As traditional music slowly dies out across the world, replaced by an insatiable thirst for Beyonce and coca cola, so too does the role of the ethnomusicologist. The only opportunity for the thrill of the chase, to discover by chance something unique, amazing and long forgotten these days seems to come in the form of obsessive DJ’s scouring Africa and South America for old school funk, paying exorbitant prices for vinyl from bemused locals dusting out their sheds.
And there’s been some real finds. Perhaps most unexpected Soundways have unearthed three discs thus far of some quite distinctive and amazing music from Panama, the thin tropical meeting point between North and South America. The third (and most accessible) volume has everything from super cool funk to more tropical Latin and Caribbean styles, encompassing cumbia, calypso, jazz, you name it. Panama is renowned as a multicultural crossroads thanks to the Panama Canal with ports and slums providing a unique melting pot of musical styles which explains the diversity of approaches and styles. Yet it’s all universally upbeat, with a pulsing infectious energy that’s impossible not to be swept up in. None of these artists are household names, in fact the recording quality on some tunes is quite compromised, dusty crackles and horns that flange in and out – yet this only adds to the experience and feeling of authenticity. With 23 tracks compiled from between 1960 – 75, it’s incredible how these tunes effortlessly combine a pure soulful feel with the desire to party. Surely it’s what music was invented for.
Bob Baker Fish
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