Tinariwen – The Radio Tisdas Sessions (World Village, 2002) Blues returning to its African roots can be heard in the Malian nomadic group, Tinariwen’s debut release,…
Songs of the Desert
Category: Album reviews
Peace In Our Time
Culture – World Peace (Heartbeat 11661-7764-2, 2003) “We can’t take another war/we want world peace.” So sings Culture’s Joseph Hill on the title track of this…
Fiddling in French
Norouet – Spirale (Ozone Music Group, 2001) Hart Rouge – Une Histoire de Famille (Red House Records, 1999) There used to be a time when…
Sufi Serenity
Ensemble Ibn Arabi – Chants Soufis Arabo-Andalous [Arab-Andalusian Sufi Songs] (Long Distance 0450103, 2003) The mystical facet of Islam known as Sufism has long regarded artistic…
The Purest Voice
Bill Jones – Two Year Winter (Brick Wall Music BRICK 005CD, 2003) Anyone who has followed the progress of Bill Jones in the last few years…
Toi Toi by Thomas Mapfumo & The Blacks Unlimited
Thomas Mapfumo and the Blacks Unlimited Toi Toi (Protest) (aNOnym ReCOrds, 2003) With lyrics that encompass Mapfumo‘s strong sense of social activism and pleas for…
Ghazal Astounds, Khan Makes Sweet Sounds.
Ghazal – The Rain (ECM 1840, 2003) Shujaat Husain Khan – Hawa Hawa (World Village 468022, 2003) Ghazal, a duo comprised of Iranian kamancheh (spike…
Japan for Sale
Various Artists Japan for Sale, Volume 3 (Sony Music, 2003) The Japan for Sale series showcases various current music styles produced in Japan. Most of…
A Reggae Great Gets His Due
Jackie Mittoo Champion In The Arena 1976-1977 (Blood and Fire BAFCD 042, 2003) Jackie Mittoo is hardly the first name that comes to mind when…
British Tradition
Kate Rusby Underneath The Stars (Pure Records. PRcD012, 2003) British folk/traditional music doesn’t come much better than at the hands of Rusby and her crew…