When singer / guitarist Andy Palacio passed away in 2008, the Garifuna lost their most important musical ambassador. The 600,000 Garifuna live in Belize and Honduras and are descended from runaway African slaves and Arawak Indians. Andy Palacio was passionately committed to preserving the unique culture of his people. To this end, he set up The Garifuna Collective together with producer Ivan Duran.
This loose-fitting company conserves the language and music of the Garifuna. Not in a museum way, but by composing new music in the Garifuna language. Ayó ('see you soon'), the first album without Palacio, also features the polyrhythms and question-and-answer vocals that are characteristic of Garifuna music. The music is closely related to that of West Africa, but has a typical Caribbean swing. Despite the sometimes sad text topics, the bright Caribbean sun shines in every song on Ayó. (PdK)more
