|
On her Grammy nominated release,
Shake Away, Lila Downs takes listeners on a musical
journey that's both intensely personal and vividly universal.
Recorded in New York and Mexico City, the songs range
from the pointed "Minimum
Wage" to the mystical "Silent Thunder" to
a cover of Lucinda Williams' "I Envy The Wind" in
English and Spanish ("Yo Envidio El Viento")
versions.
Downs explains, "In the U.S, we've gone through
a lot of fear. The idea was to heal, to 'shake away'
the anger and hate. We also went through a lot of political
trouble in my birthplace of Oaxaca, and sometimes we
distance ourselves from the pain. We cannot forget or
hide, but we must be positive. Since I was young, its
important for me to bring different people together,
race-wise and religion-wise."
Indeed, it's a rare gift that she gives
freely and beautifully on Shake Away.
|
