Fra Fra Sound The Surinam-Caribbean band Fra Fra Sound has been a major player in the international jazz scene for nearly three decades. Fra Fra Sound was founded in Amsterdam in 1980. It has since expanded its fascination with Surinam music by incorporating musical influences from Africa, the Caribbean and the United States. Their crossover music has a growing cultural and artistic appeal. Fra Fra Sound is at home on all levels: in jazz clubs, -festivals, world-music stages, and in concert halls. It’s the same for the listeners: Jazz connoisseurs, crossover aficionados, and world-music fans all find Fra Fra’s catchy music appealing. Fra Fra has played a number of successful shows over the years in Europe, Africa, South-America, and the Caribbean. Fra Fra Sound has seen many musicians since its inception in the early eighties. The band has also experienced different artistic phases. While Surinam Kaseko, kawina, and winti were the initial focus of Fra Fra Sound, they soon shifted to other genres. Fra Fra Sound has used this freedom since the beginning of the nineties to explore diverse musical styles rooted in Africa. Fra Fra Sound doesn’t only consider Caribbean and Latin-American music as music of Africa Diaspora. They also embrace jazz, blues and soul from the United States. Fra Fra Sound created their own sound by combining the best of African and Caribbean rhythms with jazz improvisation. Fra Fra Sound’s music is characterized by an African-Caribbean crossover avant-la-letter. There are many meanings to the name “Fra Fra”. It’s an intermediate form of the word, but it also has odd, strange and different meanings. It’s an inexplicable relationship. Fra Fra is also the name of a tribe located in the North West of Ghana, the Fra Fra people. The group’s name reflects the interplay between music, dance and philosophy, both from West-Africa and the African Diaspora. Fra Fra Sound makes it easy to understand the authentic connection between American jazz and African rhythms. Fra Fra Sound’s constant artistic growth has allowed it to openly pursue a variety of projects that accentuate African and Caribbean influences. Kotabra/Kaseko Revisited is one example. Mali Jazz is another. Kotraba/Kaseko Revisited, a project where Fra Fra Sound returns to her Surinam roots in collaboration with many vocalists, is called. Line-up Vincent Henar – basgitaar Andro Biswane – gitaar Carlo Hoop – percussie Michael Simon – trompet Efraim Trujillo – saxofoon Robin van Geerke – piano T.b.a. – Drums Text contributed by users is available under Creative Commons By–SA License. It may also be available under GNU FDL.
