Damon Albarn Presents The Honest Jon’s Chop Up at Lincoln Center

Cast of Characters:

Tony Allen: Lizard with Hat
Lobi Traore: Dog with Hat
Kokanko Sata: Bird with Headband
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble: Multicolored Cats and Dog
Candi Staton: Cat with Pink Hair
Afel Bocoum: Duck with Hat
Simone White: Sheep
Victoria Williams: Giraffe
and Damon Albarn: Monkey in Blue Jacket

Now that we’ve taken care of that…

On July 12th, Lincoln Center hosted the “Honest Jon’s Chop Up,” two incredible hours of music from artists on the Honest Jon’s record label. Damon Albarn (formerly of Blur, currently of Gorillaz/The Good, The Bad and The Queen) co-runs the label (along with the owners of London’s Honest Jon’s record store) and also performed.

The evening started as all twenty four musicians took the stage. Each musician played one song at a time, making the evening feel like a live mix tape compiled by Albarn for our enjoyment. The juxtapositions were bizarre but also exciting. African guitar rock followed by singer-songwriter folk followed by a brass band performing a Moondog song…and on and on. Bass player Brehima Kouyate played with his bass over his head and then behind his back. At the same time, an audience member ran to the front of the stage and threw money at guitarist Lobi Traore. Which I assume doesn’t usually happen at Lincoln Center.

Albarn sat in the background most of the night, sometimes introducing performers, sometimes playing keyboard. But at the end of the set he picked up a guitar and played “Sunset Coming On” from Mali Music. At the end of the song it transformed from a mellow, beautiful piece into an improvised upbeat jam incorporating all the
musicians on stage. The crowd rose out of their seats and began dancing.

Regarding the drawing: There are eight or so musicians missing partly because all the pictures I can find of the show are really blurry. I tried to fill in some of the holes using google images, but you try to find a picture of Adama Sissiko! It’s just not there! And with 24 musicians it’s hard to see everybody, let alone remember what they look like. So, I focused on the main performers and didn’t try to draw members of their bands. I’m sorry to anyone I left out of the drawing.

Here is the song “Spoons” from Mali Music

and the aforementioned “Sunset Coming On.”

And finally, “Tata Kan To Gnonkon Ye (Parting is Hard)“, the first track off Kokanko Sata’s self titled CD.