Where else would you go to hear tango but New York City? Well, Buenos Aires maybe. But the tango has become internationalized, as has jazz. You may be as likely to hear tan…
You’ve got to hand it to Andy Narell. Instead of playing the steel pans as an adjunct to a full range of percussive instruments or confining them solely to calypso or the m…
Taxi Chain has been an active part of the club scene in southern Ontario and the Toronto region for more than a decade. Grier Coppins, a veteran of Rare Air, …
09 Jan
Live in Krakow by David Krakauer
Friday, 09 January 2004
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Clarinetist David Krakauer's new live CD is a testament to the continuing vitality of Klezmer music. Klezmer is an improvisational form with roots in the Jewish ghettos of …
05 Jan
Raise Your Spirit Higher by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Monday, 05 January 2004
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
(Meaning: Ladysmith name of Shabalala’s rural hometown; Black a reference to oxen, the strongest of all farm animals; Mambazo Zulu word for axe, a symbol of the group’s abi…
04 Jan
Raise Your Spirit - Wenyukela by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Sunday, 04 January 2004
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Mention African music today, and most people think of Ladysmith Black Mambazo.Cultural emissaries at home and around the world, their innovative, tightly choreographed styl…
03 Jan
Africa Straight Ahead by Various Artists
Saturday, 03 January 2004
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
This is an extraordinary recording that exemplifies the world stage that jazz occupies as well as the shrinking and inter-connectedness of the world. Recorded live at SABC …
02 Jan
Africa Straight Ahead by Various Artists
Friday, 02 January 2004
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Africa Straight Ahead is a traditional, straight ahead jazz project with an African slant released in time to honor the historic Ten Year Anniversary of the End o…
01 Jan
Africa Straight Ahead by Various Artists
Thursday, 01 January 2004
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Heads Up president Dave Love’s dedication to bringing South African jazz to worldwide listeners is admirable.... and successful. After experiencing a sort of epiphany durin…
01 Jan
Raise Your Spirit Higher by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Thursday, 01 January 2004
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Blessed with an infusion of world music themes, jazz motifs, and gospel, Ladysmith Black Mambazo hits pay dirt with the RAISE YOUR SPIRIT HIGHER, a surefire hit for the gro…
31 Dec
Africa Straight Ahead by Various Artists
Wednesday, 31 December 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
AFRICA STRAIGHT AHEAD coincides with the historic ten year anniversary of the end of apartheid in South Africa and is the sequel to the previous jazz releases, SMOOTH AFRIC…
09 Dec
The Vessel by Broadway Project
Tuesday, 09 December 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Daniel Berridge and selected musical pals, under the moniker Broadway Project, are the source for the album cryptically titled The Vessel. At first glance, the packaging ar…
03 Dec
World Two by Antonio Gentile
Wednesday, 03 December 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
This last release of Sound Records is a really good surprise. Antonio Gentile is an Italian hand percussionist and Franco Baggiani is a trumpet player. "World Two" is their…
02 Dec
Smooth Africa II: Exploring the Soul by Various Artists
Tuesday, 02 December 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
One of the perks of being a music critic is also one of the biggest drawbacks. When the mailman delivers a packet of new jazz CDs it’s always a voyage of discovery. Some of…
26 Nov
Guitar Nights Proudly Presents The Four Martins (DVD) by The Four Martins
Wednesday, 26 November 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
If you are fan of the guitar, flamenco, jazz and folk then the DVD Guitar Nights Proudly Presents The Four Martins is for you. The DVD is a live concert featuring En…
26 Nov
Africa Before Invasion by Najite Olokun Prophecy
Wednesday, 26 November 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Africa Before Invasion is Najite Agindotan’s (he calls the group ‘Najite Olokun Prophecy’) love letter to his homeland. A prime example of 20th century African Diasp…
From its very beginning, one of the ways jazz has developed and grown has been by fusing with elements of non-Western music traditions. There is evidence, for example, of C…
23 Oct
Live At Club Soda with his band KANZA by Yaya Diallo
Thursday, 23 October 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Yaya has done a unique thing with "Live at Club Soda" - He has combined the traditional tribal sounds of African music with instruments rarely heard within th…
19 Oct
Phrygian Istikhbar by Wajdi Cherif
Sunday, 19 October 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Phrygian Istikhbar is the stunning debut from the very talented Tunisian pianist Wajdi Cherif. It’s a blend of jazz and Tunisian classical music, though it leans a little h…
18 Oct
PanBrassOrama by Gary Trotman
Saturday, 18 October 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Gary Trotman’s new CD, PanBrassOrama touts itself as a "Steelasophical Midi Album Production Product". Those who are fans of steel pan (a.k.a. steel drum) music will…
13 Oct
Tarantelle & Canti dAmore by Alessandra Belloni
Monday, 13 October 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Mention 'Italian music' to most folk and they'll likely think of: Volare, Enrico Caruso, Frank Sinatra and Antonio Vivaldi. (OK, Jazz fans might think of Charlie Ventura, J…
01 Oct
Narrow Streets by Scott Hill
Wednesday, 01 October 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Scott Hill has selected a difficult route for pursuit of his career in music. Not only has he chosen a notoriously difficult instrument to play, one that has not commonly b…
08 Sep
Live at the Music Meeting by Barana & Co
Monday, 08 September 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Barana & Co’s Live at the Music Meeting is excellent music that combines the traditions of Turkey and jazz to form a cohesive blend of polyphony and rhythm. For the …
Mariette Bodier has released another winning collection of world music songs, her jazz vocals always a delight to the listening audience. Bodier has style and intimacy in h…
28 Aug
Dark of the Moon by Grey Larsen / Paddy League
Thursday, 28 August 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Grey Larsen is an American whiz at traditional Irish folk music, flute & tin whistle division - and if you think this is a set of Irish drinking songs, best get notion
23 Aug
Zion Roots by Abyssinia Infinite featuring Gigi Shibabaw
Saturday, 23 August 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Though Ejigayehu "Gigi" Shibabaw is given "featuring" status on this album, it’s really her show. For the uninitiated, Gigi is a wonderful Ethiopian singer who’s made a nam…
Guitarist Paul Prince has released his debut solo recording OCEAN BELLS on Afropolynesian Records, his own label as well.The tendrils of this music touch the ears as Pri…
19 Aug
Encantamento by Mafalda Arnauth
Tuesday, 19 August 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Mafalda Arnauth is a singer of Fado, a kind of Portuguese folk-blues - it’s not structured like blues, but it’s similar in essence, in the way conveys angst (from: Fate, Ag…
Afro Celts - formerly known as Afro-Celt Sound System - are a UK-based band/collective that fuses/co-mingles elements of Celtic and African music with the sleek sounds of d…
17 Aug
Raise Your Spirit Higher [Wenyukela] by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Sunday, 17 August 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
One of South Africa’s most highly acclaimed singing groups, Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s close harmonies, typically sung a cappella, have been heard around the world. But you …
Piano Jondo translates to "deep-feeling piano" in the Spanish Andalusian dialect and this album certainly lives up to that title. Born and raised in Sevilla, Spain, Diego A…
06 Aug
Grand Hotel Buenos Aires by Federico Aubele
Wednesday, 06 August 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
World music with nice jazz motifs make this an enjoyable listening experience. Solo work is good and it has a nice Brazilian flavor. Among the songs are "Despertar," "D…
19 Jul
Toi Toi by Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited
Saturday, 19 July 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Anonym Records has released the Chimurenga 2002 recording, TOI TOI, by Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited. The CD was recorded both at a concert in Eugene, Oregon and on…
14 Jul
Mares Profundos by Virginia Rodrigues
Monday, 14 July 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Brazilian singer Virginia Rodrigues has, to put it mildly, a most distinctive voice: it’s deep and full-bodied, a bit dusky and almost husky - a bit like the late Nina Simo…
13 Jul
Laughter Through Tears by Oi Va Voi
Sunday, 13 July 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
The most spellbinding adaptation of klezmer, world music and smooth jazz quotations to techno-lounge: this is Oi Va Voi, a group stretching the boundaries of world/fusion w…
Someone once postulated the jazz was the first "world music" - cultures and nationalities the world over have been attracted to it and while some have been benignly "assimi…
10 Jun
Phrygian Istikhbar by Wajdi Cherif
Tuesday, 10 June 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Jazz has always shown openness to integrating ethnic music from various parts of the world in a more improvised context. Middle Eastern music has, in particular, been stron…
On his most recent recordings, Omar Sosa is tending toward the simpler, more minimal things with each release. Sentir was a full band recital of Sosa’s brand of Cuba…
Emanating out of Italy, many folks on these American shores may not be familiar with "EGEA Records." As many of its titles include Italian jazz composers/musicians aligning…
This is definitely one of the finest world music jazz collections to come along this year. With topnotch performances from all concerned, there is a perfect blending of Afr…
28 May
High Side of Lowdown by James Cohen
Wednesday, 28 May 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Hailing from Canada, guitarist James Cohen dug the sounds of flamenco recordings and gypsy music when he was only six years old. And at the tender age of seven, Cohen start…
21 May
Globalistics by Global Village Orchestra
Wednesday, 21 May 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
The Global Village Orchestra is an eclectic blend of musicians from Senegal, Turkey, China/Uiguria, Germany, Netherlands, Hungary, Moroko and Iran. The cultural blend of so…
Combining tradition with a stylish influence, Maria de Barros brings a fresh approach to Cape Verdean Music. Her debut CD, "Nha Mundo (My World)," is a vibrant tribute to t…
Recorded by Ota Records and distributed in the USA by Harmonia mundi usa, the Omar Sosa solo piano release A NEW LIFE is one of the finest world music CD collections to com…
Winsberg, a name new to me is a flamenco guitarist. Flamenco is the ancient music/dance complex of Spain. This disc is steeped in that tradition, but offers the listener so…
07 Apr
Smooth Africa II: Exploring the Soul by Various Artists
Monday, 07 April 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
In spite of the fact that African percussion has changed the feel and even the theoretical basis of the world’s music through its assimilation into other cultures, we don’t…
Percussionist/singer Tony Allen - long an associate of Nigerian icon Fela Kuti and co-architect of his sound - has kept the fires of Afrobeat (a central African fusion styl…
26 Mar
Smooth Africa ll: Exploring The Soul by Various Artists
Wednesday, 26 March 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
Combine contemporary jazz with the world music influences of South Africa, and you have a beautifully innovative collection of songs in SMOOTH AFRICA II: EXPLORING THE SOUL…
A Barcarola is a Venetian boat song, and it’s easy to imagine being on a gondola, traveling through the canals of Venice, when listening to Riccardo Zegna’s lush new record…
20 Mar
Purple: Celebrating Jimi Hendrix by Nguyên Lê
Thursday, 20 March 2003
Published in
World Music - CD Reviews
French guitarist Nguyên Lê has been considering the music of Jimi Hendrix for the past decade, first performing Hendrix’s music informally with Richard Bona when Bona lived…