The
acapella group from Camaguey, Cuba are in Canada this spring and
summer. If you have never seen them perform, you should make a point of
checking them out. If you are familiar with them, you don't need my
recommendation, just the info on where to see them.
They're Cuban, but as they discovered while singing together in a
choir, they all share Haitian ancestry. Some time after that
recognition, they formed their own group whose name -- as does the title
of their first CD, Descendents -- pays homage to that ancestry.
And their music does so, beautifully.
They are not yet as well known as they should be,
but hopefully the upcoming release of their second CD, Light the
Flame, and follow-up
performances will help. As well, their biggest Canadian booster,
Jane Bunnett just won the Best
Contemporary Jazz Album Juno for her Embracing Voices CD,
prominently featuring Desandann.
Stay tuned here and on the events page for some of
their shows which include:
- June 6, 5pm
Art of
Jazz festival. Free (Distillery District)
- June 12, CD release
at Ellington's Music & Cafe, 805 St. Clair W., 9pm
- June 30, noon: (with Jane Bunnett). Nathan Phillips Square. Part of
Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival. Free.
Here are a few glimpses of their music. Below is a brief clip from
their November, 2007 concert at the Church of the Holy Trinity in
Toronto. (Photo above is from that show; more are
