Robin Denselow 

Orkestra del Sol: Gross National Happiness review – entertaining world band’s final fling

  
  

Class act … Orkestra del Sol.
Class act … Orkestra del Sol. Photograph: PR Company Handout

Orkestra del Sol have enjoyed an entertaining 14-year career. Starting out as a street band, reworking global brass band styles, this Edinburgh-based nine-piece went on to perform everywhere from Glastonbury to India or a Chinese street festival. They also began writing their own material; seven of the band take composition credits on what, they say, will be their final album. It starts with The Final Fling, a Scottish answer to a Romanian Gypsy wedding song driven on by a romping bass lines from the sousaphone, then switches to what sounds like a south-of-the-border cowboy theme, west African influences on Iye Ojo Bah, echoes of Spanish flamenco, and even a burst of accordion-backed dub reggae. A classy set, although it would have been helped by more vocals from violinist Tom Adams. And I suspect that a band famous for their live shows will sound even better on their farewell tour.

 

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