Muddy Waters and Various Artists Steppin’ Stone (Proper Records, 2009) Omitting Muddy Waters from any discussion of the blues is a little like making lemonade…
The Legacy of Muddy Waters
Category: Album reviews
No Such Place?
Tribecastan Strange Cousin (Evergreene Music 002, 2009) Tribecastan, according to this disc’s liner notes (a good read, by the way), is located just a few…
Having a Baul
Bapi Das Baul/Baul Bishwa Sufi Baul-Madness & Happiness (ARC Music EUCD 2208, 2009) The word Baul is taken from the Sanskrit word for “mad,” yet…
Captivating Iranian Percussion
Ramin Rahimi & Tapesh Iranian Percussion (ARC Music, 2009) Take a deep breath because you’re going to need it before listening to Iranian Percussion by…
Sounds of Brazilian Blackness
Black Rio, Vol. 2: Original Samba Soul 1968-1981 (Strut Records STRUTO45CD, 2009) Wah-wah guitars, synthesized string swells, funky bass lines, James Brown-styled grooves and lyrics…
Maximum Makasound
Winston McAnuff – Nostradamus (Makafresh/Makasound, 2008) Merger – Exiles in a Babylon (Makasound, 2009) Takana Zion – Rappel a l’Ordre (Makafresh/Makasound, 2009) Niominka Bi and…
Last Train to Bamako
Rail Band Belle Epoque, Vol. 3: Dioba (Sterns Africa STCD 3043-44) This third and final double CD spotlighting the 1970-1983 output of Mali’s legendary Rail…
Cuban and Parisian Musical Café
Mario Grigorov and Various Artists Paris To Cuba (Warm & Genuine Records, 2009) Spicing up summer with a little Latin jazz is as easy as…
Unearthing the Roots of Ancient Aragon
Mara Aranda & Solatge Dèria (Galileo-MC, 2009) Spanish singer Mara Aranda has been involved in some essential world music projects based in Spain’s eastern Mediterranean…
Flamenco Memories of Mentidero Square
Sergio Monroy Chicuco (Bujío, 2008) Until the 1980s, the primary soloists in the world of flamenco music were singers and guitarists. Keyboardists such as Chick…