My goodness! I just realized I haven’t finished my article for today. So instead of giving you full I am just giving you one news. But not to disappoint you, I will post some videos here which you might find interesting. Anyway see you tomorrow or the next day…
This video features Peter Gabriel on vocals.
This one is with Iarla O’Lanaird
If your musical orientation is somewhere between Peter Gabriel and Dead Can Dance, then I’m sure you never passed an opportunity to get the first album of The Afro Celt Sound System titled Volume 1: Sound Magic when it first came out in 1996. In the Science lab of sound, imagine this: Iarla O’Lanaird’s sean nos singing meets African and Irish instruments seal that off with irresistible rhythm built from modern technology and bam! You get one of the most powerful concoctions that can render people speechless and hypnotized. To quote from their website: Released in 1996, Sound Magic combined acoustic performances on bodhran, talking drum, Celtic harp, African kora, uilleann pipes and Irish whistles with 21st-century programming and grooves, and married ancient singing traditions from Ireland and Kenya to keyboard drones and techno beats. Rather than sounding kitschy or disparate, the end result was surprisingly cohesive… and beautiful. Getting that hulk of an album, I’m sure you became a fervent collector up to this time when they have established themselves in the music world(after a 5-year hiatus, they are back this year with an album and tour news). They caught my attention when they performed live in Gael Force way back ’97 an from then on, I never let the band off my radar. More at www.myspace.com/afrocelts and afroceltsoundsystem.net/
There is a great deal of rich,melodic and rhythmic music in Brazil. This undeniably inspired Galician composer/piper Carlos Nunez to compose Alborada do Brazil released 2009 under Sony Music. This kind of musical direction is very much welcomed since I am also a big fan of Brazilian music especially of Juan Carlos Jubim. As we might be aware of, Celtic music is also making a wave in this country especially the harp revival movement. I gathered this a few months ago when I met a Brazilian blogger and musician who opened my eyes to this knowledge.
The album has 13 tracks of tango,samba and bossa music that you can simply crank anywhere. It is artfully crafted making it both an attraction to lovers of urban,jazz and even hip hop.There is also a great deal of natural sounds. The first track Alborada De Rosalia is a mix of funky loops and samples with Brazilian rapping around a supple, slick female vocals singing in native tongue. A few years ago there’s this trip hop band called Smoke City and this track reminds me of the band’s music.
Vou Vivendo is typically Nunez in his flute accompanied by a bossa beat. Play it in your car while driving on the beach or just simply stretch on your easy chair and watch as summer moves to greet the flowers and butterflies outside.
Alvorada De Cartola’s drum beats and a spoken word create a great intro to this piece that sounds like the Trios Los Panchos had just had a round of Guinness with Carolan in Galician fields. The male vocals capture the easy lifestyle and if you listen closely you can hear other sounds of people in marketplace. The only problem is that this is a short song around 2:23.
Nau Bretoa has a nice flute fused with the maritime flavor of Britany. Here we can here Carlos Playing his Galician pipe known as the gaita over other instruments. This one makes me get up and do some step dancing. Halfway we hear a male chorus chanting . This is how haunting music meets the carnival.
Gaita is sung in a way that Astrud Gilberto would. It has a kind fo feeling that you get when you wake up in a sunny morning ,open your window and see this view of an ocean stretch in front of you . The elegant piano line is soothing.
Xotes Universitarios sounds like it has been talking out of a 60’s movie playing samba. There are dialogues sampled …perhaps students discussing about music with a professor.
Coracao Brasileiro is acoustic guitar driven with fiddle, keyboard instruments and flute around that silky female vocals. Gentle drums finish this off with a high note from Carlos.
In Y-Brazil we are once again greeted by the distinctive and festive playing of Nunez which I first discovered in his Galician Carol released by Windham Hill a few years ago. There is again the presence of the Galician pipes in the foot- tapping tempo.
Ponta De Areia has this mournful feel of the Irish countryside with all pipes congregating .The harp adds a dream feel to this beautiful piece.
In Padaria Electrica Da Barra Carlos treats us to a powerful fusion of traditional and pop . The collage of electronic drum loops , sampled sounds, and male vocals make this song a candidate for top 40 music.There is this part in the chorus that chants ‘Galicia, Glalicia’… And I know how enthusiastic it can get!
Maxie De Ferro is a piece that could have been played in a movie like Casablanca. The piano in this track is simply exquisite.The syncopated snare drums, wood winds and happy tempo just take the blues of a long day away.
Feira De Mangaio is a sad melody riding in a happy tempo. This reminds me of being along in a windswept sunny countryside. Bosa and Celtic music has never been this good. Great saxophone and Spanish guitar too.
The last track Assum Preto, Asa Branca another mournful tune embellished with gossamer guitar ,accordion and a melody that cries for aother glass of wine.
Though this album is a fusion between two musical cultures Carloz Nunez has a style that is so distinctive that even if he plays heavy metal or rap, you’ll still know it’s him. This is a perfect soundtrack for spring and summer ….and life is a beach.
Celtic Music Fan 