Orchestra Gold

Orchestra Gold
Lemuru

Release date: 3/20/20

Slow & Steady Records announces the release of Oakland-based ensemble Orchestra Gold’s new single, “Lemuru.” Fronted by Malian vocalist Mariam Diakite, and arranged by bandleader and guitarist Erich Huffaker, the recording embodies the band’s vision of pushing the rich Malian music tradition forward while mixing it with psychedelic and analog rock.

Written by Malian legend Karamoko Keita, the song is central to the origin story of Orchestra Gold. As Diakite recounts, “In 2015, Erich walks into my family’s compound (in the Lafiabougou neighborhood of Bamako), and he’s got his guitar. He shows me this old song he really likes, ‘Lemuru.’ I had heard this song many times growing up, but had never sung it before. I took my time and listened to the recording, and then we started playing it together. It was very magical, we just kind of looked at each other, and took in that moment.”

“Lemuru” embodies just how far Orchestra Gold has come. Mariam says that the song is a parable, and talks about how “like attracts like.” It says that if we lead with positivity, it will raise the consciousness of the world, and positivity will be returned back to us. True to the song’s message, Mariam would relocate to the Bay Area in March, 2018, after successfully navigating the U.S. Customs & Immigration industrial complex, and would consequently found Orchestra Gold with Huffaker. More recently, the band has released a viral video (500k views on Facebook), and in the year ahead, will bring its signature sound to DIO Fest, UC Theatre, Treefort Music Festival and SFJAZZ’s annual San Francisco Jazz Festival.