H’SAO STUDY GUIDE Drawing from gospel, traditional African music, as well as their Chadian roots, H’sao display clear soul, pop, and R&B influences. All the members of this Montreal (Canada) afro-pop group are singer songwriters; elements of their various influences are smoothly blended with African rhythms to create fresh songs in a unique style. Masterful a cappella singing sets them apart on the vast soundscape of world music. www.hsao.ca THE STORY OF H’SAO Montréal-based band from Chad H’SAO has been capturing the hearts of small audiences and large crowds alike since 2001. The band has always been passionate about sharing its unique blend of modern sound and traditional African musical influences. H’SAO has travelled the world, delivering electrifying performances, launching three innovative albums and, most of all, developing a musical signature that spans several genres and thus transcends the “world music” category. At first, voices–but what voices!–were their only instrument. Then, brothers Caleb (guitar), Mossbass (bass) and Izra L (keyboard) along with their childhood friend Dono (drums) added musical instruments to their rich and inspired compositions. Today, the self-taught musicians continue to weave the impressive a cappella harmonies that made their fame into their powerful live performances. These seasoned musician-singers have stayed true to their roots, drawing from gospel, soul, R&B, reggae and Chadian music. The result is as skilful and heartfelt as it is unique. Whether its style is labeled Afro-fusion or Afro-jazz, H’SAO is defined by the strength of its voices and vocal harmonies, its rhythms and its authenticity. Onstage, the band sets itself apart through energetic performances, punctuated by catchy choreography and warm interactions with the audience. This distinctive presence was sought by prominent festivals here and abroad, such as WOMAD (New Zealand), Brisbane Festival (Australia), Queensland (Australia), Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Francofolies, Luminato (Toronto), Montreal International Jazz Festival, Nuits d’Afrique, Festival d’été de Québec, Coup de cœur francophone, Awesome Africa (Afrique du Sud), FrancoFête (Moncton). Besides touring Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas, the band made appearances at several noteworthy events. H’SAO notably played before the Queen of England on Canada Day, at the Francophonie games, with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, at Québec City’s 400th anniversary and at the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Gala. Ten years after the release of its self-titled album and four years after Vol 235, the band launched Oria in 2013. The level of social commitment expressed on this third album is a tribute the impressive journey that lead up to its creation. Nominated for World Music Album of the Year at the Gala de l’ADISQ, Oria is an invitation to rediscover the boundless vocal talent of H’SAO and to experience a more subdued, masterful and varied instrumental universe. Its biting and poignant songs address peace, social justice, religion, love and other universal themes. The band will tour Canada and the United States throughout 2014-2015 while simultaneously releasing its latest recording in July 2015, an album entirely dedicated to their outstanding vocal harmonies with the sole accompaniment of a guitar and some small percussion instruments. The album is titled Saar, which means ‘the source’ in Chadian. 2 This is H’sao : Caleb : Guitarist and co-songwriter. It’s at his place that the magic happens. Rehearsals are held at his home studio and he always sets the pace. A passionate man with a head full of ideas, Caleb is meticulous and is always looking for fresh new sounds. On stage, he and his guitar really get the party started! He’s also currently working on a project called afrotonix ( www.afrotronix.com ) Mossbasss : Bassist, co-songwriter and singer. With his charmingly discreet demeanour, he embodies the H’sao groove. On stage, he and his bass are a rhythmic force to be reckoned with. 3 IZra L : Pianist, co-songwriter, dancer, and singer. He’s the youngest in the group, but by no means the least talented! His voice will touch your heart and his dance moves always get the crowd on its feet. Israel is obsessed with beats; his rhythm and talent always guarantee a one-of-a-kind show. Izra L project : www.myspace.com/izral0 ^ Dono : Drummer, co-songwriter, and singer. He is blessed with unwavering motivation and H’sao pride as he oozes rhythm from behind his kit. Both his determination and sensitivity are felt in every drum stroke. CHAD THE CHADIAN FLAG THE COAT OF ARMS OF CHAD UNITY – WORK -­‐ PROGRESS 4 A LITTLE ABOUT CHAD Chad (officially known as the Republic of Chad) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Chad is divided into multiple regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the south. Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the largest wetland in Chad and the second largest in Africa. Chad's highest peak is the Emi Koussi in the Sahara, and N'Djamena, (formerly Fort-Lamy), the capital, is the largest city. 5 Chad is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. Arabic and French are the official languages. Islam and Christianity are the most widely practiced religions. 6 HISTORY Beginning in the 7th millennium BC, human populations moved into the Chadian basin in great numbers. By the end of the 1st millennium BC, a series of states and empires rose and fell in Chad's Sahelian strip, each focused on controlling the trans-Saharan trade routes that passed through the region. France conquered the territory by 1920 and incorporated it as part of French Equatorial Africa. In 1960, Chad obtained independence under the leadership of François Tombalbaye. Resentment towards his policies in the Muslim north culminated in the eruption of a long-lasting civil war in 1965. In 1979, the rebels conquered the capital and put an end to the south's hegemony. However, the rebel commanders fought amongst themselves until Hissène Habré defeated his rivals. He was overthrown in 1990 by his general Idriss Déby. Since 2003, the Darfur crisis in Sudan has spilt over the border and destabilised the nation, with hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees living in and around camps in eastern Chad. The capital, N’Djamena, experienced a significant rebel threat in early 2008, but has had no significant rebel threats since then, in part due to Chad's 2010 rapprochement with Sudan, which previously used Chadian rebels as proxies. President Déby in 2011 was reelected to his fourth term in an election that international observers described as proceeding without incident. Power remains in the hands of an ethnic minority. Darfur Refugees camp in Chad 7 Humanitarian situation According to the United Nations, Chad has been affected by a humanitarian crisis since at least 2001. As of 2008, the country of Chad hosts over 280,000 refugees from the Sudan's Darfur region, over 55,000 from the Central African Republic, as well as over 170,000 internally displaced persons. In February 2008 in the aftermath of the battle of N'Djamena, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes expressed "extreme concern" that the crisis would have a negative effect on the ability of humanitarians to deliver life-saving assistance to half a million beneficiaries, most of whom – according to him – heavily rely on humanitarian aid for their survival. UN spokesperson Maurizio Giuliano stated to The Washington Post: "If we do not manage to provide aid at sufficient levels, the humanitarian crisis might become a humanitarian catastrophe". In addition, organizations such as Save the Children have suspended activities due to killings of aid workers. Women in Mao, where water is provided by a water tower. Access to clean water is often a problem in Chad. 8 Economy The United Nations' Human Development Index ranks Chad as the seventh poorest country in the world, with 80% of the population living below the poverty line. Years of civil war have scared away foreign investors; those who left Chad between 1979 and 1982 have only recently begun to regain confidence in the country's future. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. The crops grown and the locations of herds are determined by the local climate. Before the development of oil industry, cotton dominated industry and the labour market and accounted for approximately 80% of export earnings. Cotton remains a primary export, although exact figures are not available. ExxonMobil leads a consortium of Chevron and Petronas that has invested $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves estimated at one billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production began in 2003 with the completion of a pipeline (financed in part by the World Bank) that links the southern oilfields to terminals on the Atlantic coast of Cameroon. As a condition of its assistance, the World Bank insisted that 80% of oil revenues be spent on development projects. In January 2006 the World Bank suspended its loan programme when the Chadian government passed laws reducing this amount. On July 14, 2006, the World Bank and Chad signed a memorandum of understanding under which the Government of Chad commits 70% of its spending to priority poverty reduction programmes. The country's television audience is limited to N'Djamena. The only television station is the state-owned TeleTchad.