Tombak In The Spotlight On Between Hands
Kaveh Mahmudiyan — Between Hands (Global Sonics, 2025) Kaveh Mahmudiyan’s first solo album, Between Hands presents his own compositions with the tombak (Persian goblet-shaped drum).…
Artist Profiles: New Grange
Through the vision of San Francisco Bay Area collaborators and string instrument virtuosos Marshall and Darol Anger, six celebrated acoustic music veterans formed New Grange.…
Nuevo Mester de Juglaría: A Pillar of Castilian Folk
(headline image: Nuevo Mester de Juglaría in 2006) Nuevo Mester de Juglaría, a prominent folk music group from Segovia, Spain, has been a staple of…
Marvelous “Mazel Mazel”
Combining the traditional Amazigh music of her native Algeria with global influences gleaned in her adopted homeland of France, Syna Awel’s “Mazel Mazel” is a…
Interview with Flamenco Guitarist José Almarcha
Spanish flamenco guitarist José Almarcha recently released an album titled Un Nuevo Paseo (a new walk). Notably, Almarcha seamlessly intertwines traditional flamenco roots with elegant…
You go, Togo
A mix of jazz, traditional rhythm and chant from the West African nation of Togo and some particularly expressive trombone playing,”Noussin” by a band called…
Christine Zayed Bridges Arabic Tradition and Modernity with Kama Kuntu
Christine Zayed – Kama Kuntu (T-Rec., 2024) Christine Zayed, a Palestinian-born singer, composer, arranger, and kanun (qanun) master, has captivated audiences with her innovative approach…
Afro-Reggae Musician Tiken Jah Fakoly
Tiken Jah Fakoly, born as Doumbia Moussa Fakoly, entered the world of reggae in the late 1980s, forming his first band, Les Djelis. Amidst political…
Australia’s The Mandé Spirit Celebrate Malian musician Toumani Diabate
(headline image: The Mandé Spirit — Photo by Kurt Eckardt) On December 6th, an ensemble of musicians from the West African diaspora gathered in an…
Guitar Master and Songwriter Jenn Butterworth Releases “Little Sparrow” Single
“Little Sparrow” is the second single from Jenn Butterworth’s forthcoming album, Her By Design. Renowned as one of the leading figures in traditional folk guitar,…
Daggy Style
A combination of dub reggae and synthesized chill, “Zion Meditation” by Japan’s Daggy Busker is indeed a meditative, and well-crafted, wall of sounds. (I have…