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Written in Folk Roots issue 170/171, 1997

ALMMA
Instrumâncias
Almasud ASUD CD01 (1996)

As recordings of other Portuguese tradition-rooted musical forms join fado as a force to be reckoned with, here’s a release from Madeira, the first on an energetic label dedicated to music from the tiny Portuguese island. Twelve musicians, using the variously-sized local guitar-shaped instruments - viola de arame, braguinha and rajão - solo or ensemble with violin, viola, melodeon, flute, bass and percussion plus occasional electric guitar and some male and female vocals (the entry of Danilo Fernandes’ voice on track 2 gives sudden focus and bite), in an exploratory and interesting set of “trad. arr” material from the island.
     

© 1997 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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