|
Turtle Shell Music
Garifuna Punta Music from Belize
Ninalik Ndawi - Lani Singers
$10.99
(cdRoots# yy-lani)
The Guradian, UK says "This is a gently haunting, rhythmic set that results from a remarkable personal story, and a little-reported struggle out in the south-west Pacific. Benny Wenda, who made this album with his wife, Maria, is from West Papua, on the island of New Guinea, a territory that was annexed by Indonesia after a bitterly disputed referendum in 1969. He is the former leader of a tribal assembly of the Lani people, and was jailed for 25 years for supporting the independence movement. But he managed to escape across the jungle to neighbouring Papua New Guinea, where he was reunited with Maria; they were granted asylum in the UK, where they recorded this album. Benny plays the acoustic guitar while Maria plays ukulele. Their gentle, mournful harmony vocals are matched by melodies that echo western folk and gospel. The title of this intriguing set means Freedom Song, but it's unfortunate that no translation is provided for Maria's lyrics"
Garifuna Punta Anthology - Lady Lard and Isabel Flores
$17.99
(cdRoots# tsm-ladylard)
This is the real deal, real garifuna roots by singer Lady lard, percussionist Isabel Flores and a smal ensemble of voices, drums and percussion. No frills, no fusion, just the pure punta rhythm and roots, in 1970s recordings snatched from oblivion and restored on CD. Listen!
The Beginnings - The Original Turtle Shell Band
$17.99
(cdRoots# tsm-tsb)
Pen Cayetano formed the Original Turtle Shell Band in Dangriga, belize, in 1981. The band brought together traditional Garifuna song and percussion with electric guitars and made what he says was the first punta rock. This raw, percussion driven music, recorded at a radio station in Belize City from 1980 to 1982 is still vibrant a quarter century later. Listen!
|
