Travelin’

The Ragbirds’ new CD, released the first of this year, got set aside when I first got it in the mail. I just came across Travelin’ Machine a few days ago, listened to it late one evening, and I was very touched by the lyrics, the arrangements, the instrumentation and the fine singing by band leader Erin Zindle. The album would be worth buying for one track alone, “Moribayassa (I’ll Fly Away),” an extraordinary version of the old gospel classic “I’ll Fly Away” interwoven with “Moribayassa,” an African rhythm that is about overcoming hardship, and celebrating that triumph. But the song is a triumph, too, culminating in a drum-circle celebration that melds the two disparate songs into one seamless piece. It’s just brilliant. But there’s other good stuff on this album, too, nine other songs that are richly inventive in their lyrics (all written by Zindle) and adventurously eclectic in their instrumentation, with Ragbird band members supporting one another on glockenspiel, kalimba, dunun, djembe, tabla and didgeridoo, among other exotic instruments. Any local impresarios out there reading these words? If so, book the Michigan-based Ragbirds for their next tour. Chico roots and folk fans will love ’em.