East Africa: Witchcraft & Ritc

Orig. released in 1975, this CD is fascinating and a little spooky. Read the notes to understand the ceremonies being performed. The tracks are dramatic, powerful, and atmospheric and a few can definitely give you chills when you listen.

1. Drums, bells, whistles, chanting, yells. It just sort of builds.
*2. Big village sound w/bells/chants/calls & a dark humming vibration.
*3. Great voices & harp in song of joy for a good harvest.
4. Female voices, clanging percussion. A big, boisterous sound.
*5. Wonderfully complex marimba/perc/vocal track. Fast
6. Spoken word, harp, vocals; two songs. Nice vocals, kinda relaxed.
7. Witch doctor shouting, fast drums, chanting. An exorcism ritual.
*8. Wild perc/horn dance w/chants/bells/whistles.
9. Like #8, only the horn is lower. A cool sound.
10. Solo fem vox & simple perc. in a relaxed and low-key track.
11. Horn/chants & a humming percussion. Fascinating ceremony.
12. Lots of bells/chanting/whistles.
13. Call/response vocals in a dark & serious call to the dawn..
*14. Mouth harp/bells/vocals. Fast but w/a sense of sadness.
*15. Fast blend of bells/harp/vocals. Catchy w/good vocals.
16. Busy funeral dance w/bells/flutes/horns/drums/chanting.
6/2004