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CD Review
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www.RootsWorld.com, CD Review >>
BY: Tom OrrLa Cumbiamba eNeYeMarionetaChonta Records (www.chontarecords.com)
A pleasant surprise, this disc. I would have beenperfectly happy with a recording of deepAfro-Colombian roots music like the type put outby the great Toto La Momposina, and the abundanceof hand drums, cactus flutes and rural vocalshere conjure up that feel. But La Cumbiamba eNeYeskewer expectations a bit with an opening numberthat sounds equal parts klezmer, Balkan and NewOrleans. A quick look at the liner notes confirmsthat there are instruments on hand (electricbass, drum set, soprano sax, euphonium) notalways identified with Colombian music. This bandis New York City-based and thus not onlyinterested in preserving the folkloricauthenticity of Colombia's Atlantic and Pacificcoasts but an adventurous melting pot that goesbeyond. The album provides continual reminders ofits Afro-Colombian origins while also happilytossing out bursts of what might be calledColombian jazz: pieces that take a looserapproach to such Europeanized styles as cumbia,porro and vallenato. The result is music that'sengaging, festive and expertly constructed. Partsof Marioneta may indeed get you dancing like apuppet on strings, but be sure you pause now andthen to listen closely to the pure joy of it. 01/24/07
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