The Rough Guide to Voodoo features a heady mix of songs from Haiti (Voudou), Cuba (Santería), Brazil (Candomble), Trinidad, and New Orleans. A mix of songs to inspire and fixate, spanning oceans and cultures.
Haitian Voudou originated in modern-day Benin brought by the slave trade. Toto Blissainthe’s vocals challenge and inspire. The entire Bonus disc dedicated to Erols Josué is worth a listen. A practicing Voudou priest, he adds a contemporary twist to traditional songs. Moving across to Latin America, Santería and Candomblé originated from Yoruba (what is now Nigeria) to Cuba and Brazil. Baden Powell and Vinicius de Moreas create an inspired collaboration dedicated to Candomblé. The legendary Maria Bethania also features on the disc. The gorgeous ‘Yemaya’ by the Conjunto Folklorico de Cuba will send shivers down your spine. Dr John is a soulful, funky contribution to the cd, a fantastic boogie pianist from New Orleans. The brass section on the Steve Gray track ‘New Orleans Funeral’ is thick and soupy, oozing New Orleans style.
Voodoo is misrepresented by Hollywood film and Western preconceptions of beheading chickens and sticking pins into dolls. The Rough Guide to Voodoo is a collection that encompasses varying ancient practices from the African Diaspora, a great introduction to a genre that is normally overlooked.
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