Beat leads to Reunion of music

April 11, 2005

A tiny island is turning the beat around, writes Jessica Nicholas.

Bob Brozman is nothing if not committed to his audience. Determined to have his energy levels peaking as he hits the stage, the American guitar virtuoso has developed a pre-performance ritual that only those of iron-clad constitution could endure. It involves rapid consumption of strong coffee, Coke (the cola variety) and - the piece de resistance - a handful of hot chilli peppers.

It's Brozman's version of a "wake-up" call - though he says his current touring companion, Rene Lacaille, eats chillies all day long. "It's a tradition from Reunion Island," Brozman explains. "They eat tonnes and tonnes of hot chillies - but they must be green ones. Never red, never cooked, and never dried."

Perhaps the Reunionnais penchant for spicy food helps explain the effervescent, crazily energetic music that is found on this tiny island on the coast of Madagascar. Reunion is a mix of French, African and European influences, and the island's music is an equally alluring hybrid.

Lacaille, now in his late 50s, is considered the "grand old man" of Reunion music. He is a multi-instrumentalist who specialises in the accordion and is, according to Brozman, "one of the most charismatic, mojo-filled characters you're ever likely to meet".

Brozman, for his part, is an ethnomusicologist and astonishingly versatile guitarist who has collaborated with artists around the world as part of his 20-year exploration of island cultures. He describes his first visit to the island as a revelation, saying that it forever changed the way he listened to music.

"We Westerners are accustomed to following the beat and listening to the beat. But most non-Western cultures see the beat as something you react to, so the most interesting part of their music is the 'and' (or space) in between the beats. As it happens, the 'and' in Reunion island music is the most reactive in the world."

By combining the African tradition of rhythmic layering with the Indian tradition of rhythmic displacement, the islanders have created what Brozman calls "upside down" music. But, now that he has mastered it, he says it offers him more freedom.

"If you see Rene and I perform, you'll notice there's a lot of spontaneous yelling going on - because if we didn't do that, our heads would just explode from too much enjoyment." His next project (a recording with five string bands in Papua New Guinea) is almost complete, and he is booked to perform through to 2008. Yet he insists that he has been trying to slow down of late - "just a little. Perhaps reducing his daily consumption of chillies might help?

Brozman ponders a moment. "Nah. Never!"

Bob Brozman and Rene Lacaille perform one show in Melbourne at the Northcote Social Club, tomorrow, 9.30pm. Tel: 9486 1677,


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