Dig the gist of "Mardi Gras Mambo": Jesus Alemany's
Cubanismo pay homage to New Orleans, the breadbasket of
American jazz and popular music, with tunes like
"Cuborleans," "Gumbo Son," and Alemany's "Boogaloo." They
kick up a fantastic rhythmic stew with Crescent City singers
like Ernie K-Doe and pay rich homage to the shared heritage
of New Orleans and Cuba. CD on sale!
"Songs from the Tin"
Da Lata
CD on sale!
Brazil is a country ripe with the fruit of great musical
talent from past and present: Jobim, Veloso, Virginia
Rodrigues... But it's London where DJ Patrick Forge took the
country's traditions and added his own modern touch for an
electronic music that mixes dance beats with sensual bossa
nova singing. Discover the new Brazilian sound on "Songs
from the Tin."
"Antologia"
Madredeus
CD on sale!
Teresa Salgueiro's crystalline vocals have always been
mesmerizing, backed in Madredeus by their beguiling mix of
keyboards, guitar, and cello. Madredeus have certainly heard
and integrated the traditional musics of Portugal,
Argentina, and even European clubs, but they've created from
this mix an identity all their own--perfect for a calm
listen.
"Prenda Minha"
Caetano Veloso
CD on sale!
If you loved Caetano Veloso's "Livro" with an ounce of the
passion that we did, you're going to be thrilled with
"Prenda Minha," a live recording from 1998. "Prenda" boasts
rich string and horn arrangements, a bevy of tunes that
spans from Miles Davis and Gil Evans's take on the title
track to Veloso's own "Terra." More fantastic sounds from
one of the world's musical visionaries.
"So La Li"
Sabah Habas Mustapha
CD on sale!
The music of West Java is the focus of former 3 Mustaphas 3
cofounder Sabah Habas Mustapha. He brings Tati Ani Mogiono's
gorgeous voice to the fore, with a rich diversity of
Javanese strings, flutes, percussion, and energy. With
lyrics from Wim van Zanten's acclaimed book on Sundanese
music, this is a stirring set of tunes that crowd the room
jubilantly with robust traditional bandung sounds.
EDITOR'S FAVORITES
******************
"Sigiri"
Abdulai Bangoura
CD on sale!
Guinean griot Abdulai Bangoura's performances on drums,
balafon, and kalimba make his solo CD, "Sigiri," a tour de
force. These recordings of Bangoura date from 1990, when his
student Mark Seidenfeld recorded them in Guinea. They're
richly polyphonic and virtuosic, with the mind racing as it
hears Bangoura's complex rhythms evolve, alternate, and
change shape. The sound is crisp, the music unbelievable.
"Art Ensemble of Soweto"
Art Ensemble of Chicago with Amabutho
CD on sale!
Not since Paul Simon's "Graceland" has an American ensemble
matched up so richly with a South African vocal ensemble. In
the great Zulu vocal traditions, Amabutho step to the fore
three times on this set: for "African Woman" and "African
Man" with the Art Ensemble backing them on horns and
percussion, and then on their a cappella feature,
"Khauleza." In between are some stirring jazz interludes
from the famed Art Ensemble--including Roscoe Mitchell's
wild "Fresh Start" and Joseph Jarman's lyrical "Fundamental
Destiny."
NOW OPEN: SIX DEGREES STORE
***************************
Some record labels deserve special spots where you can
indulge their fancies and your own as they dovetail
together. Check out our store devoted to the Six Degrees
Records label. Here's one of their latest:
"Cuba Without Borders"
Various artists
CD on sale!
From Havana outward, "Cuba Without Borders" samples the
current musical trends in the island nation. The jazz here
is kicking, as is the percussion. It's a great look at
what's happening--with elder statesman Carlos "Patato"
Valdes on board as well as Omar Sosa, Pancho Quinto, and
many others.
Visit the Six Degrees Store:
CD on sale!
NOW OPEN: ECM STORE
*******************
And yet more from another of music's great labels! Manfred
Eicher has created in ECM a powerhouse that covers
international music, jazz, and classical with a consistent,
stark set of production values that always highlight the
music.
"The Garden of Mirrors"
Stephan Micus
CD on sale!
Over the years, Stephan Micus has employed instruments
ranging from guitars to tuned flowerpots to create his
rhythmic and meditative world-music compositions. On "The
Garden of Mirrors," Micus uses voice, steel drums, flutes,
and a West African harp to create a hypnotic disc that fuses
cultures and musical styles into something truly unique.
"Forgotten Peoples"
Veljo Tormis
CD on sale!
A music fan suggests this about Estonian composer Veljo
Tormis's "Forgotten Peoples": "Few composers can so
masterfully combine folk tradition with modern musical
trends. Tormis combines the rhythmic sounds of Finno-Ugric
folk songs with the power of a choir to create a sound that
is haunting and hypnotizing. On the other hand, Tormis also
provides these small disappearing nations with an invaluable
service, by making sure their languages and their songs will
not be forgotten."
Visit the ECM Store:
CD on sale!
MALIAN PIONEER
**************
"Sa Golo"
Boubacar Traore
CD on sale!
Boubacar Traore, or Kar Kar, as he was known in the 1960s,
offers up acoustic Malian blues like none other on "Sa
Golo," his 1997 release. He's a veteran of Mali's spare
traditional style, an influence on Ali Farka Toure and
others. Here you have him with just a guitar, his voice, and
his childhood pal on calabash. Catch it and witness music
making in fine form.
"Macire"
Boubacar Traore
CD on sale!
If Ali Farka Toure is Mali's John Lee Hooker, then Traore is
the nation's Mississippi John Hurt. Here's Kar Kar again, in
a follow up to "Sa Golo" that's no less inviting or
heartfelt.
Axiom Of Choice : Niya Yesh, May 23 ...CD on Sale
Dennis Brown : Dennis Brown & Friends, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Dennis Brown : Academy, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Caballo Dorado : No Dejes De Bailar, May 23 ...CD on Sale
Cornell Campbell : Big Things, May 23 ...CD on Sale
Conjunto Casino : Viva Esta Noche, May 18 ...CD on Sale
Dillinger : Kingston Ruler, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Raphael Fays : Impressions Andalouses, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Serge Gainsbourg : Versions Femmes, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Kadri Gopalnath : Gem Stones, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : La Generation Perdue, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : Riviere...Ouvre Ton Lit, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : La Terre Promise, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : Reve Et Amour, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : Halleluyah, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : Je T'aime Je T Aime Je T Aime, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : Hamlet, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : A Partir De Maintenant, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Johnny Hallyday : Entre Violence Et Violon, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Internacional Carro Show : He Llorado Por Ella, May 23 ...CD on Sale
Gregory Isaacs : Encore-Live At Brixton, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Israel Vibration : Jericho, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Pandit Jasraj : Inspiration, May 18 ...CD on Sale
Pandit Bhimsen Joshi : Vol. 1/2-King Of The Musical N, May 18 ...CD on Sale
Patrick Juvet : Best Of Disco, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole : Facing Future, May 23 ...CD on Sale
Alan Kelly : Vol. 11-Greates Hits, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Bernard Lavilliers : Histoires En Scene, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Zarah Leander : Ich Weiss Es Wird Einmal Ein W, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Los Potros : De Regreso En El 2000, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Adam Mcnaughtan : Words That I Used To Know, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Carlos Nunez : Os Amores, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Lee Scratch Perry : Lee Scratch Perry On The Wire, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Pfister Sisters : All's Well Thats Boswell, May 11 ...CD on Sale
Joanne Shenandoah : Warrior In Two Worlds, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Sly & Robbie : Dub Masters, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Tarkan : Tarkan, May 16 ...CD on Sale
Peter Tosh : Arise Black Man, May 16 ...CD on Sale
VA-Best Of The Best : Best Of The Best, May 12 ...CD on Sale
VA-Reggae Gold : 2000 Reggae Gold, May 23 ...CD on Sale
VA-Roots Of Reggae : Roots Of Reggae, May 16 ...CD on Sale
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Worl-A-Girl : Party, May 23 ...CD on Sale
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