专辑简介

The Netherlands Antilles are home to a rich and diverse musical culture. A plethora of styles from around the world diverge in this idyllic group of Caribbean islands. Aside from calypso and steel band music, the syncopated rythms of West Africa and even classical Viennese waltz have woven their way into the fabric of Antillean waltzes which have subsequently become classics. The region's contemporary music with its crossover of styles is characterized by spontaneity and rhythmic ingenuity. It is a swinging mix of Caribbean folklore, hip hop, Brazilian and Afro-Caribbean. Dance and serious music is as fresh as the north-east trade wind, which ensures this island paradise its excellent climate. In this album, Gerald Clarinda introduces an Antillian mix of international sounds, instruments and dance rhythms. Clarinda is a composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist, who augumented his Caribbean roots with a study of jazz in the USA. It was his childhood dream to become a pilot with KLM that brought him to Europe. He earned his musical wings in a score of merengue and salsa bands. For some years now, Clarinda has provided a characteristic world fusion between Afro-Cuban and Caribbean grooves with his own band Gerald y La Ritmica. He released lots of CDs and made several international tours. Furthermore Gerald y La Ritmica won the United Cultures NL Awards in 2003. Apart from the leading Latin stations, his music can also be heard on US and European radio. This album is a live recording of Gerald y La Ritmica performing some of their greatest hits at the festival in Gent, Belgium, 2002.