The Whole Music Experience

Aurelio Laru Beya Next Ambiance I had not heard of the Garifuna people until 2007 when Andy Palacio made an international splash with his efforts to preserve Garifuna culture including language and music. Unfortunately, Palacio’s life was cut short in 2008, right at the time when his star ascended. A Garifuna women’s recording project followed the death of Palacio and then the music seeped out of my life, as music tends to do. Now, Aurelio Martinez, a 39-year old Garifuna musician hailing from Honduras, rekindles the sparks of the Garifuna legacy that Palacio left in his wake. His album, Laru Beya distributed in North America by Subpop’s African arm Next Ambiance, promises to entice a few hips. In 2007 I was in no position to describe Garifuna music with its perfect blend of African polyphonic rhythms and rattle and roll of Latin American indigenous people. And I’m no closer to untangling these roots now. The history of the Garifuna people, former African slaves that fir...

Carlou D Muzikr World Village It has been a long while since I’ve listened to Senegalese music and I’ll admit the bulk of West African music I’ve reviewed in the past 3 years has hailed from Mali. So when I popped Carlou D’s World Village debut, Muzikr into the player I was delighted to hear the kora shimmering around acoustic guitar and soaring vocals. I don’t know if Carlou is a descendent of the griot class, but he certainly plays the role of a griot (storyteller, messenger, educator…) on his recording. He wears his sentiments on his sleeve, not to mention his religious convictions. He’s the kind of guy you’d like to know musically and otherwise, coming across as a Bob Marley for a younger generation. This is the highest compliment I can give Carlou since I'm a fan of Bob Marley's music and integrity. I wasn’t sure at first what I was going to think of the recording. I thought it would be filled with Senegalese pop and hip-hop music, but it’s not. Strong melodie...