Vivienne Aerts 'Typuhthang'

Among the delights released to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 comes from vocalist, performer and composer Vivienne Aerts. Typuhthâng (‘type of thing’) that embraces women and chocolate: a musical exchange with 100 female musicians to empower female cacao farmers of Virunga State Park, Congo.

In collaboration with Original Beans Chocolate, Typuhthâng includes songs and performances around the growing, manufacture and enjoyment of chocolate. What’s not to like? The fact that the album supports a project to replant the rainforest in Congo and empower women is a major bonus.

Women were involved in every role of the project: performing, recording, arranging, mixing, and mastering. Vivienne’s songs translate feelings into music and at no point does the message that we can all make a difference become overpowering.

Alongside the six songs are three sampled soundscapes made from field recordings from Virunga State Park, Congo. In total, there are 100 female musicians from over 40 countries.

Vivienne says: “My work with Vervool, a bespoke multi-sensory experience launched with my pastry chef husband, Ted Steinebach, connected me with Original Beans Chocolate. Talking with Philipp Kauffmann, the founder, I was inspired by their passion for sustainability. The Femmes de Virunga are a cacao farm collective of 1500 women in Virunga State Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The collective, initiated and supported in 2008 by Original Beans, gave women the tools and opportunities to overcome extreme hardship and political unrest. These women, often victimised and routinely left to undertake hard agricultural labour, were empowered through literacy campaigns and leadership training, invited to cultivate cacao and set up a tree nursery. In cultivating this crop, they cultivate their communities. Continued learning, regenerative farming and stable ‘living wage’ from Original Beans enables them to elevate their standard of living.

 

“I wanted to use my music to raise awareness of this project. I wanted to use my music, not to inspire charity but to match their entrepreneurial spirit and generate business, ‘Let’s make an album that sells their chocolate.’ And of course, chocolate and music are a bit of a magical combination, right?”

 

Alongside performing jazz, Vivienne uses haute cuisine, and modern art and this album is a great album of stunning songs. She also works with Kenny Werner and the Effortless Mastery Institute at Berklee.

Tracklist:

1. Just go - Arr. Linnea Lundgren (Vocal group w 26 singers) 

2. The journey begins - Soundscape #1

3. You’re my morning - Arr. Camila Meza (Sextet with Voice, Guitar, Harp, Cajon, Bass, Duduk, Harmonica) 

4. The way you touched my hand - Arr. Mariel Roberts (String quintet) 

5. Meeting the Femmes - Soundscape #2

6. Silence - Arr. Ines Velasco Montiel (Small string orchestra ballad) 

7. Concept of falling - Arr. Ga Young Bae (Jazz quintet with clarinet and piano)

8. Tasting the chocolate - Soundscape #3

9. What will we be - Arr. Zahili Gonzalez Zamora (Cuban Bolero for larger jazz ensemble) 

10. Pygmy in Mundubiena - Soundscape #4

 

Listen to my conversation with Vivienne on Harmonious World here.

You can watch the video for ‘Silence’ here.