MP3 Simon Monserrat & Djeli - the Storyteller

Simon Monserrat & Djeli masterfully blends the sounds of Caribe, South America, Africa, with jazzharmonies into a unique and exiting style of Latin Jazz and World Fusion that might appropriately be called Contemporary Afro/Latin Jazz Fusion.

13 MP3 Songs
LATIN: Latin Jazz, WORLD: World Fusion



Details:
- "Una musica muy original y muy tuyo...un avance para los grupos nuevos que salgan...No tienes que envidiar a nadie"
Bebo Valdes, grammyawarded pianist, composer, and arranger.

Simon Monserrat masterfully blends the sounds of Caribe, South America, and Africa, with jazz harmonies into a unique and exiting style of Latin jazz and World fusion in this first self produced solo recording.

In the African tradition, the Djeli or Griot embodies the culture of his people. The Djeli is a historian, musician, dancer and performer who has the task of reminding the community at large of its traditional greatness, and of the accomplishments of those who have come before. Using the performing arts, the Djeli points out the contributions of each family group, generation by generation, that have contributed to the progress of society.

The music is based on afrocarribean drums, and rythms from instruments such as: Culo é puyas, and Quitiplá, that comes from the afrovenezuelean music and cultural tradition as well as batá drums from Cuba. Traditional music styles are mixed with new creativity to give birth to this unique and exiting mix of: jazz, afro-beat, blues, latin, danzón, rumba and son.
The organic nature of the music of Monserrat creates challenging and intriguing arrengements that are rich with grooves that bouy the journey through music, rich emotions and inspiring lyrics.

REVIEWS:

"Like Sosa, Monserrat views the various musical offspring of the African diaspora as a common family, and he brings various styles together in unexpected and fresh ways. By stringing together chapters focused around different sounds, Djeli tells a musical story."
(Nils Jacobson, All About Jazz)

"Top of the world right now!!"
(Djembe Magazine)


MUSICIANS:
Magnus Lindgren - Sax/Flute/Clarinet.
Hector Bingert - Sax.
Arnold Rodriguez - Piano.
Santiago Jimenez - Violin.
Luis Romero - el.bass/babybass.
Marcus Linfeldt - Doble bass.
Jouni Haapala - Drums/Timbales/Congas/Percussion.
Simon Monserrat - Congas/Timbales/Percussion/Voc.

SPECIAL GUESTS:
Linda Tillery - Voc.
Elouise Burrell - Voc.
Lamont Van Hook - Voc.
Cristina Azcuy - Voc.
Calixto Oviedo - Timbales.
Mamadou Sene - Voc./Riti.
Alfredo Chacón - Vibes.
Lesmer Solensar - Voc.
Wara Belzu - Voc.
Lená Amalia - Voc.
Martin Pålsson - Voc.
Umbra - Voc.
Marcos Monserrat - Voc.
"Yanesito" Bogdan - Tres.
Ramon "Moncho" Monserrat - Handcláps, Quitipla.
Daniél"Dani M" Monserrat - Handclaps/Quitipla.