Songlines Magazine just named Leyla McCalla’s “Vari-Colored Songs” (Dixie Frogs) one of the 50 best world music albums of the last five years.
The album is Leyla’s first solo album. Born in New York to Haitian parents, McCalla grew up reading the works of American poet and social activist Langston Hughes and in tribute, has set some of his poems to music. In addition to these poem-songs are some beautiful a capella Haitian-Creole songs. Besides her beguilingly languid singing style, McCalla is an impressive cellist and plays a mean banjo too. An album steeped in the Caribbean and Haitian roots of America’s South.
See the full list on Songlines.com here.
For more information and upcoming tour dates on Leyla visit her artist page here.