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: Moh Alileche
Mohand Alileche, known as Moh in the United States of America, was born in Kabylia, a mountainous region of Algeria, in 1959. At that time…
Artist Profiles: Maurice El Medioni
Born in the Algerian port of Oran into a Jewish family in 1928, Maurice El Medioni has led a remarkable life crammed full of music.…
Senegalese M’balax Star Pape Cheikh Diouf Announces North American Tour 2016
Celebrated Senegalese artist Pape Cheikh Diouf wil be touring North America in July and August. He derives his music on his family’s guewel (griot) traditions…
Dreamy Harp Samba
Cristina Braga & Brandenburger Symphoniker – Whisper (Enja Records, 2016) Brazilian samba and bossa nova appear in a conventional format, bringing together harp, a samba…
Celebrated Salsa Composer and Pianist José Lugo Dies of Cancer
Acclaimed Puerto Rican composer, arranger and pianist José Lugo passed away June 12. In a joint press release Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy…
Groundbreaking Flamencos and Mestizos Series Returns Tomorrow to Madrid
The SGAE Foundation has put together a new edition of its cutting-edge ‘Flamencos y mestizos’ series. The concert and dance series will take place from…
Deliciously Vibrant Flamenco
Gerardo Nuñez and Ulf Wakenius – Logos (ACT Music, 2016) Journalist, writer and provocateur Hunter S. Thompson once wrote, “Music has always been a matter…
Old Time Music Traditions of Castilla-La Mancha
(Arc Music EUCD2635, 2016) Spanish folk music band Vigüela specializes in traditional music from the Castilla-La Mancha region. Unlike other Spanish groups who have modernized…
Artist Profiles: Mad Sheer Khan
Mad Sheer Khan was born Mahamad Hadi, in Algiers (Algeria) in 1955, of mixed Persian and Arabic origin. He studied in France, where he resided…
Artist Profiles: Khalida Azzouza
Cradled in tribal rhythms of her father’s Southern Sahara and the Arab Andalusian music of her mother’s Mediterranean coast, Khalida’s very personal oriental jazz approach…