New Collaboration Between Two of Sampa’s Biggest Names and Mali’s Kora Legend To Be Released June 11th
04 May, 2012On June 11th, Mais Um Discos will release A Curva Da Cintura, a brand new collaboration between Brazilian musicians Arnaldo Antunes and Edgard Scandurra, and Mali’s Toumani Diabaté. The album came out of a friendship established between the three at Sao Paulo’s Back2Black Festival in 2010, resulting in Diabaté invited the two Brazilians to record with him in Mali.
Toumani Diabaté is known as one of the true legends of the kora – a harp-like instrument common in West Africa – and has collaborated with the likes of Bjork, Damon Albarn and Ali Farka Touré, in addition to being a well-regarded composer and performer in his own right.
Arnaldo Antunes and Edgard Scandurra have both been connected with the alternative music scene in Brazil, and specifically in Sao Paulo, for many years. Arnaldo Antunes (You can read our interview with Antunes here) initially achieved crossover success in the rock band Titãs – one of the best-selling bands in Brazil in the 80s and early 90s – before leaving for a solo career that has continually shifted between the avant-garde and popular music scenes, with albums of spoken word poetry followed by MPB releases, with his collaboration with Marisa Monte and Carlinhos Brown (Tribalistas) establishing him as a powerful force as a solo artist.
Scandurra’s career bears some semblance to Antunes, as he also achieved early fame in a band, playing guitar in Ira!, another successful rock band from Sao Paulo. These days he tends to accompany artists such as Antunes and Karina Buhr, as well as playing in his Serge Gainsbourg tribute band Edgard Scandurra e Les Provocateurs.
On A Curva Da Cintura the trio combine with other Malian musicians to create a unique Afro-Brazilian fusion, subtly mixing melodies and rhythms from the two different continents. Rather than trying to find the common ground between the musicians, A Curva Da Cintura marries divergent elements into a complete whole, representing a truly innovative collaboration.
A Curva Da Cintura will be released on 11th June on Mais Um Discos. Following that, the trio will also be embarking on a European tour beginning with the first London Back2Black Festival at the Old Billingsgate Market on 1 July.
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