Whole Life Magazine

April/May 2013

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musiC art & soul mãe CArinhosA Cesária Évora Countries are deined by their greatest singers, who often serve as more effective ambassadors than any political igure. When a vocalist captures the varied emotions of her neighbors regarding the social realities and inner demons and angels, her name becomes synonymous with that land. It's impossible to contemplate Cape Verde without invoking Cesária Évora. The "barefoot diva" released 11 wonderful albums over the span of her unplanned career—discovered by producer José da Silva crooning at a small bar, Évora was reluctant to actually record. Mãe Carinhosa is a retrospective of sorts, da Silva collecting 13 unreleased tracks from decades of sessions. Since Évora's passing in late 2011, fans have been yearning for something new. The appropriately titled Mãe Carinhosa (Mother Affection), laden with the acoustic, piano-driven, bluesy morna that screams "Cape Verde!" is the last glimpse of Évora's genius. (Lusafrica) —Derek Beres 4 Am: plum mood dJ drez Tokyo and Los Angeles at 4 a.m. emit a lot of different sounds, depending on where you happen to be. Drez, a long-time hiphop and world music DJ rotating heavily on the yoga circuit, set out to sonically capture the pre-dawn hours in his favorite cities to perform in. Inspired by a purple light that he used to keep in his studio in the '90s—the "plum mood"—4 am is a sleekly downtempo collection of mellow gems. There are few hooks, though Drez's wife and collaborator, Marti Nikko, memorializes their L.A. hood beautifully on "Lamazing," as well as the piano-tinged "Come Together Slow." Atmospheric soundscapes abound within percussive grooves: "Still in Time" fully earns its name as a meandering suspension, while "Inside India" punches hip-hop beats up front with a loating guitar riff pulling back the attack. The bass line and guitar in "Forward" is Drez in his sedate, relaxed prime, a producer at the top of his game in no rush to go anywhere. (Black Swan) horiZons ty Burhoe —DB In Ty Burhoe's new Horizons CD, the renowned tabla player and percussionist leaves rhythm behind, playing guitar and focusing instead on his experiences in the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami. His pre- scheduled concerts in Japan became emergency fund-raising events, inspiring a very intimate album, in all ways respectful, delicate, sensitive and soothing. Burhoe is a disciple of Zakir Hussain since 1990, and has played with Krishna Das, Bela Fleck, Jon Anderson et al. He was trained across a multitude of genres, from Indian classical to Japanese, to contemporary western jazz. While each of the ive tracks stands on its own, they form one complete narrative in ive movements. Throughout, Bill Douglas's prayer-like piano mastery captivates our attention and draws us inside. Above all, this music speaks in the language of beauty, enveloping all we aspire to, while freeing the soul along the way. In the face of unbearable loss and sorrow, this healing music seems to have a free pass to ind us there and with a gentle hand, bring us back home. Ty writes, "I wrote this music speciically to inspire and support states of rest, relection and meditation." In repeated listening, this marvelous CD succeeds by every possible measure. (Tala Records) film —Lloyd Barde the BiG fix directed by Josh tickell The Big Fix is a staggering and deeply disturbing expose, a story of corporate negligence, government corruption and the true story of what happened before, during and since BP's oil platform, the Deepwater Horizon, exploded in 2010, causing one of the world's worst oil spills. The ilm started as a personal journey by the ilm's director and Louisiana native, Josh Tickell. After the spill, he and his wife and codirector, Rebecca, took their cameras to Louisiana to unearth the story that hadn't been told. What they discovered was BP's track record of lagrantly ignoring safety codes and regulations, and a government so corrupted by the oil and gas industry that it has turned Louisiana into an "oil colony.'" And who continues to suffer most? The Gulf residents who have lost their livelihoods, their homes, and in many cases, their health. Perhaps the most serious of the ilm's discoveries is that BP chose to use Corexit, an oil dispersant that has been banned in other parts of the world because of its toxicity. Yet the FDA approved its use in the Gulf, even though its lethal effects on both humans and the environment are as bad as, or worse than exposure to oil. The ilm claims that BP not only lied about the amount of Corexit it was using, but that even after it agreed to stop using it, BP continued to do so in secret. The use of Corexit, the ilm says, has resulted in contamination of the air and water along parts of the Gulf. In fact, after spending time in the area, Rebecca Tickell developed symptoms similar to many of the residents—a rash, blisters, peeling skin and chemical pneumonia. Many of the locals also suffer from respiratory problems and ulcerated sores that won't heal. BP chose not to take part in the ilm. But what is included is compelling testimony from EPA oficials, scientists, journalists, politicians and other experts, as well as the personal stories of a number of residents. A&S.indd 33 April/May201333 3/26/13 6:13 PM

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