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WAI '100% 2004 WORLD TOUR' |
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Courtesy of wai100.com |
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WAI make two rare
Australian appearances in September, at the Telstra Riverfestival in
Brisbane (Sept 3rd) and at The Turbine Platform (Brisbane Powerhouse)
(Sept 4th)
www.riverfestival.com.au
The highly innovative group from Wellington, New Zealand/Aotearoa
perform in Brisbane as part of their extensive five month ‘100% 2004
World Tour’ that started in the USA in May, and included shows in the
UK, Germany, Norway, Canada and The Channel Islands. The Brisbane shows
follow performances in Toronto and New York the previous week.
WAI create new Maori waiata (music) out of ancient Maori roots,
traditions and language, inspired by their ancestors. Huge organic
grooves and beats made from traditional Maori poi percussion, body
slaps and natural noises propel powerful soulful songs - all sung in
Maori. Add some ‘out-there’ electronics and WAI make music sounding
like no-one else.
"The vocal rhythms – the rhythmic, percussive properties of the Maori
language, and the poi rhythms are the root, they’re in all the songs."
Mina and Maaka
The Maori language is crucial to WAI. "When you hear good orators in
the Maori language, it’s such a powerful sound, it’s beautiful. We
truly believe that our language has a life, a rhythm, and a groove that
is 100% unique in the world. Our language is a living language, not
something in a book or museum. We want to tell people about this".
Mina and Maaka
Traditional Maori music is chant like, progressing in sections,
not verse/chorus/verse/chorus - more like branches of a tree - telling
stories about life. WAI utilise their
ancestors methods, linking the sounds of today with the rich culture and
traditional heritage of the Maori people.
WAI (means water in Maori) formed in 1999 lead by Mina Ripia and Maaka McGregor,
joined by Gaynor Rikihana and Solomon Simmons.
In Brisbane WAI will be performing songs from their debut album ‘WAI ‘100%’.
This groundbreaking release signaled the evolution of a unique Maori and Pacific
Rim sound and style receiving immediate international recognition being
awarded ‘Mana Maori Album of the Year’ at the New Zealand Music Awards
March 2001 and |
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WAI on tour in Norway, formed in 1999 by Mina Ripia and Maaka
McGregor, joined by Gaynor Rikihana & Solomon Simmons. |
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WAI in UK as part of the ‘100% 2004 World Tour’ which covered
USA, Germany, Norway, Canada & The Channel Islands. |
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Mina and Gaynor of WAI, water in Maori, drawing on the music of
their ancestors to rock the 21st. Century. |
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‘Asia/Pacific Album of the Year 2001’ and ‘Innovator of the Year 2001’ at the
BBC Radio 3 (UK) Awards For World Music - Nominations Oct 2001.
Music of such spirit can only come from profound personal events. "It all
happened when my Pa (dad) passed away and returned to Hawaaiki. Everything that
was inside my heart - like my experiences, knowledge, my upbringing and my
emotions - it inspired the creation of WAI 100%." Mina
On this tour WAI are performing both electric - electro-waiata - and their
intensely soulful acoustic shows. They are also holding Poi workshops for
children and adults. The acoustic show remains very ‘electric’.
"We use acoustic drums, poi and percussion as the root for the rhythm, and
koauau, pumoana and purerehua alongside guitar and vocals. It's exciting,
challenging and very different to our electronica set, but it complements what
we already do." Mina
WAI – ‘WAI 100%’’ Minaaka/Jayrem (cdJay 361)
WAI: www.wai100.com
Distribution (Australia): Didgeridoo
hotrecords@bigpond.com
Information: Christopher Read
cpread@yahoo.com
Bookings: Katerina Pavlakis
katerina@kapa-productions.com
WAI ‘100%’
‘No one has come up with anything quite as natural and tough as Wellington
outfit WAI. WAI may be drawing on the music of their ancestors, but they are
making sounds to rock the 21st. Century.’ The Listener (NZ) July 2000
‘WAI's debut CD bangs off with a big, ominous groove laid down by lopsided
programmed beats made from traditional Maori poi percussion, body slaps and
natural noises, before Polynesian-related chants and harmonies kick in. You know
you're in for something original, and like all really new out-there music it
gets better, revealing something extra fresh every play, every day... WAI -
producer, languid singer, songwriter and apparently driving force Mina Ripia and
producer/ musician Maaka McGregor - have a mission to create new 21st century
music out of ancient Maori roots, traditions and language, bringing in other
singers and musicians as necessary. They do some magpie thievery from
drum'n'bass, R&B, dub, hip-hop, techno and electronica to incorporate random
elements that sound both strangely familiar and totally other-planetary at the
same time. Thus the fairly traditionally based singing and chanting on ‘Ko Te
Rerenga’ has a hint of Stoke Newington clatter underneath, then slams into
‘Kotahitanga’ which gives a fair impression of how a contemporary female R&B
group might sound if accompanied by an army of log drummers and a passing 747.
And then on to ‘Nha Hau E Wha’ which is all Polynesian-choir-meets-Brazilian-Afroblok
(except it's none of that, of course - just trying to give you a flavour). All
seriously impressive: beautiful and scary all at once.’
fRoots (UK) May 2001
‘A very strong debut.’ (Star * Disc)
Rough Guide To World Music Pt.2 (UK) Sept. 2000
'WAI, with a compelling 21st century take on traditional chants, are making
waves in Europe.' The Sunday Telegraph (UK) August 2001
‘Could have been Album of the Month. WAI's ‘100%’ is hard dance rhythms and
traditional body slapping. And just wait till you hear Mina Ripia's voice.’
MOJO (UK) April 2002
'Powerful, trailblazing stuff.' Jazzwise (UK) April 2002
‘Unlike anything I’ve heard before. WAI ‘100%’ is a determined effort to create
a unique Maori and Pacific Rim sound in NZ something that has been lacking for
years. Rip It Up (NZ) August 2000
‘An amazing uplifting release which prompts the listener to not only move, but
shake and jiggle as well …I found myself singing in Maori and dancing hakas from
one end of the lounge to the other. This is a great and really important
production from a culture that possesses amazing rhythmic and vocal ability, get
one today!' Canberra Times (Aust) March 2001
‘WAI 100% is an electrifying debut. WAI have produced a Te Reo Maori album of
modern dance rhythms and beats, melded with the beauty of traditional voices and
harmonies. The music has a very dynamic, percussive focus, the language provides
the message and the melody.’ Real Groove (NZ) August 2000
‘The Maori language is the major chord in an upsurge of New Zealand music. The
waiata (music) on WAI ‘100%’ grew out of the rhythm of the language. Something
familiar, yet exotic’. The Bulletin (Australia) April 2001
‘Emboldened by a storming guest spot at WOMAD Rivermead (Reading), WAI evoked an
ambient but feisty Pacific vibe. The arrival of stomping, snarling female
vocalists Mina Ripia and Gaynor Rikihana Polynesian Bladerunners in red fake
fur, silver PVC and moon boots underlined WAI's maxim to blend ancient and
modern, "to find a connection", said Ripia, "that our elders might actually
hear". Sung entirely in the percussive Maori language, songs about history,
culture and ancestral spirits combined traditional forms with funk and rap aided
by innovative knob twiddling, keyboards and snare drum. When the women started
chanting defiantly about home and twirling their poi balls they moved things
into another zone entirely. Formidable and fabulous.’ Evening Standard (UK) July
2003
‘By the end it doesn't matter that I understand only one word of Maori. These
women are strong. They're performing rather than posing. They have really good
voices, and when they're doing tag-team rapping in Maori, or when the whole
group does a traditional four-part harmony/percussion number without electronics
for their encore, something special is happening. I don't know if it will
translate, but the crowd here tonight is going absolutely nuts.’ New York
Press (USA) July 2003
‘It’ll take you a couple of listens to fully appreciate the depth and beauty of
WAI’s creation, so different is it from anything else around. WAI is a key to
unlocking both the past and the future of Maori destiny. In ten years Maori
consciousness has been raised to unprecedented levels. WAI will take it all a
giant step further.'
Drum Media (Aust.) June 2001
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Copyright Event Polynesia Ltd.
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