Click
to buy |
"Khenany"
Khenany,
taking its name from Central American Indian folklore, is a charming
record of Central and south American music with a Mexican influence.
The listener really gets the feeling that they are in a remote
village in the Andes. Standouts include "Bolivian Mountain
Song", "My Little Llamas", and "Columbian
Festival Song"
Track
List:
1.
Bolivian Mountain Song
2. Ceremony In The Wilderness
3. Pretty One
4. Zikuri Dance #1
5. Dance From Argentina
6. My Little Llamas
7. Columbian Festival Song
8. Pucara River-Sunrise
9. Departure
10. Ponku Mountain
11. Anguish
12. Returning Home
13. Prehistoric Indian Song
14. Bell Bird-Huapango
Release
Date: August 15, 1993
Label: Celestial Harmonies
Reviews:
"Primitive and powerful sounds of joy, lament and celebration.
The artists: Khenany consists of six musicians native to Sonora,
Mexico: Hermilo Batista, Antonio Hernandez, Hector Ramirez, Alberto
Luna, Conchita Garcia, and David Espinoza. As teenagers, they
acquired a love of Andean music and were soon performing in Ciudad
Obregon, Mexico. Initially, the group performed only South American
music; however, the sounds of the Caribbean, Central America,
and Mexico soon became intermingled in their music. 'Khenany'
was the group's first release on the Celestial Harmonies label
and they made a sensational debut with this album. Steve Roach
also contributed to the release, playing ambient percussion, bells,
and shakers. With over a dozen recordings, Roach is recognized
worldwide as one of America's pre-eminent synthesists and an innovator
of contemporary electronic music. 'Khenany' was produced by Brian
Keane, a gifted composer and arranger. 'Khenany' is an exotic
fusion of traditional Andean instruments and the upbeat tempo
characteristic of northern Mexico where the group has its roots.
The release is entirely instrumental allowing the primitive and
powerful sounds of joy, lament, hardship, and celebration to stand
alone. Listeners will admire Khenany's mastery of unusual instruments
such as the charango (a mandolin made with armadillo skin) and
savor the powerful execution of traditional Andean rhythms. Khenany's
name originates from the legend of Princess Khenany, who married
a Spanish conquistador without the consent of the Spaniards or
her Andean tribe. The Princess prayed to the Bird God (Lambayeque)
for assistance to escape from those who contested the marriage
and who were pursuing them. The Bird God helped them to go unnoticed
by transforming Princess Khenany into a bamboo shoot and the conquistador
into an armadillo. Later, a Spanish poet carved the bamboo shoot
into a flute and made a charango out of the armadillo. 'Khenany'
preserves all the spirituality and enchantment of the legend for
which it was named, and reveals the lamentations and pleasures
experienced by the Andean people."
|
