“Salute Cubano” by American quintet big beet does indeed salute the Afro-Cuban style most aptly, with deft piano, zesty synth and tumbling percussion leading the…
Hard to Beet
Category: Single reviews
Reviews of single recordings
Playing With a Full Dekker
Oddly-named Canadian artist Notre Noise covers the old Desmond Dekker reggae classic “Fu Man Chu” in fine style, adding his own sinister sonic touches and…
A Special Something
The Beatles, as we all know, had and continue to have a huge imprint the world over. Such is evident in Vini De Groove’s instrumental…
Beyond the Finnish Line
Combining traditional Finnish music with other global influences, a band called Solisee add a bit of Latin flavor to “Itkee havupuu,” a warm, trumpet-punctuated piece…
Rough Reggae En Francais
With a lot of modern reggae sounding a trifle too polished and polite, France’s Angelo Rascool goes refreshingly in the opposite direction. His “Réchauffement” is…
Partial Culpability
An American singer by the name of Mckey brings a touch of bossa nova, both vocally and in the arrangement, to “Most of the Blame,” a…
Personal Perspective, Universal Truth
Combining roots reggae consciousness with a few R&B touches, Kingly T continues a knack for putting things in perspective. His “What A Gwaan” hits home…
Fit For a Goddess
Master percussionist Tom Teasley never fails to dazzle, and his “Dance of Aphrodite” is a grand, zesty piece on which he plays every instrument. Wonderfully…
Arriving Soon
“Love is Coming,” a duet between American rocker Chris Pellnat and Moroccan singer Catalus, is one of those cross-cultural combinations that fits snugly through a…
Rock It On Over
Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” redone as a Latin jazz/rock instrumental? Yup, and the USA’s Andy Rothstein Band does a mighty fine…