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| Alla Boara to release live album "Work & Song" July 7th and 8th, 2023 at The Bop Stop in Cleveland, OH marked a special moment in the short, yet vibrant history of Alla Boara. Over two electric evenings the group premiered new material and breathed new life into older compositions with special guests Jamey Haddad (world renown percussionist), Chris Coles on saxophone, and Patrick Graney also on percussion. The two nights were an incredibly immersive experience for both listener and musician alike. The energy in the room was palpable and gave special life to the audio and visual recordings. The audience was completely drawn into the music and enveloped in the stories and music of Alla Boara. After the second night's finale the group stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by a roaring crowd (This performance was done in the round). The ecstatic audience rose to the occasion and was behind the band the whole time. It almost felt familial. "When we started this group, I thought it may have potential, but I severely underestimated the human connection that this music would have with the average audience member." Said Anthony Taddeo, the group's founder and leader, about the accessibility of this group. The culmination of the two nights is being released as "Work and Song" on January 24th, 2024, Alla Boara's sophomore release. Their first studio recording garnered great reviews and was a wonderful introduction to the group's eclectic and fascinating approach to this mixture of Italian folk music and modern sounds, but over the last two years the band's voice has grown so immensely they knew they needed something that represented the energy that they bring live."When we recorded that first album we had only played a couple of gigs together. Now, we have developed such chemistry and our live performances have become so interactive and fun that we felt we needed a way to show that to people that may have never heard us before." Audience members were, at moments, moved to tears, laughing hysterically or experiencing moments of complete reverence, all in the span of the same performance. This collection of music not only demonstrates what makes Alla Boara such an enchanting group, it also demonstrates how important community and connection is to them. "I will never forget the feeling of sitting next to my greatest musical mentor (Jamey Haddad) surrounded by friends and musicians that I respect so much; feeling the amazingly warm embrace of the crowd." About the Songs Almond Sorters: This song was composed from the Alan Lomax field recording that bears the same name. The women that were tasked with sorting the yearly almond harvest in Sicily would sing these epic ballads while sorting the almonds. This represents just a snippet of one of those ballads. The track features infectious grooves from the percussion trio that is Jamey Haddad, Patrick Graney and Anthony Taddeo. It also features solos from Chris Coles and Tommy Lehman. U Leva Leva: This song has two distinct parts. The first is an a cappella call and response that was originally a chant sung by tuna-fishermen in Calabria. It shows off a little bit of the groups vocal prowess and then seamlessly weaves into arguably the bands biggest hit of the evening; an original composition inspired by the fisherman's chant. "I will never forget the energy in the room on U Leva Leva, people were singing so loud and were on the edge of their seats the whole time." Questa Mattina Mi Son Alzato: This song is inspired by a group of men in Calabria that were recorded by Alan Lomax as they were sitting in the street, breaking rocks. "Why?" you ask? Work in Southern Italy was often sparse and this was this group's job that particular Summer. The content of the song speaks about a man that finds his true love one morning as he peers out his window, but the priest tells him he cannot pursue her. The composition around the lyrics paints a feeling of emptiness, desire, and longing. Mamma Mia Dammi Cento Lire: This song talks about the massive amounts of emigration that Italy went through after the second world war. It was such a common occurrence for people to leave Italy that it made it's way into the folk music. The story is about a young daughter asking for "100 lire" to go to America and the mother's grim prediction that if she takes the money her ship will sink in the middle of the sea! Ballu: Previously released on their first album, Ballu is a delightful take on a polyphonic vocal tradition found in Sardinia. In this vocal tradition the vocalists attempt to mimic sounds of nature, livestock, and instruments in the textures and rhythms of their voices. The composition climaxes to a duet between Tommy Lehman and Chris Coles. Som, Som: Also previously released on their first album, this stripped down ballad version of Som, Som is a beautiful lullaby from Northern Italy that reassures the listener that everything will be ok. Venite Adoremus: Incorporating one of the Alan Lomax field recordings of a priest in a cathedral, Venite Adoremus is a play on church and folk culture in Italy. It explores they way in which these two cultures mesh and it takes the listener on a journey that resemble more of a modern day gospel rendition of the harmony. At the end of the song, Amanda Powell recites the lyrics of the priest, but in English and with all of the feels of a Sunday morning. Mi Me Ne Fon: Starts off with the "theatrical act" that Anthony and Amanda typically begin the performance with. It's another composition that was on the first album, but now, it features the guest artists: Jamey Haddad, Patrick Graney and Chris Coles. The piece climaxes into a frenzied sing-a-long and an epic finale of rhythms and textures from the percussion section. write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |