The Shaky Leg Crew

Emmanuel Jal and support at The Spitz, London 18 October 2006

Nearly a year ago my sister gave me a copy of Ceasefire, Jal’s first international album. Since then I have been listening to it nearly every week. So when I spotted a flyer at The Spitz in London tickets I had to get tickets.

I tried to book them through the box office but I gave up. I called them twice. The first time I got an answer phone and the second time I was told someone would call me back – they never did. If it was not for the website WeGotTickets we would never have gone.

Surprisingly not many people know about Jal, including R and G who had no idea what event I was dragging them to. ‘He’s a former child soldier of Sudan who found music and is now a rapper’ I told them as we met for pre gig drinks in the new ‘retail and leisure experience’ in Spitalfields. Jal was conscripted into the rebel Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) at the age of eight to fight in the civil war. He spent four years fighting in Sudan, with an AK-47 by his side. Despite a tragic childhood including losing his adoptive mother, the British aid worker Emma McCune Jal remains a strong yet humble person.

First on stage were support act Glide:a'scope’s, trip hop chill out music. A mesmerising performance by the female flutist. On one of Glide’s websites http://www.audiocinematography.com/flash.htm you can listen to previews of his debut album Audio Cinematography. However I would not recommend watching the video pieces. The storylines to the video really distract from the music as they are over complicated, too many different locations and people and themes. Sorry Glide and whoever produced/directed this for you but it really does not do your work justice. Ok I can hear you saying ‘no budget’ but you need a much simpler look to your videos as the music is so rich and woven with so many influences. If you need someone to produce/direct your next video give me a shout I have a few ideas…

Within moments of bounding onto stage, Jal had the audience, dancing, laughing and crying. The lyrics, which Jal raps in English and a Sudanese dialect, are a plea for an end to a conflict in Sudan. A truly passionate performance of tracks from Ceasefire and new songs from his third album War Child. Turntable maestro was the very talented producer writer etc etc Davidson Lynch-Shyllon ;)

As we left the venue Jal and his crew harmonised a unique and unforgettable version of happy birthday to R. As we staggered home on a high of music and friendship we sang we don’t want no hoes, no bitches no bling… Peace and love to you guys.

(JC if you find that cable I’ll upload the phone-video of this live performance onto moblog www.moblog.com)

Set list: Taxi, Hai, Force, WarChild, Baai, Backiwara, No Bling, Gua, Elengwen and Tung.

Emmanuel Jal Official Website

http://www.emmanueljalonline.net/

MySpace

http://www.myspace.com/emmanueljal