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Occidental Brothers Dance Band International
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Afropop Worldwide, Occidental Brothers Dance Band International >>
This inspired, Chicago-based, neo-retro band brings polish, spontaneity and fresh ideas to classic African dance-band genres, especially from Ghana and Congo. Lead vocalist Kofi Cromwell and percussionist Daniel “Rambo” Asamoah are veterans of the versatile Ghanaian band Western Diamonds. Band founder and guitarist Nathaniel Braddock was mostly conversant in a variety of American rock and pop styles when he became seduced by African guitar riffs heard on Afropop Worldwide. Fast forward a few years, and the first incarnation of the Occidental Brothers Dance Band International was born. (The name, of course, a takeoff on the classic highlife outfit, Oriental Brothers…) The band put a premium on instrumental arranging and individual soloing, but the requirements of the dancefloor are never ignored. For all the jazz impulses here, and the relatively few vocals, the grooves do not let up for a moment.
This is the Brothers’ second release, and it runs the gamut the soaring highlife instrumental romps (“Nyenko!” and “Circle Circle Circle,” featuring tasty alto sax riffing from Greg Ward) to a highlife cover of a New Order song (“Bizarre Love Triangle,” surely new territory for Cromwell) to the sweet melancholy swoon of Sikyi highlife (“Mafiwo”), to an elegant reworking of the Congolese fingerstyle guitar classic “Masanga.” John Bosco Mwenda’s signature song evolves here from solo guitar to a warmly swirling instrumental with violin and sax swimming through chiming, plucked guitar chords. Also in the Congolese vein, “Odo Bra WaWaWa” is a traditional song that has been played by Konono No 1 and most famously by Zaiko Langa Langa in the Accra sessions in 1976. Here, Braddock layers on guitar parts to create delightful, joyous, and very authentic Congolese string chatter.
The Sikyi highlife vein is a powerful element in the band’s overall sound. The Ashante highlife subgenre features distinctive, open harmony that lends itself to more wistful, reflective grooves, a welcome contrast to the outright celebratory vibe in other tunes. On “Nedo Ye Fe (Her Love is Sweet)” it becomes a vehicle for rich brass arranging and expressive instrumental solos. The set ends with a chugging read of the palmwine standard “Yaa Amponsah.” Kudos to OBDBI for honoring nearly-forgotten African styles with an inventive, contemporary spirit. The band’s second outing is a potent balance of revival and reinvention. 05/29/09 >> go there
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