Various Artists The Caribbean (Putumayo PUTU 245, 2006) The rather broad scope of this album seems odd, since the Putumayo label has already put out…
The Beautiful Sea
Category: Album reviews
Sweet as honey: Classical Indian Women Violinists
Kala Ramnath – Nectar (Sense World Music, 2005) N. Rajam & Sangeeta Shankar – Violin Dynasty (Sense World Music, 2005) Nectar marks the illustrious Indian…
Old and New Sounds from Ancient Mediterranean Islands
Various Artists Illes Balears del Folk al Pop (Blau CD400, 2004) This compilation by Mallorca-based Produccions Blau features music by artists from the Balearic Islands…
Abdel Wright – A Different Take on Jamaican Musicians
Abdel Wright Abdel Wright (Weapons of Mass Entertainment/Interscope Records – B0001931-02, 2005) The first thing you will probably notice about this CD is his music…
The Modern Beats of Istanbul
Various Artists – The Sex, the City, The Music: Istanbul (Petrol Records Petrol 036, 2005) The artists featured in this compilation represent the contemporary face…
Seck Gets his Bearings
Thione Seck Orientation (Stern’s Africa STCD 1100, 2005) Senegalese vocalist Thione Seck has always been a versatile guy, a hereditary griot whose skills include singing…
Babble Brook: Sui Vesan
Sui Vesan Merging with the Brook (World Village, 2006) Sui Vesan might be called a contemporary Persephone, you know, the Greek underworld priestess that gained…
Amadou and Mariam’s Best out of Three
Amadou and Mariam The Best of Amadou and Mariam: Je Pense a Toi (Circular Moves/Universal CIM 7019, 2005) Their current album, a brilliant patchwork collaboration…
A Poet and Guitarist
Juan Carlos Formell Cemeteries & Desire (Narada 09463-30886-2-7, 2005) Juan Carlos Formell is a representative of Cuban trova. Unlike many of his colleagues, who live…
Creative Excellence in Our New Orleans Benefit Album
Various Artists Our New Orleans 2005, a Benefit Album (Nonesuch 79934-2, 2005) Nonesuch Records has released a benefit album with newly recorded songs featuring artists…