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Composed and produced by Emily Burridge. Recorded in studios in Brazil, Austria & England. Featuring musicians from all these countries.
Emily Burridge's second album 'Footsteps in the Sand' is a truly international production and features Brazilian musicians Manasés, an eminent 12 string guitarist, Milton Fiori a dynamic percussionist and Gandalf the Austrian guitarist and composer. Emily's production skills encapsulate her creative developments born out of a deepening relationship with both the people and the natural environment of Brazil.
The lyrics of the second track, "Candle in the Sand", refer to the annual Birthday celebrations of Yemenja (Goddess of the Sea) when the custom of making offerings in the sea in the form of flowers takes place. "We tossed a flower into the sea, we lit a candle in the Sand".
The
third track "Dia dos Mortos" ("Day of the Dead")
further refers to Brazilian festivals. Integrated within the music
is a recording of a procession made on the Day of the Dead. The
people in the procession ecstatically shout out the names of their
patron saints as they converge on the town square after a day of
offering prayers at all the sacred sites in the town. The track features percussionist Milton Fiori from Fortaleza playing the Birinbal (a percussion instrument of African origin known mainly for it's association with Capoira) and the Udu (a clay pot,also of African origin).Half way through the track the 12 string guitar enters performed by Manasses an eminent musician from Fortaleza. Emily commenced recording this track in a studio in Fortaleza and
then completed it in London. In one place, which the locals referred to as the "end of the line" she encountered the Tremembe Indians who lived in the sand dunes set back from the sea. The Chief and his daughter decided to sing some of their traditional songs. Emily recorded them and three of the Tremembe songs form the base for her tracks "Rainmaker", "Agua de Menina" and "Prayer for the Fishermen". These tracks are an audible response to her experience with the Tremembe Indians and the isolated place in which they live.
Emily's
musical research led her to be introduced to two music schools for
children. The musical activities offer an alternative to working
in the cane plantations. She was invited to give music workshops
and on one occasion was amazed by the singing voice of a boy named
Eduan Rodrigues de Almeida. Inviting him to sing his favourite song
she recorded him singing "A Margem do Igarape". This song
commences "Realised Dream" and the lyrics for this song
describe the experience of meeting Eduan and hearing him sing his
song in the peace of the local forest.
On
returning from Brazil Emily worked in Austria with the producer
and guitarist Gandalf. Having worked on his album she then recorded
two of her songs, "Black Madonna" and "Dolphin Love". The
lyrics of "Black Madonna", are based on a 15th century
Latin verse when the Pope decreed that images of the Black Madonna
should be removed from public veneration. The places where the images
were hidden subsequently became pilgrimage places. The Black Madonna
is the patron Saint of Brazil.
All photos © Emily
Burridge unless stated
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