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THE REVIEW
1959, United States of America. It's a time when various musical genres begin to blend, spilling over their natural bounds and flooding into other territories.
From these contaminations arise new sounds that mix with those derived from tradition: an example of what I've written is provided by exotica.
Tak Shindo, a Californian of Japanese descent, along with Les Baxter and Martin Denny, emerges as a prominent figure in the movement, and Mganga! (the healer) is a gem in its genre, a long excursion through the different settings that our imagination associates with Black Africa.
A safari, more than a journey, during which one is surrounded by the sounds of the forest and the savannah merging with airy orchestral arrangements, a cornucopia of percussion from various origins, with enveloping and mysterious vocalizations coming from who knows where.
The pace of the album is relaxed, progressing almost on camelback. One encounters strange tribes that draw us into their rituals, songs, and dances excited by the sound of bongos, strangely interspersed with oriental flutes and celestial choirs of an entirely different nature.
Meanwhile, the forest gradually thins into patches and then into savannah. Just in time to join a Watussi dance and end our exploration in Trinkitat, Sudan, where one can gaze at the Ocean. But that's another journey.
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Summary by Bot
Tak Shindo's 1959 album Mganga! is a standout exotica record blending African-inspired percussion, oriental instruments, and orchestral arrangements. The album creates a relaxed, atmospheric safari-like journey through imagined African landscapes, mixing traditional and innovative sounds. It's a vivid and immersive listening experience that captures the spirit of musical fusion in mid-century America.Tracklist
Tak Shindo
Japanese-American arranger and composer associated with the exotica movement; released the album Mganga! (1959).01 Reviews
