ARTIST...: The Shaolin Afronauts
TITLE....: Quest Under Capricorn
YEAR.....: 2012
LABEL....: Freestyle Records
CAT.NO...: FSRCD095
GENRE....: Jazz+Funk
TIME.....: 52:04 min
SIZE.....: 119,1 MB
QUALITY..: 320kbps/44.1kHz/Joint-Stereo
ENCODER..: LAME
SOURCE...: WEB
RLS.DATE.: 2012/07/22
WEBSITE..: http://www.bagpak.net
TRACKLIST
01) (03:34) Brooklyn
02) (01:17) Gayanamede Prelude
03) (05:05) Winds Across Gayanamede
04) (05:47) Los Angeles
05) (07:34) Quest Under Capricorn
06) (08:23) End Of A Sun
07) (05:18) Amhara
08) (01:33) Voyage Prelude
09) (04:24) Voyage
10) (05:26) Forests Of Io
11) (03:43) Saturn's Dance
2011's debut album from The Shaolin Afronauts 'Flight Of The Ancients' was a critical
and commercial success story, lauded as a truly original blend of the sounds of
1970's West Africa, Ethiopia and the pioneering and progressive avant-garde jazz
artists of the same period.
'Flight Of The Ancients' went onto be nominated for several music awards, including
the 25th Aria Fine Arts Awards in the world music category, whilst the band, led by
Ross McHenry, cemented it's reputation as a truly revelatory live act, with a
colourful and vibrant visual element to their shows, with the band resplendent in
flowing, hooded robes and face paint to complete the spiritual presentation of their
highly original music!
Now in 2012, The Shaolin Afronauts continue their musical journey with the follow up
album 'Quest Under Capricorn' and the groups musical progression is apparent from the
outset.
Opening with the mesmerising groove of 'Brooklyn', the band establish their
innovative and highly individual approach from the get go.Winds Across Gayanamede,
whilst established on an afrobeat foundation, also highlights perfectly the jazz
element of the bands approach, head nodding beats, overlaid with free blowing horns
that ride over ensemble riffs in a seamless and enchanting style.
Moody, introspective keys and horns open up the title track Quest Under Capricorn,
which has something of a soundtrack feel, and it's easy to imagine the influence of
film music legends Lalo Schifrin or Ennio Morricone permeating the proceedings as the
band were laying down this expansive, eastern tinged endeavour.
Throbbing synthesiser sounds herald the start of Forests of Io, then a deliberate,
chugging afro jazz groove takes over, on this highly individual and spiritual
composition.
Quest Under Capricorn marks a development and progression of The Shaolin Afronauts
sound, which evokes the spirit of the mighty Sun Ra, Mulatu Astatke, Fela Kuti, John
Coltrane and a host of other free thinking musical pioneers and explorers... and sets
the group well apart from the glut of less explorative and imaginative groups of a
similar ilk. The Shaolin Afronauts return with a highly original sound made up of
classic influences, but tailor made for the 21st century.
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