RECOMMENDED
Multicultural music is what you get with Congolese-born Marie Daulne, best known as the founder and front woman of Zap Mama; the music the band makes draws from various influences without sticking to a single genre, surprising the listener at every corner, as heard on its new CD, “Supermoon” (Heads Up). Take, for instance, “Toma Taboo,” where the band borrows elements from Brazilian 1970s funk, emerging with a tune that sounds unique in its own way, while on “Hey Brotha,” the band takes on reggae and electronic elements for a playful tune on the nature of friendship. The title track blends folk-rock and soul in a song that doesn’t say much in terms of lyrical content but that has a certain catchy beat that gets the listener moving almost immediately; it is little wonder that this tune has been cleverly included on her live set during the tour. On a disc with so much experimentation, some duds are always likely; “Affection,” which has multi-layered vocals set over a percussive track, fails to excite, and the same goes with “Go Boy,” which suffers from a certain lack of focus in a jazz-meets-Africa arrangement. That doesn’t mar the experience as a whole, though. Just the mellow “Where Are You?” is worth the price of the CD alone, and the intriguingly complex “Moonray” will keep you coming back for more. (Ernest Barteldes)
Wednesday, October 24 at Martyrs
Reviews, profiles and news about music in Chicago
