Latin Tribute to David Bowie

It took a while for me to get to a blog post regarding the sad passing of British rock legend David Bowie, but I figured a note about the way I discovered Bowie should be addressed no matter the delay. Growing up I had heard the occasional Bowie song on the local classic rock music station, although I never really understand the depth and origins of his music until I heard Brazilian singer songwriter Seu Jorge. As a fan of different styles of music, I've always loved varied interpretations of classic songs. This was especially the case when I heard Jorge cover Bowie's "Changes" in Portuguese in Wes Anderson's film The Life Aquatic.

In fact, the entire soundtrack to The Life Aquatic provided me with a latin perspective of many of the classic songs from Bowie's highly regarded albums "Hunky Dory" and "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust." The original songs will always be my favorites but it was intriguing to hear these recognizable melodies with an acoustic ring and in an unknown language. It could be said that first hearing Jorge's covers of Bowie's songs even encouraged me to study Portuguese in college.

Today I can understand parts of Jorge's passionate tributes, yet some words still fly over my head. Regardless, I'm left in the melodies that I believe really characterized Bowie's songwriting. His lyrics take the listener to another orbit or universe remote from the reality we know, but his music and the melodies in particular that carry his songs to another dimension. Thank you for the dreaming inspiration Bowie! Your legend will be missed.

I'll leave you with a couple of my favorite Jorge interpretations.

Mexican Folk with David Wax Museum

A band touched by the sounds and culture of Mexican folk music, David Wax Museum is a result of the musical inquiry and adaption by band mates and married couple David Wax and Suz Slezak. Both historians and musicians they've created a unique indie American folk sound by incorporating instruments and rhythms of Mexican roots music.

The album's title track Guesthouse is a nice example of their unique style as the music draws on Mexican son jarocho folk songs and the lyrics relate their vagabond lifestyle of traveling on the road and living as guests.

In an interview with Stephen Thompson at NPR Music, David describes the title track "Guesthouse" as the following:

"This song draws loosely on two Mexican folk songs from the son jarocho tradition - 'El Buscapies' and 'La Iguana" - and is about coming to terms with our peripatetic lifestyle and constantly being a guest," Wax writes via email. "Sometimes I've felt like a guest within the Mexican music community, and so I found myself also thinking through that process and navigating it through this song."

Attached are the videos for "La Iguana and "El Buscapies" to give you an idea of the rich musical inspiration south of the border.

Nicola Cruz's Andean Ambience

The Buenos Aires based recording label ZZK has developed a niche in the Latin Music scene for finding and nuturing new musical artists pushing the ever expanding boundaries of Latin American electronic soundscapes. One of ZZK's newest proteges to emerge under their label is Ecuadorian producer Nicola Cruz.  As a native from a country of coasts, mountains and rain forests, Cruz's debut album entitled "Prender el Alma" is a hypnotic and exploratory mix of andean flutes, latin rhythms, and natural ambiente recordings that transport the listener to remote regions geographically and musically.

The song "Equinoccio" starts with a electronic eco, a slow rhythm and the soft voice of featured artist Huaria before lifting off with an african tinged guitar riff that carries on throughout the track. Cruz's influences shine bright in the variety of instruments and sounds and the song and record thrive on Cruz's production ability to harness the multi-layered elements.



Every song on Cruz's first album "Prender el Alma" offers a different glimpse into a musical reimagining of his native country, and like the album title Ignite the Soul, the music pulsates with subtle, yet euphoric vibrancy towards a calming and ethereal end. Cruz provides the perfect escape to float away on an Andean and Amazon fever dream.


Track "Concha Runa" ft Tanya Sanchez from Nicola Cruz's "Prender el Alma."

Bixiga 70 - Instrumental Latin American Afrobeat

Track "Di Dancer" from Bixiga 70s new album entitled "III"

Bixiga 70 is an multi-instrumental Brazilian groove band that travels back in time to the days hypnotic Colombian Cumbia, Nigerian Afrobeat and down home Funk. Originally from Sao Paulo, Bixiga 70's music incorporates elements of Brazil's rich musical tradition, yet branches their inspirational musical affinities toward Africa and the legacy of Afrobeat creator Fela Kuti.

In fact the group's name is a combination of Sao Paulo's artistic Bixiga neighborhood and Fela Kuti's Africa 70 troupe. The electric brass bursts and hypnotic rhythmic pulse of their afrobeat obsession can be heard on the track "Martelo" from their new 2015 album "III."



 The musical composition of styles on the album offers a potpourri of infectious rhythms and speaks to the intricate similarities Afrobrazilian, American and African music share. Bixiga 70s new album "III" is a pleasant tropical escape from the upcoming frigid winter months.

Bradley Manning Trial Media Blackout

For those of us wondering what ever came of the whistleblowing Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning, no television channels seem to think his trial is newsworthy, and no newspapers who were the first to publish hundreds of stories from his leaked content seem to want to report a couple more media relevant news stories on his trial. Sounds a bit strange no? Is the media taking a revenge attitude towards Bradley Manning especially since it was a previously little known website called Wikileaks that was the first media outlet to release the document, or is the United States media in particular just too weary of government censorship that they think their actions covering the trial will bring on further repercussions? Either way the country that preaches freedom of press and freedom of speech should do themselves a favor and become a little less hypocritical regarding the biggest whistleblowing news release of this current generation. 

 Bradley Manning has already pleaded guilty to 10 of the 22 charges against him by the United States government. His sentence is likely to be 20 years in military prison after being dishonorably discharged. The biggest ramification to the trial besides the controversial imprisonment of Bradley Manning is the trial result and its overall significance regarding the freedom of press in the United States. Aside from being charged according to the Espionage Act, the second charge includes a condition accusing him according to the Guardian of “wrongfully and wantonly [causing] to be published on the internet intelligence belonging to the US government, having knowledge that intelligence published on the internet is accessible to the enemy”. 

The purpose of the charge is to be able to prosecute any leak of official classified information released on the internet. The charge implies that any official leak will make it available to al-Qaida and will make the culpable party guilty of aiding terrorist networks. The gray lines regarding the situation however lie in the hypothetical made towards the prosecution lawyers when they questioned whether the same charges could then be brought up had Manning leaked the documents to other news outlet such as the New York Times. The prosecutor responded that yes these publications would also be implicated. 

While the question seemed to be hypothetical, the situation held some reality as Manning admitted in court that he gave the documents to Wikileaks only after failing receive interest from the New York Times and Washington Post. Two publications that then had media resource content for the next four years.

The outcome and severity of Manning’s sentence is still unknown, but the development in the case showcase the government’s dedication to make any leaked classified information to media outlets as means for prosecution no matter how relevant and newsworthy they may be to the general interest, and more importantly the charges implicate any reporters complacent to reach out to a whistleblower with leaked classified documents in order to find out pressingly crucial information regarding both United States domestic and foreign policy actions. 

On a lighter note here is a video dealing with Bradley Manning, Wikileaks and few other famous faces by Cuban Grupo Alleguez Son, called "El Son de los Wikileaks".

 

Okee Dokee Brothers

The Minneapolis based Okee Dokee Brothers have reached another musical milestone in their young careers after winning a Grammy for best children's album this past month. Their album "Can You Canoe?"beat out the competition and gave the duo some national accolades which have been long overdue. In dedication to the native Coloradan Okee Dokees, I've attached the title track from the album "Can You Canoe?" Enjoy!

El duo que vive en Minneapolis llamado los Okee Dokee Brothers ha alcanzado otro logro musical en su carreras jovenes después de ganar el premio del Grammy por el mejor disco para niños este mes pasado. Su disco titulado "Can You Canoe?" ganó a la otra competencia y dió al duo muchos elogios nacionales que se han merecidos. In dedicación a los nativos del estado de Colorado, yo adjunto el tema titular del disco "Can You Canoe?" Disfrutá!!

Brazilian Batuque

The  Brazilian born artist Dom la Nena has come upon the music radar recently after releasing her debut album entitled "Ela." Dom mixes a distinct blend of laid back South American rhythms into her music, and evokes a beautifully nostalgic sound which is hypnotically inviting. She is making a name for herself and her sound in the alternative latin music world.

Below is a video of first single entitled "No Meu Pais" or In My Country. 

La artista Brasilera que se llama Dom la Nena ha llegado a la escena de música latina después de estrenar su disco nuevo titulado "Ela." Dom mezcla una mistura distinta de ritmos Sudamericanos en su música, y evoca un sonido belleza y nostálgica que invita al oyente de manera hipnótica. Ella está construyendo una identidad musical propia en el mundo de música latina alternativa. 

Abajo es un video de su primer hit titulado "No Meu Pais"o En Mi Pais.