OKA VANGA - Dance Of The Copper Trail
CRAB003 Crazy Bird Records
Oka Vanga is a powerful duo that has brought its own special brand of artistry to bear on this magical and sublime CD of mainly original material. The content and performance values of the work has been finely tuned and exceedingly well considered from all aspects. Angela Meyer has a fine ear as to what makes a great song and coupled with the guitar, mandolin and ukulele from the other half of the duo, William Cox, they make a formidable force to be reckoned with. To single out the musical capabilities of Angela and William is right and proper, but Dance Of The Copper Trail has also been enriched by the inspirational fiddle playing of Patsy Reid. “Having Patsy Reid play fiddle on our recording was the icing on the top – a dream come true to have one of Scotland’s finest fiddlers add her magic to it.” Certainly, a sentiment I would uphold and applaud.
Angela has a fine voice that fits perfectly into the genre of Folk Roots but there is more to her vocal talent than that. She has the admirable gift of being able to change her vocal delivery to suit the style and subject matter that each song demands. On My Sweet Guitar there is more than a nod to Laura Marling and yet for the traditional, She Moved Through The Fair, there are overtones similar to Maddy Prior.
We are all the sum total of what we have been and done in the past and indeed with this, their “much anticipated new album”, Oka Vanga has managed to enhance and develop its considerable talents even further. This is a superb album of musical maturity that delights at every turn.
www.okavanga.com
John Oke Bartlett
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