West India Company & La La La Human Steps

[katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Kansas City)]

Vickie here. This will probably be one of my last posts for awhile,
except for my playlists.

I bought an amazing CD today by the group West India Company. This is a
"soundtrack" to a dance show by the troupe La La La Human Steps (anyone
who saw Bette Midler's special "Mondo Beyondo" or David Bowie's current
tour should be familiar with LLLHS's eccentric and amazing dance routines).


I'm going to quote from the liner notes here:
------
West India Company
The rich, strange and gorgeous music of the West India Company is the
perfect counterpoint to La La La Human Steps' acrobatic hurricane. Their
ground-breaking 1984 EP 'Ave Maria' has been judged by many commentators as 
being ahead of its time. The soaring voice on that EP was the wonderful
Bombay film playback goddess Asha Bhosle, who also worked on the initial
recording of 'New Demons' in London. Fine new discovery Priya Khajuria sings
her parts for love performances of the show. This LP, the West India Comp-
any's debut, features both singers and is an inventive mix of the ultra-
modern and the ancient. Their music has little to do with the current 
British-Asian hybrid of Bhangra. They have more in common, at least in
spirit, with Indian Film Music - an exuberant mix of orchestras, dance music,
jazz and folk tunes which veers wildly between the romantic, the epic, the
sacred and the profane. The West India Company may or may not be the future
of rock and roll, but their music's deranged intensity will amply reward
the adventurous listener.
-------

Well, you know how liner notes are, but every word is true (except that
Monsoon's album "Third Eye" was released in 1983, a full year before WIC's)
and it is wonderful. Ravi Shankar meets Najma meets Colourbox! Something
like that!
 
Here's the info:
                West India Company
                "Music From New Demons"
                A La La La Human Steps Production
                Editions EG   EEGCD61   (my CD number)
                Marketed and distributed by Caroline Records, Inc.
                114 West 26th St. NY, NY 10001
                The bar-code number is:  1704-61536-2
It's cheap too, I only paid $14.00 for mine.

For those interested in La La La Human Steps, here's what it says about them:

-----
La La La Human Steps
Dance group La La La Human Steps and music group West India Company have
in their show 'New Demons' created a spectacular masterpiece which has
astonished audiences in five continents. Edouard Lock's visionary,
passionate choreography has brought them an audience way beyond the often
rarified world of contemporary dance. Formed in 1980, this Montreal-based
company have steadily built up a fervent following for their impossibly
dynamic style. Such is their primal energy, at times it seems as if the
dancers are about to explode on stage. In their 'Prima Ballerina' Louise
Lecavalier, described once as 'a flame on legs', they have one of the most
compelling live performers in the world. 'New Demons' retains the raw power 
of thier earlier work but reveals a lyricism and grace and a wider dance
vocabulary including elements of classicism. With its multi-media form,
including the use of stunning film projections, and its fearless disregard
of convention, 'New Demons' points to a new direction for live performance.

La La La Human Steps information:
Mark Hammond
3575 St Laurent (Suite 601)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2X 2T7
-----

There's no address listed to contact West India Company directly.
This is an awesome CD, if you're at all interested in modern progressive
music that incorporates Ethnic influences, especially Indian influences,
this is a must-have for your collection, even if you never have or never
will see LLLHS perform.

I'm in heaven, not only because I found it, but because there are 2 songs
that I can play on my next show, which is a concept show and needed very
specific song titles! 
If you ever get a chance to see Bette Midler's special "Mondo Beyondo" (it
aired on HBO I think) do watch it. A lot of it is bad or just OK, but you
have to see the La La La Human Step's video Bette plays. You will not
believe your eyes at the way these dancers defy gravity.

Vickie (one of Vickie'n'Chris)
katefans@world.std.com