Chris Berry & Panjea - Dancemakers CD

This is honestly one of my favorite new cds. It's one of those that I just can't help popping it in the CD player if I come across it in my stash. It is just non-stop good songs and lives up to its name. I, myself, am surprised to be in love with such an album containing 12 songs, none of which max 5 minutes. But, it's true. I'm addicted to putting it on and dancing around my house or car.
Chris Berry has been compared to Paul Simon, James Brown, Sting, and Bob Marley for his unique voice, stage presence and moving lyrical content. He also plays the djembe and the mbira, which he was taught in Africa by masters and achieved a similar status himself. He lived there for many years and formed the band, which is truly a Pangea of cultural sound textures of instruments from all around the world. The colorful sounds of blazing trumpet, soulful saxophone, beating bass, searing guitar, and rhythmic drums are perfectly in place in each song.

It's been so long since I've heard an album that makes me fell this positive and inspired. In Dancemakers, Berry asks "How are souls so deep and then so blind, How can souls be eclipsed by such tiny minds?" Axe Forgets brings up the point that "The axe forgets what the falling tree cannot." Songs like Are You Ready, Proud Line and Rock It Down truly inspire to change the world one dancer at a time.

By Melissa Bruck 

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