La version courte de L'ART D'ÊTRE LIBRE/TRAVELLING LIGHT (52 min, version originale sous-titrée en français) sera présenté sur ARTV (Canada), le 16 novembre à 18h30 et le 17 novembre à 15h30.
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La Chango Family is a band born at the start of the 21st century that is based both in Montréal and France that plays what is generically called 'world beat' music, mestizo or patchanka because no one single label describes their sound and everyone has a different opinion of what it is. From the plaintive voice of gypsy violin, to raucous ska-punks, groovy funk and mellow reggae, all find their way in La Chango's music depending on the musicians of the moment. The original music and texts composed by Lundo are sung in french, spanish and english as well as wolof, arab and a few other, very often in the same song accompanied by the cream of of Montreal's and Europe's indie scenes.
This road tested collective of musicians does its best work live and has played over 600 shows in their first 6-7 years, with over 140 shows in europe including stages at Montreux Jazz festival (winning the public choice award in 2004 and closing off the festival in 2005), Esperanzah!, ReggaeSunska as well as the Francofolies at la Rochelle, Spa and Montreal on many occasions.
The road is also where much of the music is written and tried out, honed down in concert before putting it down on cd (while also releasing limited edition bootlegs beforehand).
La Chango has stayed true to its original intentions of using music as a social catalyst and not to sell laundry detergent, whether it be at the Quebec 2001 summit or cancelling a Barcelona gig in 2005 to play in support of a Confederation paysanne court case, doing the right thing always takes precedence over the easy thing. Instead of preaching their beliefs and ideals, they encourage young people to take action, express themselves and stand up for what they believe in, not allowing themselves to be manipulated but rather educated.
Over the years, the geometrically variable configurations (most often between 5 to 10 members) have seen the band also perform accoustically as Chango Family Akustik Stylee and Los Changolos to the more elaborate and larger Chango Family Soundsystem and Chango Family Circus, enhanced by either DJ's or 7-8 circus performers. The band's constantly evolving sound is both driven by the direction of Lundo's songs as well as the input of the musicians playing on certain tours. No two Chango seasons have the same style because words and notes on paper can be revisited many times in many ways bringing new life each time.
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| 2007 | EUROPE |
To celebrate their fifth year touring EUROPE, La Chango will be based in the south west (wine region!!) of France and will play about 60 club dates and festivals in France, Spain, Galicia, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Holland and Germany in 2007 from late-April to the end of summer.
| 2008 | TRAVELS |
Afterwards, Lundo will spend the autumn in europe to work on various collaborations as well as compose the music for documentary film maker Tamas Wormser's upcoming project. Once the music is recorded by the end of the year, he will then take his backpack, guitar and mp3 recorder and spend a few months travelling through latin americaaddendum: so much for the best layed plans, he actually stayed in Cuba the whole spring!!
Then back in Paris this summer to start work on the first solo alboom. and life goes on.
LA CHANGO RECOMMANDE :
