The band`s percussionist, James van Minnen, said that they have also invited some incredible acts to join them on stage in making this a memorable night: "Staaltjie Visser will be MC-ing for us: he hails from Mr Cat and the Jackal fame and is a fabulous performer. He recently started a storytelling group and is sure to have an anecdote or two to open our imaginations and set our wits on fire. Soma, a truly top-notch fusion belly dance company, will be doing some stunning group choreography on the night, a most fitting visual element to complement Ottoman Slap's music. And Duo Morphire will be treating us to a performance of professional-level fire dancing by Lionel Chanarin and Jesyka Sham."
Ottoman Slap`s eclectic musical offering includes traditional numbers and adaptations of songs from places such as Romania, Andalusia and Algeria, as well as original compositions influenced by Balkan and Middle Eastern music, with mesmerising Tribal Fusion bellydance as the highlight.
The music video for their song Aquel Ruido has just been released. The concept of the video is a seven-minute mini movie. Van Minnen said: "We had the great fortune of teaming up with a very talented director, Jon-Luke Lourens, working alongside some incredible crew and cast to make what feels like a truly original piece of Cape Town creativity! Conceived, shot and finished locally (produced by Direction Films), it felt very special to team up with local professionals and friends alike, to create something truly collaborative, which we feel has an edge of quality that would ordinarily have been beyond our means."
The album features six original compositions and three adaptations of traditional numbers. Van Minnen added: The following three tracks on the album are based on traditional works: "Como Las Olas was originally a Romanian love song (Pâna Când Nu Te Iubeam), which we translated into Spanish. We adapted musically and wrote lyrics for Raoul's Waltz,which was originally a Yiddish nursery rhyme (Rozhinkes mit Mandlen). Calle del Aire is a traditional song from Spain, which we adapted and put to an Arabic rhythm on frame drums."
The album was recorded by Doug Armstrong (also a member of the band) at the home of some of the band members, under a thatched roof and with plenty of mate tea to keep the energy levels going. Armstrong said: "We chose to record the album in an environment that captured the idiosyncratic and quirky nature of the band and its music. So, of course, we ended up in James and Marissa's attic." Van Minnen added: "This way, we were able to maintain a balance of domestic charm and exotic fancy, recording in amongst the laundry, visits from children, wild bird calls and a touch of load shedding." The album was mixed and mastered by Simon Ratcliffe of Sound and Motion Studios, in association with Rootspring Productions.
