isn't she the most beautiful lady in white
susana baca was on the main stage on saturday evening
all the way from peru and with a fine band in tow
putting together a powerful acoustic based sound
including some authentic peruvian percussive instruments
most impressively a cajon - an upturned wooden fruit crate
the musician astride it and eeking out a unique percussive sound
there was also acoustic guitar, upright bass, and extra percussion
i'd just left a prior performance feeling a little underwhelmed
and so was needing a top-up of musical positivity
memories of the previous nights diva were with me
in that case mavis staples had taken over the same stage
and had belted out a very american set of tunes
but for me it was not what i go to womad for - real soul please
so i was most hopeful susana baca would provide that
it didn't take more than a few seconds of her set to feel it
and so i stayed happily centre-stage and took it all in
watched as she worked the band and crowd with style
totally at ease with her voice and place in our world
this is a totally lazy way to describe a unique performer
but take the voice, emotion and presence of mariza
combine with the tunes and feel of the band of cesaria
and you'd come up very close to the music of susana
my humble apologies for describing it in that way
but it struck me watching the show unfold this was it
which meant i was totally besotted by her performance
her band similarly seemed totally dedicated to her
gave her as little or as much as she needed at any point
a rousing number with all musicians hard at it
or backing off to leave her beautiful voice totally in charge
requiring the mere tap of the cajon or pluck of the nylon strung guitar
she was clearly feeling at home on the big stage with a big crowd
for the sun was on the wane and taking the mercury with it
a glance behind confirmed to me the crowd was now present
searing, scorching, relentless sun and heat beaten for the day
a sense of relief in the air and the expectation with it
we all knew we were at the best place we could be
and susana baca beautifully reminded us of that
couldn't have wished for a better start to the evening
a lady of great style and substance
and significantly...
soul
