Zap Mama

Although Marie Daulne is of African and European descent, the founder and lead vocalist in Zap Mama is at her best when warping American R&B. On Supermoon, her group’s sixth album—for nearly as many labels—Daulne folds the chants of her childhood (Pygmies raised her after her Belgian father was killed in the Congolese rebellion) into a wildly eclectic retake of African, European and American influences. We recently caught up with Daulne from her home in Belgium.

A lot of different labels have by now tried to figure out how to peg your sound. Why did you decide to go with a label best known for jazz and world music?
When Dave [Love, label president] first came to me, asking me to be on his label, the first condition was, “Am I in this category?” In the beginning it was like, No, I want a hit. Now, I think it fits perfectly. My manager took care of the business end and found a good deal. But I don’t create my music based on the label.

Did your previous labels meddle with your sound?
Yes. After 17 years, I don’t want anybody to tell me what is good or not good. I choose the people that I’ve decided can help me, and I choose them because I trust them and their taste. I’m happy I have a sound that can be recognized as unique.

On Supermoon there’s some fantastic, gritty James Brown funk. How was his death received in Belgium?
I had a chance to see his last performance in Belgium last summer. I felt like it was going to be his last time and I was right. I listened to a lot of James Brown. When I look at him he reminds me, physically, of a Bantu from Congo. Same shape, same look. In Africa, you can tell types of blacks, just like people from the West can recognize people from the Mediterranean or people from up North, like the Vikings. When I compare the singing of James Brown with Africans, I think his roots, his ancestors, were from Congo.

In your eyes, how similar is the African funk of Tony Allen and Fela Kuti and the American funk of James Brown?
The function of the beats is different. Everything is on the kick in the Nigerian beat. The American funk is more on the one. In both, though, the snare has a lot of importance and the guitar kind of leads the groove. So that’s similar.

Do the Pygmies you grew up with ever listen to Zap Mama at all?
I don’t think so. Because there is no radio station over there. I’m talking about real Pygmies who live in forest. They have no idea what’s going on. They were there before there were American and European cultures. I don’t want to call them survivors, but with all this war and pollution going on, it’s hard not to.

How have Chicago audiences treated you in the past?
When people ask me where what place you like to perform the most, I’d say Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. It seems like people are more involved in culture and really what’s going on. They let themselves go with the vibes. The last time I was here I was doing something a cappella and they just ran with it. We took out the bass and they started singing. It’s hard to find an audience like that.

Zap Mama plays Martyrs’ Wednesday 24. Supermoon is out now on Heads Up International.