Rwanda Sings With Strings

For the fifth album by Rwandan duo The Good Ones, the group’s producer, Ian Brennan (Tinariwen, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Parchman Prison Project) scheduled a cellist and violinist to accompany them – The entire album was recorded in single takes without written scores or demos – The arrangements were improvised on the fly – Within minutes of meeting all four musicians were recording– the only communication musical.

The session fulfilled the group’s long-held dream to have main writer, guitarist, and lead vocalist Adrien Kazigira’s songs performed with strings.
(percussionist/harmony vocalist Janvier Havugimana rounds out the lineup).
Sequestered in a DC hotel room the day prior to The Good Ones duo’s Tiny Desk session taping, the musicians recorded nineteen songs in just three hours.

“It was all an experiment,” reports producer Ian Brennan, “But the second the strings entered during the first song, it felt like the room began levitating and there was no doubt that something magical and profoundly beautiful was occurring.” The sound is steeped in a romanticism, longing, and sense of resigned grandeur that harkens back to African Balladeers such as Boubabcar Traore and Miriam Makeba, as well as Nick Drake, early Leonard Cohen, and Astral Weeks.
Perfect Sunday morning listening.