Various Artists Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Cafe (Putumayo, 2009) Just in time for the dog days of summer is the sultry Putumayo Presents Brazilian Café. Ripe…
Infectious Café
Category: Album reviews
On the Beat in Iran
Ramin Rahimi and Tapesh Iranian Percussion (ARC Music EUCD 2218, 2009) Iran’s been in the news a lot lately, though everyone knows there’s more to…
The Legacy of Muddy Waters
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…
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…