Pasadena Weekly TRAX, CD Reviews by Bliss SAMBADA, Gente!
Tue, Mar 2nd 2010

Pasadena Weekly TRAX CD Reviews by Bliss SAMBADÁ, Gente! (Santa Cruz): (4 stars out of 5) Opening with a vintage surf-guitar riff, this Santa Cruz-based Afro-Brazilian collective suggest they’re taking you to a Ventures date before veering south to Bahia for a funk-reggae-bloco-afro-hip-hop beachside dance party. Polyrhythmic waves of horns, go-go bells, turntables, sax, cavaco, guitar, flute, drums and percussion tumble and rise as silky-toned Dandha Da Hora trades Portuguese vocals with band founder Papiba Godinho, and Susana Baca/Quetzal producer Greg Landau keeps sonic quality crisply present. Highlights: “Iguana,” breezy “Não Vá Embora,” “Sangue Africano.”