For years, producers of house, R&B, jazz have co-opted Afro-Caribbean instruments/rhythms in service of their quest for the perfect groove and peak. Most of these efforts are as vicariously shallow as a tourist listening to the radio at Club Med. They taste but do not smell nor feel. Haitian-born singer/instrumentalist/producer Jepthe Guillaume & the Tet Kale Orkestra got the original Diaspora recipe-home-raised voudou trance rhythms are the T-bone; gospel, house, jazzy acid-soul are mere flava-enhancing sizzle. Guillaume’s paper theory becomes innovative groove reality on his double-CD debut Voyage Of Dreams (Spiritual Life Music, slmCD001, 47:20/48:38). Jazz that dances in your head (“Tribute to Ernie,” “Al Di Yo”), voudou that sanctifies house (“Li Le”), creole pop that slangs steamy discotropics a la Kid Creole (“Ibo Lele”), Voyage of Dreams is the glorious noise of African Diaspora music cultures making love.
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