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Sound Travels the New... Afrobeat Shakedown, Reggae Grooves and Musical Saints

Every week, Sound Travels starts with what's fresh. New music from all over the world, first thing on Monday's and some goodies here today...

We started out with some excellent afrobeat from Ikebe Shakedown, a Brooklyn-based septet that takes its name from a pretty crucial afrobeat classic as they make their case for being one of the premier instrumental afrobeat crews. Their music has merit, and sounds like what the Daktaris used to sound like. Their music also bears close kinship to another group of cinematic soulsters from Brooklyn, The Budos Band. That said, other than getting their afrobeat to sound "right" they have done what I always thought you should do if an American band was going to lean so heavy on a tradtion that's not their own per se, which would be to marry the funk to a funk of more familiarity. Intertwined in the groove is a distinctly 70's style horn-friven flavor that makes this tasty band downright delicious.

Ikebe Shakedown "The Hold Up" Ikebe Shakedown

 

The L.A. band La Santa Ceciliacrafts a unique style of Latin music (now being lauded as the new Latin Alternative) by mixing the many varieties of Latin music into one groovy blend. Named for the patron saint of musicians, La Santa Cecilia is led by the  eccentric flamboyance and sweet-singing sound of Marisol "La Marisoul" Hernandez. Nominated for a Latin Grammy for some of their earlier work, LSC is back with their latest EP entitled El Valor.

La Santa Cecilia "Viento" El Valor EP

Though not known for reggae, Virginia Beach, Virginia is home to at least one, Sleepy Wonder. Perhaps better known for his contributions to the DC collective Thievery Corporation, he's proving on his latest that he's saved some choice cuts for his solo project Geometric Echoes. In the process, created an album that was a surprising find of solid roots reggae grooves with some dubby echoes. An artist to watch...

Sleepy Wonder "World Citizenship" Geometric Echoes

Overproof Sounsystem was supposed to be a reggae night in the band's native Birmingham (UK). The night was supposed to be a peaceful haven for reggae-lovers amidst the rough-and-tumble of their grimy town. An ital garden in the ghettoes of Britain's babylon that grew mighty when players from the 90's and 00's started showing up. Members of Rocker's HiFi, Leftfoot and G-Corp stabilised the jam and music got made. Good stuff too if the album can be heard in the right light. Peep it...

Overproof Sound System "Roots & Reality" Pull It Up