Kenyatta “Culture” Hill Pass the Torch (Tafari Records 1046, 2007) The sudden 2006 death of Joseph Hill, leader of roots reggae harmony trio Culture, robbed…
View More In PassingCategory: Album reviews
Rekindled Ska Fire
Blue Riddim Ska Inferno (Markosa Records 2010, 2009) The idea of a white reggae band is one that would raise no eyebrows nowadays, but such…
View More Rekindled Ska FireDazzling Fula Musical Ride
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba I Speak Fula (Sub Pop/Next Ambiance, 2010) Riding high on the success of 2007’s Segu Blue and his upcoming U.S.…
View More Dazzling Fula Musical RideTaking Tanzania’s Temperature
Various Artists Zanzibara, Vol. 5: Hot in Dar – Le Son de la Tanzanie 1978-1983 (Buda Musique 860184, 2009) During the late ‘70s and early…
View More Taking Tanzania’s TemperatureTuareg Footsteps
Various Artists Footsteps in Africa: A Nomadic Journey (Kiahkeya, 2009) Footsteps in Africa: A Nomadic Journey is the soundtrack to a documentary film by director…
View More Tuareg FootstepsBringing Ethiopian Grooves to the Rest of the World
Tommy T The Prester John Sessions (Easy Star Records, 2009) The Prester John Sessions is the debut album of Tommy T, one of the most…
View More Bringing Ethiopian Grooves to the Rest of the WorldPreserving the Essence of Zanzibar
Culture Musical Club Shime! (World Village, 2009) The first thing that you’ll notice when you see Culture Musical Club’s photos in the CD booklet is…
View More Preserving the Essence of ZanzibarStrides of March
March Fourth Marching Band Rise Up (MarchFourth Music, 2009) You can pretty much forget everything you think you know about how a marching band should…
View More Strides of MarchMediterranean Celts
Loreena McKennitt A Mediterranean Odyssey (Quinlan Road, 2009) The great Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist Loreena McKennitt has a new beautifully packaged two-CD set titled A…
View More Mediterranean CeltsRejuvenated Acadian Melodies
Chuck & Albert Energie (2009) Canadian duo Chuck & Albert have a new album titled Energie that gives new life to ancient French-Acadian songs. This…
View More Rejuvenated Acadian Melodies