mixtapes for weathers and moods / music for good days and bad days


For nonstop listening of players' tracks you must login to DEEZER music site! / A lejátszók számainak zavartalan hallgatásához be kell lépned a DEEZER zeneoldalra.

A következő címkéjű bejegyzések mutatása: Rabih Abou-Khalil. Összes bejegyzés megjelenítése
A következő címkéjű bejegyzések mutatása: Rabih Abou-Khalil. Összes bejegyzés megjelenítése

2021. október 15., péntek

15-10-2021 WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected GLOBAL MUSiC tracks 2005-2014 (2h 53m)


g l o b a l  m u s i c a l   v i l l a g e
15-10-2021 WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected GLOBAL MUSiC tracks 2005-2014 # WmW: Amadou & Mariam, Cheikh Lo, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Lantos Zoltán Mirrorworld, Nils Kercher, Terrakota, Graveola, Aziza Brahim, Gulili Mankoo, Lajkó Félix, Sally Nyolo

M  U  S  I  C / WmW 2h 53m

if you want excitement PRESS SHUFFLE!



LISTEN THE PLAYLIST ON DEEZER.COM

http://www.deezer.com/playlist/1681171971


2005-2014



This Malian afro-pop duo combines spare Malian blues with Latin, Middle Eastern, and Western influences. A musical husband-and-wife duo who got their start in Mali, Amadou & Mariam met in 1975 at Mali's Bamako Institute for the Young Blind.
Beaux Dimanches (Amadou Bagayoko) 3:31
Coulibaly (Amadou Bagayoko) 3:18
Taxi Bamako (Manu Chao) 3:44
Amadou & Mariam, the blind couple from Mali, have certainly paid their dues over the last 30 years, and it's about time they received their big break. Certainly given the excellent reviews in Europe, Dimanche a Bamako could be it, thanks to the production and participation by the elf prince of world music, Manu Chao. He brings a playful lightness to their soulful, bluesy Malian sound, letting in plenty of sunshine, and drawing in a sense of place through the ambience of traffic sounds and snippets of conversation... Even if you don't understand the words, however, the entire disc is an absolute aural joy, poppy enough to be exquisitely memorable, yet with layers of resonance underneath. Likely to be one of the world music albums of 2005, it can hopefully find the kind of wide audience it surely deserves.



Acclaimed artist from Burkina Faso who has incorporated a wide array of influences, including reggae, Latin, jazz, funk, and soul. Mbalax, the intricate dance music of Senegal, has been made more accessible to Western listeners by Cheikh Lô (born Cheikh N'Digel Lô). Softening the hard edges of mbalax and incorporating elements of salsa, Zairian/Congolese rhumba, folk, and jazz, Lô has created an infectious, hook-laden style of pop music.
Sou (Bembeya Jazz National) 3:03
Lamp Fall 4:32
Sénégal-Brésil 4:24
from Lamp Fall 2006
Lamp Fall is the first international release from the Senegalese singer/songwriter and guitarist Cheikh Lô. Issued on World Circuit, it is a collection of traditional and original songs that heavily showcase his trademark mbalax drums, reggae grooves, and funky polyrhythms, with a host of colors and textures added by widely varying instrumentation. This time out, Lô goes to Brazil for inspiration -- about half the album's tracks were recorded in Bahia... In sum, Lamp Fall is a further extension of the already heady mix of styles, rhythms, and harmonics Lô has amassed over the past decade and a half. It's an utter joy in that it's so dense that most of its secrets won't be revealed until many repeated listenings are undertaken. That said, its sunny sheen and easy, airy atmosphere are intoxicating and elegant. This is early candidate for one of the best recordings of 2006.


Lebanese-born oud player who mixes traditional Middle Eastern folk with jazz improvisation. The musical traditions of the Arabic world are fused with jazz improvisation and European classical techniques by Lebanese-born oud player and composer Rabih Abou-Khalil. The CMJ New Music Report noted that Abou-Khalil has "consistently sought to create common ground between the Arab music mileau of his roots and the more global musical world of today." Down Beat praised Abou-Khalil's music as "a unique hybrid that successfully spans the world of traditional Arabic music and jazz."
Mourir Pour Ton Décolleté 7:29
Best If You Dressed Less 7:29
Para O Teu Bumbum 6:55
Le Train Bleu 6:
After twenty-five years and eighteen albums, it is unlikely that Rabih Abou-Khalil is going to spring any great surprises; long ago he found a distinctive individual style and has stuck to it since – with sufficient variations to keep it fresh and interesting. One need only hear this music for a few seconds to identify its creator. Aficionados will find everything that keeps them coming back for more; the characteristic blend of jazz-inflected Arabic melody with subtle rhythms combines into a hypnotic whole, as ever with Abou-Khalil’s fluent oud playing in a central role. On this album, the variation that stops the music becoming formulaic is the inclusion of guest artist Gevorg Dabaghyan, who plays duduk, a Georgian instrument similar to an oboe. In Dabaghyan’s hands, it has a haunting, mournful sound that dominates the album. The opening track, “Mourir Pour Ton Décolleté” is a prolonged showcase for Dabaghyan, and one of the album’s highlights...

2021. augusztus 19., csütörtök

19-08-2021 WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected GLOBAL MUSiC tracks 1998-2007 (2h 48m)



g l o b a l  m u s i c a l   v i l l a g e
19-08-2021 WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected GLOBAL MUSiC tracks 1998-2007 # WmW: Jah Wobble, Ali Farka Touré, Lila Downs, Lúnasa, Tenhi, Danyel Waro, Olivier Ker Ourio, Nigun, Amadou & Mariam, Cheikh Lo, Rabih Abou-Khalil

M  U  S  I  C / WmW 2h 48m

if you want excitement PRESS SHUFFLE!



LISTEN THE PLAYLIST ON DEEZER.COM

http://www.deezer.com/playlist/1681171971


1998-2007



London bassist who brought the funk and dub to Public Image Ltd. before going on to a collaboration-heavy solo career within world music. Jah Wobble is one of the genuine polymaths to emerge from the British post-punk scene of the late 1970s. He is a virtuoso bassist, composer, producer, journalist, poet and author. As a musician, his dub-heavy style weds reggae, jazz, funk, punk, and numerous global folk traditions (from Celtic to Asian music and more)...
Mehmeda Majka Bubage 3:10
St. Mary-Le-Bow 4:04
Mount Zion 12:10
from Umbra Sumus 1998
The strange, spiritual album that is Umbra Sumus is one of the more interesting items released in 1998. Bassist and composer Jah Wobble creates strangely compelling soundscapes that draw textures from a variety of ethnic traditions without explicitly evoking any one of them. .. At times, Jah Wobble's music verges on art-jazz, at times electronica with melodic sound effects, and at times it is in territory that doesn't have a name because nobody else sounds quite like this. Whatever you call this music, it is interesting throughout. .. The name of this album translates as "We Are Shadows," but many listeners will find that this music sheds welcome light on the possibilities of musical fusion.



This talented African guitarist's technique has often been compared to Delta blues legend Robert Johnson. One of the most internationally successful West African musicians of the '90s, Ali Farka Touré was described as "the African John Lee Hooker" so many times that it probably began to grate on both Touré's and Hooker's nerves. There is a lot of truth to the comparison, however, and it isn't exactly an insult...
Ali's Here (Ali Farka Touré) 3:13
Saukare (Ali Farka Touré) 2:51
Instumental (Ali Farka Touré) 4:13
from Niafunké 1999
Malian guitarist Ali Farka Toure's music has always managed global travel with ease and musical grace, shrinking the miles between Western Africa and the Mississippi Delta and seemingly visiting every city in between. Toure has received his share of accolades for blurring the lines between his contemporary/traditional fingerpicking style and "country blues."... He establishes a firm aesthetic residence on Niafunké, his first and most welcome CD in five years. Niafunké was recorded using a state-of-the-art portable studio in Toure's home village of Niafunke, which clearly lends a decisive authentic flavor and sense of musical place to the disc. Each tune is a lithe and resonant labyrinth of call-and-response patterns: a fingerpicked guitar speaks to a one-stringed njarka fiddle, calabash pummelings weave into those of the conga drums, and a lively small chorus answers Toure's authoritative lead vocals. A couple of the best cuts include "Ali's Here" and "Saukare." A beautifully rendered and intoxicating record.



A Mexican-American Laurie Anderson or if Frida Kahlo were a musician instead of a visual artist. Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Lila Downs is among the most globally popular singers of Latin music. One reason is that despite long established roots in Mexico and the United States, her cultural vision is anthropological. Hers is informed by ancient and earthy cultures both from her native Oaxaca -- boleros, rancheras, and mariachis -- and U.S. with its jazz, blues, and soul standards. Her own songwriting topics reflect themes of political and social justice, immigration, transformation, and environmentalism, all rooted in the human condition.
Nueve Viento (Paul Cohen / Lila Downs) 4:46
Luna (Paul Cohen / Lila Downs) 3:38
La Iguana 3:05
from Tree Of Life 2000
Downs' remarkable voice has been compared to both Cesaria Evora and Susana Baca, combining operatic training and jazz chops, while maintaining her Mixtec Indian heritage and incorporating music from many different Latin cultures. Inquisitive fans of worldbeat music will want to investigate Tree of Life.

2021. augusztus 5., csütörtök

05-08-2021 FAVTRAX:MiX ~ 33 FAVOURiTE tracks 1988-1992 (2h 34m)

05-08-2021 FAVTRAX:MiX ~ 33 FAVOURiTE tracks 1988-1992  >>Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, The Rolling Stones, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Lou Reed & John Cale, John Scofield, Massive Attack, A Tribe Called Quest, Gong, Peter Gabriel<<




 M U S I C  (2h 34m)


if you want excitement PRESS SHUFFLE!



.favtrax_mix on deezer

favtraxmix label The player always plays the latest playlist tracks. / A lejátszó mindig a legújabb playlist számait játssza.   


1988-1992


Wildly influential British guitarist who made a splash with the Yardbirds and as a session player before founding Led Zeppelin. Unquestionably one of the all-time most influential, important, and versatile guitarists and songwriters in rock history is Jimmy Page. Just about every rock guitarist from the late '60s/early '70s to the present day has been influenced by Page's work with Led Zeppelin...
Liquid Mercury (Jimmy Page)3:03
Hummingbird Lead voc. Chris Farlowe (Leon Russell) 5:22
Emerald Eyes (Jimmy Page) 3:31
from Outrider 1988
Outrider is an album by Jimmy Page, released by Geffen Records on 19 June 1988. It is his first solo studio album (and his only one as of 2021) and the first time since 1969 he has recorded with a record label other than Atlantic Records/Swan Song Records. Page recorded the music at his personal studio The Sol...


Former Led Zeppelin vocalist whose successful solo career has found him covering a wide range of styles... 1982 solo debut, Pictures at Eleven, Plant pursued a feverishly adventurous solo career, embracing synthesizers and art rock that seemed to be the antithesis of Zeppelin's majestic hard rock, but he'd also later dabble in sampling and world music, while taking detours to reunite with Zep guitarist Jimmy Page for both a rockabilly lark and a folk-based revival of their catalog. 
Tall Cool One (Phil Johnstone / Robert Plant) 4:38
Ship of Fools (Phil Johnstone / Robert Plant) 5:00
Helen of Troy (John Cale / Phil Johnstone / Robert Plant) 5:10
from Now and Zen 1988
After years of trying to separate himself from his legendary status as Led Zeppelin's frontman, Robert Plant finally reconciles with his past on Now & Zen. He borrows a few Zeppelin riffs, and even enlists Jimmy Page to play guitar on his hit "Tall Cool One." This album is also notable in that it marks his first collaboration with keyboardist Phil Johnstone, who would continue to play and write with Plant on subsequent albums.... a must-own for fans of Led Zeppelin.

2021. június 16., szerda

16-06-2021 > WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected GLOBAL MUSiC tracks 1983-1994 # WmW

g l o b a l  m u s i c a l   v i l l a g e
16-06-2021 > WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected GLOBAL MUSiC tracks 1983-1994 # WmW: Afrobeat Airways, Fabrizio De André, Robbie Basho,Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Highlife, Afro-Funk & Juju, Baden Powell, Rabih Abou-Khalil, June Tabor and Oysterband, Cesária Évora, Kiko Veneno, Kampec Dolores, Café Tacvba

M  U  S  I  C / WmW

if you want excitement PRESS SHUFFLE!



LISTEN THE PLAYLIST ON DEEZER.COM

http://www.deezer.com/playlist/1681171971


1983-1994


Uppers International
- Aja Wondo
The Cutlass Band - Obiara Wondo
Los Issufu and His Moslems - Kana Soro
Waza-Afriko 76 - Gbei Kpakpa Hife Sika
From the coastal cities of Accra and Cape Coast, basked in a tropical sound heavily influenced by highlife, to the semi-Saharan cities of Tamalé and Bolgatanga (part of a self-proclaimed 'Islamic Funk Belt') via the central city of Kumasi, Analog Africa has criss-crossed Ghana in search of rare tracks for the Afrobeat Airways series.
Following the success of the first instalment in 2009, Analog Africa is proud to present the second volume - a selection of 13 ultra-rare tracks composed by some of the musical giants who had created a movement that rocked the West African nation throughout the '70s...


With the death of Fabrizio de André from cancer on January 11, 1999, Italy lost one of its best and most modern singer/songwriters. Inspired by the songwriting of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, De André's songs encompassed Genoese folk songs, French protest/social commentary, beatnik "stream of consciousness" poetry, and the soundtracks of Italian film Westerns.
Creuza de Mä (Fabrizio de André / Mauro Pagani)
'A Pittima (Fabrizio de André / Mauro Pagani)
Sinan Capudàn Pascià (Fabrizio de André / Mauro Pagani)
from Crêuza de mä 1984
A curious, fascinating release, Creuza de Ma was named by none less than David Byrne as one of his favorite albums from the '80s -- and, for once, it seems like he really meant it beyond reasons of simple cred-seeking. Creuza de Ma itself isn't in fact an Italian album per se, but a Genoese one, with all lyrics sung in that particular dialect, a blend of Italian, French, and Catalan that's different enough from Italian to require full translations of the words into that language in the liner notes...



Globetrotting French musician whose eclectic body of work encompasses New York's no wave scene and authentic African rhythms.
Long Voodoo Ago
Bravado
After her deep dive into South African music on the 1984 album Zulu Rock, Lizzy Mercier Descloux had hoped to follow in a similar vein with an album recorded in New Orleans featuring both the Soweto crew she had worked with on Zulu Rock and local Cajun and zydeco musicians. However, securing visas for the South Africans proved impossible, and Mercier Descloux and producer Adam Kidron instead traveled to Brazil, where they recorded One for the Soul in Rio de Janeiro.... As it is, for the most part, One for the Soul is a good and clever dance record from an artist capable of a great deal more.

2021. június 15., kedd

15-06-2021 JAZZ.MiX # 33 jazz tracks on the the JAZZ_line 1986-1997 (3h 47m)

 

15-06-2021 JAZZ.MiX # 33 jazz tracks on the the JAZZ_line 1986-1997 (3h 47m)# Ginger Baker, Steve Tibbetts,Bill Frisell, Either/Orchestra, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Sun Ra, David Murray, Allan Holdsworth, Flora Purim, Dave Holland Quartet, Jimmy Smith, Derek Bailey


J A Z Z   M U S I C

if you want excitement PRESS SHUFFLE!


.JAZZ_line on deezer

JAZZ_line  The player always plays the latest playlist tracks. / A lejátszó mindig a legújabb playlist számait játssza.
1986-1997



Legendary rock and jazz drummer, best known as a member of seminal rock/blues supergroup Cream...  Baker made his name entirely on his playing, initially as showcased in Cream, but far transcending even that trio's relatively brief existence. Though he only cut top-selling records for a period of about three years at the end of the '60s, virtually every drummer of every heavy metal band that has followed since that time has sought to emulate some aspect of Baker's playing...
Interlock (Ginger Baker)
Dust To Dust (Ginger Baker)
Bill Laswell's musical career has been a highly collaborative one. Almost every new release from solo excursions to a variety of mercurial group projects finds him engaged with a notable instrumentalist from the arenas of jazz, electronica, funk, hip-hop, reggae, and world music...  Horses & Trees is no exception. Persuaded by Laswell to continue working throughout the second half of 1980s, drummer Ginger Baker produced some of his most stimulating collections, not least of which were the Laswell produced Middle Passage and this 1986 set. The drummer is rock-solid throughout, which means that most of the compositions become a showcase for an impressive lineup of guest musicians that reads like a list of the Bill Laswell all-stars... "Dust to Dust" is the only piece composed solely by Baker (he shares credits everywhere else) and is the most stunning of the set with a repeated section that sounds like an alien hoe-down with world music undertones...  "Uncut" finds the likes of Bernie Worrell, Shankar and Laswell in fine form, taking solos like a jazz combo... Baker, while never caught stealing the show on any track, looms large. On Horses & Trees, his big beat pulls the greatest weight.


St. Paul-based guitarist and sonic experimentalist whose urban-landscape fusion offers a totally original approach to the creation of sound. Steve Tibbetts is a contemporary American guitarist, producer, instructor, recording engineer, and composer. His fusion of exotic and urban landscapes offers a widely acknowledged, totally original approach to the creation of sound. He plays acoustic and electric guitar as well as numerous percussion instruments including kendang and kalimba.
Name Everything (Marc Anderson / Steve Tibbetts)
Your Cat (Marc Anderson / Steve Tibbetts)
from Exploded View 1987
Opening with a bang that builds to a thunderstorm, Exploded View is the definitive Steve Tibbets album. His electric guitar howls defiantly without a lot of power chords or convention, and his musicianship is top-notch, perhaps an Adrian Belew without the pop, plus a nod toward world music in production value. Tibbets scrapes and tears through the sky ("Name Everything," "Your Cat") with jaw-dropping intensity, but it would all be too much if there weren't such rich texture and softness folded into the disc as well. "Drawing Down the Moon" is a comparatively restrained piece with acoustic guitars, shakers, kalimba, congas, and a mixed bag of other percussives. .. The album is also a great showcase for Marc Anderson, a fantastic percussionist who shines here. He really understands the musical dialogue going on between himself and Tibbets' guitar... 



A stunning, eclectic guitarist who blends the best elements of rock energy with jazz harmonic sophistication and melodic interpretation. Guitarist Bill Frisell is widely known as one of the most versatile players in jazz history, despite possessing an instantly recognizable warm, bell-like tone on his instrument. Whether playing avant-jazz with his own bands, exploring various aspects of Americana and pop, or composing film scores, Frisell's focus on timbral clarity and elegance shines through.
Lookout for Hope (Bill Frisell)
Lonesome (Bill Frisell)
Bill Frisell's early work even in its retrospectively rawest form holds all of the values that he has evinced through his entire career. Country and eastern sounds merge with a signature sky church electric approach that is unique unto only himself. Lookout for Hope brands Frisell as a visionary, a virtuoso, and a fusioneer of many sounds that set him far apart from labelmates Pat Metheny, John Abercrombie, and Terje Rypdal... there is a sense of peace and serenity that puts soulfulness on a different plane. Cellist Hank Roberts and bassist Kermit Driscoll have much to do with giving Frisell his head, weaving similar silver sounds in and through him. Then add Joey Baron's deft, precise, and colorful drumming to put the exclamation point on Frisell's new approach to improvised music... With Lookout for Hope, Bill Frisell is not so much setting trends and fashion as he is establishing a fresh sound, utterly unique from all others, and laying a foundation for many things to come.

2021. március 24., szerda

03-24-2021 JAZZ.MiX # 33 jazz tracks on the the JAZZ_line 1980-1990

 

03-24-2021 JAZZ.MiX # 33 jazz tracks on the the JAZZ_line 1980-1990 # John Scofield,Carla Bley, Don Cherry, Latif Kahn, Kenny Burrell,Pat Metheny,Wynton Marsalis, Ginger Baker, Steve Tibbetts,Bill Frisell, Either/Orchestra, Rabih Abou-Khalil


J A Z Z   M U S I C

if you want excitement PRESS SHUFFLE!


.JAZZ_line on deezer

JAZZ_line  The player always plays the latest playlist tracks. / A lejátszó mindig a legújabb playlist számait játssza.
1980-1990


A dazzling electric guitarist with a steely tone and fluid lines to mark his distinctive post-bop style. Known for his distinctive, slightly distorted sound, guitarist John Scofield is a masterful jazz improviser who has straddled the lines between straight-ahead post-bop, fusion, funk, and soul-jazz. One of the big three of late-20th-century jazz guitarists (along with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell), Scofield's influence grew in the '90s and continued into the 21st century.
Fat Dancer (John Scofield)
Beckon Call (Gary Campbell)
Never (Steve Swallow)
from Bar Talk 1980
1980's Bar Talk features a young John Scofield already showing the virtuosity on guitar that subsequently made him a giant in his field. Scofield -- who honed his chops with artists like Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Chet Baker, and Charles Mingus -- displays his talents here as both a player and composer. Scofield is joined in the venture by Steve Swallow on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums -- a perfectly balanced trio...  The album was well received at the time of its printing in 1980. Its influence has grown, becoming a jazz guitar classic, often listed as a favorite recording by professional critics, other musicians, and fans alike...The musician likes to joke around and have fun, but make no mistake, John Scofield is serious about his music.


Genre-bending jazz pianist and composer, known for her avant-garde work, whose writing style is unique and highly regarded.
Reactionary Tango (In Three Parts) (Carla Bley / Steve Swallow)
Útviklingssang (Carla Bley)
Walking Batteriewoman (Carla Bley)
from Social Studies 1981
Not everything Carla Bley has done has been artistically successful, but much of it has -- and the imaginative, good-humored pianist/organist/composer certainly deserves credit for daring to take so many risks. Bley's risk-taking serves her quite well on Social Studies, an unorthodox and adventurous pearl that is as rewarding as it is cerebral. Highlights of this LP range from "Reactionary Tango" (an abstract take on Argentinian music) to the melancholy "Utviklingssang" to the angular quasi-hard bop number "Walking Batteriewoman." This time, Bley leads a nonet, and the star soloists include Carlos Ward (soprano and alto sax), Tony Dagradi (tenor sax, clarinet), Gary Valente (trombone), and frequent allies Michael Mantler (trumpet) and Steve Swallow (electric bass). Bley doesn't allot herself much solo space, but the results are appealing when she does.


One of the most influential jazz musicians of the late 20th century, thanks to his imagination and passion for exploration. Imagination and a passion for exploration made Don Cherry one of the most influential jazz musicians of the late 20th century. A founding member of Ornette Coleman's groundbreaking quartet of the late '50s, Cherry continued to expand his musical vocabulary until his death in 1995.
Untitled / Inspiration from Home
Air Mail
Sangam
from Music / Sangam 1982
Awesome trippy slow pulsing space jazz with electronics, spacey vocals, and Indian percussion! This is a great reisue of a little known Don Cherry album that was recorded in collaboration with Indian master percussionist Latif Khan. Recorded in 1978 and released in the early eighties on a small European label, this is the nearest thing to a follow-up to Don Cherry's essential Brown Rice album. Like that album, it fuses cosmic electronics, hypnotic percussion, and spacey vocals to create a kind of forward-looking worldbeat jazz that sounds fresher than ever!

2020. február 19., szerda

19-02-2020 > WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected ETHNiC FUSiON tracks 1996-1984

AFRICANDO

19-02-2020 > WORLD:MUSiC:MiX # 33 selected ETHNiC FUSiON tracks 1996-1984 # WmW:   Africando, The Klezmatics, Danyel Waro, Mahotella Queens, Strunz & Farah, Oliver Mtukudzi, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Astor Piazzolla, Los Lobos, Pata Negra, Issa Juma And Super Wanyika Stars, Dead Can Dance, Lizzy Mercier Descloux

M  U  S  I  C / WmW

if you want excitement PRESS SHUFFLE!


LISTEN THE PLAYLIST ON DEEZER.COM
http://www.deezer.com/playlist/1681171971

1996-1984




Africando represents a cross-cultural collaboration between top-ranked, New York-based, Latin musicians and African vocalists. 
Africando
Gombo (Boncana Maïga / Nicholas Menheim) 5:10
Diaraf 5:37
from Gombo Salsa 1996
On Gombo Salsa, Africando moves into even higher and hotter musical territory. The band continues to polish its radiant mixture of classic mambos, sones, boleros, and cha-chas. However, on this album listeners do not hear the voice of Pape Seck. He died unexpectedly in 1995 before the release of their second album. His raspy, gritty voice will never be forgotten by all music lovers the world over. His phrasing and timing, combined with an earthy, sensual feel, place him among the immortals. With his irreplaceable loss, Africando decided to employ other great soneros from Africa and Cuba. The result is the strong vocal front line of Medoune Diallo, Nicholas Menheim, and Ronnie Baro. Bolstering this lineup is the venerable veteran Gnonnas Pedro from Benin, who assures listeners that in the music lies the truth...

Inimitable N.Y.C. band blends klezmer music and socially conscious lyrics with contemporary rock, funk, and avant-garde jazz.
The Klezmatics
Man in a Hat (The Klezmatics / David Lindsay / Traditional) 3:03
Khsidim Tants (Traditional) 4:17
from Jews with Horns 1995
Picture the Reverend Horton Heat with a yarmulke, if you like. Or "Fiddler on the Roof" with Coltraneian complexity. Just don't expect somber religious music. The Klezmatics' brand of Jewish klezmer is as spirited as it is spiritual. The fast numbers, which dominate their third album, are frenzied celebratory drinking songs -- a true revival of the community spirit which spawned this eastern European brand of folk music. All that happiness poses a sequencing challenge: Where do you put the few downbeat stylistic diversions (a Yiddish labor song from 1889; a thunderously moving, jazzy clarinet improvisation; an eerie poem with a classical arrangement)? Jews With Horns suffers a little for hiding most of its variety at the end of the album. But that's a quibble in the face of such top-notch musicianship...


Danyel Waro was born and raised at the Ile de la Réunion, a French territory in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar. A descendant of French colonists, he is the most renowned proponent of the Maloya, a compound rhythm which had its origin in chants of enslaved workers on the sugar cane plantations, a sort of "blues à la Réunion." Maloya is seen as a strong force of Réunion identity and was at times even banned by the French authorities governing the island. Whereas the archaic Maloya consisted first of all chants sung over traditional percussion instruments, Waro must be credited with having expanded the Maloya style to transport a message and through his performances, music, and lyrics, live up to a new unity. 
Danyel Waro ‎
Batarsité 8:05
Tikok 7:15
from Batarsité 1994
...WARO was born in Le Tampon on the southern slopes of the volcano that forms the island of Réunion and exemplifies the island’s heritage as someone who is of mixed race having been descended from both colonists and slaves. Having grown up in the most primitive conditions with no running water, no electricity and subjected to a hard life of eking out a living from the land, the lack of luxuries left its toll on WARO’s psyche which has forever connected him to the land and the plight of a colonized island that still suffers from the ramifications of the historical injustices. These traditional musical forms have been used as a political weapon to sharpen the psyche and instill a sense of pride amongst the people who have suffered from the fervent,  even militant dominion of France’s iron fist throughout the centuries....


The Queens, often heard in concert and on record with deep-voiced "groaner" Simon Mahlathini, represent the South African township style with absolute perfection. Established in 1964 as a session harmony group, they came to prominence in the '70s with their tough vocal style and rock-solid mbaqanga backing band.
Mahotella Queens
Women of the World (Eileen Butler / Mike Pilot) 3:01
Africa (Allan Schlosberg) 4:28
from Women of the World 1993
Although usually heard backing the groans and surging vocals of Mahlathini, the Mahotella Queens can certainly perform on their own. A working unit since 1964, they show on this new release that their harmonies and leads deserve attention on their own. There are celebratory praise songs such as "Africa" and the title track...