SOUNDTRACK: CALMA CARMONA-Tiny Desk Meets AFROPUNK: #204/196 (May 2, 2021).
Tiny Desk Meets AFROPUNK was the opening event of AFROPUNK’s “Black Spring” festival. The virtual celebration, hosted by Jorge “Gitoo” Wright, highlighted outstanding talent in Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean music across the globe. Our showcase featured four artists who honored their homes and celebrated the art their heritage has inspired.
Calma Carmona got her start in 2013 when the Latin soul singer-songwriter released her first EP and opened for Beyoncé’s The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in Puerto Rico.
Carmona is mesmerizing as the massive amount of dreadlocks is piled on top of her head. The setting is fascinating–it looks like an aquarium–a dark hallway with lit windows, but instead of fish there seems to be technology in the windows. I love how in some scenes, it’s almost totally black–since (almost) everyone is dressed in black as well.
Her music is not dark, though. Indeed, “When I Was Your Girl” has a kind of reggae feel, at least from the rhythm guitar (which I’m assuming is looped because Pedro “PJ” González is playing lead throughout. Carmona’s voice is quiet and kind of sultry through this song and when she’s supported by her backing singers, Athina Alejandra, Almonte Duluc and Yarinés Salgado, they sound great together.
There’s a lot of drums in these songs, although it’s so dark it’s hard to know who is doing what. Gabriel Oliver plays drums and he, Andres “Kino” Cruz and José “Junny” Elicier all play the barril, a traditional hand drum.
From her hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Calma Carmona delivers a bewitching Tiny Desk performance. Her voice rarely rises above a whisper as she sings over impassioned Afrobeats during her three-song set — but when it does, it’s a gritty, intimidating growl.
That growl is present on “Ella Se Mueve” a darker song with deep bass from Adrián “AJ” Rodríguez and distorted deep keys from J. Rochet. “PJ” González noodles some guitar solos throughout and you can really hear the barril. Carmona sang in English on the first song but she switches between English and Spanish here
“Vibra” opens with the three men playing the barril and a slow bass line. She sings the verses and then throws in a growly rapped verse. I really enjoy the slinky way the song ends with them singing “and I’ll be on my way.”
And before the send us out, there’s a quick barril serenade.
[READ: May 3, 2021] “How Octavia E. Butler Reimagines Sex and Survival”
Having read three of Octavia E. Butler’s book recently, I was saving this article (what timing) until all three were done. And considering the opening line of this article mentions Parable of The Sower (the second book of the three that we read) I’m glad I waited.
Although this is really a book review of her new Library of America Collection (she is the sixth science fiction writer to be featured in the series and the the first Black science fiction writer). The book collects Kindred (1979) Fledgling (2005) and short stories.
He says, as we have noted
It’s often observed that the Parables, already prescient when they were published, now read like prophecy
But I didn’t know that Earthseed had inspired an opera by folksinger Toshi Reagon and that last September Parable of the Sower was back on the best seller list (we’re so trendy).
The article notes that her protagonists often begin as fugitives or captives but emerge as prodigies of survival only to find that adaptation exacts hidden costs. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 