Christine
Vaindirlis seems an unlikely ambassador of South
African music. Born in London, the singer was trained
in Milan and at Boston's Berklee College. As a youth,
however, she lived and soaked up the culture of
South Africa. And it's her time in Johannesburg
and her more recent travels to Africa that underlies
her energetic debut alum, Dance Mama!, which kicks
off with the township beat of "Indaba (Meeting
Place)" and includes a touching tribute to
Mama Africa, Miriam Makeba, in the song "Dance
Mama!" and its clever interweaving of her hits
"Pata Pata" and "Mbube."
“My
inspiration for the album was the concept of ubuntu:
helpfulness, caring, trust, unselfishness, what
one can do to improve the community, as well as
oneself as an individual,” Vaindirlis explains.
“‘This is my Place’ is a song
of encouragement for the people of South Africa
to work as one nation. There is so much ethnic diversity,
and the whole blend is such an extraordinary fusion
when everyone brings something to the table. I’m
calling for us to embrace a new day, to work together
for a wave of change and make South Africa, our
home, an example”.
The
album, like Vaindirlis' life, takes some side trips
from Africa. A heady blend of funk, R&B, soul,
and non-African jazz takes center stage on songs
including "Call to Freedom," "Should
I Make You Pay?" and "No More Drama."
Vaindirlis' voice is remarkably powerful and flexible,
reminding me of various other singers, but perhaps
none so much as Laura Love. I'm struggling a bit
with the 9+ minute "Tell Me," which begins
as an R&B ballad, then curiously veers into
experimental jazz-fusion instrumentals before returning
home again. Yes, I like the African-flavored tracks
better. Particularly the joyful remembrance to her
late father "Down by the River." Dance
Mama! is a joyful romp through many cultures by
a powerful voice with the perfect credentials to
make you dance.
©2009
Scott Allan Stevens, Earball Media |
Omar
Torrez : Corazon de Perro (Arteria)
Omar
Torrez website
Guitar
god-in-training Omar Torrez returns with another
outstanding album, diverse in styles but held together
by his stunning talent. There's a definite nod to
Hendrix in the opener "Rich Man," but
his playing is far deeper and more varied than you'd
get from a Jimi cover band. Torrez isn't afraid
to tackle pop sounds (in "A Beautiful Ride")
back to back with his dark, sparse, Waitsian "Corazón
De Perro," released in a quicker, thicker version
as "Dog Heart" on the 2002 album La Danza
en mi Corazon. "We Are" is Torrez's anthem
of universal brotherhood -- sweet, but you hope
you don't hear it on the radio too much or it could
quickly ferment. Really, though, Torrez is at his
best being attitudinal, as on "Mexican Home,"
or even on the instrumental "La Danza."
Also included is a new version of his smoky version
of the classic "Llorona." Torrez sounds
more mature on this album, still willing to pull
out the speed licks, but aware that playing fewer,
deeper notes can be equally powerful. The 11 songs
(and one video) on Corazon are tough to pigeonhole,
and will be just at home in the collection of a
blues or rock fan as in that of a world/Latin listener.
Manooghi
Hi: Manooghi Hi (Sunny Park Productions)
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Maybe
it's some sort of "six degrees of Indian fusion."
But it was definitely more than coincidence that
while I was hanging out after the Delhi 2 Dublin
show at Bumbershoot, I got to talking with Ava Chakravarti.
Ava, it turns out, is part of an unusual 7-member
Seattle-based group whose music could be described
as Indian fusion...sort of. In Manooghi Hi's modern
global sound, rock, soul, and funk blend with traditional
Indian rhythms and instruments and mixed Sanskrit
and English lyrics. The music echoes the journey
of lead singer Mehnaz, a Mumbai native now uprooted
and living in the Pacific Northwest. Her formidable
vocal chops are clear on "Duma Dum Mast Kalandar,"
a traditional devotional song that moves from calm
to swirling ecstasy.
Mehnaz
has been compared to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, which
may be more accurate in style than in impact. But
give her a few decades, and we'll see. For now,
her dynamic voice is just one part of the sound
of Manooghi Hi, along with great keyboard work by
Mark Nichols and thick fuzzy guitar by Todd Fogelsonger.
"Kismet" simply rocks, while the ballad
"Bubbles" curiously steers clear of guitar
and most percussion, a sweet respite from the band's
take-no-prisoners energy. If the arrangements hit
you like a monsoon, the songwriting lends a bit
of playful Holi color. Amid the Psychedelia-turned-rock-anthem
"Kali" comes the refrain "stick out
your tongue / stick out your tongue." One of
my favorite tracks is "Humm," with its
clever rap and multilingual approach to global communication:
"Are you speaking my language / or is this
the right question?" Perhaps the right question
is why it took this force of nature masquerading
as a band to come to our attention. w
Hui
Ward : The Way (Om Creation Studio)
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I
can feel the muscles in my neck tense as this album
plays. And this time, it's not because the cat is
digging her claws into my thigh in a loving but
misguided caress. It's the voice of Hui Ward. First,
though, let me say that this album has a lot going
for it, particularly in the instrumental department,
which includes solid performances on bansuri, violin,
and tabla. And while Hui Ward seems to have a pleasant,
pitch-accurate voice, it's her stuttering, choppy
singing style that has the same effect on my face
as a cup of pure lemon juice. I am trying to be
open minded, but she's now on the fifth track, "To
Be," and it sounds like a mashup of spoken
word poetry, Indian-influenced new age music, and
an ill-conceived children's song about grief. I'm
listening no farther, and this CD will be on the
sidewalk in front of my house if anyone wants it.
Yeh
Dede : Freedom (self-released)
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Their
CDbaby "recommended if you like" list
includes Ozomatli, Paul Simon, and Sweet Honey in
the Rock. I'm not sure I get the first two, aside
from the similarity of some Spanish songs and a
leaning toward acoustic global roots music. if you're
a fan of global women's harmony, Freedom is bang
on. Singing songs from a variety of cultures (Brazil,
Colombia, Ghana, Ladino Spain, and Israel) and in
a variety of language, the six women of Yeh Dede
weave sweet harmonies as they celebrate global consciousness
and impel you to dance. Their rich songs suffer
in parts from recording choices that put the instruments
at a distance. That aside, Freedom is a solid offering
with positive messages and spiritual oomph, and
I look forward to hearing more from Yeh Dede.
Ziggy
Marley: Family Time (Tuff Gong)
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It's
not a lack of young children in my day that keeps
me away from most kids' albums. It's that, you know,
smarmy sheen that most of the albums give off. So
these days I approach any children's CD with trepidation.
Not only does Ziggy Marley's Family Time surpass
my admittedly low expectations, it's truly a joy
on the ears. While clearly intended for younger
listeners with its simple melodies and clear, positive
messages, Family Time is a wholesome dose of light
reggae that won't offend older listeners. You may
even find yourself singing along, as when Rita and
Cedella Marley join Ziggy on "I Love You Too."
Ziggy's "ABC" is the freshest alphabet
song in ages, and the spoken-word recording of Jamie
Lee Curtis' poem "Is There Really a Human Race"
makes a powerful, positive (if oddly music-free)
statement about humanity to close out this uplifting
CD. Definitely recommended for young and youthful
listeners.
©2009
Scott Allan Stevens, Earball Media |
