Jake Shimabukuro Peace Love Ukulele (Hitchhike Records HRCD1112, 2010) Hawaiian ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro has released Peace Love Ukulele this month. This is a fascinating…
Ukulele, a Versatile Instrument of Peace
Category: Album reviews
Stunning Low Country Blues
Gregg Allman Low Country Blues (Rounder, 2011) With a musical career that includes a stunning bevy of recordings, a founding membership in one of the…
Extraordinary Celtic Compass
Stewart Hardy and Frank McLaughlin Compass (Claytara Records, 2010) & Root2 (Claytara Records, 2010) British musicians Stewart Hardy and Frank McLaughlin have released two recordings…
Passing the Garifuna Torch
Aurelio Martinez Laru Beya (Sub Pop/Next Ambiance NXA 002, 2011) It’s been 7 years since Aurelio Martinez’s splendid Garifuna Soul album, and a lot has…
Seductive and Memorable Dala
Dala Everyone Is Someone (Compass Records 745482, 2010) Canadian duo Dala is releasing Everyone Is Someone in the United States this month. Everyone Is Someone…
Indonesian Fusion Explorations
Tohpati Ethnomission Save the Planet (MoonJune, 2010) Tohpati Ethnomission is an environmentally conscious musical project developed by Indonesian guitarist Tohpati. He is a member of…
Where Flamenco Meets the Middle East
Ali Khattab Al-Zarqa (Nuevos Medios, 2010) Egyptian guitarist Ali Khattab brings together Flamenco and Arabic music on his new CD titled Al-Zarqa. The album came…
Genre Defying Fiddles
Oliver Schroer & the Stewed Tomatoes Freedom Row (Borealis Records BCD201, 2010) Freedom Row was released a few months ago and deserves special attention as…
Sublimely Introspective and Slyly Intricate
Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal Chamber Music (Six Degrees Records 657036117129, 2011) At first glance Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko and French cellist Vincent Ségal…
Intensely Creative Fiddle Stories
Childsplay Waiting for the Dawn (Childsplay Records 005, 2010) Childsplay is a superb acoustic ensemble that brings together a large number of fiddlers around violin…