The songs arranged for this CD have come from the Afro-Cuban tradition of Santeria (Yoruba religion). Méta Méta (Yoruba for 3 by 3), salutes 9 Orishas (deities) of the pantheon by voice and instruments.
Whilst there are few people in Cuba who actually know well the original meanings of the song texts handed down from the times of slavery, the melodies, rhythms and dances are still used to join and bind the community. In was in this function that Méta Méta began, a project to join the students, friends and professionals of the F-IRE community when it was in its infancy, so all could participate in one music.
Musician, teacher and ethnomusicologist Amanda Vincent had made the suggestion that a band should be built around the 3 bata drums and the songs/dance that they accompany, instead of merely playing the music unchanged in sound but decontextualised. So the music was recontextualised and the practice of composing around intact religious music, (rather like chorale-prelude) shows the relation between the culture whence the music came, and the environments in which we have learnt and propogated it.
The initial group comprised 3 bata players (Dave, Hamish, Amanda), 2 alto saxes (Barak, Finn), bass (Tom Herbert), lead vocals (Zina Saro-Wiwa) and dancer (Diane Mitchell). In the 10 years since the project's inception, Timeline adopted and rearranged the music, and some tracks were expanded for the big band Synergy. Thus the title Méta Méta applies to the music alone, as the arrangements no longer belong to one specific line-up. |
