Hugh Masekela Revival (Heads Up International HUCD 3093, 2005) South African horn player/singer/composer Hugh Masekela hardly needs an introduction. He’s been a world music legend…
A Rousing Revival
Category: Album reviews
The Ancient Sounds of Vasconia
Xarnege Musica de contrabanda (Xarnege PYR 001-KD) Xarnege is a band formed by Basque and Gascon musicians from Spain and France. They explore the music…
Sorrow and Struggle
Rim Banna The Mirrors of My Soul (Kirkelig Kulturverksted, FXCD288, 2005) From the same folks who brought you Lullabies from the Axis of Evil, Kirkelig…
The Grand Old Man of Venezuelan Song
Simón Diaz Mis Canciones [My Songs] (World Village 468042, 2005) I don’t live in Venezuela, so I’m in no position to argue with the contention…
Harmonized Peyote Songs
Gerald Primeaux, Sr. A Tradition Continues… Harmonized Peyote Songs (Canyon Records CR6377, 2004) On A Tradition Continues… Harmonized Peyote Songs, released on Canyon Records, Gerald…
Ritualistic Alchemy of the East and West
Mercan Dede – Su (RH Pozitif Müzik, 2004/Escondida Music, 2005) Mercan Dede’s Su is a collection of densely layered compositions in a hypnotically ritualistic alchemy…
Unmitigated Senegal
Kasumai Senegal: Urban Rhythms (ARC Music EUCD 1929, 2005) The title of this one concerned me a bit. I thought perhaps the phrase “urban rhythms”…
Fruits of the Desert
Various Artists – The Rough Guide to the Music of Sudan (World Music Network RGNET 1152 CD, 2005) Various Artists – Mali (Putumayo PUT 236-2,…
Arab-Andalusian Music Building Bridges
Luis Delgado – Tanger (Nubenegra INN1124-25, 2004) Multi-instrumentalist Luis Delgado has crossed genres numerous times. A lot of his recent solo work centers on the…
Cruzin’ with the Queen
Celia Cruz The Rough Guide to Celia Cruz (World Music Network RGNET 1150 CD, 2005) Sure, the lateCelia Cruz Celia Cruz was the Queen of…