APRIL 23, 2009 ISSUE
Banana da Terra Releases New CD at Boone Saloon Thursday
This Thursday, April 23, local Brazilian jazz band Banana da Terra will celebrate the release of their long-awaited debut album with a CD release party at Boone Saloon. Local funk rock outfit Groovenauts will open the show.
According to founding member, guitarist and vocalist Jimmy Griffin, the self-titled CD is the band’s first proper release. Recorded throughout 2008 at Asheville’s Upstream Productions, the disc features 14 original Banana da Terra compositions written mostly during the last five years. Two of the disc’s songs are solo performances by Griffin.
“It’s a mix of older tunes and newer tunes, but they’re all original compositions,” said Griffin. “We did a pretty good job. It’s hard to get that live feel when you don’t have the crowd and can’t feed off that live energy.”
Formed in 2000 by the brother and sister team of Jimmie and Angela Griffin on guitar and vocals, respectively, Banana da Terra has survived a number of lineup changes through its six-year tenure. With the departure of his sister after graduation in 2003, Griffin eventually settled in with drummer and percussionist Joel Lancaster and bassist Tim Salt.
In a 2006 interview, Griffin said the music of Banana da Terra is derived from a number of Brazilian influences including bossa nova, samba, baião and MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira). However, the ASU graduate is quick to point out that the music of Banana da Terra doesn’t singularly subscribe to any one of these elements. Rather, the band blends them into a sonic collage relying on the syncopated jazzy guitar elements to create “music for the people.”
Longtime fans of the band will not be disappointed as the new CD offers plenty of Griffin’s intricate, exotic melodies and smooth vocals coupled with Lancaster’s syncopated rhythms and Salt’s nimble, hypnotic bass grooves.
Griffin said that the recording studio allowed the trio to experiment with various sounds and techniques that the live setting doesn’t typically afford the band. As of late, Banana da Terra has been experimenting with sampling and looping in order to broaden their sonic palette. Griffin has been incorporating his flute in various compositions, while Salt sometimes moves from bass to the Fender Rhodes keyboard.
Currently, the band’s MySpace page includes the song “Joyce,” which will appear on the album. Griffin said that the site would be updated soon to include several more tracks from the disc.
Banana da Terra’s new CD will be available for purchase at several retail outlets in Boone and online at CDBaby.com. Songs from the disc will also be available for download at iTunes and DigStation.com.
For more information on Banana da Terra, click to www.myspace.com/bdtmusic.
Want To Go?
Date: Thursday, April 23
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Location: Boone Saloon
Cost: $5
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