The Whole Music Experience

World Franca Masu Almablava World Village Poetry reflecting the coming and going of the tide and sailors, lost loves, and the fragility of life pour from the songs on Franca Masu’s Almablava .   Hailing from the Italian island Sardinia, Masu possesses a powerful voice ten times bigger than her petite frame.   She paints a Sardinian landscape with an emotional palette fueled by longing, melancholy and hope.   In 2011, I reviewed a live album by the performer which reminded me of two Catalan favorite vocalists--Marina Rossell and Maria del Mar Bonet.   However, on her new studio album, Masu explores tango and other musical traditions along with Catalan and Sardinian songs.   Masu composed contributed poetic lyrics which she sings with great conviction. Laced with accordion, guitars, double bass, piano and percussion, the songs sound both warm and melancholic with Masu’s voice grabbing the spotlight.   The only sore thumb for me is Un ...

Universal Song When God created music and heard the first human sing, God had an idea. Place the most beautiful harmonies up on the mountain tops give that gift to shepherds and cowherds. Sprinkle New Orleans with lots of spice, musical strains from everywhere unite in celebration---march on saints! In India, the twangs of ancient instruments and vibrato voices linger in halls of the gods and goddesses, holding a center of peaceful bliss. In Africa and the Caribbean, a cacophony of languages and polyrhythms allow humans an aerobic workout--sexual tension released. Climbing the Andes, pan flutes of peasants and Indians resonate in thin air. And further up the Americas, Native Americans pound on the community drum and sing about tribal life. Throughout the planet, horns, bells, whistles, flutes, shawms and trombones ring out, clarinets and saxophones swirl with Italian accordions, fiddles and violins strike chords and everyone joins their voices into a peace choir. Women ...