COMPOSERS: Various
LABELS: Accords Croises
PERFORMER: Silva Graciana (harp, voice)
CATALOGUE NO: AC 105
Mexican harp is Silva Graciana’s instrument, played with restless and exploratory vigour on Moliendo café aux portales. All she needs to accompany her is a pair of acoustic guitars, and the trio then has all the percussive thrust it could want.
The cultural background to this music is a mix of indigenous and African, with Graciana’s vocal style and timbre embodying the latter while her playing comes from the former. Forms and turns of phrase, on the other hand, are strongly Hispanic as she runs through a traditional repertoire full of Spanish-sourced dance – invigorating and joyous – though be warned that the harp apparently tunes to one key only, and the detail is big on broken common chords.