Charbel Rouhana Doux Zen (Forward Music, 2010) Charbel Rouhana’s Doux Zen, out on the Lebanese label Forward Music, is a bit like following a cat…
Lebanese Hidden Treasures
Category: Album reviews
Stirring Afrobeat Celebration
Femi Kuti Africa for Africa (Knitting Factory Records KFR1113CD, 2011) With Africa for Africa , Nigerian Afrobeat star Femi Kuti shows us why he is…
Extraordinary Persian Alchemy
Loga Ramin Torkian Mehraab (Terrestrial Lane Records/Electrofone, 2011) Multi-instrumentalist Loga Ramin Torkian has been one of the leading figures in the North American world music…
Crossroads of Indian classical music, jazz, chillout and funk
Prem Joshua and Band In Concert (Music Today/White Swan) This is an excellent album right at the crossroads of Indian classical music, jazz, chillout and…
Lushly Sentimental Essence of Mediterranean Music
Amina Alaoui Arco Iris (ECM Records, 2011) Recently, I happened upon a BBC conversation where the commentator was discussing comments made by the Trinidadian-British writer…
Journey Around the Sun
Strunz & Farah Journey Around the Sun (Selva SV-CD 1016, 2011) It’s taken guitar duo Strunz & Farah four years to record a new album…
Peruvian Afrodiaspora
Susana Baca Afrodiaspora (Luaka Bop, 2011) Attuned to the musical landscape of Latin America, especially her native Peru, Susana Baca hits the world music scene…
Playing for Change Travels the Globe
Various Artists PFC2: Songs Around The World (2011) The Playing for Change project has grown to formidable proportions with the addition of some of the…
Rekindling the Fire
Eliane Elias Light My Fire (Concord Picante CPI-32761-02, 2011) Brazilian pianist, vocalist and composer Eliane Elias explores Afro-Brazilian rhythms in her latest album, titled Light…
Beguiling Latin Jazz
Steve Khan Parting Shot (Tone Center TC40702, 2011) Jazz guitarist Steve Khan has always had great interest in Latin jazz and he finally decided to…