Cheikh Lô Lamp Fall (World Circuit/Nonesuch, 2006) Musician and songwriter Cheikh Lô has become of the most attractive figures in West African music. On his…
Cheikh Lô, Senegalese Roots Meets Brazil
Category: Album reviews
Rockin’ Shamizen
The Yoshida Brothers – III (Domo Records, 2006) The Yoshida Brothers are back with an album where they keep pushing the limits of the venerable…
David Strikes Back at the Empire
David Rovics Return (Ever Reviled Records, 0005, 2003) Now that Neil Young and other famous names are jumping on the anti-Bush bandwagon, it is important…
Chinese Kosher
Metropolis Shanghai: Showboat to China (Winter and Winter 910 111-2, 2005) Zuflucht in Shanghai: The Port of Last Resort – A Film by Joan Grossman…
New Salif Keita Forthcoming and Fabulous
Salif Keita M’Bemba (Universal/Decca, 2006) It’s been heating up Europe for a while, and now M’Bemba, the latest by Mali’s Salif Keita, will finally get…
BeauSoleil with a sneak preview of new album
by Susan Budig It must be the air of Louisiana that transports their sound with consummate clarity because I hear Jimmy Breaux lay down powerful…
Occitan Beats, Tarantella Power and Beyond
Lesser known than the music of powerhouse countries like Ireland, the UK and Spain, Italy is, nevertheless, a land of rich musical traditions. These are…
Divine Madness
Sussan Deyhim Madman of God (Crammed Discs craw 22, 2006) The Sufi are a minority sect in the Muslim world, their belief in music and…
SGAE Releases its Annual Compendium of Spanish Roots Music
Various Artists SGAE es: Raíces, Alternativo, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Urban – six album boxed set (Iberautor/SGAE, 2006) Every year, the Fundación Autor and SGAE release…
World Beat at its Best
Natacha Atlas Mish Maoul (Mantra Recrodings / Beggars Group MNTCD 1038, 2006) The queen of world music is back with an superb recording that shows…