Guts – Estrellas (3LPs, Heavenly Sweetness)

Guts’ new studio album with 25 musicians from Cuba, Africa and Europe is nothing less than a monumental tribute to transatlantic Afro-Cuban music. “Estrellas” will be released as a double CD in a three-part digisleeve with poster booklet and as a triple LP in a tip-on gatefold with printed inner sleeves on Pura Vida (Heavenly Sweetness). Fabrice Franck Henri aka. Guts has met a huge challenge with “Estrellas”: this 16-song masterpiece was created in Dakar in 15 days, with musicians from Cuba (including Cucurucho Valdes, Brenda Navarrete, El Tipo Este, Akemis Carrera). Africa (including Rene Sowatche, Christian Obam, Assane Mboup) and Europe (including David Walters, Florian Pellissier, Pat Kalla) are involved. Own compositions as well as selected new versions of classics that form a perfect tribute to the feedback loop of Afro-Cuban music, three continents, many languages and different memories and traditions coincide, also against the bloody background of the transatlantic triangle of colonialism and slavery. For almost 90 minutes, Afro-Caribbean grooves and spiritual jazz meet son, rumba, habanera, salsa and nueva trova. The all-star big band, largely unknown to date, plays with unique ease and energy. The exciting making of the album as well as informative liner notes for each song are included in English, French and Spanish.