Mfa Kera

 
Indeed every Year, we loose great musicians..((.but new generations are pushing...and they are welcome as MUSIC goes on..))
I may especially  name one musician among others, : the percussionist Samba Sock-I know it may not sound familiar to you..but something strange happened which i have to take as  cosmic-
We knew  Samba Sock since very long-He had been one of the first professional percussionists living in Germany.coming from Senegal he got a family here and stayed--opening doors to many other african musicians- playing this "tama" ( small talking drum) which i love so much..and composing-
In July when I was writing  my little book for Klett publications...a lot based on my own childhood I was talking about  the Mosq of Touba...which in this time was in construction-I knew Samba is a Sufi, and would everytime  he was back home, go to Touba- which since became the  Mecca of Africa-So here I am recollecting as much as possible all those moments for the book...telephone rings...and a Senegalese brother announces me that Samba  had just died.... the weather was just like a raining season in Berlin...I looked at the sky..I knew Samba's was talking to me..this helped smoothen the shock. and the deep sadness..by bringing this departure on a high spiritual path...Music is transcendance...
 
 

 
 
MFA Kera is a singer, composer, writer and painter, who spent her childhood years in Madagascar and Senegal. After a move to Paris she began her music career, inspired not in the least by Mahalia Jackson. Working with many greats along the way, such as John Lee Hooker, Memphis Slim, Mickey Baker and Milt Buckner, and after spending a few years in Los Angeles, Kera is now based in Berlin, where she continues to fuse ethnic African music with a myriad of musical elements, while working with her Black Heritage Orchestra.
 
Samba Sock was a percussionst born in Dakar. After working in The Ivory Coast and Nigeria he relocated to Berlin in 1979.