Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective Watina (Cumbancha CMB-CD-3, 2007) The Garifuna of Central America, descendants of African slaves who survived a 17th century shipwreck…
View More Garifuna Roots ReplantedAuthor: Tom Orr
A Twist of Fado
RosaNegra Fado Ladino (ARC Music EUCD 2046, 2007) It’s really only the singing on this disc that conjures up the blue moods of Portuguese fado…
View More A Twist of FadoReggae the Easy Way
Various Artists Six the Hard Way (Heartbeat 11661-7829-2, 2006) In case you can’t afford the whole line of Studio One reggae reissues recently put out…
View More Reggae the Easy WayFortunate Son?
Vieux Farka Toure Vieux Farka Toure (World Village 468065, 2007) Following in the footsteps of a parent who’s nothing short of legendary in the music…
View More Fortunate Son?All That Jazz
Source with Abdoulaye Diabate – Tonight’s African Jazz Band (CompletelyNuts Records CTN 001, 2006) Tribaljazz – Tribaljazz (Hidden Beach Recordings HBRCD 00001, 2006) Having the…
View More All That JazzCall Him Ismael
Ismael Lo Senegal (Wrasse Records WRASS 183, 2006) I’d almost forgotten how good this guy is. Sure, Ismael Lo has released music since the last…
View More Call Him IsmaelMore Hot Sauce From the Hot Source
Africando Ketukuba (Stern’s Africa STCD 1103, 2006) In my snobbish opinion, the scantily-clad young woman on the cover of this CD should be astride a…
View More More Hot Sauce From the Hot SourceA Beaten Path Between Africa and Haiti
Bonga and the Voudou Drums of Haiti – Ayiti Afrika (Bongamusic, 2006) Not to be confused with the legendary Angolan singer named Bonga, Gaston “Bonga”…
View More A Beaten Path Between Africa and HaitiLet’s Get Ready to Rumba
Various Artists Roots of Rumba Rock: Congo Classics 1953-1955 (Crammed Discs CRAW 33, 2006) If the thought of two CD’s worth of Congolese rumba more…
View More Let’s Get Ready to RumbaTartit’s Twofold Tuareg Trance Tunes
Tartit Abacabok (Crammed Discs Craw 34-P, 2006) The first and second tracks on this CD give you a pretty good idea of the two worlds…
View More Tartit’s Twofold Tuareg Trance Tunes