HAITI MARKET
MASSAK’s long awaited BRAND NEW ALBUM !
Out NOVEMBER 22nd 2007
Produced and concieved by FRANCK BIYONG
BUY HAÃTI MARKET HERE!
Born in December 1973, Franck BIYONG was attracted by music at a very early age.
From Cameroonese parents, he spent most of his childhood and teenage years in West-Africa where he studied and learned music through the influence and guidance of his father, a noted choir singer, guitar and bass player from a very religious family who had a Baptist church in Cameroon back then.
At first, he studied piano, but rapidly turned to drums and percussion, for he was already clearly influenced by West African popular music sounds: the formation of his musical identity started right there.
He left Africa for Europe at the age of 14 and discovered other musical styles and genres there that helped him to redefine his musical tastes and opened his ears to western pop music in general. After a serious bike accident, he abandoned drums for guitar, bass and basic keyboards, deciding along the way he would become a professional musician .He started working with every band or musical unit or ensemble that requested his services as a multi-instrumentalist, in all musical styles.
In parallel, he developed his own style recording demos influenced by his musical heroes and trying to get record deals in France and England. His tapes got the best reception in England where he then settled, working as a session man in Brighton and composing many tracks for different labels.
After FELA’s death in 1997, he decided to return to France and form his own band.
Constant touring and recording helped him gain recognition on the revival scene: He performed on European stages and travelled to New York, starting working with different labels. He launched his Afrolectric Music Productions label while becoming one of
The Afro Music diaspora’s best kept secrets. The tracks he released regularly pioneered the Afro-soul sound that helped him to gain a new audience and a wider attention to his Afrolectric music.
This Year 2007 witnesses the official release of MASSAK’s first LP "HAITI MARKET" distributed by Harmonia Mundi
"HAITI MARKET" is a blend of all BIYONG’s influences and opens the door to new sounds and concepts in Afro Music.
After the KNOWLEDGE IDENTITY RECONSTRUCTION Afropera that was performed live several times in 2007,MASSAK AFROLECTRIC ORKESTRA started this new year with the BLACK ACHIEVEMENT WEEK(aka HAITI ENIGMA...) Afropera in February.
New very special events will be announced on this site soon...
MASSAK will also be touring in 2008.
Don’t miss them live !
FRANCK BIYONG and MASSAK DISCOGRAPHY
