The specialists in rhythm
In the last 9 years WELTWUNDER RECORDS became
known worldwide for topflight african and brazilian percussion recordings.
International artists fom Africa and Latin America, but also home-made samba
groups and sound artists have found a place to go now. Centre stage at Weltwunder
Records are acustical, handmade recordings and musicians who are rooted
in their traditions but still open for new directions.Dance and movement
but also the joy of listenig to heartfelt music have become a trademark
of 15 percussive productions of WeltWunder Records until today.Three compilations
are good examples for the label's philosophy:
Drum and dance !
Various Artists: The Heart of Percussion
WW 111-2
'The Heart of Percussion' surveys the label's
main focus: percussion music. Starting with Aja Addy and Mustapha Tettey
Addy, the famous masterdrummers from Ghana, continuing with trance specialist
Dudu Tucci from Brazil and leading to new releases from german afrosamba
bands. A perfect mid-price introduction to the wonderful world of percussion.
The releases of WeltWunder Records are not made
for chart success, nevertheless WeltWunder has reached some small scale
successes we are quite proud of: In 1992 the snake-dance 'Lolo' of the ghanaean
'Medicine Man' was a fast mover on the dancefloor of the well-known Mambo
Inn - club in London, the same applies to the following tune.
To get the head calm and refreshed - a massage
for mind and body - this is the intention of Mustapha's third recording
for WeltWunder Records 'Come and dance', which was recorded with his long
time companions Rolf Exler and Michael Küttner. But 'Coming home' is
more or less a massage for your legs !
'You better do the samba!' documents the vital
samba scene of Germany. These sometimes up to 70 members big samba 'schools'
are not merely imitating the well-known brazilian forerunners like Olodum
or timbalada, sambagroups like Pearls of Percussion from Hamburg implement
their own creative ideas. ' GalAO ' is a composition by Paul Lazare, which
showcases the strong african roots of the samba.
In afro-brazilian Candomblé Ogum is the
god of agriculture, of iron and of war. Dudu Tucci was initiated into the
world of the Orishás at early childhood and the recordings for 'Obàtimalé'
and 'Orishás' gave him the possibility for a creative rework of these
sacred rhythms.
The unique recording of the obonu drums from the
royal houses and tribes in Ghana was requested to be on two compilations
of the american label Ellipsis Arts. One of them, 'Global Meditation', became
the best-selling world music album of 1993. Bambalumba tells the story of
a man who loves money, but doesn't like to work.
This song hasn't lost anything of its driving
and dance-animating effect, one of the highlights of THE percussion classic:
'Come and drum' 1978 recorded in only one day in a church in Düsseldorf.
4 years after his first solo release, Aja Addy
went into a studio again to record a follow-up. This track showcases the
energy, the skills and the pure joy which caracterizes the tigari priest
from Ghana.
Originally written as a short introduction to
one of the powerful sambas on 'Obatimalé' I liked this little earcatcher
so much, that I asked Dudu to extend it into a regular tune. But why don't
we hear a diamond like this more often on the radio ?
All samba groups in Germany owe a lot to the brazilian
in exile, Dudu Tucci. He was and still is their teacher and their inspiration.
In the last two or three years Grupo Cultural Olodum from Salvador de Bahia
also had a growing impact on some of the german samba groups. This Olodum
cover showcases all qualities of Samburgo from Hamburg: The crystal voice
of Inka Niewert, the sharp surdo drums plus a smooth arrangement.
A fascinating and complex world, the world of
the orishás, the afro-brazilian gods. Ijesha for example is synonymous
for the name of a candomblé nation which worships Oshun, Oshun is
the orishá of love and motherhood, his colour is yellow.
.
A smooth rocking melody for a change, played on
the ballaphone, a wooden xylophone from west africa. Aja Addy successfully
works as a percussion teacher in germany. Like Dudu Tucci he has participated
in several MegaDrums tours of reknown austrian percussionist Reinhard Flatischler.
With Mustapha Tettey Addy and his friends we dive
into the secret world of the jungle, in a mediative state of mind we are
searching for herbal plants. 'Herbal man' is one of WeltWunder's favourites
- and probably a good finale for this very personal collection.
Various
Artists: You better do the Samba WW 108-2
For more than ten years now germany sees a fast
growing samba movement with more than 100 bands, which are heavily influenced
by brazilian percussion master Dudu Tucci and established afro-blocos like
Olodum or Timbalada. 'You better do the Samba' features 12 of the most creative
german blocos.
Track listing
2. Rolf Exler & Sambazillus (Düsseldorf):
Samba Walzer 6.00
5. Pica Pau: ¿ Can a god die (Augsburg)
? 4.46
6. Virada: MoSambaZa (Hamburg) 6.33
7. Terra Brasilis: Swing (Berlin) 5.21
8. Samburgo: Geh' doch los (Hamburg) 3.36
9. Quizumba: Abmuziqu (München) 4.24
10. Confusão: Une Africaine á Brême
(Bremen) 7.00
11.Macondo: O Elefante e a barata (München)
4.52
12. Samba Tété: Samba Puro (Berlin)
7.31
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