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CD Review
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Sterophile, CD Review >>
GANGBE BRASS BAND
Whendo
A century ago, brass bands-diverted from their former militiry function- were the prime purveyors of pop music worldwide. Mostly relics today, they have made a contemporized comeback in a few places: New Orleans, Serbia, Mexico, and now Benin, a small West African country that is home to the Gangbe Brass Band. Founded in 1994 by progressive musicians in Cotonou, Bcnin's largest city, the 10-piece group blends vibrant horn riffs, sonorous vocal harmonies, and dazzling traditional percussion into a sleek, exuberant East-West fusion.
Gangbe uses the rhythms and languages of several Beninese ethnic groups, including the Yoruba and Fon, respective orig inators of the Cuban salsa and Haitian voodoo beats. The band is also influenced by the juju and Afro-beat styles of neighboring Nigeria, which shares the Yoruba heritage. The opening "Noubioto," with its talking drums, suggests the juju of King Sunny Ade, while "Oblemou" smacks of Afro-Cuban Santcria music as well as modern salsa. "Remember Fela," as its title implies, is an Afro-beat tribute to the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti; other tunes hint at highlife or South African township jive. But Gangbe transcends mere reproduction, vividly reimagining each style it borrows.
Two tracks feature only vocals and percussion: "Awhan- Ho," a plea for peace whose rich harmonies resemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo's, and "Jesu Ohun," a gospely take on Yoruba chant. But it's the a saxophone, four trumpets, a trombone, and a euphonium that give the band its distinctive swagger. "Segala," a humorous takeoff on Jimmy Forrest's 1952 R&B hit "Night Train," gives the soloists chalice to show off rneir jazz chops, but elsewhere the fanfares sound more like supersyncopated Sousa. If Whendo has weakness, it's that the hooks could be catchier; but the band's polish, precision, and in-your-face enthusiasm are more than enough to get your booty shaking. -Lany Birnbaum 04/01/06
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