Black Rio, Vol. 2: Original Samba Soul 1968-1981 (Strut Records STRUTO45CD, 2009) Wah-wah guitars, synthesized string swells, funky bass lines, James Brown-styled grooves and lyrics…
Sounds of Brazilian Blackness
Author: Tom Orr
Tom Orr is a California-based writer whose talent and mental stability are of an equally questionable nature. His hobbies include ignoring trends, striking dramatic poses in front of his ever-tolerant wife and watching helplessly as his kids surpass him in all desirable traits.
Maximum Makasound
Winston McAnuff – Nostradamus (Makafresh/Makasound, 2008) Merger – Exiles in a Babylon (Makasound, 2009) Takana Zion – Rappel a l’Ordre (Makafresh/Makasound, 2009) Niominka Bi and…
Last Train to Bamako
Rail Band Belle Epoque, Vol. 3: Dioba (Sterns Africa STCD 3043-44) This third and final double CD spotlighting the 1970-1983 output of Mali’s legendary Rail…
A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts
Ocote Soul Sounds and Adrian Quesada Coconut Rock (ESL Music ESL151, 2009) This second collaboration between multi-instrumentalists and modern-day musical Renaissance Men Martin Perna and…
Storm in the East
Lily Storm If I Had a Key to the Dawn: Love Songs and Laments From Eastern Europe (Songbat Records SB701, 2009) It’s amazing how far…
Song and Spirit
Inbar Bakal Song of Songs (Electrophone Records, 2009) At only six songs and 26 minutes in length, this is a sampler and not an album.…
When the Eagle Flies
Mamer – Eagle (Real World USCDRW165, 2009) This hypnotic little daydream of a CD is going to be a revelation for anyone who believes they…
A Tavares Triple
Sara Tavares Sara Tavares – Alive in Lisboa (Times Square Records/World Connection TSQCD 9068, 2008) Portuguese-born Sara Tavares has a new release coming out soon,…
Kind of Blue
Music from the Blue Nile (ARC Music EUCD 2212, 2009) Most mentions of Sudan nowadays are likely to be about the ongoing conflict there and…
Last of His Kind
Mamane Barka Introducing Mamane Barka (World Music Network INTRO114CD, 2009) Will every instrument originating on African soil eventually be heard by the rest of the…