Da Lata

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-crNOK9_Ig



Christian Franck is a musician and producer known not only for his work as Da Lata but also as a member of Smoke City, and a collaborator and contributor to countless other projects.



Patrick Forge is a d.j, broadcaster, and compiler of the classic Rebirth Of Cool albums; he describes his role in Da Lata as “creative nuisance”.



Chris and Patrick’s relationship stretches back more than ten years to the night when Patrick was handed a demo tape of Batu, the band Chris had formed in Brighton. Their funky fusion with a Brazilian twist appealed to Patrick who was up for the challenge of working with a live band. Recruiting vocalist Sharon Scott, they started to steer the band in a more soulful song - based direction whilst also honing the band’s samba skills, with percussionist Carl Smith being another creative live -wire contributing to the mix. Invited to record in Paris for Big Cheese, Chris, Patrick and Carl somehow managed to turn the half written tune they’d arrived with into Seasons Of My Mind a tune that is still regarded as a classic in jazz-dance circles world wide. Batu were essentially a seven piece live band, and on stage they delivered some classic performances, supporting Joyce at a Talkin’ Loud session, and at Glastonbury. However when a potential record deal fizzled out the strains of holding a whole band together became too much for Chris and Patrick, and with Carl already departed to join Stomp!, the move into a more studio based approach to making music was inevitable.



Da Lata was born with a track for a U.F.O. compilation in Japan, and a remix for Joe Davis then nascent label Far-Out. Then following a hook up with engineer / programmer Lee Hamblin, they recorded a version of Edu Lobo’s Brazilian classic Ponteio, again for Far-Out. This release, featuring vocalist Liliana Chachian put Da Lata on the map with D.J.’s worldwide. Support from Francois K and Joe Claussell made it a Body and Soul classic, and props came from discerning dancefloors across Europe and Japan. Around the same time they recorded the initial demo of Pra Manha, the tune that would eventually secure them a deal with Chris Blackwell’s Palm Pictures.



In between Patrick met Nina Miranda in a club in Rio, heard the demo of Underwater Love, and on Nina’s return to London introduced Chris to Nina and her production partner Marc Brown. Smoke City was born, Da Lata was sidelined, Patrick concentrated on d.j.ing and Pra Manha was just a demo. Fast forward to the summer of 98 and a break in Smoke City activity gave Chris and Patrick a chance to record Pra Manha with Toni Econimides the studio wizard whose skills had already graced the Smoke City album. Once again featuring Liliana Chachian, Pra Manha was an instant classic. With Palm behind them, Liliana and percussionist Oli Savill (who’d taken over from Carl in Batu) were drafted in to collaborate on the album that would fulfill Chris and Patrick’s dream of paying tribute to the Brazilian music they shared a passion for. The success of Songs From the Tin and the live version of Da Lata that toured to promote the album created a situation where Da Lata were being perceived as a Brazilian act. However this was only ever intended as a one - off project and meanwhile Chris and Patrick were expanding their musical horizons on a succession of remixes that showed their blend of organic and programmed elements could create music that was rhythmically and sonically very much their own thing.



The Remixes album (released by Palm in 2002) gathered together the more eclectic sides of Da Lata, and, even if the artists were regarded as “World”, Da Lata’s rhythm tracks belonged to the dancefloor. Alongside the remixes , the album also featured Ponteio, and Golden. This tune written back in the Batu days completed the circle, with Carl Smith back on board; they recorded a fully “live” track with a wonderful cast of guest musicians. Golden once again proved that Da Lata were capable of different and sometimes surprising music.



Serious was their 2nd album proper featuring a diverse group of contributors from both close to home and far away. The voices of Baaba Maal and Nina Miranda combine on Distracted Minds, Jhelisa Anderson lends her unique soulfulness on two tracks, the Brazilian thing re-surfaces on the warped bossa Alice. Accordionist Marcelo Jeneci Da Silva (who first featured on Golden) was flown over from Brazil, Bembé Segué who co-wrote the title track had slightly less far to travel! There are beats that some would call “broken”, textures inspired as much by Detroit as Salvador, influences from North Africa and West London.



Despite the many strands that have been woven together Chris and Patrick feel this album has evolved naturally, and even though there are many voices, they have become one in the way that Serious is an album that has something to say about the world we live in



In recent years Chriis has created a new project, Zeep with Nina, a their excellent album for Far-Out in 2007 showcased the pair’s songwritng skills with a live earthy feeling and a family vibe! Meanwhile Da Lata has continued to flourish though somewhat sporadically. The track they produced for the Kyoto Jazz Massive’s 10th anniversary album was a rugged afro-funk rework of Joao Bosco’s classic “Ronco Da Cuica”. Harnessing heavyweight contributions from Jason Yarde (baritone sax), Da Lata dtalwart since Batu, Tristan Banks(drums)and a crucial intervention from Mike Patto on Wurlitzer. This version has it’s roots in the arrangement Batu played in their live sets, and Chris And Partrick were really exited by how it came out and that Danny Krivit chose it for his “In The House” album for Defected. Da Lata also contributed to Shuya Okino’s United Legends project. Other recent remix highlights include Ska Cubano “Bobine” also with Yarde’s superb saxaphone, a Da Lata take on Zeep’s “Zeep Dreams”, and a pacey 135bpm afro-samba-house rub on’Zumbi” from Da Cruz.