Allez! by Zuba

The main idea of recording these songs was to define, refine and capture Zuba's existing live sound - a sound borne of a fusion of different cultures but not defined by them.

"This album from Glasgow's multi-cultural maestros, Zuba, is the world-rock hybrid Led Zeppelin never made."

John Dingwall, Daily Record

Take a lead singer of Liberian griot lineage with a throat full of reggae and gospel, a Hebridean guitarist with a background in folk fingerpicking and 60s psychedelia, a Parisian percussionist who had travelled and drummed extensively in the world's Latin quarters, an Aberdonian bassist with a fixation on finding the groove that would link Peter Gabriel's world fusion and The Who, a Paisley-born jazz-inflected drummer who studied in Berklee, Boston, a Ugandan singer with a soul voice and an obsession with melancholic 70s singer-songwriters, and a Ghanaian dancer with one foot in the R&B bag and the other dragging it away to African Gospel harmony choir recitals... stick them together in the back of a transit van for six years or so, lock them in a sandwich factory for a while and then entomb them in a smoke-filled recording studio and you have this album.

Zuba asked their friends to play on their record - choir members, organists, trumpeters, percussionists and fiddle players. They all added their own little something to help make this album what it is.

It is Zuba's Bassa Beat and it is the sound of a real band.

It is Allez! and it is the sound of the world.

Zuba's Bassa Beat is grounded on a melody and percussion driven sound - interwoven vocal harmonies vie with contrapuntal guitar lines over a backdrop of simmering rhythmic tension. Worldbeat flavours, afrobeat influences and traditional folk-based lyrical tales are basic ingredients in Zuba's global melting pot. Gritty vocals, overheating valve amps and congas struggling to maintain tension against a constant onslaught inform the sound, while the basic live essence of seven people playing and singing together creates the atmosphere. This atmosphere is a humid blend of sunshine and shadows - the weather systems of Africa and Northern Europe. Liberia, France, Uganda, Scotland, Ghana - a new alliance.

"...an infectious hybrid of influences which has earned Zuba critical acclaim and full dancefloors wherever they play"

John Dingwall, The Daily Record

Zuba have a reputation as a phenomenally exciting live band, shimmering with energy, bringing people to the dance no matter what.

On their travels they have supported Manu Chao, Femi Kuti, Papa Wemba, Salsa Celtica, Martyn Bennett, Ifang Bondi, Abdul T-Jay and many others.

Zuba have performed at major festivals such as:

Brampton, Larmer Tree, Towersey, Edinburgh Festival and

Hogmanay, Celtic Connections, Gig On The Green and

West End (Glasgow), Off The Tracks, Malborough, St Magnus (Orkney),

T in the Park, Highland (Inverness), Bradford Mela, and at

prestigious venues such as Glasgow Barrowlands, King Tut's

and Edinburgh Corn Exchange.

"Zuba occasionally call to mind Peter Gabriel or the Afro-Celts but with a sound that is so confidently their own.****"

Sunday Herald, Mangowanda's review

Their tracks have been in the air from Berlin to New Mexico, through Brazil and Norway, often played on Spin the Globe (K.A.O.S. 89.3FM, Olympia, check their review http://www.earball.net/spintheglobe/reviews_data_2005/06_05.htm) and are one of Mary Ann Kennedy's favourites on her Celtic Connections program on BBC Radio Scotland.

Jerry lately visited his homeland Liberia and was interviewed on national radio and TV... Zuba's exiled grooves where really well received back home!

"Stand-out track Tomayziyi is Liberian singer Boweh's blistering attack on the civil war in his homeland." Daily Record

"Tomayziyi" (Let there be no more wars) is a cry out for peace in the world based on Jerry's experience in his war-torn country Liberia. It has been part of 2 compilations: "Glastonbury unsigned bands 2004" and MOJO's "Songs of Freedom".

"Moonlight" is part of "Welcome", a Glasgow world music compilation (ROOT8 recordings).

"Allez! Allez!" the album opening track, will be part of the Freeness compilation and be downloadable for free, www.freeness.co.uk

"Expertise that spans continents" The List

Formed originally for a one-off concert in aid of Scottish International Relief, since day one, Zuba have strongly believed in music as a way of fighting for a better world and they have current connections with charities such as Amnesty International, Fairtrade, the Big Issue...

"A highly danceable message of tolerance, hope and happiness"

Sue Wilson, Sunday Herald

Jerry Boweh has just launched his own charity AYDAP (African Youth Development Action Project), to open an exchange between youngsters from deprived areas in Scotland and Liberia through music, culture and sport.

"Zuba-one of Britain's best world music acts" The Daily Record

Zuba's current line-up is the strongest and most varied they had so far:

Jerry Boweh (Liberia): vocals, guitar, percussion

Jerry Boweh, the lead singer, is from a lineage of griots from the Bassa tribe (Liberia), his melodies are mostly West African but strongly influenced by reggae and Southern-African grooves. Jerry also conducts the "Glasgow Gospel Choir".

Robin Miller (Scotland): guitars

Robin, native of the Scottish island Islay, brings some celtic sparkle with his magic fingerpicking. Playing guitar professionally for ten years, he has been touring all over Europe with the folk bands "Tannas" and "Runt O' The Litter".

Jacob Chaudeurge (France): congas, djembe, percussion

Jacob Chaudeurge, started by African drumming in Paris, and then studied his Latin skills in Bogotá and Santiago de Cuba. Active on Glasgow scene, he plays also in "SambaYaBamba" (carnival drumming), "Ayawara" (traditional African drumming) and "Sweet-T and the Section" (dub).

Andy Wood (Scotland): bass

Bass player Andy Wood has been in Zuba from the start and developed his highly melodic and energetic playing, influenced by Zimbabwean style and... John Entwistle (The Who). Prior to Zuba, Woody played with "Aunty Rose" (funk/rock) where he contracted the "jump on stage" syndrome!

Alasdair MacDonald (Scotland): drums, tablas, percussion;

After studying jazz in the famous Berklee College of Music, Alasdair MacDonald was a session player with a number of bands before becoming the rhythmical engine of Zuba.

Anna MacDonald (Uganda) & Rosemary Amoani (Ghana): vocals

Anna MacDonald, who leads the song "Mes Fantômes", used to sing in the funk band "Engine".

Rosemary Amoani toured around Europe as a professional dancer before moving in Glasgow.

Don't forget to check www.zuba.co.uk

Average Customer Review: 5