New Sounds

#4705, Jazz Meets Traditional Music

Episode Summary

Hear what happens when traditional roots and folk music meets jazz in music by bassist and bandleader Mali Obomsawin, composer David Cieri, and Irish bassist Neil Ó Lochlainn. Listen to music by the Native American bassist, singer and bandleader Mali Obomsawin. They're from a Wabanaki family in New England, and have played with the folk-rock trio called Lulu Wiles, but their current project is a band that aims to shine a light on the heritage and experience of Indigenous jazz. Obomsawin’s album, Sweet Tooth, features field recordings and vocals in both English and Abenaki; some of their works are based on traditional Wabanaki songs and there are some instrumentals too (John Schaefer.)  Also, hear other music that comes from the jazz world with roots based on Ireland, Sardinia, West Africa, and South Asia. Irish bassist and composer Neil Ó Lochlainn is from Clare and leads the big band Ensemble Eriu as well as the smaller traditional/improvisatory chamber ensemble Cuar. Listen to some music by Cuar, a jazz band rooted in Irish traditional folk music which features fiddle, along with sax, trombone, upright bass, and pipes. Then, listen to music by composer David Cieri for the 1928 Carl Dreyer silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc, which uses the striking Sardinian traditional music of polyphonic male vocal groups. There’s also music by London-based clarinetist Arun Ghosh inspired by the Roma people, who have roots in Rajasthan, along with Swedish jazz drummer/composer Bengt Berger inspired by Ghanaian funeral drumming. And more. - Caryn Havlik Program #4705, Jazz Meets Traditional Music (First aired 1/19/23) ARTIST: Jim Pepper           WORK: Witchi-Tai-To (Song) [1:00]RECORDING: Pepper's Powwow    SOURCE: Embryo #SD-731. LPINFO: Out of print, but try auction sites ARTIST: Neil O Lochlainn & Cuar    WORK: Gob a' Choire [6:00]RECORDING: Umhaill  SOURCE/INFO: neilolochlainn.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Mali Obomsawin          WORK: Odana [4:15]RECORDING: Sweeth ToothSOURCE: Out Of Your Head RecordsINFO: mali-obomsawin.bandcamp.com ARTIST:  David Cieri          WORK: Bellisumu Unu (from Orune) [5:44]RECORDING: Passion of Joan of ArcSOURCE: Ropeadope RecordsINFO: davidcieri.bandcamp.com ARTIST:  Arun Ghosh      WORK: The Gypsies of Rajasthan [6:46]RECORDING: A South Asian SuiteSOURCE: Camoci RecordsINFO: arunghosh.bandcamp.com ARTIST:  Arun Ghosh      WORK: The Gypsies of Rajasthan [6:46]RECORDING: A South Asian SuiteSOURCE: Camoci RecordsINFO: arunghosh.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Neil O Lochlainn & Cuar    WORK: Johnny Seoighe [4:48]RECORDING: Umhaill  SOURCE/INFO: neilolochlainn.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Bengt BergerWORK: Tongsi [4:57]RECORDING: Bitter Funeral BeerSOURCE: ECM #1179INFO: ecmrecords.com ARTIST: Mali Obomsawim           WORK: Pedegwajois [5:41]RECORDING: Sweeth ToothSOURCE: Out Of Your Head RecordsINFO: mali-obomsawin.bandcamp.com ARTIST: Girls in Airports x Aarhus Jazz Orchestra          WORK: Myanmar [6:06]RECORDING: LeapSOURCE:  Kaja RecordsINFO: girlsinairports.bandcamp.com/album/leap

Episode Notes

Hear what happens when traditional roots and folk music meets jazz in music by bassist and bandleader Mali Obomsawin, composer David Cieri, and Irish bassist Neil Ó Lochlainn.

Listen to music by the Native American bassist, singer and bandleader Mali Obomsawin. They're from a Wabanaki family in New England, and have played with the folk-rock trio called Lulu Wiles, but their current project is a band that aims to shine a light on the heritage and experience of Indigenous jazz. Obomsawin’s album, Sweet Tooth, features field recordings and vocals in both English and Abenaki; some of their works are based on traditional Wabanaki songs and there are some instrumentals too (John Schaefer.) 

Also, hear other music that comes from the jazz world with roots based on Ireland, Sardinia, West Africa, and South Asia. Irish bassist and composer Neil Ó Lochlainn is from Clare and leads the big band Ensemble Eriu as well as the smaller traditional/improvisatory chamber ensemble Cuar. Listen to some music by Cuar, a jazz band rooted in Irish traditional folk music which features fiddle, along with sax, trombone, upright bass, and pipes. Then, listen to music by composer David Cieri for the 1928 Carl Dreyer silent film, The Passion of Joan of Arc, which uses the striking Sardinian traditional music of polyphonic male vocal groups.

There’s also music by London-based clarinetist Arun Ghosh inspired by the Roma people, who have roots in Rajasthan, along with Swedish jazz drummer/composer Bengt Berger inspired by Ghanaian funeral drumming. And more. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4705, Jazz Meets Traditional Music (First aired 1/19/23)

ARTIST: Jim Pepper           WORK: Witchi-Tai-To (Song) [1:00]RECORDING: Pepper's Powwow    SOURCE: Embryo #SD-731. LPINFO: Out of print, but try auction sites

ARTIST: Neil O Lochlainn & Cuar    WORK: Gob a' Choire [6:00]RECORDING: Umhaill  SOURCE/INFO: neilolochlainn.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Mali Obomsawin          WORK: Odana [4:15]RECORDING: Sweeth ToothSOURCE: Out Of Your Head RecordsINFO: mali-obomsawin.bandcamp.com

ARTIST:  David Cieri          WORK: Bellisumu Unu (from Orune) [5:44]RECORDING: Passion of Joan of ArcSOURCE: Ropeadope RecordsINFO: davidcieri.bandcamp.com

ARTIST:  Arun Ghosh      WORK: The Gypsies of Rajasthan [6:46]RECORDING: A South Asian SuiteSOURCE: Camoci RecordsINFO: arunghosh.bandcamp.com

ARTIST:  Arun Ghosh      WORK: The Gypsies of Rajasthan [6:46]RECORDING: A South Asian SuiteSOURCE: Camoci RecordsINFO: arunghosh.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Neil O Lochlainn & Cuar    WORK: Johnny Seoighe [4:48]RECORDING: Umhaill  SOURCE/INFO: neilolochlainn.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Bengt BergerWORK: Tongsi [4:57]RECORDING: Bitter Funeral BeerSOURCE: ECM #1179INFO: ecmrecords.com

ARTIST: Mali Obomsawim           WORK: Pedegwajois [5:41]RECORDING: Sweeth ToothSOURCE: Out Of Your Head RecordsINFO: mali-obomsawin.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Girls in Airports x Aarhus Jazz Orchestra          WORK: Myanmar [6:06]RECORDING: LeapSOURCE:  Kaja RecordsINFO: girlsinairports.bandcamp.com/album/leap