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Radio I-Ching: The Fire Keeps Burning
These bad boys cover elder statesmen artists from Egypt (MA Wahab), Nubia (Hamza El Din), Manhattan (Monk, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Sonny Simmons), Hawaii via Hollywood (Alfred Newman), Jamaica (Count Ossie) and Nashville (Jimmie Driftwood); none were likely written after 1960. Monk's "Bye-ya"close as they veer toward straight swing and bopdefies observing changes. Sophisticated effects, such as slack-key quavery pitch on "Moon of Manakoora" (hey, Wayne Shorter covered this one) and clever overdubs (wiry electronica over whinnying horn on a layered vamp on a tune reminiscent of "El Condor Pasa") push their third world into new age. Sound is blatantly rough and tinny: "Volunteered Slavery" sounds cylinder- recorded in the Mississippi delta outback with banjo, street snare and squawky soprano. Others emulate dusty, scratchy LPs blasted over cheap speakers in the camel bazaar. Band's probably more fun live than on this tiresome tube Motorola. Turn the sound down on Nat Geo channel, crank RI-C and here's your armchair trek to Ulan Bator.
Track Listing
Fakarouni; Gala 2000; Two Horn Bingo; Let Freedom Reign; Moon Over Manakoora; Abba Zabba; Volunteered Slavery; Congo Call; Bye-ya; Good Evening Mr Damners; What Is the Color of the Soul of a Man; Scorched Desert.
Personnel
Andy Haas: curved soprano saxophone, fife, morsing, raita, electronics; Don Fiorino: guitar, mandolin, glissentar, banjo, lotar, lap steel; Dee Pop: drums, percussion.
Album information
Title: The Fire Keeps Burning | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Self Produced
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