N. Rajam Radiant (Sense World Music, 2002) It isn’t often that I am able to review a woman classical Indian musician so I am quite…
Bows and strings
Category: Album reviews
Tunes From the Dunes
Various Artists – Oxfam Arabia (World Music Network RGNET 1121 CD, 2003) Various Artists – The Rough Guide to the Music of Egypt (World Music Network…
Singing the blues for Mother Earth
Where We Live, Benefit CD for Earthjustice (Higher Octave Music, 2003) Musicians have proven time and time again their compassion by recording benefit albums or…
Sweet, sweet showers of Blues
Knut Reiersrud –Tramp (Kirkelig Kulturverksted, 1993) & Sweet Showers of Rain (Kirkelig Kulturverksted, 2001) Norwegian blues man Knut Reiersrud discovered Miles Davis when he was…
New Californian Worksongs
Quetzal – Worksongs (Vanguard 79738-2, 2003) Mestizaje (or mestizo) is a Spanish word used more and more to describe musical hybrids in Spanish speaking countries.…
Touch of MacMaster’s Hand
Natalie MacMaster Blueprint (Rounder Records, 2003)> Two tunes on Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster’s latest recording, Blueprint succinctly describe the power behind the 30-year old…
Feathered friends
Mary Youngblood Beneath the Raven Moon (Silver Wave Records) Mother of four children, Aleut and Seminole Indian, award winning flautist Mary Youngblood offers us her…
Marimbas and Flamenco Mestizo Sounds
Ayatana Ayatana (Ventilador Music CDA 035, 2003) The Ventilador label has become Barcelona’s essential label for new world music talent. Ayatana is an unusual group…
Hurdy-Gurdy Man
Gilles Chabenat & Alain Bonnin Trame (independent release) The piano played a pivotal role in the history of jazz. Many jazz pianist luminaries such as…
I am what I am – A Simple Man
Burning Sky A Simple Man (Canyon Records) A Simple Man is Burning Sky’s follow-up to their GRAMMY nominated and NAMMY-winner Spirits in the Wind. A…