“I feel that we are living in a crazy moment in a crazy time and music has been a safe place for me - the only safe place for me,” Luedji Luna says in a low, alluring voice as she explains the purpose of her latest album, Bom Mesmo É Estar Debaixo D’Água. After she introduces guitarist Vinicius Sampaio, he plays a solo and sings along with himself in a particularly jazzy way.Įlements of jazz and blues are infused with African rhythms as Luna uses music to express her ongoing struggles for autonomy as a Black woman.
After a verse, Weslei Rodrigo (and his spectacular beard) lay down a smooth, anchoring bass line.Īfter the first song, she introduces the band. Then Luna starts singing in a kind of raspy, seductive whisper. “Lençois” opens with some gentle piano from Gabriel Gaiardo and washes of cymbals (struck with mallets by Sergio Machado). She is a powerhouse, entrancing and elegant, soulful and spiritual, as she uses her platform to discuss individual and systemic forms of anti-Blackness. Luna performs from her coastal hometown of Bahia in the city of Salvador, Brazil, where African culture flows in abundance. It is quite good though and Luna’s voice is understated and pretty as she sings in Portuguese. I thought maybe it was a typo, but this music isn’t even terribly funky. I don’t really understand why this is called AFROPUNK, as there is nothing even remotely punk about any of the music here. Our showcase featured four artists who honored their homes and celebrated the art their heritage has inspired. The virtual celebration, hosted by Jorge “Gitoo” Wright, highlighted outstanding talent in Afro-Latin and Afro-Caribbean music across the globe.
Tiny Desk Meets AFROPUNK was the opening event of AFROPUNK’s “Black Spring” festival. SOUNDTRACK: LUEDJI LUNA-Tiny Desk Meets AFROPUNK: #203/196 (May 2, 2021).