Joji Hirota Japanese Folk Songs (ARC Music, 2007) With the down-to-earth title of Japanese Folk Songs, Joji Hirota has recorded a charming recording. This gem…
View More Rediscovering the Magic of Japanese Folk SongsCategory: Album reviews
Timeless and Soulful Youssou
Youssou N’Dour Rokku Mi Rokka (Nonesuch, 2007) Grammy Award winner Youssou N’Dour comes again to claim fans with his latest CD Rokku Mi Rokka and…
View More Timeless and Soulful YoussouCast the Second Stone
JohnStone Innocent Children (JohnStone Reggae LLC JSIC, 2007) I raved about the debut album by Washington DC-based reggae band JohnStone, and for good reason. Eyes…
View More Cast the Second StoneSpellbinding Chen
Levin Chen Devocean (Ying Yang Records, 2007) Virtuoso Taiwanese-American guitarist Levin Chen has recorded a fascinating album that combines Chinese folk, rock, blues, classical music…
View More Spellbinding ChenIsrael Minus Analysis
Various Artists Israel Putumayo PUT 268-2, 2007) Viewed as a constantly troubled, dangerous country, an idyllic land as depicted in recent TV commercials promoting tourism…
View More Israel Minus AnalysisYo-Yo Ma’s Fabulous Fantasy
Yo-Yo Ma, The Silk Road Ensemble, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Conductor Miguel Harth-Bedoya New Impossibilities (Sony Classical, 2007) Sparked by famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma‘s…
View More Yo-Yo Ma’s Fabulous FantasyRed Feather Woman Preserves Ancient Culture
Red Feather Woman – Distant Drums (Blatz Music, 2007) Red Feather Woman – The Keepers of the Earth (Blatz Music, 2006) Most of the Native…
View More Red Feather Woman Preserves Ancient CultureMusical Ruminations On Rumi
Gulizar Turkish Music Ensemble – Music of the Whirling Dervishes (ARC Music EUCD 2086, 2007) Shahram Nazeri and Hafez Nazeri – The Passion of Rumi…
View More Musical Ruminations On RumiBreathing Sitar
Anoushka Shankar and Karsh Kale Breathing Under Water (Mahattan Records/EMI, 2007) The 25-year old Anoushka Shankar continues her explorations of Indian music and global sounds…
View More Breathing SitarSinger-Songwriter Surprises with Cutting Edge Guitar
Swati Small Gods (Bluhammock, 2007) Indian-American singer-songwriter Swati is a spectacular guitarist. Her latest album Small Gods focuses on her singer-songwriter side. The songs are…
View More Singer-Songwriter Surprises with Cutting Edge Guitar