Posts Tagged ‘aurelio martinez’
You Should Have Been There – Aurelio in Reading
Posted on November 27th, 2011 in Recent Posts, Reviews by Alexandra Petropoulos.
Aurelio Martinez
South Street Arts Centre, Reading
November 10 2011
How many of our politicians would be ready to go up on stage and play for two hours at a frenetic pace, shake their ‘booties’ and sing soulful songs about their community, AIDS, and the state of their country and the wider world?
Not many, but Aurelio Martinez is one of them. He is a Deputy in the National Congress of Honduras and representative of the Garifuna people, descendants of Nigerian slaves and Carib people who were deported out of St Vincent in the 18th century and ended up in Central America. He has been acclaimed for both his preservation and modernisation of the Paranda musical tradition, which started with his own album Garifuna Soul and with the fabulous album Watina by the late Andy Palacio.
With the backing of two hand drums, percussion, bass and guitars, the Garifuna Soul Orchestra got us up on our feet at the start of the concert, relentlessly building upon these basically African grooves, with added Latin maracas or claves played in a Cuban style. The guitarist from bordering Nicaragua has a style akin to the Congolese soukous with a touch of the late Manuel Galban and a more delicate romantic and Spanish touch in the ballads. Aurelio’s voice soars above the instruments like a young Youssou N’Dour in the early Etoile de Dakar recordings. Wonderful harmonies are provided by other members of the band. In some of the more spectacular drum breaks, Aurelio demonstrates his amazing ability on congas and dances just like a dervish!
Andy would have been proud of him!
Joel Roszykiewicz
Seen a great live performance lately? Send in your live review (no more than 250 words) for a chance to appear in the magazine or on the blog. Email us at letters@songlines.co.uk
The March 2011 Songlines podcast is now available through iTunes
Posted on February 3rd, 2011 in Recent Posts by Songlines.
This podcast includes highlights from the March 2011 issue of Songlines (#74) opening with music from the new album by Mariza, Fado Tradicional (EMI). Songlines editor in chief, Simon Broughton, plays an excerpt by Hawaiian ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro – an artist mentioned by Bryan Adams for his playlist this issue.
Features include: Jan Fairley remembers Mario Pacheco and Enrique Morente, Simon Broughton on first lady of fado, Mariza, and Alex Robinson on Garifuna star Aurelio Martinez. Nathaniel Handy brings you the latest news with the Official UK World Music Album Chart as well as music from Tunisian rapper El Général and an exclusive extract from the forthcoming album by Seun Kuti, From Africa with Fury – Rise. The podcast ends with music by the Dhoad Gypsies from Rajasthan (World Village).
The next Songlines podcast, featuring highlights from the April/May issue (#75), will be available from March 18 2011.
March 2011 issue of Songlines (#74) is on sale in the UK from February 4
Posted on February 2nd, 2011 in Recent Posts by Songlines.
The March 2011 issue of Songlines is on sale in the UK from February 4 and includes our regular Top of the World CD with ten tracks from the finest new releases from around the planet, plus five tracks selected by singer-songwriter Bryan Adams.
The Top of the World CD includes tracks from the queen of Portuguese fado Mariza; Malian bluesman Boubacar Traoré; Central American Garifuna star Aurelio Martinez; American bluegrass outfit Crooked Still; experimental French double bassist Renaud García-Fons; and Thai golden era luk thung from Panom Nopporn, among others.
The main editorial features include:
• Mariza & the new fado generation – From Lisbon’s traditional fado houses, Mariza, Ana Moura and Carminho are leading a new generation of singers.
• Aurelio Martinez – The young singer from Honduras on his role as the musical ambassador for the Garifuna people of Central America.
• Breabach on tour – The Scottish folk band recount their adventures in the Great White North, together with Le Vent du Nord.
• The Gypsy Caravan – As the Dhoad Gypsies of Rajasthan release a new album, we look at the roots of Gypsy music from India to Europe.
• Staff Benda Bilili – the film – French film directors Renaud Barret and Florent de la Tullaye talk about their sensational film, which will be released in the UK next month.
• Sounding Out Salvador, Brazil – all the best places to see and hear music in the carnaval capital of north-east Brazil.
• Beginner’s Guide to US folk legend Woody Guthrie.
• Postcard from Chengdu, China.
• Hebridean Celtic Festival, Outer Hebrides, Scotland.
• Backpage from Dakar, Senegal.
• My World – singer-songwriter Bryan Adams.
• Grooves – first lady of banjo Abigail Washburn, musician and author Mark LeVine and musician and DJ Chris Menist.
• News, including Dispatches USA and Rango maker Jamie Linwood.
• Reviews of the latest CD, DVD and World Cinema releases.
Garifuna star Aurelio Martinez has his UK debut at Union Chapel on December 4
Posted on November 16th, 2009 in News by Songlines.
Aurelio Martinez – one of the most gifted Garifuna musicians of his generation – makes his UK debut on December 4 at London’s Union Chapel as part of the celebrations of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative in London in December – a global programme that brings talented young artists together with renowned figures in all fields of the arts for a year of individual guidance. In 2008, Senegalese star Youssou N’Dour invited Martinez to join the initiative.
The Garifuna people live in the Caribbean coastal regions of central America, and are descendants of Africans who were transported across the Atlantic in the slave trade, but who escaped to live free on the island of St Vincent, before being shipped to Roatán Island just off the Honduran coast by the British in the late 18th century after clashes with the British in St Vincent.
Garifuna music retains distinct African rhythms that have become blended with Latin, Amerindian and modern musical styles. Martinez was an original member of the Garifuna All Star Band and played with the late Andy Palacio. Today, he is one of the foremost artists of the unique Garifuna culture of central America. His UK debut show will be introduced by world music DJ Charlie Gillett.
Union Chapel, Compton Avenue, London N1 2XD
Tickets £7.50 + bkg fee from Barbican Box Office 020 7638 8891
