Mother Tongue

Carolina Moon's 'Mother Tongue' album brings together a fusion of cultures from the past to the present.

'Mother Tongue' is a haunting collection of sensual Latino melodies sung expertly in their native tongue. They are songs borne of the mothers, lovers, sisters and daughters of the Diaspora, with influences from the surrounding tide of musical inspirations - Spanish, Hebrew and Arabic.

Carolina Moon has produced a rich and varied album that she carries on a voice steeped in contradictions. Balancing lightness with the weight of the songs, creating a sound both simple and complex with burning honesty and expression and a vocal style that blends both eastern and western influences, Mother Tongue captures a myriad of emotions and styles.

Nigel Gavin (Jews Brothers) brings an array of strings, sounds and textures to the recording. From lush guitars and Middle Eastern banjos to the dream-stirring bends of glissantar, Gavin holds a dramatic and fascinating presence on the recording.

Other musicians that join her on the record are equally distinctive: Roger Manins' multihued winds of bass clarinet, clarinet and soprano saxophone; Kevin Fields stirring, emotive piano; Jess Hinden's enigmatic violin; Chris O'Connor and Ron Samsom who deliver bells, cymbalic tones, crashes and groove; and Matthias Erdrich, Mostyn Cole and Steve Haines's gorgeous bass foundations. This is a line-up of remarkable talent.