Hammock House - Africa Caribe - Produced & Mixed by Joaquin "Joe" Claussell - out may 17th on Fania Records
Hammock House - Africa Caribe - Produced & Mixed by Joaquin "Joe" Claussell
(2xCD) Fania Records, 2011-05-17
Produced and mixed by the legendary Joaquin "Joe" Claussell, Hammock House 'Africa Caribe' is more than just remixes of Fania's back catalog. It's a stunning two-disc album with each track approached and assembled differently, each on its own terms. The first disc features nine classic Fania tunes from Lou Perez, Celia Cruz, Eddie Palmieri, Ray Barretto and more all re-worked with the Joe Claussell touch. The second disc is a live continuous mix by Claussell, but not like your average DJ mixing one track into another Joe's states his goal for the mix-CD was to create an epic journey that begins in the Motherland (Africa) and moves to New York. The project is a perfect marriage between old and new, a fresh take on classic sounds from the Fania archives. Joe says of the project, "I wanted to do a futuristic mix where stories are being created with soundscapes and tapestries, and segues work as introductions to each story. I wanted to create bridges through different rhythms, so I worked with my brother Jose, as well as other percussionists and musicians in the studio, to create parts that flow between. I mixed it live with four CD players, effects, and reel-to-reel, then took it into the studio and tightened up some of the levels through editing. I wanted to mix it live so you get more of a human feel from it, to stay true to the texture of this music. And I really wanted it to reflect on the process of working on this whole project. Looking back, I'm honored and grateful to get to work on such historical music - and music I grew up with."
Original post on Paris DJs