Various Artists – Passion of Percussion (Times Music / Pasión Turca, 2006)
This is easily one of the best percussion compilations around, with two CDs packing close to 20 tracks of percussive bliss. CD One features the instruments darbuka, jembe, dohola, req and bendir, all from the Middle East and northern Africa. Disc Two features these instruments along with saxophone and vocals.
Each track on the CDs is superb. On CD One the energetic pieces ‘Cingenem,’ ‘Simarik’ and ‘Deli Gonlum’ really stand out. CD Two has excellent tracks in ‘Kings of Tomorrow’ and ‘Istanbul Grooves.’
So if you can’t make it to Turkey, listening to this exhilarating album is the next best thing!
Author: Madanmohan Rao
Madanmohan Rao is an author and media consultant from Bangalore, and global correspondent for world music and jazz for World Music Central and Jazzuality. He has written over 15 books on media, management and culture, and is research director for YourStory Media. Madan was formerly World Music Editor at Rave magazine and RJ at WorldSpace, and can be followed on Twitter at @MadanRao.