Cicada is a 2011 album by American blues/folk/world fusion/jazz band Hazmat Modine. The album was released on May 17, 2011 by Barbès Records, almost five years after their debut album, Bahamut.
Beninese musical ensemble Gangbé Brass Band features on two tracks; Natalie Merchant and the Kronos Quartet feature on one each.
Track listing All songs written by Wade Schuman except as noted
Personnel
Magloire Ahouandjinou: Trumpet, vocals Martial Ahouandjinou: Trombone, vocals Benoît Avihoue: Percussion, vocals Bill Barrett: Chromatic harmonica, vocals Alexis Bloom: Vocals Elaine Caswell: Vocals Joseph Daley: Sousaphone, tuba Athanase Dehoumon: Flugelhorn, vocals Hank Dutt: Viola Steve Elson: Clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, piccolo, baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone Michael Farkas: Handclapping, vocals Alexander Fedoriouk: Cimbalom Pam Fleming: Trumpet Lucien Gbaguidi: Saxophone, vocals Michael Gomez: Balalaika, electric mandocello, guitar, resonator guitar, lap steel guitar, shamisen David Harrington: Violin Richard Livingston Huntley: Drums, gong, log drums, talking drum Crespin Kpitiki: Percussion, vocals Scott Lehrer: Vocals Natalie Merchant: Vocals Erik Della Penna: Guitar, handclapping, vocals Reut Regev: Trombone Catherine Russell: Vocals Wade Schuman: Guitar, handclapping, vocals John Sherba: Violin Pete Smith: Guitar, vocals James Vodounnon: Sousaphone, vocals Eric Yovogan: Trumpet, vocals Jeffrey Zeigler: Cello
Reception Cicada received positive reviews from critics. Robin Denselow, writing for The Guardian, gave the album four out of five stars. Calling it "a brave and unexpected record", he was complimentary of several tracks but singled out the collaborations with Gangbé Brass Band, Natalie Merchant, and the Kronos Quartet as highlights. In another four-star review, All About Jazz praised the band's eclectic makeup and concluded, "Even if Cicada doesn't surpass the novelty or the awards of the group's debut, Bahamut, it is a CD of spectacular aural aurora; one that brings an authentic, multi-referenced, American approach to the concept of world music."
Bill Lupoletti, host of the "Global a Go-Go" program on WRIR public radio, called Cicada a "brilliant album", highlighting "Child of a Blind Man", "I've Been Lonely for So Long", "Walking Stick", "So Glad", and "Dead Crow" as the album's best tracks. Allmusic's William Ruhlmann considered Cicada more "traditional jazz" than Bahamut, while still calling the band's sound "an eclectic mixture of roots styles that is nearly beyond category".
References
External links