This 12-song, 67-minute compilation is devoted to the music of African musicians who have immigrated from their homelands to the United States. Specifically, it's devoted to African musicians who have settled in Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR, with five acts --
Wawali Bonane
with
Yoka Nzenze
,
Frank Ulwenya & Afrisound
Lora Chiorah-Dye & Sukutai
Kofi Anang
, and
Obo Addy
(the best-known artist of the group) -- contributing two or three songs apiece. Although the experience of African musicians establishing themselves in America is a nominal theme of this collection, there's little influence to be heard from American music. In fact, if you told people that these songs had been recorded in Africa by musicians who never left the continent, very few would be surprised. The musicians represent styles from various African regions: Zimbabwe, Kenya, the Republic of the Congo, and Ghana. The Afropop contributions of
Bonane
Ulwenya
Addy
are competent and well recorded, though they don't really stand out -- in terms of either style or quality -- from typical, late 20th century Afropop. Care is taken, however, to represent some diversity within these performers' repertoires: One of
's tracks is a solo piece of voice and percussion, and one of
's features only his voice and guitar.
Chiorah-Dye & Sukutai
play rhythmic music built around multiple marimba, mbira, and vocal parts, while
Anang
mixes xylophone and environmental sounds on
"Ko (Forest),"
and plays kalimba in collaboration with didgeridoo and flute players on
"Hail."
~ Richie Unterberger