Stephen Marley Revelation Pt. 1 The Root of Life (Tuff Gong / Universal Republic, 2011) There’s no denying that the recorded works of Bob Marley’s…
View More Life RevealedCategory: Album reviews
Joropo Dynamos
Cimarrón ¡Cimarrón! Joropo Music from the Plains of Colombia (Smithsonian Folkways Records SFW40557, 2011) Cimarron is one of the leading exponents of Colombian musica llanera,…
View More Joropo DynamosRock the Caravan
Terakaft Aratan N Azawad (World Village, 2011) Like their contemporaries Tinariwen, Mali’s Terakaft is comprised of Tuareg rebel souls who traded guns for guitars, finding…
View More Rock the CaravanSpectacular Arabian Nights Live
Kristjan Jarvi’s Absolute Ensemble Arabian Nights Live at Town Hall NYC (Enja Records, 2011) Fans of Kristjan Jarvi’s Absolute Ensemble and their previous recordings Absolute…
View More Spectacular Arabian Nights LiveGrabbing the Bull by the Horns
Ocote Soul Sounds Taurus (ESL Music ESL 175, 2011) Back with album number three, Ocote Soul Sounds (OSS) continue to combine Afro-Latin funk with a…
View More Grabbing the Bull by the HornsAfrobeat on the Upswing
Seun Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80 From Africa with Fury: Rise (Knitting Factory Records KFR1110CD, 2011) Seun Anikulapo Kuti, son of Nigerian Afrobeat creator and…
View More Afrobeat on the UpswingRare Koto and Shamisen Gems
Various Artists Japanese Traditional Music: Koto – Shamisen | Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai (World Arbiter, 2011) Traditional Japanese music buffs should check out the third installment…
View More Rare Koto and Shamisen GemsBalkan Brass Fury
Fanfare Ciocarlia and Boban & Marko Markovic Orchestra Balkan Brass Battle (2011) Two of the finest brass bands in the world, Romania’s Fanfare Ciocarlia and…
View More Balkan Brass FuryMasterful World Fusion from Malaysia
AkashA Karakoram Highway (2011) Malaysian band AkashA is quickly becoming one of the most interesting bands in the world fusion category. The multiethnic band has…
View More Masterful World Fusion from MalaysiaSahara Groove 2
Various Sahara Groove 2 (Arc Music) This is a terrific compilation of music from North Africa. The 11 tracks make for over an hour of…
View More Sahara Groove 2
