The Rough Guide to Afrobeat Revolution (World Music Network RGNET 1222CD, 2009) Tony Allen – Secret Agent (World Circuit WCD082, 2009) I’m not a trend…
Hasn’t Skipped a Beat
Category: Album reviews
Walking Along the Cutting Edge
Abbas Premjee Elements (Fire Records, 2008) Elements, released in Pakistan in 2008, is the debut CD of composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Abbas Premjee. Exploring North…
Soul Satisfaction
Otis Redding The Best: See & Hear (Shout Factory, 2009) Shout Factory has released a two-disc set by Otis Redding, one of the influential legends…
Extraordinary Folktronica
Valravn Koder på snor (VME, 2009) Self described as Danish/Faorese folktronic, Koder på snor, the second release by the group Valravn, is a musical fantasy…
A Slice of Spain
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…
Cuba in a Funk and Funky
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,…
A Passage From India
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…
Afghan Rising Stars
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…
Lushly Smooth
Ithamara Koorax and Juarez Moreira Bim Bom: The Complete Joao Gilberto Songbook (Motéma Music, 2009) In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Brazilian guitarist João…
The Grand Sonero Dominicano
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…