Agua Santa Translations

La Procesión (The Procession)

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The Brotherhood is coming
Those who walk in the Light
The light of faithfulness

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The procession is coming
Those who walk in the shade
The shade of reverence

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The Brotherhood is coming
Those who walk in the Light
The light of charity

Chorus: Listen to the drums
The Fraternity is coming
Those who walk in the shade
The shade of antiquity

Chorus: “Step to one side when they pass through here!
For those who paved the way for us, the crowds will part!”

Ad lib: “Hear the song of the procession, the procession is arriving!”


Buscando y Pidiendo (Searching & Asking)

I am searching for a tree,
I don’t need to shade myself from the sun!
I asking for its beauty,
A prayer to nature!
I am searching for a tree,
Because I want to make a drum,
I am asking for the soul of the tree,
I want to make a drum!

Chorus: Aña, Aña, Aña, Aña,

I am searching for a goat,
That I don’t have to feed!
I asking for its beauty,
A prayer to nature!
I am searching for a goat,
So that my drum can speak!
I am asking for the voice of the goat,
So that my sound may astound!
I am searching for a goat,
So that my drum can speak!

Nadie me habló (Nobody Spoke to Me)

I can still hear, all of my sons crying
I can still hear, the women screaming
I remember that day, when my life thus passed
There, How I recall that day, when thus I died
And nobody spoke to me, when my life thus passed
Chorus: And nobody spoke to me!
I recall that day, when my life thus arrived
And nobody spoke to me, when thus I died
When they put me in the ground, nobody spoke to me
I recall that day, when the hour thus ended
I recall that day
Chorus: When nobody spoke to me!
There, How I recall that day
Chorus: When thus I died!
They buried me in the ground but nobody spoke to me
Where my book thus closes, they buried my in the ground
But nobody spoke to me
Chorus: when my life thus passed!
They gave me to the silence, nobody spoke to me
I waited in the ground
But nobody spoke to me!

"One Tribe, Many Voices" Podcast Episode 35

Intro: Drummers of Burundi Live at the Real World Festival

Zaboko /The Music of the Baka Pygmies /African Rhythms
Caiana ja ta Madura /Banda de Kongos de Konshaca /Batuques do Sudeste
Mai /The Music of the Baka Pygmies /African Rhythms
Palavra de Rei /Leao Coroado /Maracatu Atomico

La Procesion /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Agua Santa
Cuando de Africa Sali / Gregorio 'El Goyo' Hernandez /La Rumba es Cubana
The Brotherhood /Rasheed Ali / The Empty Vessel speaks
Heartbeat in the Music /Chatuye

Con tres Tambores Bata /Tata Guines /Aniversario
Buscando y Pidiendo /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Agua Santa
Abakua /Los Rumberos de Cuba /Rapsodia Rumbera vol.2
Nadie me Hablo /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Agua Santa

Enjoy! -- Rasheed Ali

Message from my friends in Brasil and more...

Any euphoria withstanding, we must admit as members of the African Diaspora that certain concepts of racial angst have been compromised and made bankrupt by Barack Obama's ascendancy to the presidency of the United States. Though I don't think racial prejudices will die a quick and certain death, I do believe our ancestors are smiling. For people such as myself, who live within a world of promoting and celebrating African Diaspora history and culture, we do not want anyone to compromise or bankrupt the realities of our Holocaust experience. I hope a part of this "new era" will be an honest look at the past, not ignoring and minimizing it.

"One Tribe, Many Voices" Podcast Episode 34

Intro: Dis is da Drum / Herbie Hancock,

The Drum (Africa to America ) / Sounds of Blackness

Set One:

1. Cuando /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Agua Santa
2. Looking for Ekwiano /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Thunder in the Jungle
3. I Will Cry for You /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Thunder in the Jungle
4. Took Away the Drum /Mighty Mo Rodgers /Blues is my Wailing Wall
   
5. Quien me va Curar /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Agua Santa
6. La Lune de Goree /Gilberto Gil /Quanta

Set Two:

1. Slave:Mr.Fountain Hughes /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Thunder in the Jungle
2. A Change is Gonna Come /Neville Brothers /Yellow Moon
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Songs /Branford Marsalis /Buckshot LeFonque
4. We Beat the Drums at Nite /Rasheed Ali & Rain People /Thunder in the Jungle
5. Klu Klux Klan/Steel Pulse /Handsworth Revolution
6. Sister Rosa /Neville Brothers /Yellow Moon
7. Say it Loud /James Brown /20 All Time Greatest Hits

Enjoy! -- Rasheed Ali

The Passing of a Giant Persona...

Freddie Hubbard...Giant Sound, Giant Personality.
Like an old great tree with many rings of history, He leaves us with a giant body of artistic work, recorded excellence that will live forever. His trumpet and fluegelhorn voice is imprinted in my mind's ears. I need only to point you to his recorded legacy with Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and beyond.

A very thoughtful article on the late, great Freddie Hubbard.

Eartha Kitt: Original Diva

It seems that in the natural course of events that I have had to write several obituaries on this blog journal in the past year. Of course the critical reality of life is that "people come and people go" each and everyday. Obviously, proximity is the governing fact with regards to the effect that someones passing has on your emotions. For those who are close, loss can be a debilitating, immobilizing event that can take years to overcome. I have indeed felt the paralyzing effects of the passing of good friends as well as the less personalized but spiritually evolved response to the passing of brief acquaintances and strangers.

Recently, I was informed of the passing of a musician that I had played with on several occasions: Winston "Wags" McDonald. He wasn't a famous musician but he was a drummer who did have a rare gift. Wags knew how to propel the "engine room" of percussion that powers a steel pan orchestra. Winston had that special energy required to get people to "jump up" to the "jump-up beat". Now, if you're not West Indian, the simplicity of this statement might elude you but for we Caribbean people it speaks volumes for the man's worth as a musician. I've had the opportunity to perform with countless drummers who have garnered more fame and fortune from music than did Winston McDonald but I never met anyone who could quite put the "K" in Kaiso like wags when he felt the inspiration. When he got his momentum going, I felt like I was in Despers' pan yard in Laventille.



On the other end of life's spectrum, I was informed of the passing of musical theater, film and recording diva Eartha Kitt and that brought back memories as well.

I was very fortunate to have been associated, ever-so-briefly, with this unique woman. I had been commissioned to write a 24-piece band arrangement by choreographer George Faison ("The Wiz") for two dance numbers that he was directing for Ms. Kitt. The special 'Mother's Day Concert' was unique because it featured two shows in two separate major venues in one day! The matinee was at Avery Fisher Hall and the night show was at Carnegie Hall. Since it was the first time anyone had asked me to arrange music for such a big band, I was absolutely terrified! Being only twenty-one at the time I can made many embarrassing mistakes on the written charts but I got through it somehow. Equally terrifying was meeting la grande dame herself. She had an immense presence, on and off stage, that defied her diminutive physical stature and could not be ignored. Years later, I can now say that I actually worked with Eartha Kitt and I marveled at the command that she wielded over her adoring audiences that long ago day in May.

If you are not familiar with Eartha Kitt just check her out singing: "Santa Baby" or starring opposite the legendary Nat "King" Cole in the film: St. Louis Blues".

Eartha Kitt was not only a performer but also a critic of American racial and foreign policies and like Nina Simone, Josephine Baker and Miriam Makeba, she was "black-listed" by the American show business community and forced to live abroad as an exiled ex-patriot.

"One Tribe, Many Voices" Podcast Episode 33

Intro: Country Boy / Gabby / Soca Trinity

Set One:

Tu as dit Que / Tabu Ley Rochereau / Babeti Soukous
Olho d'Agua dos Bredos / Samba de Coco e Raizes Arco Verde / Gode Pavao
Como son las Cosas? / Ismael Rivera / Sonero Numero Uno

Set Two:

Kocc Barma / Youssou N'Dour / The Lion
Oye Lo / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Agua Santa
Na Serenidade / Rasheed Ali & Rain people / Beijos Azuis
Beijos de Coco / Rasheed Ali & Rain people / Beijos Azuis

Set Three:

Baba / Salif Keita / Moffou
Timba con Guaguanco e Rumba / Orch. La Palabra / On Fire
Uma Borboleta / Rasheed Ali & Rain People / Tristeza e Beleza

Enjoy! -- Rasheed Ali

Little Voices in the Wilderness: Gaza Invasion

On Friday, January 2ND, 2009, I felt compelled to add my little voice to a protest in front of the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles, California.

I only wish that my little voice in the wilderness would matter. While standing in the chilling cold weather, I felt a certain futility that my little voice did not matter in this great big world. It seems that a world that has so many conflicts cannot focus on every cry for reason.



I live in an American world where Palestinian lives are not equal to the lives of others.

I am not Palestinian but I am a human being that must respond to injustice and ugliness.
I am a Caribbean-American not an Arab-American but I felt a certain shame if I did not raise my little voice in protest.

"One Tribe, Many Voices" Podcast Episode 32

intro: Una Cucharita / Rasheed Ali & Rain People

Set One:

1. Itutu Ache / Eddie Palmieri & Tito Puente /Obra Maestra
2. Merengue Internacional / Eddie Palmieri & La India / Llego La India
3. I Wanna Dance / Eddie Palmieri & La India / Llego La India
4. Para que Escuchen / Eddie Palmieri / El Rumbero del Piano

Set Two:

1. Yemaya y Ochun / Eddie Palmieri & La India / Llego La India
2. El Dueno del Monte / Eddie Palmieri / El Rumbero del Piano
3. Donde esta mi Negra / Eddie Palmieri / El Rumbero del Piano
4. Paris Mambo / Eddie Palmieri & Tito Puente /Obra Maestra
5. El Bochinche / Eddie Palmieri & Tito Puente /Obra Maestra

Enjoy! -- Rasheed Ali