Mirror To The Soul:
Various Artists:
Soul Jazz:
Out Now:
9/10:
What we have here is another exemplary example of Soul Jazz flexing its documentary and researching muscles once again, this time by presenting a superlative triple-disc set devoted to all things Caribbean. Basically, this is a DVD featuring a continuous stream of Pathe news-reels from 1920-72, filmed on location in the West Indies, the US and the UK with accompanying music from the sunshine islands assembled across two CDs.
Add in a colourful and informative book and you have the best holiday brochure, money can buy. The films cover subjects such as the banana export business, the Vodou festival in Haiti, racism in London, plus excerpts of various musicians and dance companies performing for black and white audiences alike. Highlights include the art-deco images of the once-fabulous Granville Arcade in Brixton, Calypso-king Lord Kitchener giving an ad-hoc vocal recital in front of the dock-side crowds during the waves of immigration and the innocent inter-racial harmony shown between young kids of all ages playing in the streets - proof that it takes uptight paranoid adults to fuck it all up with mis-trust and hang-ups. There is no commentary, apart from the original clipped tones of Pathe reporters from whatever era the films were made. Sublime and charming.
The two CDs of relevant music from the Bahamas, Cuba, Trinidad, Jamaica, Belize etc come positively brimming with rhythm. Tracks such as Cachao's Descarga Cubana, Carlos Malcolm's brassy Filthy McNasty and Irakere's psychedelia-laced Cuban belter Bacalao Con Pan will set you up with the aural equivalent of a heady rum cocktail in no time.
Reggae-fans won't go hungry - there are a few gems here including harmony group Techniques' exquisite I'll Be Right There and Slim Smith's more familiar lolloping My Conversation, while percussion-maniacs will go all funny at the thought of an entire second disc of drumming rarities from across the same isles. All-in-all, this is the type of CD/DVD package that major-labels would do well to copy. Educational, but above all fun, Mirror to the Soul should be installed into every school and public library at the earliest opportunity - as well as your stereo, of course.
For further info, head to Soul Jazz here
Various Artists:
Soul Jazz:
Out Now:
9/10:
Add in a colourful and informative book and you have the best holiday brochure, money can buy. The films cover subjects such as the banana export business, the Vodou festival in Haiti, racism in London, plus excerpts of various musicians and dance companies performing for black and white audiences alike. Highlights include the art-deco images of the once-fabulous Granville Arcade in Brixton, Calypso-king Lord Kitchener giving an ad-hoc vocal recital in front of the dock-side crowds during the waves of immigration and the innocent inter-racial harmony shown between young kids of all ages playing in the streets - proof that it takes uptight paranoid adults to fuck it all up with mis-trust and hang-ups. There is no commentary, apart from the original clipped tones of Pathe reporters from whatever era the films were made. Sublime and charming.
The two CDs of relevant music from the Bahamas, Cuba, Trinidad, Jamaica, Belize etc come positively brimming with rhythm. Tracks such as Cachao's Descarga Cubana, Carlos Malcolm's brassy Filthy McNasty and Irakere's psychedelia-laced Cuban belter Bacalao Con Pan will set you up with the aural equivalent of a heady rum cocktail in no time.
Reggae-fans won't go hungry - there are a few gems here including harmony group Techniques' exquisite I'll Be Right There and Slim Smith's more familiar lolloping My Conversation, while percussion-maniacs will go all funny at the thought of an entire second disc of drumming rarities from across the same isles. All-in-all, this is the type of CD/DVD package that major-labels would do well to copy. Educational, but above all fun, Mirror to the Soul should be installed into every school and public library at the earliest opportunity - as well as your stereo, of course.
For further info, head to Soul Jazz here