RIVERS - Musicians representing an array of genres and geographies flavor Siama's modern take on traditional Congolese music and Soukous. His spirited voice and masterful guitar mix with Carnatic Indian veena, Tibetan singing and dranyen, cello, pedal steel, trumpet, percussion, vocal harmonies and more. (Album download includes Liner Notes)
Songs written and arranged by: Siama Matuzungidi
Produced by: Siama, Dallas Johnson & Steve Kaul
Engineered by: Steve Kaul - Wild Sound Mastered by: Greg Reierson - Rare Form
Siama (voice/guitar) Nirmala Rajasekar (voice/veena) JD Steele (voice and vocal harmonies) Tenzin Ngawang (voice/flute/dranyen) Jacqueline Ultan (cello) Joe Savage (pedal steel) Bobby J Marks (trumpet) Tony Axtell (bass) Brian Ziemniak (piano & Hammond B3) Greg Schutte (drums) Tim O'Keefe (percussion) Zacc Harris (guitar) Dallas Johnson (vocal harmonies)
Photography & Styling: Dallas Johnson Graphic design: Ona Benoit
This special collection of original songs, - inspired by traditional Congolese music and Congolese Rumba - will take you on a journey to, "The Land of Yangalele" ("Happiness" in Kikongo)
Composed, Performed and Produced by Siama Matuzungidi & Dallas Matuzungidi Johnson with drums by David Tullis
Engineered by Siama Matuzungidi Mixed by Steve Kaul of Wild Sound Studio Mastered by Greg Reierson/Rare Form
Cover Illustration by Kayla Harren Album packaging artwork: Andrea LeHeup of Soleil NYC
Photos by Bill Trost, Diamana Komono & Dallas Matuzungidi Johnson
*When We're Free was composed during a songwriting workshop with the wonderful young men of Woodland Hills - Duluth, MN. Copyright 2017 / BMI - all rights reserved
These upbeat songs and intricate arrangements will lift your spirits and transcend you to the infectious music Siama & his fellow Congolese musicians created after relocating to East Africa in the 1970s-1990s. Siama composed, engineered and produced all of the tracks and he performed all of the instruments and vocal tracks himself