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…
Essential Franco
Category: Album reviews
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…
Don’t Need No Cure For The African Blues
Samba Toure Songhai Blues: Homage to Ali Farka Toure (World Music Network/Riverboat Records TUGCD1054, 2009) The words were right there, in smallish print on the…
Exploring the Foundations of Rumba and Vallenato
Jesse Cook The Rumba Foundation (Koch Records, 2009) Canadian guitarist Jesse Cook was interested in recording an album that captured the history of rumba. Back…
Sarazino’s Grooves
Sarazino Ya Foy! (Cumbancha, 2009) Ya Foy!, meaning "no problem" in the West African language of Baule, certainly sums up Sarazino’s latest out on the…
Intuitive Slide Guitars
Doug Cox and Salil Bhatt Slide to Freedom 2: Make A Better World (Northern Blues, 2009) Slide to Freedom 2: Make A Better World brings…