Beautifully evocative instrumental interpretations of older folk tunes from Southeast Asia, the USSR and the Arabic and Islamic regions of the world, all areas subject to US conflict since 1970s, brought by by the American guitarist from the private 78rpm archive of the late Harry Smith. Given permission to explore Smith’s substantial, treasure trove collection (his 1952 Anthology of American Folk Music presented folk, blues and country recordings from the 1920s and 1930s), Anderson meticulously studied, learned, explored music from an Afghanistan to Vietnam via Yemen, Cambodia and Turkmenistan with interpretations of compositions ranging from Pakistani qawwali to Syrian taqsim, each piece expressing a dialogue between Anderson and the original source recording. Anderson’s contribution to this dialogue ultimately invites the listener to join her in asking: “Who are the people we’ve been told in our lifetimes are “unAmerican?”
Anderson variously plays electric and acoustic guitars, electric keyboards, requinto jarocho, accordion, and tres cubano, joined on some by violinist/violist Gisela Rodríguez Fernández. The nine tracks are rich in emotion and storytelling beyond their original spoken language, and Anderson adjusts her sound and method to account for non-western musical systems and instruments. On op Quodlibet accordion drones underscore intricate, minor acoustic guitar bluegrass embellishments to approximate the original’s use of quarter-tones on this medley of Uzbek tunes originally performed on the dambura (a fretless lute). Taqsim for Guitar forgoes traditional improvisation to capture the source piece’s melodic phrasing. Layered keyboards emulate the dark moods of droning Amenian flutes on Pair of Duduk along with reverb-heavy guitar and bassy synths. On the Vietnamese tune Whistle Song, bamboo flutes become electric piano, and on another standout, warm intertwining guitars recreate winding vocal melodies of Hamd, orignally a qawwali vocal melody. Gisela Rodríguez Fernández adds violin to Sarvi Simin from Soviet-era Afghanistan. The Yemeni tune, Zar, is about the exorcism of evil spirits from the sick, is a mesmeric interplay of Anderson and Fernández rearranging five notes without repetition. A magical release from other times and cultures, brought back to life with great musical skill and scholarship. Out on Thrill Jockey.
Marisa Anderson
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