COMPOSERS: Familia Atlantica
LABELS: Soundway
ALBUM TITLE: Familia Atlantica
WORKS: Familia Atlantica
PERFORMER: Familia Atlantica
CATALOGUE NO: SNDWCD042
Familia Atlantica’s eponymous debut ranges from the frisky triple-time of Afro-Venezuelan tambor to gentle, wistful tonada ballads. Family members hail from Europe, Ghana/Nigeria and Venezuela – notably charismatic lead singer Luzmira Zerpa. There’s a beguiling diversity of sounds: Venezuelan cuatro, West African kora and pitch-shifting goombay drums, an array of hooting conches, flutes, brass, and some delicately inventive use of a gas tank as a percussion instrument. Ethio-jazz pianist Mulatu Astatke guests slyly on ‘Escape to the Palenque’.
Jon Lusk