Hello Again Kats & Kittens, Friend & Fiend,
Farts are funny……always……to the end of time… GEORGE CARLIN thinks so…off his Occupation: Foole. As friend JP once said…”Never trust a fart after 40, ask MISHA.” Words to live by.
ONWARD!
It’s WORLD MUSIC day! Globe trotting we go-go!
They meet at Art School early ‘90s, Mexico City, they likey, now they’re a couple, two Mexican Metalheads looking for an outlet, start metal band TIERRA ÁCIDA (Acid Land) 1997, they fail, Ho Hum…let’s change….how about “acoustic instrumental metal, just the two of us”? …sure…why not…..then, “let’s move to Ireland!”…suuuuure?….”let’s make Mexican Acoustic Metal in Ireland”…you sure?………We’re sure…
Insanely Talented doesn’t say enough about RODRIGO y GABRIELA ….wow…just WOW! Here’s “Diablo Rojo”. (Red Devil) from their self titled second LP.
Same LP, check out their versions of LED ZEP’s “Stairway to Heaven” + METALLICA’s “Orion”…insane….make gooseflesh…
To Romania we go, by way of Vancouver, BC…..Violinist LACHE CERCEL is a genius…this reporter had the extreme pleasure of working with Mr. CERCEL on PETUNIA’s “Inside Of You” album sessions….true Roma Gypsy music…. Childhood whiz, attends Bucharest’s top of the top Arts Academy, soloist for Bucharest Radio/TV Orchestra, Given the “Artist of the People” Citation by the Romanian Govt., then moved to DaCouv…….Very Kool Kat…. Here’s “Ida Y Vuelta” from his wonderful Muzika KonKordo album…if in DaCouv, he plays live gigs all over town with his Roma Ensemble..find them.
We got wind of this next group from dear friend, AG….thanks for the tip. Haiti’s BOUKMAN EKSPERYANS plays Mizic Rasin….a crossbreed of Haitian Vodou folklore music with Rock-n-Roll…hmmm…you got us at Vodou…. Band’s name origins from Vodou Priest DUTTY BOUKMAN, seems he started the Haitian Revolution against French rulers, late 1700’s. Here’s “Plante” from the Grammy nom’d Vodoo Adjae album.
Ready for a treat?….MADREDEUS is next, Portugal, 1985 band forms, Portugalians(?) love this band but the world is unaware…..Flixster WIM WENDERS spies them, asks them to be in his Lisbon Story fil’em soundtrack, they agree, international audience is made…..voila! THERESA SALGUEIRO’S vocals are stunning… Off the magnificent O Espirito da Paz album, “O Pastor”.
LHASA DE SELA’s tale is a sad one. Born in upstate New York, hippy parents, Mexican Teacher Dad, American Actress/Photog Mom, they don’t name her for 5 months, “LHASA, the Tibetian forbidden city seems right”, they move a lot… to Mexico…then US then back & forth it goes….converted school bus is home, LHASA & sisters are home schooled (would that be Bus schooled?)… “do I ever get to leave home Mom?”…child singer grows, finds Montreal suitable (sisters are attending the National Circus School of Canada ???…….don’t ask)… Lilith Fair audiences,(remember that?)…couple albums produced, things looking good…then 2009 the Big C hits….and hard…. LHASA passes at 37 on New Years’s day 2010…. take a moment…. From The Living Road LP. “La Frontera”
Let’s brighten the day with IZ…sort of……(another young death at 38…sorry) ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWO’OLE was an inspiration…his version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow/Wonderful World” will brings tears…now known as “The Voice of Hawaii”.
Here’s “Henehene You ‘Aka” from the Alone in IZ World album…
We’re in Ghana with OBO ADDY an interesting muso…btw died old….(if you’re thinking’ we’re on a sadland trip). Mr. ADDY was an early purveyor of what is now known as WORLDBEAT genre…. played his native land’s music at the ’72 Munich Olympics, late’70s moved to Portland, OR to teach music at LEWIS & CLARK College… ‘92 Hired by KRONOS QUARTET to bring African rhythms to the rest of us. Very glad they did….
“Osiode” from the OKROPONG/Music of Ghana/Cargo Records Sampler…
PAZY & THE BLACK HIPPIES were ‘70s Nigerian Psych-Reggae-Afrobeat-Rocksteady-n-Roll mavens…this tune off the Wa Ho Ha LP is a cult record fetishist’s cream dream…not many on the market…But not to worry, our friends at SECRET STASH RECORDS (Minneapolis, Coldland) have done the world a solid...they found this record, cleaned it up, re-pressed new vinyl ( + digital forms for the luddites)…. here’s “Papaís Black Dog”. Hit button find happiness☟
What can one say about RY COODER? Not enough words….we head to CUBA with the BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB….these Kats were social before Mr. ZUCK was a twinkle….the real BVSC was a hot spot in ‘30s Havana….fast forward Producer/Guitarist COODER gets US permish & joins UK’s WORLD CIRCUIT records to produce said record of Cuban pre-Revolution music, Dusseldorfer WIM WENDERS (again) joins in to document with lens…O.G.BVSC members show & some new faces…magic happens….we have an album AND a documentary…FANTASTIC!
Here’s “Dos Gardenias” from Buena Vista Social Club LP….. makes ya smile doesn’t it?
From the heart of the mighty Saharan Desert BOMBINO is up next, his story is one for all….a tale of worry, executions, & guitars. BOMBINO is of the TUAREG ( not Volkswagen) nation, in the country of NIGER in Western Africa, 2007 a Tuareg Rebellion is brewing, the Govt. shuts it down, banning of all things guitars……guitars? Two friends of BOMBINO were executed…..for having a guitar……needing no more encouragement, he fled to BURKINA FASO (smaller Western Africa country west of NIGER… hit buttons, find out), tensions ease, guitars return….BOMBINO heads home, plays music & herds goats….starts recording, ears perk up, BIG EARS. DAN AUERBACH (THE BLACK KEYS) advances & produces album, success!….BOMBINO at BONNAROO, world fame, guitar slinging, goat herder…..from his Nomad album, “Niamey Jam”.
Time for KODŌ …yep the drums….at once mysterious yet world famous….these Kats are Krrrrraaaazy!….The name means “Heartbeat” or “Children of the Drum”, pick one….we finish today with “Zoku” from the 1996 Ibuki album.
Fun Fact: Training for KODŌ is likened to Navy Seals training….really? nope, not gohn d’it.
That’s it for today’s world travelogue…..
Thanks for listening, until tomorrow.
Peace & Distance.
