Jill Turner goes backstage after Yaaba Funk, the Brixton based twelve piece, had just turned in a mighty performance on the World Stage as part of Sheffield’s Tramline’s festival 2011. “It’s really great that it’s outside, everyone is here, listening and dancing in the middle of the city, I thought it might be in a field or something”, commented Richmond Kessie, Yaaba Funk’s charismatic front man.
Sheffield narrowly missing out to Liverpool in last year’s contest for the most musical city in England and Tramlines Festival, turns Sheffield’s city centre into one massive urban party and musical playground. Clubs and bars brimming with DJ sets, jam sessions, folk sing arounds but during the daytime, it was the open air stages that were pulling the crowds. Devonshire Green hosted the proverbial festival main stage with pop acts such as Pixie Lott and Ollie Murs, Barkers Pool was the place to catch new unsigned talent but with our passion for global roots and grooves, The World Stage was naturally the place to be, especially when Yaaba Funk, a band that has been on our radar for a while, was on the bill.
With the Town Hall to the left, expensive coffee shops and the upmarket St Paul’s development to the rear the World Stage looked out across the Peace Gardens. Richmond surveyed the crowds and thanked Sheffield for the warm welcome. Perhaps inspired by over two thousand people from all walks of life, relaxing and partying together in the sunshine, he dedicated Yaaba Funk’s set to the people of Norway, “We’ve seen things on the television and this goes out to the people of Norway and everyone coming to terms with what has happened”.
Their afro – centric set pulled in elements of heavy horned deep funk, lilting vintage Ghanaian Hi Life, JuJu, Afrobeat, and dare I say it a sprinkling of Parliament. After opening with Ghana A-Z, Yaaba Funk continued with A Poor Man’s Tale, sung in Akan a combination of the Fanti and Ashanti dialects, it’s a song about money and yes, don’t be so right on, much as we would like it not to be so, money really does seem to be the only way to buy the things you need. Perhaps the challenge is, not to need what we can’t afford.
Staying with the socio – political, next up was Nyash E Go Bite U. A rousing Afrobeat number and in the spirit of Fela, critical of policital leaders, this time Tony Blair, for taking the country to war against Iraq. The crowd was loving it and the set ramped up a gear to be followed by Kalabule Man which had the crowds clapping and swaying. “ You’re not clapping ?” said Richmond “Well this is a song for everyone. It’s a love song, we don’t do them that often but when we do it sounds like this”. Sensational stuff, just the first few bars in and my heart was melting to this, my favourite from their album. Who needs one of the Soundway vintage Ghanaian High Life compilations when Yaaba Funk do such a perfect cover of A.K. Frimpong’s Hwe Hwe Mu Na Yi Wompena. It soothes, it encourages and makes you feel warm inside. "If you are still searching for your loved one, don’t give up, they could be stood right next to you" the lyrics told us as Helen and Richmond shook their tail feathers, the crowd were loving it.
You get the feeling the band were really only just warming up, yet alas they announce their last number. “Its called James Brown so you know what to expect”. Exactly, deep funk, juicy basslines, plenty of fine sax and sparkling horns, exciting drum patterns and one of the UK’s finest bands in full flow. They’ve made the four hour drive up from Brixton to play at Tramlines for a forty minute set, woefully short but that’s the nature of festivals. Faced with a four drive back, let's get them back to Sheffield soon for the full Yaaba experience.
