EDITORIAL
In 2005, the brutal deforestation of the natural paradise that we call music is coming to an end. All means of musical consumption are radically changing. Micro-media are sharpening their teeth on mass media. With their backs to the wall, formerly arrogant private monopolies are now begging government ministers to come to their rescue. All means of production change. Digital technology is transforming the ways in which music is made, performed and disseminated. Technology decentralises culture. The bulldozer of history is moving relentlessly forward ...
And it’s just a beginning ...

In 2005, the little MIMI festival celebrates its 20th anniversary, and, on the other hand, it has survived the test of Time very well. Fitting pertly into its nice swimsuit, its fine muscles are admired by reporters - maybe because it has fed directly on the artists’ impertinence, and not on the fatty junk food of mainstream commercialism...Or maybe because it carefully builds its "before" and its "after", supporting micro-businesses without which our artists are inevitably forced to go elsewhere.
This summer festival is no tourist picnic ...
So far, there is no reason why we should change the menu of our invigorating meal, except for some late extras (well washed down with plenty of drink) during the Sunday night ... You’re only young once, so let’s celebrate !
Good news : anyone will be allowed to sing loud, out of tune, showing strictly no respect for innovation !!
Truly exotic !!

Ferdinand RICHARD



Thursday july 28th
Neighbours night
Raphaël Imbert + Zim NGQAWANA
(Marseille, Afrique du Sud, Israël)
Soap Kills + Les Chanteuses D’europe Centrale
(Liban, Europe Centrale)

En co-production avec le Chantier Centre de Création des Nouvelles Musiques Traditionnelles de Correns (Var)

In 20 years, MIMI has affirmed the regional dimension of its production initiative. It opens the fest with two local "open doors", one for Marseille’s rising star of jazz, Raphaël Imbert (who was awarded a Villa Medicis scholarship in NYC), the other for an innovative rural platform, Le Chantier, initiated in the village of Correns (Var). Both adventures combine local excellence with artists from afar.
Raphaël invites South Africa’s living legend, saxophonist Zim Ngqawana, plus astonishing Israeli pianist Yaron Herman and 3 local young go-getters, Cédrick Bec (drums), Stéphan Caracci (vibes), Simon Tailleu (bass) for a residency in Marseille Conservatory of Music.
Le Chantier and A.M.I. have joined forces for the communion of Zeid Hamdan & Yasmine Hamdan (Soap Kills), an electro-special Lebanese duo (already seen at MIMI-Sud Kinshasa), with 3 singers, Zuzana Lapcikova (Czech Rep.), Beata Palya (Hungary) & Ania Witczak (Poland).
Both projects are deeply involved in a modern integration of heritage (but not in vulgar world hotchpotch). Provence is a tree with very, very long roots ...


Friday July 29th
Needles night
Vibrion (Marseille)
Les Amants de Juliette (Paris)

Nowadays, musicians have to be considered within a perspective. The extremely sharp young poet Fred Nevchehirlian, a rising slammer star from Marseille who trained at MC Solaar’s rap workshops in A.M.I. when he was a child, is currently working in Royaumont Abbey with the Chemirani brothers. The Vibrion group is his local base, (Eric Cartier, Marianne Salomon, Christophe Isselée, Stéphan Paulin), the vehicle-from-the-sky that has carried this new rock poet to us.
Their airy (but not contemplative) sound has inspired the steps of many dancers, here or in Buenos Aires. When homeward and outward bound, Les Amants walk down the wideness of the World. It’s classy jazz for high-heel shoes ...


Saturday July 30th
Dervish night
ENSEMBLE 4’33" (Russie)
Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble (USA)

En co-production avec Marseille Objectif Danse (Marseille)

At MIMI-Nor 2004, at the edge of the world, well-protected from the blizzard in the small Narian-Mar Arts Centre, there was silence for 4’33", a neo-classical ensemble of such a standard that only Russians know how to provide, a hypnosis invented by Alexei Aigui, a young prodigy already hailed in his own country.
They will be the ideal supporting act for today’s most beautiful vocal ensemble, the Meredith Monk’s, 4 outstanding singers who find their breath in every single cell of their bodies, and beyond ... Meredith, made of the hardest and the most tender steel, dances while singing, and summons the souls of our ancestors. Every time she appears, our pulses quicken ...


Sunday July 31st
Mesmeric night
Dgiz (Paris)
Totonho & os Cabra (Brazil)
Dgiz, another runaway from hip-hop – who is as much at ease with Louis Sclavis as he was in the cauldron at MIMI-Sud in Kinshasa – wins the prize for breathtaking combined speed-and-meaning, with the help of his simply incredible combo, who are anything but goats.
On the other hand, goatee-bearded Totonho and his band of “goats” are a provocative image of an abrasive Brazilian rock.
It shakes and rolls, it works seamlessly, and, of course, it gets the feet going!!
We are mesmerized !!