How would you expect a band to sound that formed in Guatemala and then evolved in Boston, New York, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Switzerland, and Barcelona? It's a sound as diverse as the players themselves.
Melou is an eclectic group of international musicians from completely different backgrounds. Led by the incredibly soulful and powerful voice of Boston native Annie Buechl, the sound is a blend of blues, jazz, folk, reggae, bossanova, swing, and soul. Annie herself is inspired by singers from Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James to Janis Joplin and Tracy Chapman, while the other members each bring their own sound into the mix.
The band recorded Communication in Barcelona with producer Dave Bianchi in the Fall of 2006. The creative energy in the city led to numerous spontaneous recordings with over a dozen artists currently residing in the Spanish city. Percussion and traditional flute from Argentinean wonders Negritos, saxophone genius Coen Kaldeway of Amsterdam, sessions with accordion player and songwriter Amanda Jayne; as well as recordings with members of Barcelona favorites Dumbala Canalla, and a slew of incredible players bringing their double basses, clarinets, trumpets, cellos, violins, and mandolins. The result is a truly original sound.International press and radio agree.
The band is regularly featured on WERS in Boston, who describe Communication here: “It’s difficult to epitomize a sound so far-reaching, a style that has spanned various regions of the globe, and experience from orchestras to traditional South American bands, but Melou manages to bring all of this together delicately and gracefully, to communicate, if you will, all of this experience into a sound that is truly their own. Something this unique and this special is simply invaluable.”
Programmers at KCRW in Los Angeles, 3FM in Holland, Radio Nova in France, and hundreds of podcasters and bloggers have already added Melou's music to their playlists. From the opening swing number "Ain't No One Slowin' You Down," the Stan Getz-inspired bossanova track "I Grow My Flowers For You," the chill reggae sound of "Sweet Love," old school blues vibe of "Paint Me a Picture," the Pink Floyd- inspired climax of "Blue," and even an Arabic string-laden epic, the "Sunshine Suite," Melou fuses together sounds from every corner of the globe.
What better title for such a project than Communication. With language and cultural barriers constantly presenting challenges, music manages to be the single most important form of connection--and of communication...
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