Every now and then there is a creation which is so unique that it is stunning. "The Black Slavics" is such a creation. From the concept, musical fiction, an idea which is unique in our experience, to the resulting fabulous voices of Les Anges Compagnie this recording is a must for anyone involved in world music. Music Fiction is the concept of Thierry Van Roy to rewrite history and create the music which might have existed. The historical basis of the songs on this recording lies in the fact that Evgeni, the brother of Tsar Peter the Great, purchased 2,500 African slaves in 1684 to replace all the servants on his estate 500 km from Moscow. Problems arose in three years and Evengi drove the slaves out of Kazan. After a long odyssey these displaced Africans tried to establish colonies which were ultimately decimated by disease. What if they hadn't perished and had instead overcome the Czars laws which prohibited them from singing in their native language but had persisted and created a musical heritage which still exists? Listen to this mix of cultures in which equal parts of various Slavic polyphonies are presented with equal parts of Central African vocal styleazations sung in Lingala. This wonderful mix was improvised on the day of the recordings by Brussels' based Les Anges Cie who were formed to express the musical soul of Africans living in Europe. |