Anouar Brahem – Blue Maqams (ECM Records, 2017) Blue Maqams brings together Anouar Brahem, one of the great masters of the oud, and three of…
Extraordinarily Expressive Contemporary Maqams
Category: Album reviews
Moravian Folk Music Transformations
Dálava – The Book of Transfigurations (Songlines Recordings, 2017) The Book of Transfigurations is a collaboration between two American artists, vocalist Julia Ulehla and…
Leila Gobi’s Malian Trance Music
Leila Gobi – 2017 (Clermont Music CLE 019CD, 2017) Eastern Malian vocalist Leila Gobi has recorded her second album titled 2017, scheduled for release October…
Baraka Moon’s Magic Carpet Ride across the Globe
Baraka Moon – Wind Horse (Baraka Moon Music, 2017) Following up on their 2016 release of Eternal, the San Francisco based Baraka Moon is back…
The Rich Sounds of Afro-Cuban Percussion
Michael Spiro & Joe Galvin – Bákini: En el Nuevo Mundo (Iu Music, 2017) Bakini: En el Nuevo Mundo is a celebration of Afro-Latin percussion…
Impeccable and Spellbinding Performances by Omar Faruk Tekbilek
Omar Faruk Tekbilek – Love Is My Religion (Alif Records, 2017) Love Is My Religion out on the Alif Records label, the latest offering by…
Carmen Souza’s Transatlantic Vocal Brilliance
Carmen Souza – Creology (Galileo Music, 2017) On Creology, Carmen Souza continues to explore Cape Verdean, Brazilian and other lusophone influences interweaving jazz elements. Carmen’s…
The Pan-American Musical Travels of Ladama
Ladama – Ladama (Six Degrees, 2017) Ladama is a talented female ensemble featuring musicians from Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and the United States. The band’s self-titled…
Swimming in Mercury
Boo Hewerdine – Swimming In Mercury (Reveal Records, 2017) Although British singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine is considered a folk singer in the UK, Swimming in Mercury…
Refreshing Bab El West
Bab El West – Douar (Big Banana Music, 2017) Bab El West is a new French band that combines North African music influences with rock,…