Today, I would like to introduce a band from Chile. I really enjoy writing this blog that I met some musicians. Last week I met The Freak Fandango Orchestra from Spain and wrote about them. This week I met with an interesting and funny band La Mano Ajena from Chile. After I heard their music, I fell in love with their songs. Their eclectic and hybrid sound fuses Eastern Europe sound like Balkan music, gypsy music, klezmer and jazz manouche with Latin music elements like cha-cha-cha, cumbia, mambo, rumba and tango. You also could hear rock rhythms in some of their songs. I like bands perform Balkan and gypsy music, nonetheless their musical diversity is very good that they combine European and Latin sound successfully. I have added four songs from their three albums. I believe that you will enjoy hearing La Mano Ajena’s unique music and hybrid sound. You could listen and buy their albums from their website.
La Mano Ajena consists of seven multi instrumentalist musicians. Instrumental variety setup well that you hear typical Balkan music, modern music and Latin music instruments together. Saxophone, guitar, piccolo flute, keyboard, theremin, melodica, violin, marimba, accordion, clarinet, drums, darbuka and djembe, bass and double bass are leading instruments we could hear in their music. Although lyrics are generally in Spanish, it is possible to find some lyrics in Yiddish, Hebrew, French and English. I suggest them using some Turkish and Greek instruments to enhance their musical variety and diversity, although their musical diversity is perfect.
La Mano Ajena joined many concerts in some countries like Spain, Denmark, Serbia, and Argentina. They shared the stage with Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra and Gogol Bordello. In 2008, Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra asked them to join their show in Santiago. After this performance, Emir Kusturica invited them to participate in Kustendorf Film Festival held in Serbia. La Mano Ajena was the first and only one group joined the festival from Latin America. They were invited once again to share the stage with Emir Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Orchestra in 2009. The band will be on tour in Europe in July 2012. I hope they could come to Turkey with my favorite director Emir Kusturica and his band The No Smoking Orchestra.
La Mano Ajena has three albums. You could buy their albums from their website. It is appreciated band that you will never feel regret to buy their albums. Let us see their discography and some of my suggestions.
La Mano Ajena (2005) is a successful debut album that the work made in Chile first time. It is easy to understand the band consists of talented musicians. I could say female vocals are perfect. I really enjoyed hearing Ashrenu (Doyna), Favella, Wewo, Tango A La Django and Joropo songs from the album.
Radio Galena (2008) is the album that the band improved their sound and added some new instruments. I suggest the album extremely. The album contains more Chilean elements. Café Turco, La Balada Del Hombre Invisible, Camimar, Psicomambo Cha Cha Cha, Cumbia Klezmer and Declaracion de Principios are my favorites in the album. Do not lose the album.
Raza Quimera (2011) is a perfect album that they added some rock elements in some songs. Their songs got better with electric guitars fascinating sound. Raza Quimera, Novus Ordo Seclorum, Loco Loco, Eskil’s Cow, Spaguetti Klezmer, Fabula, and Kasidishe Nigun are my favorites. It is an extremely suggested album.
La Mano Ajena is a great band from Chile that they combines Balkan, gypsy and klezmer music elements with Latin music melodies. I really appreciate their musical understanding and diversity. You could listen and buy their albums from their official website. Do not lose the successful band!
Bye for now!
Special Note: Audio materials are put into the blog upon permission of the band.
Do you know the band Oi Va Voi from England? If you have never heard their music, it is time to know them. A London based band Oi Va Voi performs music that it cannot be described in only one genre. They build rock, Eastern Europe music, pop, electronic, Klezmer music, and jazz upon Yiddish music. The sound, excellent vocals, instrumental variety, harmony between combined genres and musicality make Oi Va Voi one of the best music groups still performing. The experimental band from London was founded in late 90’s. Although some musicians have left the band, they are still crowded band with new members. Oi Va Voi will be a band you cannot leave after you meet their charming music. I still cannot forget their song Refugee. You could some preview songs and videos on their MySpace profile. Just 
