The Garifuna Collective – “Mongulu” (video) (PopMatters Premiere)

Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective always worked hard to promote and celebrate the music, history and culture of the Central American Afro-Amerindian Garifuna community and now the group continues that quest with Belizean Wátina producer, Ivan Duran. Duran describes the intent and creation of the group’s new album, Ayó, releasing July 2nd via the superb “world” music label Cumbancha.

Ivan Duran: “Even during the recording of Wátina, nobody was sure if it was necessarily Andy’s record, but he kept on stepping up and being the voice for the project. The process of making that record was very similar to what we did with Ayó. Everyone was equal, and at the end of the day it truly was a Collective. What happens now is no, we don’t have that figure, but don’t want anyone to come in and be Andy Palacio. We are going back to the core values of the project, which is to present Garifuna music to the world, not in a traditional way, not in a museum, but as a living musical form. When you listen to the record you feel that spirit of being in the village with everybody singing along, everybody being a part of a song, not following a single singer or star.”

Today we are proud to premiere the video for “Mongulu”, a gorgeous tune that is one of the many highlights of Ayó. Pick up the record next week and check out the band on tour across North America this summer.

TOUR DATES

6/27/13 @ The Blacksheep Inn – Wakefield, Quebec, Canada

6/29/13- 6/30/13 @ Neat Cafe – Burnstown, Ontario, Canada

7/2/13 @ Highline Ballroom – New York, New York

7/4/13 @ The Falcon – Marlboro, NY

7/5/13 @ The Haybarn Theatre – Plainfied, Vermont

7/6/13 @ Higher Ground – South Burlington, Vermont

7/8/13 @ Tropicalia – Washington, D.C.

7/11/13- 7/14/13 @ Winnipeg Folk Festival – Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

7/17/13 @ The Duncan Garage Showroom – Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

7/18/13 @ The Upstairs Cabaret – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

7/20/13- 7/21/13 @ Vancouver Folk Festival – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

7/23/13 @ The Slice – Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

7/24/13 @ The Club, Banff Centre – Banff, Alberta, Canada

7/25/13- 7/26/13 @ Calgary Folk Festival – Calgary, Alberta, Canada

7/27/13- 7/28/13 @ Interstellar Rodeo – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

8/2/13 @ Mississippi Studios – Portland, Oregon

8/4/13 @ Reggae on the River – Piercy, California

8/8/13 @ Levitt Pavillion MacArthur Park – Los Angeles, California

8/10/13 @ Beloved Sacred Art and Music Festival – Waldport, Oregon