Cuba, culture and compassion

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Cuba, culture and compassion

iew from a Wooden Chair
Jumping Fences
Through Grevillea Records

Review by Lynda Hansen

After meeting with local Latin American musicians in 1979, Sue Monk and Lauchlin Hurse from the duo Jumping Fences developed a keen sense of solidarity with contemporary Latin music.

Jumping Fences recently returned from Cuba, where they performed at folk venues and concerts, spoke on radio and researched a Cuban style of music known as "trovador", which chronicles Cuba's turbulent history.

Inspired by the diversity of instruments used by Cuban musicians, Monk and Hurse have integrated requinto, charango and other percussive instruments into their debut recording. They also include local talent Mark Dunbar performing innovative and sometimes eclectic flute.

"Where are you going" describes the songwriter's response to human injustice and "Crack in the Wall" tells of the personal sacrifices that activists make in the struggle for social change.

"La Guitarra" showcases Monk's immaculate classical guitar style and "Candombe mulatto" synthesises African and Spanish elements to explain the issues facing mulattos, with vocal accompaniment from Guatemalan activist and musician Ovideo Orellana.

Jumping Fences have developed a strong working relationship with a new wave of Cuban composers, which exposes Australian audiences to the new song movement in Latin America. Their compassionate relationship with the Latin American people and their culture is the basis for this inspiring recording.

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