World Village Records announced that Ibrahim Ag Alhabi will join Tinariwen this month and in March for the group’s concerts in the United States and Canada. Ibrahim Ag Alhabi is the most recognizable member of Tuareg band Tinariwen and was unable to join his fellow bandmates on their most recent North American tours. The 2010 North American Tour starts February 15 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Tinariwen's most recent recording is Imidiwan. Staying true to their desert rock/blues sound, Imidiwan pulses with lithe, intertwined guitar lines, earthy vocals and rolling rhythms of the group's Tuareg roots. The members of Tinariwen took up the reins of the recording of Imidiwan by convincing producer Jean-Paul Romann to travel with them to the Malian village of Tessalit to record in a rented house and out in the bush. The resulting sound is alternatively fiery and poignant.

Tour Dates:

On February 9th the dancehall legend Sanchez is back with his new album Now & Forever. His gift for crooning romantic lyrics over hard edged dancehall riddims has earned him numerous hits throughout the past two decades and legions of fans.

The veteran recording artist and consummate performer, Sanchez makes his return to the scene with this new 15 track studio album produced by Donovan Germain of Penthouse Recordings.

Songs for Reggae Lovers 3 releases on February 9th, this album aims straight for the heart; presenting 30 top hits from reggae’s brightest stars, singing about love. Specially prepared for Valentine’s Day, this collection showcases old and new favorites including the latest hit from rising UK vocalist Gappy Ranks titled ‘The Rain’.

Covers for Reggae Lovers presents a collection of Reggaefied love songs for music fans of all kinds; Covers for Reggae Lovers will be available February 9th. It features a range of musical styles from new and veteran reggae artists. Stand out tracks include; Janet Kay ‘Take A Bow’, One Third ‘ I Wanna Know What Love Is’ and Calvin Richardson with ‘There Goes My Baby’.

Silk and Bamboo Ensemble - Traditional Chinese Music (Arc Music, 2008)

Chen Dacan's Chinese Ensemble - Classical Chinese Folk Music, featuring the Chinese flute (Arc Music EUCD2193, 2009)

Two recordings on the ARC Music label provide a fascinating view of Chinese traditional music made by Chinese expatriates. Silk and Bamboo Ensemble presents a collection of traditional, regional and contemporary ensemble and solo pieces titled Traditional Chinese Music. The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble, based in London, UK, is a group of virtuoso, classically trained musicians led by pipa and guqin player Cheng Yu.

Lawson Rollins - Espirito (Infinita Records INF-204, 2010)

Chris Burton Jacome - Levanto (CBJ 1347, 2010)

Even with all sorts of instruments that were once unfamiliar and exotic becoming well known through wider awareness of global music, it’s good to see and hear that old standby, the guitar, still getting a share of the spotlight. In the hands of a master, your basic six-string can charm, inspire, impassion, mystify and stir emotions every which way.

Lawson Rollins is just such a master, playing with lightning-fast precision when he so chooses but also caressing gentler subtleties out of his axe and, even though it’s his name above the title on Espirito, working as a team player and sharing the solo space. A wise move, given that he’s joined by an international gathering of musicians including such notables as renowned violinist Charlie Bisharat, Cuban drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, Persian kamancheh wizard Kayhan Kalhor and Brazilian icons Airto Moreira and Flora Purim alongside the steady hands of Randy Tico (bass) and Dave Bryant (percussion).

Real Vocal String Quartet

Real Vocal String Quartet (Flower Note Records, 2010)

Although there are a lot of string quartets out there, the all-female Real Vocal String Quartet stands out because of its beautiful combination of violins, cello and viola with polyphonic vocals performed by the instrumentalists. Irene Sazer (violin and vocals), Dina Maccabee (viola and vocals), Alisa Rose (violin and vocals), and Jessiva Ivry  (cello and vocals) take string ensemble chamber music and blend it with American bluegrass, Brazilian melodies written by the legendary Pixinguinha, Balkan influences, African rhythms inspired by Mali's Tinariwen and jazz improvisation.

Youssou N'Dour

Music From the Motion Picture I Bring What I Love (Nonesuch, 2010)

The critically acclaimed documentary I Bring What I Love, directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, details the musical and spiritual journey of singer, songwriter and Senegalese pop icon Youssou N'Dour after the controversial Nonesuch release of his stunning 2004 Grammy Award-winning Egypt, but the easy success of the film is certainly the soundtrack.

Oscilloscope Laboratories is expected to release the DVD in April of 2010 and hopefully we'll get a sneak look at the film, but the Nonesuch release of the Music From the Motion Picture I Bring What I Love is a sweet consolation. Pooling tracks from Mr. N'Dour's career, the soundtrack I Bring What I Love is quintessentially N'Dour, full of the singer's bright, intoxicating easy swing and unpretentious grace.