Beijing has been the world’s focus of attention for international events in 2008: the Olympic Games in August, and the Paralympic Games in September. From October 3rd to 8th, Beijing will host the 2008 World Folk Song Festival, featuring performers from 25 different countries and 13 Chinese provinces.

The six-day extravaganza will be held at Beijing’s colossal National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), a 600,000 sq. ft. facility nicknamed “The Egg”. A reflective pool in front of the majestic dome gives the illusion of a gigantic egg suspended in mid air. For one week, the NCPA will echo with songs from around the world and will introduce Chinese audiences to some of the finest folk music and traditions from around the world. Sones de Mexico Ensemble will perform live in concert in the National Centre for the Performing Arts Theatre on Monday, October 6th at 2:00pm. The group will give a performance presentation in the NCPA Conference Hall on Tuesday, October 7th, at 3:00pm.

Sones de Mexico Ensemble, a Mexican independent folk group and arts organization from Chicago, whose 2007 album “Esta Tierra es Tuya (This Land Is Your Land)” garnered both GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY nominations last year, received an unsolicited invitation from the Festival selection committee in late May.

Juan Dies, a co-founder of the group, said “I was just as surprised as anyone else that we would have been selected, especially when we discovered that we were the only group attending from the United States.”

Besides their “norteno” homage to Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land”, the group is mainly known for preserving a tradition of folk songs collectively known as “son”, from Mexico’s diverse cultural regions, performing them with a preservationist’s care on a collection of over 70 acoustic instruments.

In an interview for China Radio International, Chen Ziming, an expert on folk music and also a professor in the Central Conservatory of Music, said that the festival is a good chance to broaden people’s understanding of world folk music and to change the long-time focus solely on European music.

When asked about his selection criteria, Ma Wenjie, the organizing committee’s liaison to the American continent, spoke of “Yuan Fen”, a “predestined affinity”. He explained, “We use this word to describe two people who never know each other, and once for a very coincident opportunity they meet each other, then they become very good friends and do great things together.” Mr. Ma Wenjie found Sones de Mexico Ensemble on the Internet, and he felt a connection.

In response, Juan Dies said “I think we may write a new song when we meet and call it ‘Yuan Fen’.”

ABOUT SONES DE MEXICO ENSEMBLE CHICAGO: Sones de Mexico Ensemble Chicago is a premier folk music ensemble specializing in Mexican “son”, including the regional styles of “huapango”, “gustos”, “chilenas”,”son jarocho”, and more. The group formed in 1994 to keep the tradition of Mexican “son” alive in its many regional forms. As a performer and recording artist, the ensemble has developed and popularized many original arrangements of Mexican traditional songs. Some of its original work has experimented cross-culturally with symphonic, Irish, folk, C&W, jazz, and rock music, though never abandoning its roots in Mexican “son”. The ensemble is also committed to teaching and has a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to music education. All band members reach out to young and old with award-winning educational programs nationwide.
http://www.sonesdemexico.com

Living Down River is a ten track recording encompassing real life situations and feelings all set to a tasteful mix of folk, Americana and blues. Tamara has a clear and thoughtful vocal style that is convincing while very pleasing and inviting regardless of what style of music she is playing. She also writes all of her own material and maintains her independence as an artist with no attachments to any third parties. Ok, I am really starting to like this woman, everything about her is real and original and she is indie – that is the entire package for me, well the music needs to be good too and in this case, it is the icing on the cake.

This CD is solid in every way, the production is good, the musicianship exemplary – all of the most important aspects are in focus so we have ourselves a captivating group of songs to listen to. I have no doubt after reading about the life of this artist that she truly is living the songs performed.

When you hear “Better Day”, it echoes with emotion and the feeling of someone that has gone through, experienced, and endured some hardships only to come out the other side and step into the light then be able to share that experience with someone that needs some inspiration to do the same. “Big City Blues” is my favorite, which comes as no surprise because I do love the blues and it is a very upbeat track. Tamara and her friends really strut their stuff on this one.

I think a prerequisite to listening to this music and understanding it is to be in a reflective and somewhat serious mood but also lighthearted enough to enjoy the warmth and sunshine it can put in your heart because of all the hope and emotion that comes down the river, just as the title and closing track says. It is a bluesy number with a harmonica that is longing for a friend. A perfect closer to these stories told so well. “That Leavin’ Sound” is a lament to a relationship getting ready to end as the singer anticipates a break up by that sound of leaving in the person’s voice. These particular songs made a noticeable impact on me musically and emotionally.

To relate to music is to know it, and to know it is to understand the artist presenting it. I think I connected on Living Down River.

Artist: Tamara Lewis
Title: Living Down River
Genre: Folk-Americana-Blues
Label: Independent
Website
Source Link

Tracks:
01.I’ll Come Home
02.Better Day
03.Love Song To The Midwest
04.Don’t Look At The Mountain
05.That Leavin’ Sound
06.Big City Blues
07.With My Eyes
08.Cold Coffee, Warm Beer
09.Key of Lonely
10.Living Down River

© MuzikReviews.com

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck