whereas www.jazzafrica.fsnet.co.uk commended his "melodious, subtly constructed, compositions built on the solid foundation of African tradition." Belonging to the Bamileke people, Wassy felt music's pull from his earliest recollections. During childhood he would pound pots and pans along to American soul and R&B recordings by James Brown, Otis Redding, and Wilson Pickett. His uncle Moussy gave him initial structured instruction on drums. At age five he joined a 15-piece school ensemble. Relocating to Paris in 1974 to join his father, older brother, and younger sister, Wassy drew strong influence from jazz fusion drummers Tony Williams, Steve Gadd, and Billy Cobham. After a short stint alongside Wally Badarou, he accepted an offer to enter Manu Dibango's band, staying six years and advancing to music director. His inventive drumming on Dibango's 1981 dance hit "Mangambolo" spotlighted his command of the 6/8 rhythm. In 1984 Wassy joined Salif Keita's post-Les Ambassadeurs group, where over six years he toured globally and contributed to several groundbreaking albums. When Jean-Luc Ponty chose to cut an African-infused record in 1990, Wassy was a natural choice; he helped gather top African musicians in France and served as co-producer on Ponty's album Tchokola. While touring Lagos, Nigeria, with Miriam Makeba in 1992, Wassy experienced deep inspiration during a visit to Keita's Shrine Club. Four years afterward he channeled that memory at Real World studios while cutting Shrine Dance, supported by premier European and Latin-American jazz musicians including Changuito and Airto Moreira. Turning focus back to his homeland, Wassy released Belengu Village in 1999 and that same year toured the United Kingdom with his African Rhythms Orchestra alongside French jazz musician Claude Deppa's band. He also authored the instructional method book Rhythms Of Cameroon.
Albums