Roots

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:03:14 -0600

A decade and an inch has passed since BaBa Zula set out on their journey to make modern music influenced by “vintage” traditions, instruments and recording techniques. Over the years BaBa Zula have been so focused on experimenting with new sounds and influences that their albums often featured many guest performers, but on “Roots” only the core members of the BaBa Zula family, such as vocalist Brenna MacCrimmon, can be heard. BaBa Zula have a new perspective on their trademark sound “oriental dub” courtesy of the group’s first trip to Japan . Together with a Japanese sound engineer that they befriended on that trip, BaBa Zula work Far Eastern techniques into their music which also references early African-American bluesman, psychedelia, Jamaican Nyabinghi and Dub. “Roots” also possesses the analog, authentic rock’n roll sound BaBa Zula grew up listening to in the late-60s, courtesy of cult-favorite Turkish producer Mehmet Ates. By using the most symbolic instruments of Turkish culture, the wooden spoons and the saz—an instrument that stands out as the first and only Turkish instrument that has been electrified—BaBa Zula’s roots serve as the foundation for their experimentation.

New Music From Baba Zula on Calabash Music

Roots