Recording Reviews

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
Happytown
Rounder 11661-6098 (2001)

Though Cajun tradition is often associated with good-time music, amid the two-steps and waltzes is an undercurrent of sorrow and hard times that lies at the root of the culture. On their latest release, Riley and company examine that dichotomy on 11 tracks of some of the most mesmerizing material ever to come out of the bayous.

Dedicated to Jimmy Domengeaux, the Playboys guitarist who died in 1999, this collection proves that the band, however progressive, is never far from what is near and dear: its Louisiana French heritage. With a mix of sparkling tunes and shadowy moments, Happytown also blends contemporary sounds and high-tech studio techniques with field-recording-quality cuts made along the banks of the Atchafalaya Basin.

Two new members take up the cause: Roddie Romero, on electric guitar, and Kyle Hébert, on bass. Joining them is a host of friends, including Sam Broussard, guitar; C.C. Adcock, acoustic guitar; Derek Huston, baritone sax; and Linda Handelsman, piano.

A study in contrasts, this album kicks off with the old-style Creole fiddle of "Creole Stomp." But the stage quickly yields to Riley's original "Seems to Me," moody, sexy, and as modern as anything you'd hear on MTV. Yet the effect is enhanced by digital recordings of black juré singing from the 1930s.

The Playboys seem to have lost all sense of time, which taunts the listeners as they embark upon a grand voyage through the many colors and themes that rise from the mist around every bend. On "Gros Jean," the ominous clang of electric guitar sets the stage for Dave Greely's plaintive vocal, a dark tale based on an 1860s poem written by a slave about a man condemned to hang. This CD showcases Greely's talent as sole writer or collaborator, on six of the 11 pieces, and lead singer, on two cuts. He shines on "Les vigilants," with its message of foreboding. Another standout is Greely's "Mes enfants," a haunting instrumental, featuring Greely on fiddle and Handelsman on piano. The arrangement is simple, insistent. The infectious melody creeps in quietly and steadily builds, only to fade away like an apparition vanishing behind a veil of Spanish moss.

Riley, of course, remains a powerhouse on accordion and vocals. On tracks like "La crève de faim" ("Starvation Stomp"), "Big Boy Waltz," and "Éclairs de chaleur" he exhibits the boundless energy that has had fans packing venues wherever they go.

But Riley also knows when to be supportive. Some of the best moments occur when he mans second fiddle, as on "Gros Jean." On the delicate, racing tempo of "Poché Bridge," his acoustic guitar provides a backdrop on which the dual fiddles of Greely and Hébert weave their hypnotic spell.

The journey ends, all too soon, with "Pointe aux Chênes," on which Riley and Greely share vocals, and the entire band rocks into a driving rhythm that will grab you and pull you under. (This is the one you play in the car with the windows open.)
If this CD seems to break a few molds, those who have followed Riley will not be surprised. There's an irresistible defiance in this band's delivery that transcends ethnic background and generation. In short, it makes you want to be a rebel, too, or remember when you were one. As for a cause — well, what've you got?
— Linda J. Morris (Glen Rock, PA)

Djeli Moussa Diawara & Bob Brozman
Ocean Blues (from Africa to Hawaii)
Melodie/Stern's 67022-2 (2000)

Kora master Djeli Moussa Diawara from Guinea and National steel guitar wizard Bob Brozman from the USA met in 1999 when they were on the bill at a music festival on Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. They were so taken by each other's performances that they decided to play together in concert the next chance they got, which happened to be at another festival in Montreal. After that successful, rewarding meeting, the duo made plans to set up a recording session, and Ocean Blues is the result. This disc features elements of both new acoustic music and traditional music of many styles. "Almany" carries a flamenco feel, led by Diawara's flashy kora playing, with Brozman's bluesy guitar runs simmering underneath and creating a special atmosphere. Calypso meets flamenco in the fun-filled "Uncle Joe," one of only two numbers not co-written by the duo. On the driving, funky instrumental "Hip Hop," Brozman holds down the beat behind Diawara's inspired vamping. Diawara and Brozman interpret the musical traditions of other lands via their talented fingers and take the listener on a spirited tour of the sounds of the Sahara Desert ("Voyage Dans le Desert"), Madagascar ("Malaga"), Hawaii ("Malaika"), and beyond. Six of 11 cuts include singing by one or the other artist. With either Diawara or Brozman, one would expect nothing less than a dazzling, vibrant, tasteful album, and Ocean Blues delivers all that to the power of two. Unfortunately, the abbreviated booklet does not include lyrics or notes on the origins of or inspiration behind the tunes. - Al Riess (Buffalo, NY)

Laura Nyro
Angel in the Dark
Rounder 11661-3176 (2001; rec. 1994-95)

Heralded as one of popular music's most brilliant poets in the late 60s and early 70s, Laura Nyro was much less visibly lauded in the last two decades of her career. This new CD, consisting of recordings Nyro made in the years before she died of cancer in 1997, is a vivid testament to a singer and writer whose skills were still as sharp as they were at her commercial peak. The 16 tracks on this disc are culled from two unfinished Nyro discs, one of classic love songs, the other consisting of new compositions. However, far from being rough works-in-progress, these songs are beautifully realized studio takes, many featuring the cream of New York's jazz and R&B session musicians. Some of the best material, such as the sensual title tune and the soothing "Don't Hurt Child," were recorded at Nyro's last session, shortly after she had begun chemotherapy. Knowing it might well be one of her last chances to bring her songs to completion, Nyro turned in confident, full-voiced versions of her new pieces. Much of the cover material consists of just Nyro's voice and piano, and she brings both intimacy and new emotional depth to songs like "Let It Be Me" and "Walk on By." Lovingly assembled by executive producer Eileen Silver-Lillywhite, Angel in the Dark is a wonderful and moving final chapter in Laura Nyro's amazing body of work.
— Michael Parrish (Downers Grove, IL)

Andy Irvine
Rain on the Roof
self produced AK-1 (1996)

Andy Irvine
Way Out Yonder
Appleseed APR CD 1049 (2001)

Andy Irvine is a well-known figure wherever Irish music is played, from Dublin to Denver and Berlin to Brisbane. In the 1960s he was a member of Sweeney's Men, in the 70s and 80s he toured with Planxty, and in the 80s and 90s he fronted Patrick Street. In between these band commitments, he has been part of influential duos with Paul Brady, Mick Hanly, and Dick Gaughan, toured with De Dannan, formed the Eastern European band Mosaic, and, of course, performed solo. It is this solo aspect of Irvine's musical life that comes to the fore on Rain on the Roof and Way Out Yonder. Both feature Irvine singing a mix of original and traditional songs, accompanied by his bouzoukis, mandolin, and harmonica. Both also feature a cast of guest musicians adding fiddle, whistles, percussion, and other instruments.
Rain on the Roof is the more minimalist of these efforts. The songs are mostly recorded "as live," with Irvine singing and playing one of his stringed instruments, his harmonica, and occasionally an electronic drone controlled by a pedal. Many of these songs have been recorded before: "Baneasa's Green Glade" with Planxty; "A Prince Among Men," "Forgotten Hero," and "Never Tire of the Road," on his Green Linnet solo album; "My Heart's Tonight in Ireland" on an EMI compilation; and "Come With Me Over the Mountain," on a disc by Liam O'Flynn. Thus, it is in some ways "The Best of Andy Irvine," and these tracks are good choices. They show Irvine's fascination with both Irish and American labor history, his love of Woody Guthrie and Ramblin' Jack Elliott, his penchant for social commentary, and, of course, the sweet singing and nimble playing that have kept him in the forefront of Irish music all these years. Newer songs like Irvine's own "The Monument," which commemorates the Ludlow Massacre, and "He Fades Away" by Alistair Hulett, which chronicles a miner's decline from asbestos poisoning, show that he has lost none of these skills or interests in recent years. The instrumentals are all energetic dance tunes. They feature guest musicians on fiddle, whistles, didgeridoo, and percussion, and range from Irish-style jigs to wild horos in 13/16 time. The final product is an appealing portrait of Irvine's past and present solo work.
Way Out Yonder has a fuller sound, surrounding Irvine with great players of Irish and Bulgarian music, including Dermot Byrne (accordion), Maire Breatnach (viola), Brendan Power (harmonica), Steve Cooney (guitar and percussion), Nikola Parov (gadulka), and Liam O'Flynn and Declan Masterson (both on uillean pipes and whistles). The material includes two traditional ballads, three original songs, a couple of covers, and two sets of tunes. The traditional songs are both about Irish people forced to leave home. "Moreton Bay"is an Australian convict ballad about atrocities in a penal station, while "The Girl I Left Behind" tells of an Irishman's journey to America after an unhappy romance at home. Two of Irvine's originals are political: One is a paean to the IWW or "wobblies," the other about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Both are in the best tradition of broadside verse and political songwriting. The best of the songs is Irvine's original "They'll Never Believe it's True," a surreal faery-story reminiscent of Christy Moore's "The Reel in the Flickering Light." The tune Irvine used for the song is one he composed years ago for the ballad "The Two Sisters"; his setting was subsequently recorded by Clannad, and thence became a folk standard. Many bands today sing this version of the song (which carries the chorus "I'll be true unto my love, if he'll be true to me") without knowing of Irvine's role in bringing it about, which he says has always irked him. The tune goes well with the words, which are about faeries and animals inviting Irvine to a session and gifting him with a magical plectrum! As for the tunes, one is a traditional Bulgarian set, the other an original air in an Irish style. As on Rain on the Roof, they are handled with taste and skill, act as good breaks between the verbally intense songs, and get the mind working in a different mode.
— Steve Winick (Philadelphia, PA)

Duck Baker
My Heart Belongs to Jenny
Day Job DCD 104 (2000)

One thing immediately threw me for a loop when I sat down to review this CD. In his liner notes, Duck Baker goes on at some length about how many tunes seem to be named after Jenny. He provides many examples and discusses the philosophical implications of archetypal Jennyness, even going so far as to include a footnoted reference to a philosopher he calls De Selby (who is really, I think, L.A. Selby-Bigge). Another entire page of the notes is taken up with tune titles that mention Jenny, from the common ("Jenny Picking Cockles") to the obscure ("Jenny Beguiled the Webster") and on to the downright rude ("Flippin' Jenny"). These titles are even printed on theface of the disc, where artists often print a track list. After all this, I expected the album to be a CD of "Jenny" tunes; this is, after all, no stranger a "concept" than many albums begin with. Instead, the only tune on this CD that even mentions Jenny is Baker's original "My Heart Belongs to Jenny."
If the CD misleads you a little with all the talk of Jenny, the main surprises are pleasant. In fact, this stuff about Jenny is no more relevant to my review than it was to Baker's album in the first place. The important thing: Duck Baker is one of the best fingerstyle guitarists in the world. Indeed, the remarkable Baker is one of the most versatile characters in the guitar world, playing blues, jazz, medieval, bluegrass, and other styles, with a reputation for quality in many different fields. Equally important: Baker has had a longstanding relationship with Irish traditional music, having spent some years absorbing the London Irish music scene at sessions, and having kept up his proficiency at Irish tunes ever since. He's been featured on albums with the likes of Davey Graham and John Renbourn, and he plays as a duo with fiddler Kieran Fahy.
On My Heart Belongs to Jenny, he works his way through 16 sets of tunes. Without guest musicians, overdubs, or studio trickery, Baker manages to bring out the subtle possibilities that the guitar offers to traditional Irish music, and vice versa. He's not an overly fast player, which is just as well; much of the acoustic guitar's distinct timbre is lost when it's played too fast. But, as his versions of "Polly Put the Kettle On" and "Little Beggar Man" show, he can give tunes a relaxed swing using loping basslines that compel your foot to tap. This makes My Heart Belongs to Jenny a perfect recording for relaxed listening: lively without being frenetic, enjoyable from beginning to end.
— Steve Winick (Philadelphia, PA)

Various artists
Musica Negra in the Americas
Network 35.832 (2000), 2-CD

Pepe Vasquez
Ritmo de Negros
Network 35.834 (2000)

Carmen Gonzalez
Caramba
Network 35.835 (2000)

If the U.S. has dominated the commercial musical world in the 20th century it is, to an important extent, because of the vitality of African-based diaspora music, its evolution and derivatives, and its influence over other genres. It is also, to some degree, because of powerful marketing, which is partly why so many other neighboring regions and genres got passed over for so long. Musica Negra is a generic term that encompasses the breadth of popular and folk music styles from across the Americas which have been greatly molded by a confluence of European, indigenous, and, most notably, African roots. This double-CD set, which comes with extensive trilingual notes and attractive packaging, features 32 artists from 19 countries from North, Central, and South America, including the Caribbean. That seems ambitious enough till one realizes that the tracks also feature some of the most impressive (but not necessarily widely known) artists in the hemisphere. It's no wonder that it won the Folk Roots Critics' Poll for Compilation/Re-issue of 2000.
It's hard to single out highlights, but the first CD kicks off very strongly with Group Vocal Desandann, a Haitian group based in Cuba who perform a tribute to the Day of the Dead. Other songs that are especially memorable include a women's call-and-response chorus by Paracumbé from Puerto Rico, Ti-Coca from Haiti singing a traditional folk song about a sacrifice to the Voodoo god Agwe, and Andy Palacio, a very popular punta rock star from Belize. Just when one suspects that things might become repetitious, a song by Susana Baca is followed by The Jackson Singers' "Down in Mississippi," a superb fusion of gospel and blues. This is one of three tracks from the U.S. (another being Big Mama Thornton with Muddy Waters singing "Gimme a Penny"), and it's followed by an equally impressive song by The Abyssinians, one of two reggae tracks from Jamaica, the other being "Fisherman" by The Congos (on CD 2). A strong sense of virtuosity, of community, and of unfettered vitality permeates every one of these tracks. Even though some African enclaves are obviously left out, the set sheds light into a few neglected musical niches of the Americas.
The Network label has also released new albums by two of the singers in the set who prove that the tracks on the compilation are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, although that's probably the wrong reference to describe the work of these two sizzling performers. Vasquez is an Afro-Peruvian star who mixes folk forms such as lando and festejo (a joyous and festive music, as the name suggests) with salsa. He is a charismatic and infectious performer with a booming voice and equally strong material. Carmen Gonzalez is a singer from Ecuador, originally a refuge for runaway slaves, whose smouldering album is practically a reminder of her country's fiery volcanoes. Gonzalez draws heavily on Afro-Cuban music and is backed by a band that features marimba and horns, including an amazing sax player. Liner notes are exemplary for all three releases.
— Paul-Emile Comeau
(Comeauville, NS, Canada)