The unexpected

CIMF has been developing for years but this year took the cake, not that I saw too much, but I did see the last concert and it was unexpected and hugely satisfying.  First up our local Samoan-Australian-Canberran, Kirrah Amosa.  She's a singer songwriter, strumming guitar and accompanying with a good voice in at least 2 languages and speaking of her family and connections.  Nicely done, but the last set was the stunner.  I'd heard his brother Matt several times and there's a bassist brother too.  This one was Berlin-based adventurous funky improvising pianist Aron.  He started with a long solo number with accompanying synth loops (Moog Matriarch) and gradually increasing speed and perhaps intensity.  Not quite the funky nature of his Live at Funkhaus on Spotify but just as bold.  Then Lisa Arduor-Noah out of Kenya and the US and perhaps more, funky, deeply grooving (she couldn't sing without a tapping hand), crowd involving with claps (5/4 including a quarter-note triplet, no less) and a responsive singing passage (Cmin with harmonies).  And a great, great soulful voice.  We've heard it from Baptist choirs to Motown and on, flexible, strong, full-toned, big and thrilling.  Just fabulous.  I listened after on Spotify and just the first track was all harmony and groove and deeply infectious.  Wow.  Not sure how everyone would have taken this as a finale, especially after improvs from Miro and John M for starters, but this signifies an expansive view of music.  Doubly so given there was a hiphop outing in there, too, although I missed that one.  Go Roland!  A thrill.  And do have a listen to Aron and Lisa.

The CIMF finale featured Kirrah Amosa (vocals, guitar), Aron Ottignon (piano, keys) and Lisa Oduor-Noah (vocals) at the Fitters Workshop.