“Boogaloo For Bees” has not only a nice literal and figurative buzz to it, but also a quirky cool Latin feel courtesy of a band…
View More Idiosyncratic Latin Sounds by Danish Percussionist Benita HaastrupAuthor: Tom Orr
Ukulele MJ ‘s Optimistic Uke Sounds
The Netherlands’ Ukulele MJ skillfully demonstrates the emotive range of her chosen instrument with “Lost World,” a grand mosaic of strummed and picked sounds that…
View More Ukulele MJ ‘s Optimistic Uke SoundsThe Bolokos, High energy Gwo Ka from Guadeloupe
A mix of punk rock and Guadeloupean gwo ka? I’m game. The Bolokos, a hard-hitting trio from Guadeloupe, achieve that blend with “Koute Pou Tann,”…
View More The Bolokos, High energy Gwo Ka from GuadeloupeChinese Reggae Discovery
I know precious little about the reggae scene in China as a whole and even less so about how it stands in the remote province…
View More Chinese Reggae DiscoveryRemarkable Reggae by Babylon North
Some surprisingly authentic roots reggae has come my way from the unlikely locale of Sweden over the years, and the latest example of such is…
View More Remarkable Reggae by Babylon NorthLoose Ends Tied
The new year isn’t new anymore, so there goes that angle of my tying into a kind of transition point with which to frame these…
View More Loose Ends TiedSplendid Middle Eastern Fusion by Mixed World Ensemble
Israeli Guitarist Guy Gottesfeld and the aptly-named Mixed World Ensemble shine brilliantly on “Origins,” an exquisitely layered piece with Middle Eastern inflections, hypnotic wordless vocals…
View More Splendid Middle Eastern Fusion by Mixed World EnsembleYeisy Rojas presents Sizzling Afro-Cuban Rhythms
Yeisy Rojas, a Cuban who relocated to Norway to earn a master’s degree in jazz violin, teaches a potent lesson of cultural respect with her…
View More Yeisy Rojas presents Sizzling Afro-Cuban RhythmsTrain to Roots Appeal for Peace
“Paxi (LKJ)” by Italian reggae band Train to Roots effectively cops the riddim and melody from dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson’s “Bass Culture” and turns…
View More Train to Roots Appeal for PeaceSpirited Song by The Static Dive
Lounge-ready yet rather spunky, “Welcome to the Bluelight” is a Latin-flavored charmer by The Static Dive, which is the professional name of American instrumentalist Bob…
View More Spirited Song by The Static Dive