|
SPOT LIGHT
LYE CHAM -AFRICAN PROMOTER IN BIRMINGHAM
|
|
WITH the likes of DJ Lye Cham, no voice will be directed towards Africa's oblivion in any part of the United Kingdom. There's no denying the fact that music projects the cultures of where ever they originated. African sounds could only sell the positive image of the continent just when they are promoted and presented properly to diverse audience who are aliens to the culture.
DJ Lye Cham is aptly promoting African musical traits in the entire Birmingham. Playing a variety of African sounds at Top City nightclub allows Lye to cut further to the danceable Congolese Makosa style.
|
“Top City is a Congolese owned nightclub and so I'm obliged to fuse other African styles into that vibrant Congolese Makosa,” Lye begins. “I was trained to play all kinds of African music and, at perfect timings to suit the audience.”
Lye's mixing of Senegal and Gambia's own music at LondonŐs Old Kent Road Mbalax Nightclub relates to his origin. The Gambian born ace MC cum mixer visits the club every Saturday as a guest DJ.
Born Abdulai Cham, Lye's profile as an impresario dates back to 1996. Under his Balafong Arts outfit, Lye has staged, in Birmingham, performers like Gambia's leading hiphop quartet Da Fugitivz, Senegal's mbalax singers such as Aliue Mbaye Nder, Thione Seck, Omar Pene, Pape Thiopet Ndiaye, Assane Ndiaye, Fatou Laobe and Amy
Mbenger.
|
|
Other Gambian acts include Kora instrument guru Jaliba Kuyateh, cultural crossover folk singer Musa Ngum, German-based dancehall singer Rebellion D'Recaller and traditional reggae act New Chilly.
During the last Christmas season Lye Cham's Balafong Arts presented Senegal's number one singer/dancer Salam Dialo. “Aside our very successful concert with Assane Ndiaye during the weekend of the last Nothinghill Carnival, the most successful tour of the outfit is this recent one with Salam Dialo,” Lye reveals.
“He performed in Birmingham and then we took him to London, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham. Salam's dancing skill was a main attraction. The audience had the best of fun.” Lye Cham's promotional tour for the entire 2007 will further enrich his profile. Already billed are artists who are making sweet loud noise in the mainstream.
|
|
