Bokanté – What Heat (Real World Records, 2018)
What Heat is the second album by the fabulous world music band Bokanté. It is a project led by multi-instrumentalist Michael League, who also leads Snarky Puppy, one of the finest jazz fusion bands at the moment.
Bokanté fits perfectly with the Real World Records sensibility of high quality contemporary world music. Bokanté features the lead vocals of Malika Tirolien, who sings in Guadeloupean Creole and the music is fantastic.
On What Heat, Bokanté collaborates with Metropole Orkest from Chicago. It’s a masterfully-constructed recording with lush arrangements where Caribbean music, jazz, blues, Middle Eastern elements, cinematic classical music and West African influences are elegantly intertwined.
The global fusion in this case works seamlessly. Although Malika Tirolien’s vocals anchor the songs beautifully, there is plenty of space for the instrumentalists with unexpected, yet exquisite orchestral interactions; masterful bluesy dobro; spectacular drumming; string instruments from across the world; and much more.
The lineup on What Heat includes: Malika Tirolien on vocals; Michael League on oud, cümbüs, fretless acoustic bass, electric bass, Minimoog, 12-string acoustic guitar, daf, sumbati, dayera, bendir, riq, tambourine, handclaps, vocals; Bob Lanzetti on 6-string acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, baritone acoustic guitar, and vocals; Chris McQueen on 6-string acoustic guitar, baritone acoustic guitar, and vocals; Roosevelt Collier on dobro and vocals; André Ferrari on concert bass drum, bass drum, frame drum, dayera, goat nails, cymbals, grouse pipe, matchbox, hand claps, tamborim, katak bells, pandeiro, antique chains, crotals, wooden Japanese bicycle bell, shekere piccolino; Jamey Haddad on hadjini, hadjira, jembe, darbuka, shaker, riq, ocean drum, daf, frame drum, handclaps; Keita Ogawa on mushroom drum, ceramic vase, talking drum, bendir, daf, cowbells, the thing, shakers, bells, pandeiro, bass pandeiro, handclaps; and Weedie Braimah on jembe and vocals.
The Metropole Orkest, Conducted by Jules Buckley, featuring:
1st violin: Arlia de Ruiter, Vera Laporeva, Sarah Koch, Denis Koenders, Pauline Terlouw, David Peijnenborgh, Christina Knoll, Casper Donker;
2nd violin: Herman van Haaren, Wim Kok, Jasper van Rosmalen, Ruben Margarita, Robert Baba, Ewa Zbyszynska, Merel Jonker;
Viola: Norman Jansen, Mieke Honingh, Julia Jowett, Iris Schut, Isabella Petersen/Wouter Huizinga;
Cello: Emile Visser, Maarten Jansen, Annie Tangberg, Jascha Albracht; double bass Erik Winkelmann, Arend Liefkes, Tjerk de Vos;
Flute: Mariël van den Bos / Janneke Groesz, Janine Abbas;
Saxophone/clarinet: Marc Scholten, Paul van der Feen / David Kweksilber, Leo Janssen, Sjoerd Dijkhuizen, Max Boeree / Nils van Haften;
Horn: Pieter Hunfeld, Felix Peijnenborgh, Lies Molenaar / René Pagen; tromboneJan Oosting, Martijn Sohier, Jan Bastiani;
Bass trombone: Martin van den Berg;
Orchestral percussion: Eddy Koopman, Murk Jiskoot.
What Heat is one of the finest world music albums of 2018, showcasing the versatile, modern and bewitching talent of Bokanté.
Buy What Heat
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
