Dave Soldier – Zajal (2019) In 2019, composer and multi-instrumentalist Dave Soldier released “Zajal,” a fascinating album that presented archaic verses and enlisted top-notch instrumentalists…
Tracing the Roots of Popular Song
Category: Album reviews
Reinis Jaunais and International Friends on Zeme
Reinis Jaunais – Zeme (self-release, 2020) Reinis Jaunais, a Latvian musician, blends travel experiences and sounds to create unique music. He has captivated audiences worldwide…
Ensemble Sangineto Celebrates Italian Traditional Music
Ensemble Sangineto – Grand Tour Vol. 1 (2022) Grand Tour Vol. 1 marks the first installment of a two-part project by Ensemble Sangineto, paying tribute…
Mwezi Waq: Deaf and Dumb Blues from Comoros
Mwezi Waq – Deaf and Dumb Blues (Buda Musique, 2022) Mwezi Waq’s album “Deaf and Dumb Blues” (Buda Musique, 2022) features a six-member band playing…
Back to the roots for Cuba’s Pavel Urkiza
Pavel Urkiza – Regreso a la tierra (self-release, 2022) Cuban musician Pavel Urkiza returns to his roots on “Regreso a la tierra.” It is a…
Kimi Djabaté Turns Pain of Childhood into Uplifting, Love-Filled Tunes on Latest Album ‘Dindin’
Kimi Djabaté – Dindin (Cumbancha, 2023) Dindin is the new album by highly talented multi-instrumentalist, composer and vocalist Kimi Djabaté. Currently based in Portugal, Djabaté…
Brilliant Solo Piano Work by Dorantes
Dorantes – Identidad: Live in Concert- Flamenco Solo Piano (Flamenco Scultura, 2022) Dorantes, a renowned flamenco pianist, has taken a new direction in his career…
Bits, Pieces and Entireties
It may take a while longer before I get a steady handle on my new approach of covering both singles and albums that are, by…
Flavorful Afro-Colombian World Trotters
Son Palenque – Trotamundos del Sabor (Palenque Records, 2023) Son Palenque introduces “Trotamundos del Sabor”, a musical treasure for Colombian music fans. Recorded in 1986,…
Dynamic and Spectacular Chaturangui by Debashish Bhattacharya
Debashish Bhattacharya – The Sound of the Soul (Abstract Logix, 2023) Composer and guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya‘s latest album, “The Sound of the Soul,” pays homage…