Briganti di Terra d’Otranto Focu de paja (Italian World Music, 2009) Briganti di Terra d’Otranto is an exciting contemporary tarantella band from the Apulia region…
The Vibrant Beats of Apulia
Category: Album reviews
Indian Influence in Spice Groove
Various Artists Spice Groove (WorldWide Records, 2003) Legendary DJs like Ravin of The Buddhar Bar in Paris have put Indian sound firmly in the global…
Grinding a Few African Axes
Some musical instruments are unique to Africa, some Western instruments are derived from Africa and some instruments have seemingly nothing to do with Africa until…
Warsaw Village Band Explores the North
Warsaw Village Band Nord (JARO Medien, 2012) Warsaw Village Band, one of the finest contemporary folk music bands from Eastern Europe, explores the ancient connections…
Mundofonias’ The Ultimate Guide to Spanish Folk Music
Various Artists The Ultimate Guide to Spanish Folk (Arc Music, 2013) This compilation of Spanish folk music was put together by the Mundofonías team, Juan…
Rip Roaring Romp with The Blues
Trampled Under Foot Badlands (Telarc/Concord Music Group, 2013) Possessed with a juke joint soulfulness against a home town rock band sensibility, the rock/blues group Trampled…
Hipshaking Tambo
Al Santiago presents Tambo (Rykodisc, 1998) Al Santiago is one of the giants of salsa music, right up there with as a promoter and conductor…
Grippy Grappa
Monsieur Doumani Grippy Grappa (Monsieur Doumani, 2013) Monsieur Doumani is a world music group from the small island nation of Cyprus, located in the Mediterranean.…
Cool Summer Grooves from New Zealand
Fat Freddy’s Drop Blackbird (The Drop, 2013) New Zealand soul masters have a great new recording with the coolest grooves for the summer of 2013.…
Splendid Tony McManus Ventures into the Classical Music Field
Tony McManus Mysterious Boundaries (Compass Records, 2013) Tony McManus’ skilled fingerstyle technique has earned him a fabulous reputation as one of the finest guitarists in…