perfidy

Relating to my post earlier this week about how music just doesn't do it for me as much as it used to, here's an update.

1) Tonight Goodwife O and I are going to see the "Flula Flute Ensemble" at the Somerville Theatre outside Boston. Although I have never heard Fulani music before, tell me if this don't sound awesome:

Capturing the mystery and poetry of West Africa's nomadic Fulani people, the Fula flute, or tambin, in one of West Africa's most haunting, though less familiar, instruments, whose melodies are known to call travelers back to their families and move listeners to tears. The wooden Fula flute is played unusually by making sounds with the vocal cords at the same time. These voice/flute effects create subtle yet powerful multi-phonics (more than one note sounded simultaneously) with startlingly gorgeous results. While the music is deeply rooted in the manding melodies and rhythms of Guinea and Senegal, the effect of the flute with balafon (xylophone), kora (harp-lute) and double bass has an exhilarating modern effect.

I'm really excited. I love Malian and Senegalese music already, being a huge fan of Ali Farka Toure, Baaba Maal and others, and it's been a couple years since I saw any West African music live. I'm so excited.

2) The Word. This record came out in 2001 to little note, and it's an incredible shame. "The Word" are a one-off supergroup composed of groove-organ god John Medeski, Cody and Luther Dickinson (members of the North Mississippi All Stars and sons of legendary producer Jim Dickinson), gospel-slide-guitarist Robert Randolph (who set my hair on fire when I saw him play live), and others. Combining the Dickinson Brothers' swampy skronk with Medeski's chunky organ and Randolph's exuberant, Hendrixian slide guitar was a genius move, and the result is magic. It's making my day. Almost forgot I owned it. Imagine.

The song selection features modern arrangements of gospel classics like "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning," off-the-wall folk songs like the Kossoy Sisters' "I'll Fly Away" (a version of which you already know from "O Brother Where Art Thou," but I bet you don't have it in a seven-minute New-Orleans gospel-brunch jam, do you?), and new compositions by members of the group. Everything works, and everything kicks.

I cannot say this strongly enough: go buy it now, if you have the slightest interest in American roots music, gospel, funk, or jazz. Hell, go buy it if you have a pulse.