WOAH, WANEE!
Between the Allman Brothers, Galactic, Toubab Krewe, Rusted Root, The Steve Miller Band and the other fifty performing musicians, I don’t think a genuine complaint can stem from Wanee Music festival. Whether you were vibing at the Main Amphitheatre, lying in a hammock at the Mushroom Stage or chilling at your campsite, Wanee was three unusual days of celebrating the greatness of live music, friends and the great outdoors.
Right before the sun was to set on the Friday afternoon at Wanee, I ventured backstage to talk with Luke Quaranta of the West African influenced band, Toubab Krewe, minutes before their set at the Mushroom Stage.
Toubab Krewe, who formed in Asheville back in 2005, prides itself on creating a community atmosphere while combining the likes of rock, folk, jam and West African music into their live sets. Playing music to make their fans dance and spread a sense of culture amongst the masses, Toubab Krewe has a one-of-a-kind direction both on and off stage.
Between playing jam, folk, rock and West African music, I know some classify Toubab Krewe as not falling under a specific musical genre, do you agree?
Our music has roots in many different places so it’s pretty difficult to say if we fit into a particular genre. At a place like Wanee for example, we fit more into the jam scene. At festivals we improvise on stage, which creates something different than you’d experience at any other time. You know, when we’re improvising, we don’t know where we’re taking it, and the audience doesn’t know where it’s going, and that creates a communal experience, which stems back from our experiences in West Africa.
Are you trying to incorporate the West African musical culture into your live sets?
Yeah, I think we do. I think without even consciously doing it, we do because we’ve been immersed in that culture so many times, especially into our improvisational sets. West Africa is where our heart is and we carry that with us everywhere. Thus, I think we bring that vibe to people because it’s essential to the Toubab physical and mental experience.
So when you’re improvising at festivals, do you feed off the crowd’s mood and then groove depending on their reaction? Or is there a set plan to what you’re going to play prior to hitting the stage?
Yeah, I think if something happens and the audience likes it then it allows us to go deeper and we just keep on jammin’. But if we don’t feel like the audience is with us then we may get back to our roadmap and start playing an original song of ours.
So when you’re improvising, you guys pretty much have a sixth sense with each other?
Yeah, I think so. The majority of our songs are arranged prior, but it’s almost like a roadmap when we’re improvising; we have several options on how to get there but it just depends on how we decide to take it.
While improvising and fusing West African music into your American sets, what would you say is Toubab’s number one goal when performing?
Probably just to translate and experience a timeless vibe with everyone in the audience. Music is such a deep tradition and has a life of its own and as musicians we carry the torch. The instruments we play are older than everyone present, along with some of the tunes we play which come from 6-800 years ago. We like to shut everything else out while playing and live fully in the moment. I mean, its cliché but through that, I’d say our goal is to have a transcendent experience and celebrate music as the beautiful medium it is.
So you must be a big Emerson and Thoreau fan?
Yes, I sure I am.
Any top reads lately?
For years I got stuck reading political science stuff, like world politics, such as the developing world and America’s influence on those places. I definitely read a lot about Latin American politics. Justin and I are reading this book now that discusses the past 50 years in Africa and the various independence movements out there. But I also have read a lot about eastern philosophy, a lot of non-fiction, and self-help stuff interests me.
It’s nice that as famous musicians you guys take advantage of positively influencing the masses through social action. I know Toubab is currently working close with helping Mali out right now. Can you tell me a bit more on Toubab’s impact on the American society and in West Africa?
Haha, famous musicians?
Yeah, I’d say so.
That’s good to know!
Well, firstly, we try to do creative projects through what we’ve accomplished with our music. Lately I’ve sat on a lot of greening panels at festivals to discuss the environment with Rock the Earth. Just facilitating conversation about our impact on the environment and how musicians and promoters can contribute positively plays a great role within the festival/concert scene.
But with the band specifically, we’ve been raising money all year to help build a school in Mali for underprivileged children. It’s going to be a place to teach children about music when they normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn. A number of great musicians we’ve worked with over the years will be employed there to teach the underprivileged about music. Ultimately, we hope to create a house of music.
And to help raise money for it we’ve created a beer in Asheville called ‘Toubab Brewe.” 5% of the proceeds go toward the school and we’ve added a .50 cent surcharge to every ticket sale which also goes toward the school.
Obviously the West African culture has had a heavy influence on Toubab Krewe as a band, can you tell me a little about Toubab’s field trips out there?
It’s always a new experience every time we go to West Africa. Two of us recently just returned from Mali. Back in 2007 we vacationed north of Timbuktwo to play on the edge of the Sahara and listen to other musicians who we’ve become close with over the years. And that really was an unbelievable experience because it’s not too common to play in the desert and hang out with dudes who travel 30-50 days on camel as their main source of transportation.
And before I conclude this interview, is there anything you’ve never been asked by another reporter but would love to share with your fans?
It doesn’t matter who you are because everyone is part of our ‘krewe.’ We want to spread music and help share with everyone what West Africa has shared with us: a communal experience.
Well thank you for your time, Luke. Good luck and I look forward to grooving to your music in the next few minutes.
