Bata Ketu by Michael Spiro and Mark Lamson

Guest post by Ty H.

A beautiful CD and a great introduction to Orisha music from Cuba and Brazil. Another CD that is probably not for everyone, but it’s very well produced, very interesting, beautiful percussion and singing. The songs jump back and forth between Cuban Orisha rhythms and Brazilian Orixa rhythms (you don’t have to know anything about either one to be able to tell where this happens).

Orixa songs are from the Yoruban religions that came over from Nigeria to the new world (Santeria, Candomble, etc), and the songs are very powerful and seductive. The Brazilian batucada in the last track is slamming, track 4 is my favorite when the full samba-reggae groove comes in towards the end of the song. That one gets me every time. Check it out.

Buy on Amazon.