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”…
Unmitigated Senegal
Category: Album reviews
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…
Masters of the World Groove
Trans-Global Underground Impossible Broadcasting (Europe: Mule Satellite Records MUL01, 2004 / US: Triloka Records TRI-CD-82054, 2005) The release of any new album by Trans-Global Underground…
Visionary Traditionalists
The Duhks – The Duhks (Sugar Hill Records SUG-CD-3997, 2005) Once you get past how to say the name of this young Winnipeg-based band (it’s…
Celtic Leanings and Further Gleanings
Kila Live in Dublin (Kila Records KRCD 010, 2004) Combining familiar Celtic instrumentation, vocals and modes with percussion-laced beats from Africa and beyond, Kila has…
Native American Recreations
Spooky Actions Songs of the Nations (Muse eek MSK119, 2004) Saying that something is original is overstated frequently by many publicists and artists. In this…
Mtukudzi Bags One
Oliver Mtukudzi Nhava (Heads Up International HUCD 3102, 2005) Like many listeners, I was first captivated by the music of Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi when Putumayo…
A Kurdish Star
Sivan Perwer Min Bêriya Te Kiriye (Daquí 332022, 2003) Very few recordings of Kurdish music are widely available outside the Middle East. This is one…