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CD Review
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The Beat, CD Review >>
by Robert Leaver
Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective, celebrate both their deep African roots and their unique place in Latin America, Producer Ivan Duran of Stonetree records in Belize has almost single-handedly put the Garifuna people of Belize on the map by cultivating and recording all types of local artists in his home studio. With high production standards, he pursues a vision that is both true to their musical traditions yet not afraid to mix in a modern sensibility. Descended from slaves who were shipwrecked off the Central American coast, thus freeing them before they could be delivered to the slavemasters, the Garifuna have remained mostly in obscurity in remote coastal Belize and Honduras, thus preserving their distinct language and musical traditions.
For this recording traditional drums and percussion and acoustic guitars are enhanced by electric guitar and bass, mandolin, dobro and "Maya guitar," and some horns employed sparingly. Most songs feature a chorus of male and female singers, and join Palacio, the best-known of the singers, as he trades vocals with a host of other singers, but the element that stands out above all to me is the range of superb guitar playing. Tasteful rhythm and lead guitar is abundant here, whether in an Afro-funk, reggae skank or "Spanish" style. Several songs stood out right away on my first listen, first among them one that I cannot get out of my head, "Lidan Aban (Together)" with its distinct harmonic chorus trade-offs, indecipherable vocals, guitar skank similar to Bob Marley's "Stir It Up," and a sax-out-of-nowhere chiming in like the ghost of Congolese rumba, all eerily familiar, yet ultimately like nothing I've ever heard. Not only are there strong songs, great musicianship, and top-notch production on Watina (Cumbancha), but there is an otherworldly quality that is hard to describe, a testament to its utter uniqueness and the resilience of the Garifuna people. 08/01/07
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