The Creole Choir of Cuba thrill Town Hall crowd

The Creole Choir of Cuba

Birmingham Town Hall

review by Andy Richardson

If the seeds of great art are sown in the garden of despair then The Creole Choir of Cuba are nearing full bloom.

Their stunning two-part gig at Birmingham Town Hall last night was a treat for fans of world music, who thrilled to their Latin beat.

The choir celebrated the stories of their ancestors who were transported from Haiti to Cuba to work in near slave conditions on sugar and coffee plantations. The music and dancing were a masterclass in redemption and the message was simple: we shall be released.

The choir's freedom songs were passed down by successive generations and brought to life by authentic, animated dances.

Colourful costumes, passionate harmonies and richly-textured arrangements were the foundation for their songs, which was sung in Creole, Cuba's second language.

Musical director and vocalist Emilia Diaz Chavez was exceptional, his honeyed tones setting free the ghosts of oppression as his tenor voice soared ever higher.

There were highlights aplenty, including Peze Kafe, which offered a snapshot of the difficulties of everyday life; Wongolo, in which Haitians sang to their long-departed friend and Tande; a freedom song denoucing the misery and suffering of Haitians.

The Town Hall is to be congratulated for booking bands whose music is as evocative and life-affirming as that of the Creole Choir of Cuba.