‘Together As One: A Celebration of Community Singing' by WorldSong
Review
As previewed in my November review of the single "Kaval Sviri" by local a cappella group WorldSong, their latest album ‘Together As One: A Celebration of Community Singing' is now available for your pleasure.
Produced again by Mason Le Long (the sessions were a series of live ones held in various Coventry churches which certainly accounts for the atmosphere of the tracks) it comes out ten years after their previous one ‘Keresimesi' and also as predicted features songs from South Africa ("Hlonolofatsa" and "Asimbonanga"), Romania ("Sarba Pe Loc" and "Miluieste-ma Dumnezeule"), Scotland ("Ca' the Yowes"), Finland ("Pseudo Yoik"), USA ("Seal Lullaby" and "Hold On"), Australia ("Kalkagunga Yurdu"), Serbia ("Ajde Jano"), Norway ("Vueli"). A Roma Gypsy song ("Sao Roma") plus the Bulgarian single we've already met.
The choir, although impressively diverse in membership, are not so polyglot as for each member to speak every single one of these languages fluently, so they learn the ones they are less familiar with phonetically.
The songs cover an equivalently wide spectrum of theme with songs of greeting, prayer, humour, spiritual uplift, cultural heritage, dance, addressing the environment, weddings and taking on apartheid: which all fit into their mission statement of creating "stunning harmonies, uplifting songs, inspiring rhythms, music for the soul."
We've mentioned Mason's fine work in capturing this instrument free (well voices are instruments of course) magnificence but we cannot proceed further without naming Una May Olomolaiye, WorldSong's Musical Director who pulls all the talent together. She was described by choir member Diana Stefanescu (to whom I remain indebted for drawing WorldSong to my attention & a great deal of what I know about them) "not only is she a force of nature and an amazing musician but she's also an actual medical doctor". It wouldn't surprise me if in the latter role she perceives therapeutic value in this music for both participants & audiences: it certainly has a beneficial effect on me & sure that it will for you.
Not only were the lyrics a challenge but Diana describes the songs as the technically hardest they've ever taken on: which presumably accounts to some extent for the gap between releases. Some took a whole year to work on before they were satisfied.
At this point I have to confess a failing on my part: I always try & credit everyone concerned with a release but with forty five members, that isn't easy for me this time. I hope every one of them will accept my apology & my assurance of the equality of my esteem for their performances on ‘Together As One'.
There is however one further excellent reason to mention Diana's name and that's to credit her for the album's artwork.
It's also worth stressing for full context & illustration of the scope of what these singers & colleagues from similar choirs do, that in the "Sing Away" Community Choir Festival (previously held in Stratford but I believe it's in Edgbaston in 2025) WorldSong sing a repertoire with up to five hundred other singers: which must be stunning.
As I say, listening to ‘Together As One' is emotionally uplifting even if you don't necessarily grasp the full meaning of the lyrics. It's also educational: I like World music but all these songs were previously unfamiliar to me as were some of the cultural sources.
Coventry quite rightly prides itself on being a home for multi-cultural values & celebration (and I can't readily think of a musical project with this breadth of multi-culturalism) and one where the spirit & practice of community has high value. The city & area should be very proud of WorldSong. This marvellous collection embodies such qualities superbly. One can only hope not only that the songs themselves get shared & played widely but that the values & philosophy of WorldSong can be introduced into schools etc.
On that note, I'll sign off with more from WorldSong themselves as it articulates what they wish the world to know about what they so delight in doing:
"WorldSong celebrates the richness of the human voice by singing without instrumental accompaniment. Our repertoire of songs is drawn from cultures where singing and dancing are as natural as talking and walking.
There is an old Zimbabwean saying: "If you can talk, then you can sing" which pretty much sums us up! The other basic principle is that everyone should have access to music, so we don't insist that people can read musical scores: everything is taught by ear in the time-honoured tradition of many orally-based cultures."
