The Song Of Many Tongues, by Grand Union Orchestra

The Song Of Many Tongues

by Grand Union Orchestra

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Comes in a cardboard sleeve with a four page booklet.

Includes unlimited streaming of The Song Of Many Tongues via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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Full Digital Discography

10

releases

Get all 10 Grand Union Orchestra releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Made By Human Hands, Love That Day (Single), Can't Chain Up Me Mind (Single), 12 For 12, If Paradise, Now Comes The Dragon's Hour, Around The World In 80 Minutes, The Rhythm Of Tides, and 2 more. , and , .

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1.	I Live In The City 05:37	info	buy track
2.	By The Waters Of Babylon 05:24	info	buy track
3.	Guinea Corn 04:37	info	buy track
4.	Dolce Catalunya 10:49	info	buy track
5.	Ballad of William L. Moore 06:03	info	buy track
6.	Hymn for the Homelands 04:52	info	buy track
7.	Spidertown 12:01	info	buy track
8.	Love That Day 05:41	lyrics	buy track
Gail Dorsey (voice) Alison Limerick (voice) Chris Biscoe (alto saxophone) Ken Johnson (steel pans)

about

The Song of Many Tongues was commissioned by the GLC in 1984 to celebrate its ‘Year Against Racism’. It was first performed in Covent Garden Piazza on Sunday 2 September, and produced by Alternative Arts as part of their Music Festival. The Grand Union Orchestra was formed specially for the occasion; we recorded the work the following year, and continued to tour it across the whole of the UK.

The Orchestra was made up of musicians from Ghana, South Africa, Chile, Trinidad and the USA, together with musicians from the British Isles, and it was their ‘tongues’ – languages, musical cultures, individual voices, and above all their experience – which gave, and still gives, the music its flavour. Since then, musicians of other nationalities such as India, Bangladesh, China, Turkey, Eastern Europe, Portugal and other African and South American countries have been added, giving the music many more musical dimensions and textures.

The music, however, is not ‘ethnic’ or ‘world music’, but original, largely written by the Orchestra’s composter/director Tony Haynes. It belongs within the generous spirit and tradition of jazz, celebrating the richness and diversity of musical and other cultures which make up today’s multi-cultural Britain.

It expresses, too, the depth of collective feeling of those who perform it.

Originally released on cassette in 1986 and reissued on CD in 2014.

credits

released January 31, 1986

Alison Limerick (England) voice, percussion
Andy Grappy (England/Caribbean) tuba
Avelia Moisey (England) trumpet, flugelhorn, voice
Butch Potter (England) bass guitar
Carlos Fuentes (Chile) percussion, guitar, voice
Chris Biscoe (England) soprano/alto saxophone, flute
Claude Deppa (South Africa) trumpet, flugelhorn
Courtney Pine (England/Jamaica) soprano/tenor saxophone, flute
Dave Adams (England) drums, tuned percussion, trombone
Gail Ann Dorsey (USA) voice, guitar
Gerry Hunt (England) soprano/baritone saxophone, guitar
Keith Morris (Wales) soprano/tenor saxophone, voice
Ken Johnson (Trinidad) steel drums, percussion
Rick Taylor (England) trombone
Ros Davies (Wales) trombone, piano
Sarah Laryea (Ghana) congas, voice, percussion
Tony Haynes (England) piano, tuned percussion, trombone
Vladimir Vega (Chile) voice, charango, panpipes, quena

All music composed and arranged by Tony Haynes.
Lyrics by David Bradford and from original sources.

Recorded and mixed by Dave Hunt.
Published by RedGold Music.
Graphic design by Tom Spencer.

license

about

Grand Union Orchestra London, UK

Grand Union Orchestra is a multicultural world jazz ensemble based in London. It has been performing, touring and recording large-scale shows for over 30 years and is well known for its educational work. Grand Union specialises in large-scale musical performances that reflect the backgrounds of its performers and often invites participation from amateur musicians and community groups. ... more

grandunion.org.uk

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