The Americas

REVIEWS The Americas Banda Black Rio require a bit of extra persuasion that they lyrics about tango’s passing, the anti- all its tumble-down, tourist-strewn glory, it SuperNovaSambaFunk need to own more than a single album by gloomy plinky-plonky piano at the front, sees the London-based Dickinson working Far Out either group. To meet this challenge, and a few deep-voiced exhortations to send alongside percussionist Hammadi Full Price (68 mins) record companies and management are us on our way. Where to is usually the Rencurrell, a fellow graduate of Havana’s HHH constantly seeking to set their assets in a same place, but the sure hand of the Superior Institute of Art who, like Brazil’s brightest and best team different musical context, in an attempt – a Mañana label owner and Gotan Project Dickinson, was awarded first-class up for a funky Rio rejoinder far too brazenly desperate attempt, guitarist Eduardo Makaroff means this honours, and the talented British-Spanish Over a decade that’s sometimes – to broaden their appeal. This latest collection of 13 tracks is more violinist Emma Blanco. The focus here is seen all kinds of has led to LBM recording both a classical polished and more considered than other on the music of the hallowed, still prolific obscure and often album and a horrid dance remix collection. recent Cáceres ventures. Opening with a Cuban guitarist, composer and professor fantastic Brazilian In the case of the Blind Boys, it has resulted Charleston isn’t as surprising as it might be. Eduardo Martin, whose compositions funk prised from the in duets with Lou Reed and reggae singer Juan Carlos Cáceres is a deracinated ex-pat explore the links between a host of Cuban archives, the band Toots Hibbert, a collection of Christmas pianist and he finds a home wherever his musical genres: rumba, danzon, bolero, that first carried the black Rio sound carols and a contemporary rock album vocal range fits. A couple of tracks on and changui, chachachá and timba. abroad have been conspicuous by their with Ben Harper. Now they’ve hightailed we get a sweet, folklore-inflected song That’s the focus, then. But it’s Dickinson relative absence. In fact it’s been over a to Nashville to record a country collection. called ‘Pachamama’, a reference to the pre- who’s the star. Routinely lauded for his decade since William Magalhães, son of There are some interesting moments Incan earth mother of the Andean high technical brilliance, the artist has truly the band’s late founder Oberdan, reformed which draw out a common thread or two plains. Elsewhere it’s Cáceres’s usual brand come into his own here. Pieces such as BBR for the well-received Rebirth album. between black gospel and white Bible Belt of percussive tangos of varying rhythm, ‘Canciones de Tropicales’ and ‘Trazos SuperNovaSambaFunk pretty much picks styles, as country stars such as Willie with gruff lead vocals by the big man and, En El Aire’ are delivered elegantly, up where that record left off, albeit with a Nelson, Vince Gill, Hank Williams Junior on occasion, a chorus of male voices that melodiously, with a warm and easy roll call of collaborators both crusty and and Lee Ann Womack add their voices to a are more football match than Welsh chapel. fingerpicking style that belies its difficulty. contemporary. Predictably perhaps, Seu bunch of testifying songs, both ancient and As an interpretation of the carnival idea, Space is given where space is due; classical Jorge pops up within a couple of tracks, modern. But the twanging steel guitars, Cáceres is intriguing, not least because genres are brought to life, refreshed. The although if there’s anyone who can country fiddles and mandolins too often there’s not much that’s festive or fun-loving increasingly acclaimed Dickinson would recontextualise that vintage BBR sound it’s sound like a gimmick, and the best material in the lyrics; but there is always feeling, and do well to include a few originals on his surely him and ‘Louis Lane’ doesn’t comes when the Boys are allowed to be that drives the material along. next release. This one, however, is another disappoint – a sun-bleached, P-funkesque their traditional selves without the guest Chris Moss marker on his ascent. monster with all its references down pat. singers, such as Muddy Waters’ gospel- Jane Cornwell Much of the rest of the album is smoother blues ‘Why Don’t You Live So God Can Ahmed Dickinson & and more soulful, with Luaka Bop signing Use You’ and the stirring, sanctified funk Trio Mestizo Los Fabulocos featuring Marcio Local crooning his way through of ‘Jesus Hold my Hand’. The Havana Suite Kid Ramos ‘Quem Vem Lá’ and the likes of ‘It’s The Nigel Williamson Cubafilin Records Dos Time’ reminiscent of vintage Talking Loud Full Price (56 mins) Delta Groove Music funky soul. With hypnotic standout Juan Carlos Cáceres HHH Mid Price (45 mins) ‘Paname’, however, Magalhães proves Noche de Carnaval Young ex-pat pays homage to HHHH himself as far-sighted as anyone in São Manaña an old master Swinging, soulful norteño music Paulo, brilliantly locating the ghost of Mid Price (42 mins) With the current Los Angeles’ pop- Marvin Gaye in the electro-grinding, HHH vogue for sharp-edged ulation is now more Francophone machine of Brazil-based Morose tango man’s piano gets Cuban sounds – funky than 50% Mexican. Yet Congolese rapper, Pyroman. The old guard a shiny polish timba, relentless if you follow the are saved till last, as the former minister You have to give Juan reggaeton, heavy duty mainstream media Gilberto Gil broods some wisdom into the Carlos Cáceres credit salsa dura – showing you would believe that Afro-Brazilian percussion of ‘Irerê’ and for productivity – and no signs of abating, it’s easy to forget that this great music city is home only to Katy Caetano Veloso hovers tantalisingly over for effort. No sooner there are other, more refined works Perry, Snoop Dog and countless dire indie the really quite lovely closer, ‘Aos Pés Do have we let one of his coming out of this most musical of rock bands. The excellent Los Lobos have Redentor’. The flip side of all these albums of riotous Caribbean islands. This beautifully crafted been the only Mexican Angelenos to collaborative sparks, alas, is the loss of the murga-laced jazz tango fade out than here release by the young classical guitar attract attention – and they broke through kind of seamless sonic vision that made he comes again with a fresh offering – and, virtuoso Ahmed Dickinson is one such almost 30 years ago. Mexicans love music the recent Azymuth album so intoxicating. as ever, we get the gloomy, nostalgia-laden example. A sincere homage to Havana in and have one of the strongest traditional Brendon Griffin music cultures in the Americas: in the US the vast majority of Mexican American Blind Boys of Alabama musicians earn a living performing for Take The High Road their own community. Los Fabulocos – Saguaro Road four veteran Chicanos – look likely to win Full Price (54 mins) a broader audience. Their sound remains HHH largely that of norteño, the accordion- Gospel legends take a Nashville powered polka music, yet into this they vacation add Kid Ramos’ tasty electric guitar There’s an obvious playing. Songs are sung in English or parallel between the Spanish and are delivered with a Blind Boys of Alabama forcefulness that suggests Los Fabulocos and South Africa’s are very much in tune with contemporary Ladysmith Black realities. Strong vocals and dynamic Mambazo. Both are ensemble playing add a real element of veteran vocal groups who have achieved urgency to the music and Jesus Cuevas’ considerable commercial success with an soulful vocals demand attention, instantly identifiable style. But the Trio Mestizo: Ahmed especially on ‘The Coffee Song’ and ‘Un Dickinson (right) with tendency for their recordings to sound Emma Blanco and Puno de Tierra’. somewhat similar means record buyers Hammadi Rencurrell This is an album for both dancing and DAN PLUCK DAN 66 Songlines August/September 2011.

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