Los Chicharrons Roots Of Life (Tummy Touch Tuch2022CD, 2011) Even though Los Chicharrons have a background in dance music, they have recorded one of the…
African Chicharrons
Category: Album reviews
Versatile Bandoneon
Narcotango Limanueva (independent 017, 2010) The Buenos Aires music scene seems to be full of exciting new acts that are renewing tango, taking it into…
Roots of Cuban Rumba
Enyenison Enkama Project Ecobio Enyenison (Habana|Harlem 205976, 2009) The Enyenison Enkama Projekt celebrates the African roots in Cuban music, specifically a style called Abakuá. This…
Captivating Drones and Whistles
Huun Huur Tu Ancestor’s Call (World Village 468107, 2010) The ancient art of throat singing is a cause for celebration this year. The Mongolian traditional…
Sami Travels
Wimme Saari Mun (Rockadillo Records ZENCD 2131, 2010) Finnish vocalist Wimme Saari is one of the leading figures in the art of joik music. Although,…
Deep Fried Blues
Claude Hay Deep Fried Satisfied (Ingot Rock, 2010) If I had to guess the only box Claude Hay ever put himself in was one that…
Mysterious Duality
Jayanthi Kumaresh Mysterious Duality Just Me (EarthSync, 2010) Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh’s Mysterious Duality, out on the EarthSync label, is one giant leap into the ethereal…
Drums Are Medicine
Tony Vacca The Senegal-America Project (World Rhythms WR0601, 2006) Master drummer Tony Vacca brings together an impressive collection of American and Senegalese musicians in the…
More Lightness Comes to Light
Tabu Ley Rochereau The Voice of Lightness Vol. 2: Congo Classics 1977-1993 (Sterns Africa STCD 3056-57, 2010) Only once did I get to see Tabu…
Nice But Slim Pickings
The pickPocket ensemble Memory (the pickPocket Ensemble, 2010) Their hands commit no acts of larceny in other people’s trousers. Rather, the pickPocket ensemble (punctuation theirs),…