Hip Hop Hoodios Carne Masada: Quite Possibly the Best of Hip Hop (Jazzhead, 2009) The name of this collective, Hip Hop Hoodios, is…
View More Hoodio HoppingAuthor: Angel Romero
Nomadic Chalaparta
Oreka TX Nomadak Tx (World Village, 2009) In 2006, two musicians from San Sebastian in Spain’s Basque country, Harkaitz Martínez and Igor Otxoa (who use…
View More Nomadic ChalapartaBorder Techno
Nor-tec Rifa!: Electronic Dance Music from Tijuana to the World by Alejandro L. Madrid (Oxford University Press) Border towns are fascinating urban centers, which are…
View More Border TechnoMesmerizing Visions
Joyce, Naná Vasconcelos and Mauricio Maestro Visions of Dawn (Far Out Recordings, 2009) The 1970s were years of exploration and high creativity in music. Brazil…
View More Mesmerizing VisionsMalian Invitation
Amadou and Mariam Welcome To Mali (Nonesuch, 209) Malian duo Amadou and Mariam benefit from great publicity and acceptance in some world music circles. The…
View More Malian InvitationMemories in Sound at Tenri Cultural Institute in New York
The ISSA Sonus ensemble presents its second concert this season on Saturday, April 11th -7.30pm at Tenri Cultural Institute, 43A West 13th Street in Manhattan,…
View More Memories in Sound at Tenri Cultural Institute in New YorkAmerican Pianist Debuts on the Right Footing
Mariah Parker Sangria (Ancient Future, 2009) Let’s not judge books by their cover. Therefore, forget about the amateurish cover exhibited by Sangria, the first recording…
View More American Pianist Debuts on the Right FootingConnecting Poland’s Forgotten Ancestors to the Youngest Generations
Warsaw Village Band Infinity (Barbes Records; April 7th) Poland’s Warsaw Village Band has become one of the most significant folk bands in eastern Europe. The…
View More Connecting Poland’s Forgotten Ancestors to the Youngest GenerationsUkulele Powerhouse
Jake Shimabukuro Live (Hitchhike Records, 2009) Ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro has taken the venerable small Hawaiian musical instrument to new heights. Shimabukuro is one of…
View More Ukulele PowerhouseAfro-Cuban Infectious Energy
Cuban musician and composer Juan de Marcos Gonzalez deserves more credit than he gets. Not only did he put together the renowned Afro-Cuban All Stars,…
View More Afro-Cuban Infectious Energy
