Album Notes

The Orixás are the spiritual beings of the Yoruba pantheon, worshipped throughout the Diaspora. The music contained on this disc will surprise you. Sixteen Orixás are represented, the invocations are in line with their traditional ritual contexts. But the production brings together artists from all over, from Nigeria to Panama, Reunion Island to Brazil. The result is a contemporary fusion of approaches that sounds great in the dance studio, for pure listening enjoyment, or personal contemplation. Jorge Amorim is a percussionist from Brazil, who grew up in Umbanda ceremonies, and has worked with Cheick Tidiane Seck, Baden Powell, Graham Haynes, and others. Hank Schroy is a Brazilian-American bassist and producer, who's worked with Salif Keita, Roswell Rudd and Toumani Diabate, and Vernon Reid. This disc features: Erol Josue (Haiti, vocals, Houngan); Reine Sophie Acadine (Reunion Island, voice); DK Dyson (US, voice); Magali (Brazil, voice); Nego Gato (Brazil, voice, capoerista); Ileana Santamaria (Cuba, voice): Suphala (India, tablas); Gustavo Dantas (Brazil, guitar); Vernon Reid (US, guitar); Jorjão Silva (Brazil, voice); Carlinhos Almeida (Brazil, cavaquinho); Jay Rodriguez (Colombia, flute, sax); Micah Gaugh (Panama, sax, voice); Mazz Swift (US, violin); Leon Gruenbaum (US, cz-101); Luis Bonilla (Costa Rica, trombone); Chief Dayo (Nigeria, voice, Yoruba priest); Balla Kouyaté (Mali, balafon); dj Wiz (US, turntables); Alain Kodjovi (Togo, guitar, bass); Edith and Katty (Venezuala, voices); Aisha Mike (US, voice)