WOMAD

Urbain Philéas

From France, Reunion

Small island, big noise

Located 500 miles east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and with a population less than that of the city of Birmingham, the island of Réunion might be a comparative speck on the spinning globe but punches well above its weight when it comes to music. And it's made an impact on WOMAD's stages over the years. Just last summer we welcomed both Danyel Waro and Nathalie Natiembé; this time around it's the turn of compatriot Urbain Philéas and his five-piece band. Like Danyel and Nathalie, Urbain and his charges play maloya, the traditional style originally born out of slavery that simply uses a variety of percussion and call-and-response vocals. Maloya is in Urbain's blood: ever since he was a mere seven years old, he's been traversing the world as the rouler drummer in his father's band. With the baton now in Philéas Jr's hands, the defining music of Réunion continues to punch hard.

(Biography written by Nige Tassell 2012)

Urbain Phileas - Maloya

Urbain Philéas's » Myspace Page