Various Artists Shangaan Electro: New Wave Dance Music from South Africa (Honest Jon’s Records HJR 052CD, 2010) There are many interesting things happening musically in…
You Play It Slow, They Won’t Dance
Category: Album reviews
Connected
Cas Haley Connection (Easy Star Records ES-1022, 2010) I’m not a fan of America’s Got Talent and so I missed Cas Haley’s appearance on the…
No Son Without Cuban Rumba
Septeto Nacional ¡Sin Rumba No Hay Son! (World village 468105, 2010) One of the great traditions in Cuban music are its long lasting bands. The…
Psychedelic Nigeria
The World Ends: Afro Rock & Psychedelia in 1970s Nigeria (Soundway Records, 2009) An electric music revolution took place in 1970s Nigeria. The sounds of…
High Quality Lo Jamm
Cheikh Lo Jamm (World Circuit DO84, 2010) Senegal’s Cheikh Lo, he of the long dreadlocks, multicolored quilt-like attire and Sufi spirituality, stands out even among…
Unforgettable Rahman Connections
A. R. Rahman Connections (Wrasse Records WRASS265, 2010) The great Indian composer A. R. Rahman handpicked the pieces included in his new album Connections, which…
Balkan Brass by the Bay
Brass Menazeri Vranjski San (Porto Franco Records PFR018, 2010) You never quite know how it’s going to turn out when a style of music closely…
Afro-Latin Safe Haven
Mukele Quylombo (Chana Records, 2009) Quylombo is the second release by Argentine guitarist and vocalist Mukele. The Buenos Aires native is at the forefront of…
Soundscapes of Africa
Hennie Bekker African Tapestries Collection (Abbeywood Records, 2009) Zambian musician Hennie Bekker has released this five CD boxed titled “African Tapestries Collection”. Bekker is now…
Reverse Thread
Regina Carter Reverse Thread (E1 Music, 2010) Regina Carter’s Reverse Thread takes the music of Africa and reconfigures into superb contemporary jazz pieces. The virtuoso…