Singing the body eclectic
Introduction
Back to Africa:
Folk fidelity
Cuban vacation
Political vibrations:
Reels and Jigs:
Passing the torch:
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Sound Salvation
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Table Talk
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political vibrations
BY J. POET - - - - - - - - - Gilberto Gil
Singer/songwriter Gilberto Gil is a superstar in Brazil, and his albums -- a gumbo of samba, reggae, funk, rock, African pop and Brazilian folk forms dubbed "Tropicalismo" -- sell millions of copies all over Europe, Asia and South America. In 1969, Brazilian music was divided between the Bossa Nova composers who played in an intellectual and detached style and people like Gil who wanted to create a "protest samba." The military in Brazil had seized power, and Gil wanted to connect Brazil with the international protest movement. He used rock and soul, as well as the African-based rhythms of his home town of Bahia to drive his politically charged lyrics. Gil's musical subversion was so successful he was arrested and expelled from the country. During his London exile, Gil mixed with reggae and African musicians, further expanding his musical horizons. Eventually, the government brought Gil home, promising him artistic and political freedom. Since his return, Gil has continued exploring the rhythms of the world, especially the music of the African diaspora. "Quanta," Gil's latest, is an eclectic 20-song collection from an artist who refuses to be categorized. The singer tackles the blessings and curses of technology on tunes like "Pela Internet," a samba that celebrates the Net's potential for musical subversion, "Guerra Santa (Holy War)," a rock tune that uses sampled typewriters and cash registers to help make its ironic point, and the title track, a tongue-twisting ballad that wrestles with the uneasy alliance of art and science. - - - - - - - - - Los Pleneros de la 21
Los Pleneros take their name from both the music they play -- the plena -- a Puerto Rican style driven by tough rhythms and political lyrics that has often been called "el periodico cantado" (the sung newspaper) and Santruce, the San Juan neighborhood that was known for its famous plena singers. Santruce was serviced by bus stop number 21. Musicians from Haiti, Trinidad and Guadeloupe all settled in Puerto Rico and influenced the early development of both plena and bomba, and while both rhythms carry hints of calypso and merengue, as well as the European modes of the island's Spanish overlords, the plena sounds like nothing else. The band's four percussionists stir up a bubbly rhythmic whirlwind that's accented by dazzling instrumental work and exuberant vocals. Los Pleneros de la 21 were formed in New York City 14 years ago by percussionist Juan Guiterrez, who was intent on preserving his connection to his musical roots. Players have come and gone, but the edition of the band assembled for this recording is one of its strongest and includes cuatro player Edgardo Miranda, who also plays with Tito Puente and Angel Torruellas, one of the most influential singers and composers of plena in the '50s and '60s. Los Pleneros include strains of indigenous Taino (the Native people who met Columbus when he "discovered" America) drumming as well as other pan-Caribbean styles, and will blow you across the room with their relentless energy on tunes like "Plena de San Anton," a celebration of the neighborhood where most of the band members lived before migrating to New York, "El Testigo," a tongue-in-cheek tale about a police informer and "Sirena Morena," a cumbia with vocals by the great Angel Torruellas. - - - - - - - - - Tarika
Hanitra Rasoanaivo, the leader of Tarika, Madagascar's best known musical export, has an ambitious program. "There are 12 ethnic groups in Madagascar," Rasoanaivo explains, "all with different styles. I want to combine them with other African rhythms to make a more international Malagasy style." Until recently, music from Madagascar was almost impossible to find. In 1983, London's Globestyle label led an expedition to Madagascar that resulted in the international distribution of four CDs of Malagasy music. Rasoanaivo acted as translator and liaison for that project, introducing the Globestyle gang to musicians like Sammy Andraimanahirana. Sammy was about to give up music, but Rasoanaivo convinced him to put together a group for the Globestyle sessions. That band, Tarika Sammy, fronted by Rasoanaivo and Sammy, eventually signed to Green Linnet's Xenophile logo and went on to fame on the international circuit. "Ironically, Malagasy music is more popular outside Madagascar," Rasoanaivo says. "In Madagascar you're surrounded by people playing music, so we take it for granted." Four years ago Sammy left the band to pursue his love of Malagasy folk music, Rasoanaivo recruited new players and carried on as Tarika, Malagasy for "group." "Son Egal," Tarika's latest album for the small Xenophile label, fulfills part of Rasoanaivo's dream of a pan-African Malagasy sound by using the Senegalese drummers from Baaba Maal's band to create a Malagasy-Senegalese fusion. Rhythm-heavy dance tunes like "Tsy Kivy" and "Zotra" are balanced by the reggae-influenced "Avelo" and "Forever," a tale of political corruption and intrigue. If you prefer the more traditional side of modern Malagasy music, pick up Tarika Sammy's recent "Beneath Southern Skies" (Shanachie). - - - - - - - - - Robert Mirabal
As one of the leaders of the Native flute renaissance, Robert Mirabal's style is more "traditional" and less commercial than many of his contemporaries. He builds his melodies on the rituals that have surrounded him all of his life at Taos Pueblo, where he was born and still resides. After half a dozen well-regarded flute albums, Mirabal moves in a new direction on his latest album, "Mirabal." It's a celebration of pop music -- rock, folk, hip-hop, African, techno and more -- with a strong Native slant. Mirabal's folk/rock style was born when he met Mark Andes, former bass
player for the '60s rock band Spirit. When Mirabal and Andes began
jamming two years ago, creative sparks flew. Andes has a finely honed
pop sensibility that brings Mirabal's emotionally charged lyrics and
Native rhythms closer to the mainstream, without sacrificing the music's
traditional foundation. Standout tracks include: "An Kah Na (My
Mother)," an a cappella melody that introduces audiences to the beauty of
the Taos Pueblo language and Mirabal's gruff vocal style; "Cyberspace
Warrior," a rocker that features some tasty Senegalese-style electric
guitar by Andy York of John Mellencamp's band; and "Tony and Allison," a
portrait of two small-time criminals that sports a laid back hip-hop
rhythm track. Probably the most important Native release
of the year, "Mirabal" is one of '97's best albums, regardless of category.
J. Poet is a San Francisco writer whose work has appeared in Wired, Spin and Pulse. - - - - - - - - HEAR IT:
NEXT: Reels and jigs |
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