1997 - Merl Saunders: Fiesta Amazonica CD

In 1990, Saunders recruited Garcia to perform on his beautiful instrumental disc Blues from the Rainforest. As this masterpiece soared to the top of the new age charts, Saunders formed the Rainforest Band for a national tour.

Since then, Saunders has released several live albums (Save the Planet so We'll Have Someplace to Boogie and Still Having Fun), the rock-oriented studio disc It's in the Air, and a collection of piano solos titled Meridien Dreams. But what he's really wanted to do is record a follow-up to Blues from the Rainforest. Sadly, the deaths of Garcia and percussionist Eddie Moore, both of whom played a central role on that project, forced Saunders to take a step back and rethink his strategy. As a result, Fiesta Amazonica, which was released this past February, is vastly different from most follow-up albums, and the setbacks Saunders has faced have helped him create another masterpiece and the best of his four new discs.

Instead of retreading the same ground as Blues from the Rainforest, Saunders explores a whole new realm of world-influenced music. With the help of more than twenty other musicians — including Jerry Garcia, Vince Welnick, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Rob Wasserman, Steve Kimock, and members of the Rainforest Band — Saunders has created a delightful collection that deserves and demands repeated listenings. The music is richly layered with aural textures drawn from the magical spirit of the Amazon Rainforest, while offering a prayer of hope for its survival.

Featured throughout most of Fiesta Amazonica is the voice of Bulgarian singer Mariana. Her powerful yet haunting expressions on Forest Dance unite perfectly with the delicate interplay of synthesizers, pan flute, and acoustic guitar to capture the magic of the Amazon. Likewise, Mariana's voice becomes a mantra-like chant on Walk the River. The song captures the hopeless desperation and sadness felt at the sight of the rainforest's destruction but quickly transforms this sadness into a burning energy that radiates the healing power of the Amazon's magic.

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