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clapping, clip-clopping castañuelas and occa- sional flabiol (whistle), xeremia (bagpipe), grunting ximbomba (friction-drum), or a guest bass adding pitch to the skin-headed drum’s dry thump.
26 tracks, most in versions of triple-time – cotas (jotas), mateixas, fandangos, boleros and more, mostly songs with some instru- mentals – with a scattering of original com- position showing that it’s a living tradition. Most are shorter than three minutes, and that’s all they need to implant their melodies and dancing rhythms in the brain.
www.esrevetlers
www.discmedi.com UK distribution by Discovery Records.
www.discovery-records.com Andrew Cronshaw
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Celebrating Subversion: The Anti- Capitalist Roadshow Fuse Records CFCD099
It seems a million years ago now, but there was a time when contemporary song – cer- tainly whenever it had the word ‘folk’ attached to it – was expected to reflect and comment on the times we live in. It was, in fact, a significant weapon and key ingredient of the modern folk revival both in Britain and America and, with capitalism in turmoil, you’d fondly imagine this tradition of political song- writing might once again be considered not merely fashionable once more, but vitally nec- essary. Sadly the X-Factor generation seems completely neutralised in this regard and even the new breed of rock bands seem toe- curlingly introverted, so if there’s anything depressing about this commendable double album, it’s that the predominance of featured artists are the same ones who’ve been fight- ing the good fight almost from the start.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s wonderful that
Peggy Seeger, Sandra Kerr, Frankie Arm- strong, Leon Rosselson, Roy Bailey, Robb Johnson et al are still out there doing it, their commitment, resolve and skill unravaged by time and widespread indifference; but it shouldn’t be too much to hope that, among the young pups bounding out of music degree courses and coming up with fancy new names to re-brand acoustic song, there might be some who’d to want vent their frus- trations about modern society and use their suffocating austerity to kick some serious musical butt.
There is still plenty to provoke and savour from this collective of singers and songwriters (“plus one magician”) designed, as Leon Rosselson says, “to resist capitalism that works only on behalf of the wealthy” and be “part of another way of looking at the world”. It features the welcome return of some old favourites, albeit in refreshed format – a love- ly ensemble version of Robb Johnson’s Be Rea- sonable; a rousing version of the same writer’s Rosa’s Lovely Daughters by Janet Russell; Roy Bailey belting out Si Kahn’s They All Sang Bread And Roses; and Reem Kelani duetting with Leon Rosselson on his formidable Song Of The Olive Tree, lifted by Tamer Amu Ghaz- aleh’s intricate buzuq arrangement.
Rosselson himself remains enduringly potent as an acerbic social commentator on the London riots and George Osborne’s stance on social benefits, while there are also strong contributions from Jim Woodland – the knockabout The Criminal and the rugged Grapes Of Wrath – and Janet Russell, with the deliciously satirical Guns & Bombs. There is also one encouraging youthful voice raised in anger in the shape of Grace Petrie, who dis- plays humour as well as steel on tracks like Protest Singer Blues, Maggie Thatcher’s Dream and, especially, the stirringly heartfelt Farewell To Welfare.
Etran Finatawa From Suffragettes to Palestine, the sub-
ject matter isn’t merely Coalition-bashing and there’s mercifully little punk-style sloganeer- ing… this is articulate, well-reasoned argu- ment delivered with wit, passion and thought, with a few sneers and a healthy dol- lop of bile. Celebrate subversion? You know you want to.
www.leonrosselson.co.uk Colin Irwin ETRAN FINATAWA
The Sahara Sessions Riverboat Records TUGCD1071
The Sahara Sessions sees Mali’s Etran Finatawa head deep into desert country, away from electricity and distraction, with only music to keep them company. As with Tinariwen’s Desert Sessions, the resulting sound is stripped back and acoustic and, in places, almost ecclesiastical.
In places, The Sahara Sessions is a pleas- ing enough record. Opening track Matinfa and stand out track An Mataf Germanawen are solid enough affairs. What really distin- guishes this though from similar desert out- ings, such as Tinariwen’s, is that, unfortunate- ly, Etran Finatawa’s songwriting isn’t quite strong enough to stand the scrutiny of being acoustic and unproduced. If you’d never heard the desert blues before this would probably blow your little mind but, if you have, then Sahara Sessions is a little wide of the mark.
Whilst there are some highlights, the majority of the record blurs into an indistinct mass of repetitive songs. It often feels like desert blues by numbers and lacks the energy and passion that so defines the sound of the Tuareg.
There are elements to the record which are also pretty bad. Bammo Agonla’s vocals occasionally complement those of Alhousseini Anivolla in a style and range that is, at best, an acquired taste. The sentiment and narra- tive behind The Sahara Sessions is fine, and it ticks all the boxes in terms of desert mys- tique, noble causes, and seasoned musicians. Somehow though the result lacks punch, like a jam that never really got going.
www.etranfinatawa.com Liam Thompson
GUY DAVIS Juba Dance Dixiefrog DFGCD 8738
COREY HARRIS Fulton Blues Njumba no cat. no
Travelling American bluesman Guy Davis ships up in Bergamo, Italy, to record his latest album where he’s joined (on six of the thir- teen tracks) by Italian harmonic maestro Fab- rizio Poggi. Both men are playing to top strength, working well together, playing some great music. Often the sound is fuller than you’d generally expect from a duo, due to Guy’s ability to double-track a second gui- tar, banjo or mandolin part and also to pro- viding some simple foot stomp, cowbell, tam- bourine, spoon or hand clap percussion. The recording brings out all the rich tones of Guy’s voice with the vocal/instrumental mix balanced to perfection. There are four solo items from Guy plus versions of Bertha ‘Chip- pie’ Hill’s Some Cold Rainy Day (featuring guest vocalist Lea Gilmore) and Lemon Jeffer- son’s See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (with The Blind Boys Of Alabama providing back- ground vocals) that helps make Juba Dance one of Guy Davis’ very best recordings of his brand of traditional-styled acoustic blues.
www.guydavis.com
Corey Harris’ Fulton Blues also contains a whole lot of superbly performed acoustic blues but also he expands his musical palette with forays into full-blown band territory with rhythm section, keyboards, and saxophones knocking it out behind his high-toned vocals and guitar work, as heard on the opening track Crying Blues, co-written by Corey and sax man Gordon Jones. Carey has either written, or co-written, the majority of the album’s four- teen tracks leaving room for just three cov- ers… acoustic versions of Blind Blake’s That Will Never Happen No More and Skip James’ Devil Got My Woman (featuring excellent har- monica playing from Hook Herrera) plus a gutsy band workout on Robert Petway’s Cat- fish Blues. Co-produced by Corey and Chris Whitley, who also plays the keyboards, Fulton Blues ably demonstrates Corey’s empathy and ability with traditional blues forms... and even finds room for Corey to dust off his banjo and cut loose on Black Rag.
www.corey-harris.com Dave Peabody
Photo: Ulf Lieden
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