Colombian folk band Cimarrón Photo: Artist's website
Musical 'dream teams' this week, including the freshly-announced Songlines Music Awards' Best Group winner, Cimarrón, and a selection of collaborations between top musicians from different genres.
Violinist Nicola Benedetti explores her Scottish roots in Homecoming, an album combining the traditions of classical and Scottish folk music. She’s joined by some of Scotland’s most respected folk musicians, including singer Julie Fowlis.
Colombian folk band Cimarrón was formed 20 years ago by harpist Carlos Rojas Hernández and singer Ana Veydó, with the aim of making the Colombian folk style of joropo known around the world. Sadly, Hernández died earlier this year.
The band has just won Best Group in this year’s Songlines Music Awards for their album Orinocco.
In a Songlines Magazine interview at the end of 2019, Hernández explained that the band took its name from a wild bull that roams the Orinoco plains. ‘It’s an allegory of freedom, and the music reflects that rebel spirit. Sometimes tradition is a prison for the artist, because you’re expected to play the music in a predetermined way but we prefer to find our own path in freedom. That’s the spirit of Cimarrón.’
“Jakub Józef Orliński combined beauty of tone and an uncommon unity of color and polish across his range,” wrote the New York Times of the young Polish countertenor, who lists ‘breakdancing’ among his hobbies.
Orliński teamed up with period instrument ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro a few years ago to record an album of early 18th century sacred music.
Music details
ARLEN: Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea - Sylvia McNair (voc), André Previn Previn (pno), David Finck (bass) (Philips 446818)
BACH arr Ma, Thile, Meyer: Trio Sonata No 6 in G, BWV 530 (1) - Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Chris Thile (mandolin), Edgar Meyer (bass) (Nonesuch 558933)
DUNCAN/MEYER/THILE: Attaboy - Chris Thile (mandolin), Yo-Yo Ma (cello), Stuart Duncan (vln), Edgar Meyer (dbass) (Sony 789186)
CIMARRON: Zumbajam - Cimarrón (Cimarrón Music 2019)
VIVALDI: Concerto in A minor for two violins RV523 (1) - Dmitry Sinkovsky (vln), Riccardo Minasi (vln), Il Pomo d'Oro (Naive OP 30550)
VIVALDI: Vedro con mio diletto - Jakub Józef Orlinski (countertenor) , Il Pomo d'Oro/Maxim Emelyanychev (Erato 9029563374)
PULKKINEN: Angry Birds Theme - Angèle Dubeau (vln), La Pietà (Analekta AN28734)
ARLEN: Let's take a walk around the block - Sylvia McNair (voc), André Previn (pno), David Finck (bass) (Philips 446818)
TRAD: Walk, my beloved - Julie Fowlis (vocalist), Nicola Benedetti (vln), Phil Cunningham (accordion), Tony Byrne (gtr), Eamon Doorley (bouzouki), Ewen Vernal (dbass) (Decca 478 6690)
TRAD: Reels - Yellow Tinker/Ri´l Mho´r Bhaile An Chalaidh - Cormac Begley (concertina) (Cormac Begley 2017)
FOSCARINI arr Rolf Lislevand & Thor-Harald Johnsen: Pass'e mezzo e passacalli - Rolf Lislevand (lute, baroque guitar), Concerto Stella Matutina (Sony 19075827802)
