Tea Dreams (Teajuana Music, 2009) Tea is a Los Angeles-based group formed by French guitarist Franck Balloffet and American drummer and keyboardist Phil Bunch. Their…
Desirable Tea
Category: Album reviews
We Three Strings
Les Triaboliques rivermudtwilight (World Village 468088, 2009) Justin Adams, Lu Edmonds and Ben Mandelson could have all been content in their careers as successful UK…
Fine Plena Indeed
Miguel Zenon Esta Plena (Marsalis Music, 2009) If Marsalis Music signs you, it means you are above average in the world of American jazz. Puerto…
Keeping Colombian Tradition Alive
Toto la Momposina La Bodega (Astar Artes, 2009) Toto la Momposina is a national treasure in Colombia. She has spent most of her life researching…
Essential Franco
Franco Francophonic, Vol. 2 (Stern’s Africa, 2009) Francophonic, Vol. 2 introduces the listener to additional essential recordings by Franco, one of the greatest African musicians…
Extravagantly Lush Rupa
Rupa and the April Fishes Este Mundo (Cumbancha, 2009) Back in 2008, I waxed poetic about the Bay Area musical group Rupa and the April…
Simpson’s Stories
Martin Simpson True Stories (Compass, 2009) Guitarist and singer-songwriter Martin Simpson has become one of the most important figures in English folk music. He is…
Inspired and Informed Afrobeat
Jimi Tenor and Tony Allen Inspiration Information, Vol. 4 (Strut Records, 2009) Strut Records brings together the creative forces of multi-instrumentalist Jimi Tenor and drummer…
Blues and Reggae Intersections
Corey Harris blu.black (Telarc, 2009) Originally a blues musician, Corey Harris has been exploring the music of the African diaspora in the United States and…
Clubbing In Dakar
Daby Balde Le Marigot Club Dakar (World Music Network/Riverboat Records TUGCD1052, 2009) Daby Balde’s debut CD from a few years ago remains one of the…