Avant-garde tenor icon
David Murray continues to explore the music of the African diaspora on
Yonn-De, focusing on percussion and vocal traditions from Guadeloupe. Three masters of
gwo ka music -- vocalist
Guy Konket and percussionist/vocalists
Klod Kiavue and
Francois Ladrezeau -- appear alongside
Murray, trumpeter
Hugh Ragin, trombonist
Craig Harris, bassist
Santi Debriano, and drummer
Pheeroan akLaff.
Guy Konket composed all the music and it is remarkable. Based on extended vamps that are repetitive but by no means stagnant, these tracks draw upon the ecstatic dance vibe of
Afro-beat and the majestic cry of the
blues in equal measure. Sometimes the vocal parts become the percussion, as on
"Onomatopee," a striking dialogue between the voices and
Murray's bass clarinet.
"Nwel'o" and
"La Pli La" are irrepressibly funky and fast;
"On Jou Maten" and
"Youyou" are mellower and more hypnotic, but every bit as grooving. It is
Santi Debriano who proves to be the beating heart of the entire project, lending harmonic shape and direction and making every track a unique journey. ~ David R. Adler
![Let It Bleed [50th Anniversary Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0018771858522_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "Let It Bleed [50th Anniversary Edition]")
