NOMO – Ghost Rock (Ubiquity Recordings URCD230, 2008) The Lions – Jungle Struttin’ (Ubiquity Recordings URCD222, 2008) Headquartered just down the road from me in…
Ubiquitous Grooves
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.
African Deluge
Balla et Ses Balladins – The Syliphone Years (Sterns Africa STCD3035/3036, 2008) Samba Mapangala & Virunga – African Classics (Sheer Sound SLCD 149, 2008) Fallou…
Reggae Roots Rediscovered, Revitalized and Reality-Checked
Claudius Linton – Roots Master: The Vintage Roots Reggae Singles Volume 1 (Sun King Records SUNK224, 2007) Taj Weekes and Adowa – Deidem (Jatta Records,…
Sarawak and Don’t Look Back
A Report from the Rainforest World Music Festival – July 11-13, 2008 It was hard to grasp even as the plane carrying me further and…
Old, Gold and Still Bold
The Rough Guide to Calypso Gold (World Music Network RGNET 1213, 2008) I was okay with calypso morphing into soca back in the ‘80s, but…
Good Golly Mali
The Rough Guide to the Music of Mali (World Music Network RGNET 1208, 2008) It’s been said numerous times and hardly bears repeating that Mali…
A Quibble-less Quebec Quickie
Putumayo Presents Quebec (Putumayo PUTU 279, 2008) I visited Quebec several times as a youngster with my Canadian father, and despite my tender years was…
Fine China
Sa Dingding Alive (Wrasse Records WRASS 213, 2007) I’d be the most terrible of liars if I said I possessed anything resembling a comprehensive knowledge…
More Than One Way To Rock
Rachid Taha Rock el Casbah: The Best Of (Wrasse Records WRASS 215, 2007) While there’s not a release by Algerian/French vocalist Rachid Taha that isn’t…
Variations on a Cuban Theme
Yusa Haiku (Tumi Music TUMI 143, 2008) I had to do a bit of memory jogging and digging through my collection when I received this…