Showing posts with label Folk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Folk. Show all posts

Tuesday, 29 August 2023

Paja Brava - 1977 - Herencia I

 

Paja Brava - 1977 - Herencia I




   Paja Brava was born on September 21, 1975 on the occasion of participation in the "II Festival Estudiantil de la Canción Boliviana" held in Oruro representing the Bolívar National College in the city of La Paz. It obtained second place in the conjuto category instrumental vocal. In November 1976 they recorded her first album for the Lauro y Cia label, interpreting native music. Starting this year, they performed different performances and offers concerts in different stages of the country and neighboring countries.



1976.

They gained a great popularity publishing several great albums, Among their most recognized albums we can mention "Herencia I y II", "Serenata Mestiza", "Vuelve", "Sueño Inca" and "Chuquiago Total". 
In 1987 the group is invited to participate in the Edinburgh Festival (Scotland). They begins a series of artistic tours through European countries, mainly in France and Great Britain. Visit countries like England, Ireland and Scotland.

Eulogio Poma, Isidro Puña, Julio Rojas, Roger Sería y Eddy Montes de Oca. 1986.


In 1987 in France "PAJA BRAVA BOLIVIA" was published
Upon his return to Bolivia in 1997, they recorded for Discolandia the album titled "Vuelve"
In February 1998 they participated in the "Raices" Festival in Iquique, Chile.
In the year 2000 they released the album "El Sueño del Inca" on the Discolandia label.
In 2003 they recorded the album "Chuquiago Total" which was released in February of
2004.

The promotion of the album "Vuelve". 1997.

In 2005 they celebrate with a great concert in La Paz 30 years of activity
With 10 productions on the market, this important group of the folkloric genre has managed to establish itself as one of the most worthy representatives of Bolivia abroad. For this reason, they have toured and they are still touring several countries in Europe and America, bringing Bolivian folklore. 




TRACKLIST:

A1 Fiesta
A2 Flor De Santa Rosa
A3 Nube Negra
A4 Quena Quenas
A5 Phalahuata
A6 Hijo Del Sol
B1 Herencia
B2 Choquelas
B3 Mocenhada
B4 Agua Uma
B5 Aguita De Phutinha
B6 Tiempo Al Tiempo

Credits:

Realized by – Industrias Fonograficas "Heriba"
Distribuited by – Heriba Ltda.
Pressed by – Impresora Heriba

Charango, Percussion – Hugo Ch. Yujra*
Guitar, Instruments [Wind], Percussion – F. Eulogio Poma*
Instruments [Wind], Instruments [Acoustic] – Agustín Silva, Antonio Coronel (2)
Percussion, Instruments [Wind] – Ernesto Tacachira

Discos Heriba - Bolivia
Manufacturado por " HERIBA LTDA." La Paz - Bolivia
Industria Boliviana

Sunday, 5 February 2023

Matteo Salvatore - 1973 - Le Quattro Stagioni del Gargano

 Matteo Salvatore - 1973 - Le Quattro Stagioni del Gargano


 "Hi, Matteo, you lived like a devil, but when you sang, you sang like an angel."

    This was the funeral poster that appeared on the walls of Apricena, in Puglia, in August 2005, while the funeral of Matteo Salvatore was taking place, considered - in the 60s and 70s - one of the greatest Italian songwriters, if not the greatest: a "prophet", the "Homer of the disinherited".  Salvatore was "a musician sublime" but at the same time "a histrionic man" and a "cheater". An angel and a devil, as it had been written on the anonymous poster of his funeral.  The great Apulian artist was singer of the poor, of the farm workers, of the forgotten, compared by many to Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash. However, he had many dark sides: the strangulation of his partner, a feminicide soon classified as an "accident", and the complex origin of the musical pieces of which Salvatore ended up attributing paternity to himself, after saying initially to have learned them from popular tradition. 


    The artist, born in 1925 into one of the most unfortunate families of Apricena, at the foot of the Gargano, in the province of Foggia, lived a hungry childhood and adolescence. His father was a porter, a man of hard work, and her mother pretended to be mutilated to beg and collect a few pieces of bread to take to her children. Matteo remained illiterate but at the age of 7, he was lucky enough to meet a blind musician, an over eighty year old "bearer of serenades", Vincenzo Pizzicoli, who taught him to play the guitar and passed on to him - this was Salvatore's first version - a heritage of 150 Apulian folk songs.

    With his wife Ida Signoriello and his children, Salvatore then moved to seek his fortune in Rome, where he lived in a shack and played in restaurants, as well as being an abusive valet. In a restaurant in Trastevere he is discovered by the "reuccio" of the Italian song, Claudio Villa, who opens the doors to Rai TV and the tours that count. His notoriety arrives in the 60s with the song "Lu suprastante", a story of the oppression and exploitation of the Apulian prisoners. It is in this period that Matteo abandons his wife and children to go and live with one of his singers, Adriana Doriani. Their love story is decisive in the life and art of Mattep: the two "didn't just share love and sex, home and money, problems and happiness. They shared everything.

She helped him, perfectly illiterate, to start distinguishing one letter from another and even to scribble something. Together, finally, the 'one hundred and fifty songs' that Matteo had learned from his blind teacher took graphic form".


    1973 is the year of the box set with four LPs and no less than fifty-six performances: "The four seasons of the Gargano", of which 23 are signed for four hands, by Matteo and Adriana.
     They tell of hunger, poverty, exploitation, labourers, work, love, joy, religion, games, death, proverbs, the ferocity of bullies. An absolute masterpiece, an overwhelming success, the definitive sanctification of the "greatest Italian storyteller", so much so that Matteo Salvatore, having savored the taste of glory, abandons the old version of the songs learned from tradition and claims, from now on, that the lyrics are all written by him. On August 26, 1973, in San Marino, however, the tragedy that will change everything also takes place. A few hours before a concert, Matteo, father-master in the couple, kills Adriana, probably blinded by jealousy for her and perhaps also by a sense of intellectual inferiority.  In the end Matteo Salvatore is sentenced to 7 years in prison but only serves 4. However, he is unable to recover. He lives as a penniless tramp.

     He sings in the campsites and in the Apulian summer festivals. For years he is kept on the sidelines, if not forgotten. A story, his, "always poised between redemption and damnation". But perhaps  precisely in this lies "his persistent greatness: in this profound contradiction between the man and the artist, between his private life and his art, as well as in his irreducibility, in his elusiveness. Thus perhaps he has defended himself all his life from a world he has never been able to understand or even accept. (ANSA).





TRACKLIST

Disc 1: Primavera: "Lu gregge, lu pastore e la campagna"


A1 Il bando della carne
A2 Lu gregge, lu pastore e la campagna
A3 Le mele
A4 Padrone mio ti voglio arricchire
A5 I maccheroni
A6 Corre a mamma tua
A7 Tuppe tuppe a lu portone
B1 Il pastore
B2 Maria Santissima Incoronata di Apricena
B3 Don Nicola si diverte
B4 Meza verzura de feve
B5 La cometa
B6 Lu maccatore
B7 Parruzzelle


Disc 2: Estate: "La siccità"


C1 La siccità
C2 Teresa
C3 San Lazzaro
C4 Lu soprastante
C5 Il lamento del mendicante
C6 Mennelle e mennelastre, vulive e vuluastre
C7 Petto tondo
D1 Lu polverone
D2 I fuochi
D3 Le tre frustate d'lu patrone
D4 Il forestiero
D5 La ballata di Taresina
D6 Io vado all'aia
D7 I proverbi paesani


Disc 3: Autunno: "Pe' 'nu cacchio d'uva"


E1 Il bando del comune
E2 Pe' 'nu cacchio d'uva
E3 Nostalgie di un emigrante
E4 Il pianto delle vedove
E5 Tarragnole
E6 I capelli neri
E7 San Michele
F1 Le fontanelle
F2 San Luca
F3 Gatti e cani
F4 Brutta cafona
F5 M'ha ditt' mamma mia
F6 La zia
F7 L'uomo della montagna


Disc 4: Inverno: "Carnuèle pecché sì morto"


G1 Carnuèle pecché sì morto
G2 La lota e lu traino
G3 Morte a lu paese
G4 La pizzetta de zucchero doce
G5 La femmina del Settecento
G6 La morte traditrice
G7 Prima, seconda, terza qualità
H1 L'ultimo martedì
H2 La notte è bella
H3 La santa ora
H4 Lu signèle
H5 Lu monaco cercatore
H6 La ballata del bracciante
H7 Uè chi vò l'anice


Credits:

Matteo Salvatore: Vocals, Guitar
Adriana Doriani: Baking vocals
     

Saturday, 10 September 2022

Poli Lautaka - 1981 - Folklore de Futuna

 Poli Lautaka - 1981 - Folklore de Futuna


Polikalepo Likuvalu (aka Poli Lautaka) born in the town of Alo in the small Pacific island of Futuna is surely the best known artist from Walis & Futuna. Obviously in this small pacific state there were no music industry, so in order to record his music he moved at the end of 70 to New Caledonia, where a small cassettes music industry and a numerous comunity of Futunians were present. It is impossible to retrieve his  discography, but surely he recorded several albums, acquiring a great popularity  all over pacific islands, especially among futunians emigrates.


He is still active and loved nowadays as you can see from the views on Youtube of his songs.

I uploaded the only album i was able to retrieve and surely it is  good one. From 1981 "Folklore de Futuna" it is an interesting mix of traditional futunian folk and western singer-songwriter music. The production and the recording  is of course amateurish, but anyway acceptable.


TRACKLIST:

A1. Loku Alofa Ki Futuna

A2. Mataga O Futuna

A3. Alofala O Taupau

A4. Mako Faka Futuna

B1. Afiafi Manogi Le Falasola

B2. Isitolia O St Petelo Sanele

B3. Kia Malia I Loka

B4. Loku Alofa Ki Taoa


Credits:

Polikalepo Likuvalu: Voice, Composition, Guitar

Amole Lagikula: Guitar

Tuesday, 5 July 2022

Quilapayún - 1970 - Santa María de Iquique

Quilapayún - 1970 - Santa María de Iquique



Santa María de Iquique, cantata popular is a cantata composed in 1969 by the Chilean composer Luis Advis Vitaglich, combining elements of both classical and folkloric/indigenous musical traditions to produce what became known as a popular cantata and one of Quilapayún’s most acclaimed and popular music interpretation. The theme of the cantata is a historical industrial dispute that ended with the massacre of miners in the northern Chilean city of Iquique in 1907. The reading is impeccably executed by the Chilean actor Hector Duvauchelle, who captures the increasingly tense struggle between the miners and their exploiters in the narrative. Instrumental interludes and songs empower the progression of the story leading to a final song which voices the miners demand for an end to exploitation with visions of an egalitarian and free world.



The following are the statements made by Luis Advis, that appeared on the original booklet that accompanied the record release in 1970.

“This work, dedicated to Quilapayún, was composed following the general guidelines of a classical cantata. There is, albeit, a variant which refers to: literary-thematic aspects: the traditional religious motive has been replaced with one based on real events from the social order.”

“The musical stylistics: rather than avoid the European traditions, it has been amalgamated with melodic trends, harmonic modulations and rhythmic nuclei of American or Hispanic-American root. “

“Instrumental aspects: of the traditional orchestra we have only preserved the violoncello and the double bass in supporting mode, joined by two guitars, two quenas, one charango and one Bombo legüero. “

“Narrative aspects: the classical recitative chant has been replaced by spoken narration. This contains rhythmic and metrical elements with the aim of not breaking the sonorous totality.”


The Cantata Santa Maria de Iquique represented Quilapayun at the Segundo Festival de la Nueva Canción Chilena (NCCh) (Second Festival of the New Chilean Song).

Despite the success of the work, it had its share of critics within the music world at the time of its release; some critics saw this work as too pretentious, complex and classical for it to be part of a popular neo-folkloric movement. This debate over what was authentic, what served “the cause” would grow in the years following the cantata’s release – creating serious dialectical confrontations on what materials were to be included or excluded from the NCCh.

Despite this the work was the highlight of the NCCh and a masterpiece of the Nueva Canción in Latin America and many musicologists and musicians consider it one of the most important recorded musical composition in Latin American music history.

This great appreciation for the work didn’t appear to be shared by some members of Quilapayun who saw in the existing work considerable room for improvement. In 1978, they assigned the Belgian/Argentine writer Julio Cortázar to restructure part of the original text and they introduced minor modifications to the original recorded arrangements for a new version and recording. This was done without consulting the composer of the work, Luis Advis, who upon hearing of the recording expressed great dismay and publicly attacked the artistic integrity of both Quilapayun and Julio Cortázar.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Mar%C3%ADa_de_Iquique_(cantata))





TRACKLIST

1. ”Pregón” / Announcement (Solo vocal: Eduardo Carrasco) – 2:11

2. ”Preludio instrumental” / Instrumental Prelude – 5:45

3. ”Relato I” / Narrative I (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 2:11

4. ”Canción I” / Choral Song I (“El sol en desierto grande…” / The sun in the great desert) – 2:21

5. ”Interludio instrumental I” / Instrumental Interlude I – 1:33

6. ”Relato II” / Narrative II (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 1:21

7. ”Canción II” / Solo Song II [“Vamos mujer…” / We must leave woman…] (Solo vocal: Rodolfo Parada) – 2:08

8. ”Interludio instrumental II” / Instrumental Interlude II – 1:44

9. ”Relato III” / Narrative III (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 1:35

10. ”Interludio cantado” /Sung interlude [“Se han unido con nosotros…” / They’ve joined with us] (solo vocals: Carlos Quezada) – 2:05

11. ”Relato IV” / Narrative IV (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 1:00

12. ”Canción III” / Song III [“Soy obrero pampino…” / I am a pampean worker…] (solo vocals: Willy Oddó) – 1:44

13. ”Interludio instrumental III” / Instrumental Interlude III – 1:55

14. ”Relato V” / Narrative V (Narration: Héctor Duvauchelle) – 2:14

15. ”Canción letanía” / Supplicatory song (“Murieron tres mil seisientos…” / Three thousand six hundred died…) - 1:33

16. ”Canción IV” / Song IV [“A los hombres de la Pampa…” / To the men of the Pampa...] (Solo vocals: Eduardo Carrasco) – 2:55

17. ”Pregón II” / Announcement II (Solo Vocals: Hernán Gómez) – 0:32

18. ”Canción final” / Final Song (“Ustedes que ya escucharon…” / You, who have now heard…) (Solo vocals: Patricio Castillo) – 2:50

Personnel

Eduardo Carrasco

Rodolfo Parada

Willy Oddó

Carlos Quezada

Patricio Castillo (musician)

Hernán Gomez


Additional Personnel

Héctor Duvauchelle (Narrator)

Eduardo Seinkiewicz (Violoncello)

Luis Bignon (Double bass)

                                

CREDITS

Artwork, Photography By – Antonio Larrea, Vicente Larrea

Cello – Eduardo Sienkiewicz

Double Bass – Luis Bignon

Engineer – Angel Arados*

Lyrics By, Music By – L. Advis*

Monday, 20 June 2022

Johnny Sablan - 1969 - My Marianas

 

Johnny Sablan - 1969 - My Marianas




Johnny Sablan, (1948 – ) a pioneer Chamorro artista, received the “Island Icon Award for 2011” in a vote among fellow musicians and islandwide audiences at the Island Music Awards.  This is the latest of a litany of accolades for Sablan who has promoted the island’s indigenous language and culture through a music career spanning more than five decades.  The award is not surprising, considering Sablan’s 1968 release of “Dalai Nene,” the first commercially recorded album in Chamorro, marked the beginning of the Chamorro music industry.
Although an accomplished singer, musician, composer, producer, and entrepreneur, Sablan humbly defines himself as more of a “contributor” to the preservation, perpetuation, and promotion of the Chamorro language and culture.  His recording career actually started at the age of thirteen after winning a talent contest in Los Angeles on a popular TV show.   After that performance, he landed a contract with a Hollywood studio.  However, a decade later, Sablan reached a turning point his life–he discovered his cultural identity and decided to act on his passion to share and teach his Chamorro heritage through music.
This life-long mission is rooted in his familia (family).  Born in 1947, Johnny Guevara Sablan is the eldest son of Francisco and  Rita Guevara Sablan of Hågat.  With their 10 children, Tun Francisco and Tan Rita owned and operated the southern village’s general merchandise and grocery store.  Sablan characterized his parents as hard-working.  They taught their children to serve and love the Lord, and the value of hard work and a good education.  He credits his iconic “Hafa Adai” personality to his mother, from the friendly atmosphere she perpetuated in the family store, and he always looked to his father for balance and patience.
In 1958 at the age of 10, Sablan’s inadvertent music “debut” occurred because of his desire to watch a movie.   Upon hearing that singers were being recruited from Hågat to perform for the hospital patients at the old Guam Memorial Hospital in Tamuning,  Sablan and his favorite uncle and best friend, Vicente “Tarzan” Sablan, auditioned by singing and dancing to Elvis Presley songs from a coin-operated jukebox at the door steps of the Hågat Store.  The audition, however, was really a means to get the two boys a ride to a movie theater also located in Tamuning.  His parents did not even hear about his singing debut until later.
Nevertheless, singing was a way of life in Guam’s southern villages in those days, especially in Hågat where Sablan grew up and learned to sing.  He was surrounded with talented musicians and singers, both young and old.  To this day, Sablan continues to give credit to his friends of Hågat village for his musical success.  He remembers hearing groups of singers around the village creating beautiful harmonies every evening, their voices blending songs of the past with present-day tunes.
Before long Sablan himself was performing at fiestas, parties (also known as the “pala-pala circuit”)  and other community gatherings.  He continued to sing for the manamko and the hospital patients.  He entered singing and instrumental contests, perfoming on the Alan Sekt Talent Show and Crown Motors Talent Show on KUAM, Guam’s only television station at the time.  Sablan also took music lessons at the Guam Academy of Music and Arts in Hagåtña to further develop his musical ability.  It was at this time that he began singing “Agat Town” as part of his repertoire.  The song was a popular village tune and the most requested song during his “pala-pala circuit” shows.
.
Still in his early teens, Sablan was simply enjoying his music and performing around the island.  However, this ended abruptly in 1960, when his father took a job and moved to southern California, along with his three eldest sons. The Sablans lived right off of Wilshire and Western Avenues in Los Angeles, and watched the era of rock and roll unfold with Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley singing on the popular American Bandstand TV show.  His break into the music business came when he auditioned for a televised talent contest.  Taking second place, Sablan caught the eye of Columbia Artists of America management and the young Chamorro from Guam soon signed a three-45 rpm record deal
Sablan’s first single record featured “Big Fat Lie” and “Will She Agree to Go Steady,” released on Skylark Records.  To date, this second song is featured in a CD compilation of Hits from the Early 60s.  His second release, “I Don’t Wanna Miss You,” and the song “Agat Town,” became a big hit on Guam and gradually got Johnny Sablan’s name national recognition.  But it was the third 45 rpm record release which included, “Imitation Heart” that hit the top “100 Billboard in Music” Industry Magazine.  This song is also featured in a CD compilation of “Hit Songs of the Fifties and Sixties”.
Signing with Columbia Artists brought Sablan under the tutelage of industry professionals, where he received technical training to refine his music and performing skills.  Part of that training included touring local music circuits.  Sablan toured with other up-and-coming artists such as The Penguins (who had just released “Earth Angel,” a song that eventually became a big hit in the Top 100 BillBoard Magazine).  The youngest in his group and still a minor, Sablan had to be accompanied by a family member while on these tours.
However in 1963, Sablan left his Hollywood music career and returned to Guam at the request of his parents.  They were not as comfortable with their teen-aged son pursuing a music career thousands of miles away from home.  His parents also did not really understand the music industry, and they simply wanted to keep the family together, Sablan recalled.  They taught him that i familia mattered most.
After graduating from Father Duenas High School in 1965 Sablan returned to California to attend Monterey Junior College with an interest in studying medicine.  While there, he became an active member of the college’s International Club.  Although his peers were unaware of his professional recording background, Sablan participated in the Club’s cultural night music performances, featuring music from members’ respective countries.
In 1967, the Club asked Sablan to feature a “Guamese” night of music, which turned out to be a defining moment for him.  Realizing that he did not know anything about Chamorro music, Sablan vowed to learn about his Chamorro identity, and to sing and produce Chamorro albums.
To face this challenge, Sablan sought counsel from his man’naina (family elders), recognizing their role as teachers and sources of knowledge about Chamorro traditions and culture.  He met with different elders, including his Tio (Uncle) Greg and Tia (Auntie) Evelyna Guevara, Tan Clotilde Castro Gould, Tan Ana Quintanilla Sablan, Tio John and Tia Bing Guevara, and Tio Roque Mantanona, working hard to listen and learn about his Chamorro heritage and language.
Fueled by his newfound passion, Sablan learned to read and write in Chamorro.  He gathered lyrics through his research, poring over many traditional songs with a common feeling that he could record and format.  Sablan noted with traditional Chamorro songs there are a lot of different lyrics, reminiscent of the traditional kantan chamorita, an impromptu verse-making singing style, but with the same chorus.  He wanted to record as many complete traditional songs with Chamorro arrangements as he could, working to keep them within five minutes but contextually complete.
In the same year that the Elective Governor Act of 1968 finally gave the citizens of Guam the right to elect a civilian governor, Sablan released the very first all-Chamorro song album, “Dalai Nene.”  Sablan describes “Dalai Nene” as an album featuring beautiful love songs with the music arrangement reflecting the Chamorro feelings of pre-World War II and early postwar Guam.  For Sablan, this album was all about preserving these traditional songs in the Chamorro language so they could be available for others to feature at Guam cultural celebrations.

In 1969, as the Chamorro artist’s popularity continued to grow, Guam’s first elected governor Carlos Camacho, invited Sablan to accompany him to Vietnam to visit Guam troops at Christmas time.  So moved by their aggradesimiento (gratefulness) for the visit, Sablan returned to Vietnam for Christmas the following two years.
In the 1969 he also published his second album in Chamorro: "My Marianas" where he play an interesting mix of  Kantan Chamorita and western psych folk rock.
At this time, singing in Chamorro also became a form of cultural activism, especially noted in Sablan’s recordings “Munga Yo’ Ma’Fino Englesi” (Don’t Speak to Me in English), featured in his “Chamorro Yu” album, and “An Gumupu Si Paluma” (Where the Bird Flies).
In 1971 Sablan opened Guamerica Studio in order to grow the Chamorro music industry by developing and promoting local talent.  In fact, it became Guam’s first Chamorro recording studio.  He also taught local musicians the technical skills he learned from his early days in Hollywood.  Over the course of two years, Sablan produced two Chamorro albums, “Chamorro Christmas” and “Kasamiento” that featured the first recordings of future stars Flora Baza, The Charfauros Brothers, Mike Laguana, Terry Rojas, and Frankie Sanchez.  Shortly afterward, Sablan left for California, returning to the island after a 10-year stay.  The early 1980s saw the emergence of a vibrant Chamorro music industry, with new stars like J.D. Crutch, Gus and Doll, Alexandro Sablan, The Guam Sirenas, Frank Magellan Santos, K.C. DeLeon Guerrero, Candy Taman and Frank Bokogno Pangelinan.
Sablan continued to perform and was able to shift his energies to representing Guam in various capacities in regional showcases, especially the Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPac).  He contributed to Guam’s cultural presentation in Tahiti 1985, Samoa 1996, and Palau 2004, serving multiple roles from performer, musical director, performing arts director, to task force member, and head of delegation (2004).  Sablan considered it an honor to have served and be appointed by governors Ricardo J. Bordallo, Carl T.C. Gutierrez and Felix P. Camacho to represent and showcase Guam’s cultural heritage at this event, which is the Olympics of Pacific Culture.
Having spent nearly four decades researching the Chamorro language and culture, Sablan believes it is important to know and understand the foundation of one’s cultural roots.  From his vantage point, Sablan’s impressive musical career pales in comparison to his life-long mission to preserve and promote the Chamorro culture.  In fact, he would rather spend his time performing at schools to nurture Guam’s young people to empower them. Un sina’ngan (a saying) he shares with the children when they are confronting challenges: “If it was meant to be, it’s up to me!”


Over the course of his career, Sablan has recorded fifteen albums, has written lyrics and composed music for more than 100 songs about Guam in Chamorro and in English, and published a thirty-page songbook of Chamorro lyrics.  Sablan immediately pays homage and gives credit for his accomplishments to his man’naina and a long list of Chamorro pioneers and local musicians with whom he collaborated.  Sablan feels blessed to have known and worked with great writers as Greg Guevara, Roque Mantanona and music maker Harold De Leon, calling them messengers from above.
Sablan also credits the support of his familia, his wife, Sabrina Cruz, and his children, Jonathan Rai, Camarin Marie, Gabriel Matua, and Kristina Marie, as well as his brother and sisters and their families.  His children, Matua and Kristina, have embraced their father’s music legacy.  At the Island Music Awards held April 10, 2011, Sablan took the stage with his youngest son Matua, performing “Shame and Scandal.”  Staying true to his entertaining “storytelling style,” and playing off the chemistry between father and son, the two brought the audience to its feet in song, dance and much laughter.  His eldest daughter, Kristina Marie, has also become an accomplished musician and well-known performer in the San Francisco bay area.
What began as a love for music and performing evolved into a life-long mission of preservation, perpetuation and promotion of the Chamorro language and culture through music.  Sablan’s iconic stature is founded on the massive contributions he has made to modern Chamorro music history.  He is a favorite singer/songwriter, cultural performer, poet and author for generations of listeners on Guam, and he feels extremely blessed.
(https://www.guampedia.com/johnny-sablan/)


TRACKLIST

A1 Aye Na Patgon 3:29
A2 Aye Senorita, Querida 3:45
A3 Picnic 2:17
A4 Hafa Lai Nene 3:45
A5 Dia Cada Dia 3:02
A6 Aye Marianas 2:55
B1 Se Nangana Gias Tatana 2:58
B2 I Capiya 2:46
B3 Silencion Guinai Ya 4:02
B4 Guinifeho 3:08
B5 Inpution, Ipilan, Yan Si Nene 3:05
B6 Ma Draft Si Jose 3:03

Sunday, 29 May 2022

Elias Dia Kimuezo - Elias (1974)

 Elias Dia Kimuezo - Elias (1974)




Singer and musician from Angola, Elias Diá Kimuezo was born at the Marçal neighborhood, Luanda, with the name of Elias José Francisco, on January 2nd, 1936. At the age of 7, he becomes an orphan, a fact that forces him later, at age 12 to go live at his grandmother's house, in the Sambizanga neighborhood, where he learns to communicate fluently, in his mother tongue, the Kimbundo. His constant attendance at the Kimúngua Samba, in the Bungo area of ​​Luanda, where several workers from the sea port and the railways who played and danced Kinganje lived, made him discover, at the age of 15, his artistic vocation, that leads him to integrate in the "Turma do Margoso", like main vocalist and player of bate-bate. Two years later, he moved to the "Os Kizombas" group, which at that time played in the Malanjinho Room in the Sambizanga neighborhood. Over time he has been improving himself in the art of singing, and becoming more and more known. In 1969, the Folkloric Festival of the Portuguese Provinces took place in Portugal, and the same was invited, with the Rebita group of Mestre Geraldo and the Marimbeiros de Duque de Bragança, from Malange, to represent the Province of Angola. His artistic performance, like that of the other artists, deserved high praise from critics and local cultural analysts, so he was given the proposal, accepted promptly, to record two "singles" for the publisher Valentim de Carvalho.
The following recordings were made: "Mualunga", "Resurreição", "Muenhu Ua Muto" and "Zum-Zum", which had the participation of José Adelino Barceló de Carvalho (aka Bonga), Rui Mingas, Teta Lando and the Marimbeiros do Duque de Bragança. The launch of the works, with much pomp and circumstance, took place at Cine-Restauração, one of the most chic cinemas in Luanda. The success grew day after day, and in this, Elias dya Kimuezu, is awarded with the title of "Best Performer of the Angolan Song". This award was given annually to the artists who stood out in the Province of Angola, by the CITA-Angola Information and Tourism Center. In 1972, in compensation, for his selfless work in favor of music, he received a statuette referring to "11 more of the city of Luanda", which awarded the eleven most outstanding figures in the various professional and social areas in the city of Luanda.
In 1974, as a result of the intense mobilization work, he was arrested with his younger brother "Chico Suiza" and sent immediately to "São Nicolau" - Campo I das Salinas, barrack III, where they left after clarifying the decolonization process and the system should be obliged to deal with the release of all prisoners, especially those in the political arena.
During the creation of the "Agrupamento Kissanguela", by Mário Rui Silva, it was Elias Diá Kimuezo, who suggested the name of the same, given the moment that was lived and the work that the group was intended to produce.
Since the mid-sixties, Elias Diá Kimuezo, for the quality of his work and the constancy of his performance, was considered "The King of Angolan Music". (https://www.discogs.com/it/artist/3004017-Elias-Di%C3%A1-Kimuezo)
Considered the "king of Angolan music" in the late 1960s (here an interesting article about it), Elias Diá Kimuezo was an important point of reference. His rhythm takes its cue from the semba (peculiar local fusion of angolan, portuguese and brazilian music), incorporating elements of folk kimbundu (tribe from north Angola), merengue and african rumba. In this album from 1974 the tribal component is strong, like the following song with the frenetic back and forth between voice and chorus.



TRACKLIST:
A1 - Watiaña - Instrumental
A2 - Uá Ué Muxima - Ai Meu Coração
A3 - Monami, Uá Muxima - Meu Filho Do Coração
A4 - Samba
A5 - Ressurreição
A6 - Ku Iéku - Não Vás
B1 - Entrudo
B2 - Nhajinga - Waya - Instrumental
B3 - Zom - Zom
B4 - Muénho Uá Mutu - Vida Humana
B5 - Zé Salambinga
B6 - Mama Kudile Ngó - Minha Mãe Não Chores

Credits:
Carlitos Vieira Dias: Arranged By, Music Director, Guitar
Manuel Claudino da Silva: Bass Guitar
Ana Paula Moreira: Baking vocals
Ana Paula Silva: Baking vocals
João Lourenço Morgado: Drums
A. Galvão: Organ
J. Augusto A. Gourgel: Percussion
José J. Junior: Rhythm Guitar
Artur Neves: Engineer


Sanguma - Papua Nuova Guinea (1984)

Sanguma - Papua Nuova Guinea (1984) 




We start our trip from the second biggest island in the world: Papua New Guinea! 

Papua New Guinea has more languages than any other country, with over 820 indigenous languages, representing 12% of the world's total, but most have fewer than 1,000 speakers. With an average of only 7,000 speakers per language, Papua New Guinea has a greater density of languages than any other nation on earth except Vanuatu. 

Sanguma band
It is estimated that more than one thousand cultural groups exist in Papua New Guinea. Because of this diversity, many styles of cultural expression have emerged. Each group has created its own expressive forms in art, dance, weaponry, costumes,  and of course music. This incredible richness is well represented by the Sanguma band.

Sanguma (ie, "black magic") is an ensemble formed at the National Art School of Port Moresby in 1977 and was among the first Papuan groups to perform abroad. Combining traditional instruments with western ones they give us a whirlwind mix between jazz-rock, local folk and progressive rock.


Their first omonimous album is from 1978, then they released Sanguma 2 in 79 and two live album in 1980.

This album called "Papua New Guinea" is from 1984, released in New Zealand, contains reinterpretation of songs previousle released.

Interesting links about Sangums:

https://malumnalu.blogspot.com/2011/12/tony-subam-and-legend-of-sanguma-band.html

http://yumistori.blogspot.com/2013/04/subam-sanguma-and-sounds-of-80s.html


TRACKLIST
A1 - Garden Song
A2 Namilai
A3 Sugu Kupma
A4 Woma
B1 Crystal Rapids
B2 Welcome To The House
B3 Sosi Sosi

Produced by Terence O'Neill-Joyce.

Group members: Leonard Talatus, lead guitar ; Raymond Hakena, drums ; Apa Saun, bass guitar ; Soru Tony Subam, saxophone, flute ; Tom Agai, trumpet, flugelhorn ; Paul Yabo, trumpet, syntehesiser, piano ; Sebastian Miyoni, vocals ; Buruka Tau, vocals, synthesiser, piano

Publisher: Auckland, N.Z. : Ode, p1984.



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