Rumsey Playfield was live once again for a dynamic showcase of world talent last Saturday in NYC with Taureg artist Bombino from Niger, Scotland bred trio Young Fathers, and Oakland, CA singer Fantastic Negrito, making for an eclectic sonic mash-up.
Fantastic Negrito started the show off strong; his gritty vocals mesh jazz, blues, and even country, but it can be all rounded up with the term, “black roots music.” Singing songs from his self-titled EP such as “Long Long Road,” “Night Has Turned To Day,” and 2015 "NPR Tiny Desk Contest" winning song “Lost In the Crowd,” the singer channeled the depth of his struggles into memorable jams.
Young Fathers is a mix of hip-hop and EDM, but it doesn’t stop there. Performing songs like “War,” "Get Up," and “Queen is Dead,” they use heavy bass and drums, juxtaposed with softer instruments, singing, shouting, and rapping to create dramatic and unique effects. They got the crowd twirling and whirling around to their electronic beats.
Bombino and his band woke up in Canada Saturday morning, but it didn’t stop them from getting to NY to for a solid performance. Bombino sang songs of his home of Niger, such as "Kammou Taliat (You, My Beloved);" his music has been described as "hypnotic," with electric guitar playing and bongo drums. Though he once had his guitar playing restricted in Niger, he and his band found joy playing for the NYC crowd and gained many new fans in the process.
