John Bank scrive di Ausuléa Print

John Bank etnomusicologo e docente di Music of the World alla London Metropolitan University ci scrive:

I've just found time to listen again to the Ausulea CD and I thoroughly enjoyed it so I thought I'd send you a few words while it's fresh in my mind.

I really like the way it starts off with one of the original 'research' recordings. This sets the scene and I also felt that it established a real and convincing continuity between the original singer and the younger voice
that leads the more modern arrangement on the first track. All of the group's solo voices are superb throughout and really make the recording.

My favourite tracks were the ones that were less arranged and had fewer instruments on them. This may be my personal preference as a 'purist' ethnomusicologist, but I liked the sparse opening of 'Bella che vaj' and the atmospheres of Liana 1a and 2a. Having said that, the arrangements are fine and I particularly like the tightness of the opening to Tre 7.


I was also impressed by some of the freer, more improvised-sounding moments on the CD. These are hard to record effectively (I know from experience!) and they're done very well here. There's a nicely spontaneous feel to the vocal section in the middle of track Tre 7 (though I'm not sure about the blues guitar under the voice!) and the way the instrument imitates the voice in Liana 2a really captures the freedom of the original tradition.

The last song has some occasional solo voice moments that recall the sound of the 'research' song at the very start of the CD. This makes it all the more natural when the original voice comes in again at the end and makes it a very satisfying conclusion to the record.

Keep up the good work and good luck with it!

All the best,

Jon