It begins with a slow shimmer, a quiet build akin to an orchestra tuning up in which hints of the whole subtly make themselves known. That subtlety though, lasts a mere ten seconds before the funky fusion, or what might best be described an an ethnic musical party kicks in. This is the Debo Band and they are certainly not the authors of any sort of book.
They are of course, musicians and their excellent self titled album is one of the first pieces of music I have checked out of our CD collection. Call it a fortuitous occurrence or the benefits of a quickly scan-able collection, but howsoever you describe my rather random selection of this album, the one adjective phrase that must be applied is great grooves.
Based out of Boston but primarily drawing on traditional and modern Ethiopian music, the Debo Band is a highly eclectic group of 12 different musicians that pull together a disparate mix of jazz, funk, folk, brassy swing, Celtic melodies, klezmer, and most importantly, Ethiopian influences. Led by Danny Mekonnen, an ethnomusicologist born in Sudan but raised in the U.S. as well as French raised Ethiopian Bruck Tesfaye who sings in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia, the Debo Band in a mere 11 tracks, somehow manages to make the exotic sounds of a place far away sound not just accessible, but fantastic.
While strong original songwriting combined with unique reprisals of a broad range of traditional Ethiopian songs is a major reason for this success, it is the seamless and adventurous blend of so many different styles and instruments that makes the Debo Band's self titled album a great listen. In the first four songs alone the audience is exposed to psychedelic guitar riffs, sweaty nightclub speed percussion, an accordion solo, tinny horns, the deep pounding of a sousaphone, the unique riff of an electric violin, and the whispered croon of a great voice. Oh, and the album is only just getting started.
Like my former smaller and younger self, I am still a tremendous fan of picture books that are full of whimsy, beautiful illustrations, and fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants rapscallions. Thus, also like the younger me, I still adore Beatrix Potter's tales of Peter Rabbit. You can imagine my excitement then, when a few months back, I heard that the actress Emma Thompson would be authoring a modern addition to this series entitled "The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit." Now, with said addition in hand, or rather in both hands as it is far larger than the palm sized originals, I can proclaim my enthusiasm thoroughly fulfilled.
Written some 80 years after the last entry in the fantastic original series, Thompson's tale begins with a droopy eared Peter Rabbit squeezing under Mr. McGregor's garden gate to "steal a lettuce" in an attempt to cheer himself. Once in the garden, Peter's nature gets the better of him when, tempted by the smell of onions wafting out of a interesting basket, he climbs in, gobbles the "excellent sandwiches of cheese and pickle" found within and promptly falls asleep.
With the set-up now complete, the tale truly begins as the napping Peter is whisked off to Scotland where he meets a massive black rabbit in a kilt, dines on a giant Radish, and becomes involved in a Scottish game of strength involving heaving the same giant radish among other adventures. Sound like a marvelously fun caper? It is.
Yet the appeal of "The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit" does not emanate simply from a fun story. While I am sure Emma Thompson's prominence was a major reason for her authorial choice, her panache, cheekiness, dry-wit, and ability to invoke a Potter-esque
Victorian voice give this modern adaptation much of its life. Top that off with, yes, the further addition of Eleanor Taylor's charming illustrations and you have a divine book perfect for the young and young at heart.
All of that being said though, while "The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit" is most certainly a fun and wonderful addition to the Potter canon, it's focus is indeed fun as it does stray away from the depth of lesson and reality that some of the works in the original series brought forth. However, with a final sentence that hints at the possibility of further, further adventures, this sort of depth may very well come.
