Various Artists – Lagos Chop Up (Honest Jon’s Records HJR CD15, 2005) Various Artists – Lagos All Routes (Honest Jon’s Records HJR CD17, 2005) Nigeria…
All Roads Lead to Lagos
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.
Arabsolutes
Le Trio Joubran – Randana (Fairplay/Randana FP500, 2006) The Chicago Classical Oriental Ensemble – The Songs of Sheikh Sayyed Darweesh: Soul of a People (Xauen…
Chosen Music
Maurice El Medioni Meets Roberto Rodriguez – Descarga Oriental (Piranha CDPIR2003, 2006) The Afro-Semitic Experience – Plea for Peace (Reckless DC Music RMCD-1052, 2005) Think…
Alexander’s Reggaetime Band
Monty Alexander Concrete Jungle: The Music of Bob Marley (Telarc CD-83635, 2006) This isn’t the first time Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander has jazzed up reggae…
Back in Fighting Form
UB40 Who You Fighting for? (Rhino R2 73305, 2006) I wasn’t ready to write off UB40. True, they hadn’t made a really good album in…
Good to See Ya, Tanzania
Various Artists The Rough Guide to the Music of Tanzania (World Music Network RGNET 1158 CD, 2006) A quick scan through my hopelessly disorganized collection…
Taarab of Ages
Zanzibara 1 – Ikhwani Safaa Musical Club: A Hundred Years of Taarab in Zanzibar (Buda Musique 860118, 2005) Zanzibara 2 – Various Artists: Golden Years…
Brazil Chill Thrill
Various Artists Brazilian Lounge(Putumayo PUTU 247, 2006) This collection might be seen as the flip side of Putumayo’s Acoustic Brazil from last year, continuing a…
Chants Encounter
Vocal Baobab Yoruba Dream: Afro-Cuban Chants (ARC Music EUCD 1965, 2005) The Yoruba pantheon of deities forming the basis of the Santeria religion have their…
African Convergence
Nuru Kane Sigil (Riverboat Records/World Music Network TUGCD 1041, 2006) This dynamic disc was recorded in a Scottish country cottage and a Paris studio, but…