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…
The Grand Sonero Dominicano
Category: Album reviews
From the Well of Cuban Soul
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…
Ukrainian Diaspora
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…
Hawaiian Guitar Virtuoso Makana Releases Instrumental CD
The Venus & the Sky Turn to Clay album is the first totally instrumental release of Makana, a young Hawaiian maestro of slack key guitar.…
Tinariwen’s Desert Blues, a Force of Nature
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…
Vital DVD Ouled Bambara: Portraits of Gnawa
Ouled Bambara: Portraits of Gnawa (Twos & Fews, 2009) The CD and DVD set Ouled Bambara: Portraits of Gnawa reveals the creatively rich lives and…
Funky Tejanos
Brownout Aguilas and Cobras (Six Degrees, 2009) In Austin (Texas) there is a thriving musical scene that includes musicians who are taking Hispanic Texan music…
Afrobeat Explorers Aphrodesia Release Precious Commodity
Aphrodesia Precious Commodity (Shackrobeat Records, 2009) Precious Commodity, the latest recording by Aphrodesia takes American Afrobeat into exciting new explorations. While the Afrobeat rhythms, powerful…
Back to the Mountain
Eddie Palmieri Vamonos Pa’l Monte (Fania, 2009) Vamonos pa’l Monte (Let’s go to the Mountain) is the reissue of a fabulous recording by Eddie Palmieri,…
Umami by Murat Ses
Murat Ses Umami (Clou Records Clou-008 and on digital portals iTunes, aol.de, etc) ’Umami’ is a Japanese word meaning "savory" thus applies to the sensation…