Inspired by an ancient Polynesian word meaning “pure light, all colors or daytime,” AO Music (aka AO) began as a collaborative effort of Richard Gannaway and Jay Oliver in 1996. Their sixth album, Kutumba (meaning “family”) features original world music arranged with multi-layered vocals, children choruses, synthesized sounds, and instruments such as bouzouki, cajon, violin, bansuri, and even a little 5-string banjo. The songs’ lyrics offer reflective contemplations, sometimes sung in English, but also with colorings from the Polynesian, Tibetan and Xhosa languages. Translations are provided in the 15-page booklet of notes, and lyrics that don’t appear are vocalese (made-up phonetics meant to inspire listeners’ own personalized interpretations.) Many of the vocals and vocal arrangements are by South African Miriam Stockley (now based in the U.K.) who has been with AO Music since 2006. Kutumba also features India-based film composer Sandeep Chowta, the album’s co-producer, who had a hand in some of the compositions, string and bansuri arrangements. Ethereal, atmospheric instrumentation results in some serious enchantment for us to enjoy.            

There’s much to like about this delightful world music album, and that may explain why it’s been holding such a solid position on The Roots Music Report’s World Music Chart. The opening cut, “Nashu,” for example, features choral voices of The Zvony Folk Children’s Ensemble (Abakan, Russia) conversing with The Rainbow Children’s School Second Grade (Asheville, N.C.).  The tracks with Varijashree’s bansuri, a side blown bamboo flute used in Hindustani classical music, are also very pleasant. These songs include “Little Watchers,” “Makale,” and “Open the Sky.”  In “Somelele,” Gannaway’s Irish bouzouki and sound design provide just the right complement to Stockley’s African optimistic lyrics and uplifting vocals that encourage us to unite and work together for strength and peace. “Lotus” is another unique offering, sung by Chinese vocalist Sang Ding Duo Jie, and based on a traditional Tibetan folk song about a pilgrimage around a holy mountain among the auspicious rain and flowers.

Some proceeds from the sale of this album will be dedicated to assisting children orphaned by natural disaster and conflict. Kutumba is an impressively-crafted project, with tracks recorded in studios or on-site in various international locations over a multi-year period. The music provides consistently compelling and impressionistic lyrical messages over graceful, almost haunting, instrumentation.   (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)