Ibrahim Ferrer – Ay, Candela (Escondida ESC 6513-2, 2005) Ruben Gonzalez – Momentos (Escondida ESC 6514-2, 2005) Omara Portuondo – Sentimiento (Escondida ESC 6516-2, 2005)…
New Cuban Series Packs Only the Essentials
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.
Re-check Your Pulse
Steel Pulse – True Democracy (Elektra/Rhino R2 79287, 2005) Steel Pulse – Earth Crisis (Elektra/Rhino R2 74687, 2005) These two albums, originally released in 1982…
Uzbekistandards
Ochilbek Matchonov Music From Central Asia: Uzbekistan on the Silk Road (ARC Music EUCD 1946, 2005) Music from the Silk Road regions and countries ending…
Palm World Voices Sets Out on the Right Path
Pioneering Producer Chris Blackwell (who helped make an international star of Bob Marley years ago) recently cemented a new partnership between his own Palm Pictures…
Let the Son Shine In
Sierra Maestra Son: Soul of a Nation (World Music Network/Riverboat Records TUGCD1039, 2005) No band is better qualified to present an album celebrating the history…
Hero Worship
Christopher Hedge The New Heroes (Triloka/Artemis TRI-CD-82056) I haven’t seen the Robert Redford-hosted PBS documentary that this is the soundtrack for. Still, perhaps it’s an…
Refined Music of the Yaya Diallohood
Alpha Yaya Diallo Djama (Jericho Beach Music JBM0501, 2005) Born in Guinea but presently residing in Vancouver, guitarist/singer Alpha Yaya Diallo gives his fifth album…
Sharing the Land
Keola Beamer and R. Carlos Nakai Our Beloved Land (Canyon Records CR 7071, 2005) R. Carlos Nakai, master of the Native American flute, has done…
In the Red
Blood and Fire All Stars Run it Red (Blood and Fire BAFCD 047, 2005) Mich Hucknall, frontman for the U.K. soul/pop band Simply Red, didn’t…
Celtic All Over
Various Artists The Rough Guide to Celtic Music (World Music Network 1155 CD, 2005) Most folks know by now that “Celtic” and “Irish” are not…