Category: Album reviews

Various Artists Putumayo Presents: España (Putumayo, 2009) Putumayo’s most recent release focuses on the music of Spain. The compilation’s producer has chosen to focus on…

View More A Slice of Spain

Si Para Usted: The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba, Vol. 2 (Waxing Deep Records WAX003, 2009) When Castro’s Cuban regime was at its most repressive,…

View More Cuba in a Funk and Funky

Kailash Kher and Kailasa Yatra (Nomadic Souls) (Cumbancha CMB-CD-14, 2009) My office mate, who was born and raised in India and revisits there yearly, smiled…

View More A Passage From India

Various Artists Afghan Star (Silver Screen Records, 2009) The soundtrack to the film Afghan Star, a documentary following four contestants participating in Afghanistan’s television’s talent…

View More Afghan Rising Stars

Puerto Plata Casita de Campo (Iaso Records, 2009) Dominican musician Puerto Plata is a relatively undiscovered gem. He is finally getting well deserved international recognition…

View More The Grand Sonero Dominicano

Alex Cuba Agua del Pozo (Caracol Records, 2009) Cuban singer-songwriter Alex Cuba (Alexis Puentes) has gained quite a good reputation in North America with his…

View More From the Well of Cuban Soul

The Ukrainians Diaspora (Omnium, 2009) The Ukrainians are back with Diaspora. The album showcases their accordion-driven Eastern European sound which blends folk music from Ukraine…

View More Ukrainian Diaspora

The Venus & the Sky Turn to Clay album is the first totally instrumental release of Makana, a young Hawaiian maestro of slack key guitar.…

View More Hawaiian Guitar Virtuoso Makana Releases Instrumental CD

Tinariwen Imidiwan: Companions (World Village) The desert blues men and women of Tinariwen are back with their latest CD Imidiwan: Companions, set for release October…

View More Tinariwen’s Desert Blues, a Force of Nature