Oriental lounge suits
Orient Expressions – Divan (DoubleMoon Records, 2004) One thing you might not say about lounge music is that it’s gritty; the expression somehow does not…
Oh, Suzzana
Suzzana Owiyo Mama Africa (ARC Music EUCD 1875, 2004) My first taste of Suzzana Owiyo came via the song “Kisumu 100” on World Music Network’s…
Spain’s latest flava
Amparanoia – Rebeldia con Alegria, best of (independent, 2004) Another sure-fire star of the world music scene finally gets a proper airing outside of her…
Champeta Criolla, the Afro-Colombian Sound from the Caribbean
Champeta Criolla (criollo and criolla means Creole) is an Afro-Colombian music style and dance from Cartagena and Barranquilla, in the Caribbean coast. The champeta is…
Favourites. 60 years on, an anthology of the great Brazilian Poet Chico Buarque
Chico Buarque – Favourites. 60 years on (Wrasse Records Wrass112) People often talk of Caetano as the Dylan of Brazil. But if this is true…
Mad Sheer Takes Hendrix to Samarkand
Mad Sheer Khan Samarkand Hotel, Live at Le Triton 2002 (Le Triton TRI 03507, 2003) It is hard to classify this recording. It is world…
Radical roots from Galicia
Xose Manuel Budiño – Zume de Terra (Boa, 2004) Xosé Manuel Budiño is yet another young modernizing traditionalist emerging from the corners of Europe’s culturally…
New York Musicians Mourn \"Sam Taki\" of Ghana
New York City, USA – Samuel Tackie Ofori passed away over the weekend of July 31st 2004. Sam was the lead master drummer and one…
Cristina Branco Releases Sensus
Portuguese fado singer extraordinaire Cristina Branco comes out in full bloom with her new release, Sensus. With her sixth release Branco delves deep into her…
Nascente’s The Very Best of Brazil
Various Artists – The Very Best of Brazil – 2 CDs (Nascente NSCDD 2011) The problem with definitive collections is what they do not include.…