Buika Niña de Fuego (Warner Music Latina 513004, 2008) It was the flamenco feel that I first caught upon listening to Spain’s Concha Buika, but…
Buika Undressed
Category: Album reviews
Brazil Gone Batty
Bat Makumba Boteco (Bat Makumba Records 665744 10052-4) San Francisco-based Bat Makumba (named after a Caetano Veloso song) here follow up their debut with another…
Kora Master in the Spirit
Youssoupha Sidibe Xelcom (Self-released, 2008) Senegal’s Youssoupha Sidibe has played his kora (21-stringed West African harp) alongside artists as varied as Matisyahu, Bela Fleck, India…
Chicha Rebound Continues
Juaneco y su Combo Masters of Chicha Vol. 1 (Barbes Records BROO20, 2008) The 2007 compilation Roots of Chicha brought long-overdue wider recognition to a…
Breaktronics
XKollective Electric Flowers (Flexitrax, 2008) To get an idea of the sound of British trance outfit XKollective, think of a combination of South Asian fusionist…
Ladino Voices
The exploration of Sephardic music is taking musicians in new directions. US-based Gerard Edery’s latest recording is a fascinating collaboration with Lithuanian singer Maria Krupoves,…
Far Reaching Influence of Arabic Music
Jill Turner discovers some gems in the cleverly crafted Putumayo compilation, Acoustic Arabia but remains confused by its title. Choosing to stay mainly, to the…
Found Horizon
Various Artists Sound of the World Presents Beyond the Horizon (Warner Classics and Jazz 5144288632, 2008) It’s always a pleasure to see and hear what…
Afrobite
Chopteeth Chopteeth (Grigri Discs GRIGRI001, 2008) An “Afrofunk Big Band” is how this Washington D.C.-based collective refer to themselves and that label alone was enough…
Guitar Journeys
Quite a few guitar albums make it to World Music Central’s inbox. I need to begin with one of the most pleasant guitar surprises I’ve…