South African flautist Wouter Kellerman, who has spent the past few years making a name for himself on international stages, returns with his new album.
WOUTER KELLERMAN: Two Voices (Independent)
Classically trained, Wouter Kellerman has taken a different route from his orchestral counterparts by moving towards a strong African-influenced world music sound. In the same vein as his album Colour, Two Voices is an eclectic mix of collaborations with a wide range of instrumentalists and singers.
Jo’burg-based listeners will recognise the distinctive dissonant call of the hadedah, which opens Mzansi, a collaboration by Kellerman, guitarist Paul Carlos and arranger Melissa van der Spuy. South African classic Mama Tembu sparkles and Senegalese guitarist and vocalist Lamine Sonko is an important collaborator, his voice combining well with Kellerman’s flute in tracks such as Miniamba, a traditional West African tune. Not content to let his own playing stagnate, Kellerman has also combined beat-boxing with his playing on tracks In the Moment and Fire Drill. The flute is a notoriously difficult instrument to record well but Kellerman’s tone is warm and clear, with a generous vibrato.