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A confluence of creative forces: Polyrtyhmic layering of sacred Bata drums; Chants to summon the Orishas; Free improvisation in the spirit of Albert Ayler; and sonics of ambient chill and trip hop all converge within this collective. Some Reviews: the WIRE April 2001 Sonic Liberation Front "Water & Stone" by Ben Watson This begins with a loop, a rumbling bassline of motorik Junglism. Metrically, it recalls the complex riffs favored by Fela Kuti or Bootsy: before it repeats, it has set up an asymmetrical pattern that could derive from a vocal chant. Having thus nodded to sampling technology, the loop is overlaid with realspace Cuban percussion recorded with astonishing audiophile detail: you can practically make out prints on the fingers tapping bata, congo and quinto. Nick Rivera, Chuckie Joseph, Joey Toledo, and Frank "Squirrel "Williams make no compromise with 4/4 normality, making for one of the most arresting openings on a commercial album since Malcolm McLaren began DUCK ROCK with Lucumi Cult drummimg back in 1983. The beats won't fit the metre that allows you to take the percussive strokes as read, yet the spaces opened up are fiercely intended. Into this Yoruba invocation steps the horns playing with the jazz noir simplicity and intensity of underground hero Frank Lowe. The themes are reminiscent of Oliver Nelson's BLUES AND THE ABSTRACT TRUTH. Joseph Toledo's Lucumi vocals are the chant someone makes whose attention is fixed on the drum he's slapping. As they're answered by Howard Cooper's flexible jazz bass, you realize Kevin Diehl has achieved a genuine fusion of Cuban percussion and Jazz. This has some of the Arkestra1s feel for rhythm. Latin jazz has long had a reputation for abject banality; likewise, a long list of studio productions which fuse Techno beats, ethnic percussion and jazz soloism. Sonic Liberation Front builds up a dialogue between Yoruba and bop from scratch, and it's an extraordinary listen. Best of all, the production doesn't patronize exotic timbres with electro-processed eezi-spread. CMJ new music journal March 26, 2001 Little is known of Philadelphia's Sonic Liberation Front, but the music sure sounds good. On Water and Stone (eye Dog; phone: 215-247-1151; email: talk@the-slf.org), the nine piece group led by percussionist Kevin Diehl mixes traditional jazz, avant-garde jazz, Afro-Cuban music and trip-hop into an imaginative mix that never ceases to surprise. Perhaps the Art Ensemble of Chicago would have sounded like this if the members had come from Cuba, or perhaps they are Sun Ra refugees who decided to go back to Africa rather than return to Saturn with Sunny, but the group has got it right. The five percussionists create hypnotic interweaving tribal rhythms as the three horn players ecstatically play to the heavens above. Living between the two worlds, bassist Howard Cooper adds a bit of funk swing that beautifully ties the whole concept together. Seek and ye shall be rewarded. Check out the artist's website: http://www.the-slf.org Track List: 1. Ochun Loops 2. Uplink 3. Voices 4. Simple 5. Those Who Run 6. Water and Stone Suggested CDs:Other Genres: |