Abou Chihabi - Folkomor Ocean (1997)

«Abou Chihabi is a folk singer and songwriter from Grande Comore who fights against social injustice and racial discrimination. Abou Chihabi chose to call his group "Folkomor Ocean" because his main source of inspiration is his native land, the comors, which is insular and which no distance will ever make him forget. Folkomor Ocean has been released in 1997 on Playa Sound» (Mondomix)

«Abou Chihabi est un compositeur-interprète qui lutte contre l'injustice sociale et la discrimination raciale. Il envoie dans ses chansons des messages pour plus de liberté et appelle à la sauvegarde de la tradition et le développement de la culture.
Originaire de la Grande-Comore, l'une des îles qui composent l'archipel des Comores situé dans l'océan indien, approximativement entre la côte Est-africaine et le nord de Madagascar, Abou Chihabi est né dans les années 50 dans une modeste famille des Comores. Très jeune, il manifeste un vif intérêt pour la musique et commence à flirter avec le monde musical. […] Membre de l'Association Musicale de Moroni en 1969, Abou Chihabi voit sa carrière artistique, pour ainsi dire, sur la rampe de lancement. Tour à tour chanteur, accompagnateur et soliste de l'ensemble "Anges Noirs" ainsi que de divers orchestres de Moroni, il acquiert une expérience et une maturité qui le poussent tout naturellement à voler de ses propres ailes. Il part donc en tournée en Tanzanie, au Kenya, en Ouganda, où il connaît un certain succès. De retour aux Comores, il forme son propre groupe, Folkomor Ocean, une formation d'avant-garde qui a pour but de promouvoir un style original, mariant habilement les sonorités folkloriques comoriennes, africaines et jamaïquaines.

En 1976, Abou Chihabi devient subitement célèbre aux Comores grâce à un concours organisé par le pouvoir "révolutionnaire" du moment, qui choisit sa composition comme nouvel hymne national. Alors que sa carrière est en pleine progression, un coup d'état la stoppe brutalement en 1978, obligeant Abou Chihabi à fuir le pays, en abandonnant son matériel. Il s'expatrie au Kenya et reprend son travail... Il se produit dans toute l'Afrique de l'Est, avant d'arriver en France en 1980 avec sa femme.

Après avoir côtoyé l'existence difficile de l'exilé, il obtient le prix des Auditeurs au concours "Découvertes 1981", le premier prix remporté par un chanteur comorien dans un concours international. […] Depuis, il partage sa vie entre ses tournées internationales et les concerts en France.

Abou a choisi d'appeler son groupe Folkomor Ocean car sa principale source d'inspiration provient de cette terre natale, insulaire, que son éloignement ne saurait faire oublier.
Les aspects de la société comorienne sont présents dans ses chansons. Sans être un combattant, ou un militant, il témoigne à sa façon des grandes pages de l'histoire de "son" continent et de ses difficultés sociales: le départ des mercenaires, la fin de la discrimination raciale en Afrique du Sud... et dénonce tant et plus l'injustice, le déni des droits, l'hypocrisie, l'oppression. Mais Abou sait aussi décrire la pureté de l'innocence, l'honnêteté des sentiments et la paix. Ses chansons sont traversées d'une douleur, celle qui coupe, sépare, oppose: "Quand donc serez-vous réunis?"

L' oeuvre d'Abou ne s'inscrit dans aucune des traditions musicales établies dans son pays. Il s'agit plutôt d'une "récréation personnelle" traversée d'échos, de souvenirs, de rythmes, d'expressions parfois obsolètes, d'images, de tableaux évoqués en deux ou trois mots, riches souvenirs d'une histoire, d'une époque, comme celle de l'enfance. Des chants en Shingazidja non violents, même dans la dénonciation, préférant rappeler qu'il faut parfois accepter de faire face à ses responsabilités. Son univers est délicat, rafraîchissant, éthéré, léger, apaisé. Abou, musicien autodidacte, nourri par les chants et les danses qui rythment la vie, est avant tout un homme libre.» (Comores online)

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Smadj - Take It and Drive (2004)

«Tunisian born, Parisian musician Jean-Pierre Smadja (Smadj) grew up listening to Oriental, Brazilian, funk, soul, and folk music. Entering a jazz school at age 15 due to his intense interest in the guitar, Smadj’s musical development came to be characterized by transforming traditional jazz styles into eclectic sounds. This interest in the mechanics of making music led Smadj to pursue a degree in sound engineering, which led to a fruitful career as a recording & sound engineer for famous classical and folk musicians. Releasing his first album in 1994, it wasn’t until 2000 that Smadj became recognized on an international scale for his signature blending of acoustic and electronic sounds on “Equilibriste”, which would ascend on the “European World Music Charts” to the number 4 position. In 2002, Smadj joined fellow “ud magician”, French musician Mehdi Haddab, for a special project that would transport the oud to the 21st century in “DuOuD”. Supporting their triumph of an album with a 2 year world tour, the album also received 2nd place in the “Best Album” category at the prestigious BBC World Music Awards. In 2003, Smadj joined master percussionist Burhan Öçal for “Burhan Öçal & The Trakya All Stars featuring Smadj” and in 2005 he stepped behind the scenes to serve as artistic director for Burhan Öçal’s “New Dream”. Smadj continues making music in the city where east meets west, Istanbul.» (Wikipedia)

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Max Cilla - La Flûte des Mornes (1988)

Max Cilla is the master of the traditional flute; his country [Martinique] calls him “Le Père de la Flûte des Mornes” (“The Father of the Mountain Flute”).

The mountainous regions in the French West Indies are called the “Mornes”. The term also refers to the deep countryside, “the big forests”, which inspire mystical dreams and feed the imagination of storytellers and poets. The “Mornes” used to be the hide-out of run-away Negroes, those who by their acts of courage and revolt had thrown off the bonds of slavery and were persecuted by the colonialists. The “Mornes”, our mountains are rich in history and life, where the breath of the spirit is felt and heard more intensely: the house of the Gods, as legends have it. It is in the “Mornes” of Martinique, in the middle of the countryside, deep in the forests, where the bamboo flute was born. It is a transverse flute with six holes, and went by the popular name of “toutou’n bambou” (the sonorous bamboo tube).

[…] Max Cilla, as the precursor of the “toutou'n bambou”, became conscious that a sum of various attributes had gathered around the “Mornes” which predisposed them to be the symbol of natural and cultural values, the symbol of the authenticity of being, and resistance to all attempts of alienation and indoctrination.

With deep conviction he went about to restore this musical instrument of the countryside and to give it the place it deserved in organology; from the outset he had the inspiration to legitimize it by naming it “la Flûte des Mornes”. He has made a living symbol of this flute whose breath propulses and animates the energies of Life, of Joy, of Light... Indeed, as from 1970, Max Cilla has defended the qualities of this flute, not only as a specific instrument, but also as the vehicle of a style of musical expression typical of our countryside. He had to persevere for long years to see the flute emerge, in a context where the general alienation condemned it to disappear. His research enabled him to work out a precise method of making this flute in all tonalities, of creating a tablature, thus proposing a more extended field of technical possibilities.

At the same time, he composed tunes with a traditional character, and others more elaborate, which today are part of the classical tunes of Martinique.

All this has contributed that, in the early 1980's, art critics, the entire press of the country and public opinion, recognized him as the precursor of the traditional flute and gave him the title of “Le Père de la Flûte des Mornes”.

Author, composer, instrumentalist, flute maker, leader of a musical group, whose compositions are inspired by the rural oral tradition of Martinique, Max Cilla, after a 30-year career, offers music of both universal spirituality and deep roots, full of life, joy and “dancing”: a harmonious alliance of melodies and rhythm. (MaxCilla.com; Spanish version here; French site here)

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Haiti: How to Help

Some useful links:

Haiti Earthquake: How to Help

Terremoto a Haiti: gli aiuti

Cómo ayudar a las víctimas del terremoto de Haití

Please, integrate this short list with other reliable links. Thanx.

Lhasa de Sela - Con Toda Palabra

Adiós, querida!

Ludovico Einaudi & Ballaké Sissoko - Diario Mali (2003)

«Mali Diary (Diario Mali) is a studio recording of duets between the highly successful Italian classical-crossover pianist, Ludovico Einaudi, and Mali musician Ballake Sissoko – one of the most gifted kora players in Africa. This unexpected collaboration was recorded in February 2003, less than a month after they had appeared together at the now famous Festival in the Desert. They had a track included on the best-selling CD of the event.

At this time, Einaudi was just beginning his breakthrough to a much wider UK public. His Echoes Best-of collection was released in the September of that year and early in 2004, he had a track featured on Buddha Bar vol.6 – a sure sign of musical “lifestyle chic”.

Dismissed by large sections of the classical media, his accessible, melodic minimalism – compared by some to Philip Glass and Michael Nyman – has undeniably produced music of wide appeal, and championed by Classic FM in particular, the 8 CDs he has so far issued in the UK have all achieved substantial sales. Born in 1955, Einaudi was awarded a diploma in composition at the Milan Conservatory, and continued his studies with Luciano Berio. He has also composed chamber and orchestral compositions, music for dance and the stage, and film soundtracks, as well as a variety of multimedia works. He completed a sell-out 13-date tour of the UK in Feb 2005.» (Discovery Records)»

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Njava - Vetse (1999)

«One of the most exciting bands from Madagascar, Njava has been attracting international attention since their crowd-rousing set at the WOMAD Festival in 1995. Njava is mostly comprised of siblings — two sisters and three brothers — from the south Madagascar's Antemoto tribe. Njava brings a modern sensibility to the traditional music of their homeland. Initially an electric band, Njava began focusing on traditional music after moving to Brussels, Belgium, in the early '90s. Their debut album, Vetse, was released in 1999 and produced by influential Japanese producer Makoto Kubota. On Vetse, the group’s five siblings – Monique "Monika" Rasoanirina on vocals, Gabrielle "Lala" Raharimahala on vocals and percussion, Theogene "Dozzy" Randriamanpionana on guitar, marovany, and vocals, Patrick "Pata" Randriamanjava on percussion and vocals, Maximin "Max" Randriamanjava on bass and vocals, and Serge "Luc" Rakotomalala on guitar, percussion and vocals – blend fluid guitar melodies, native percussion and beautiful harmonies in an earthy yet sophisticated mix, striking a fine balance between old and new on their debut release.» (AMG)

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Jimmy Cliff - The Universal Masters Collection (2001)

«A fine songwriter and gifted singer with charisma to burn, Jimmy Cliff is one of the most talented musicians to come out of Jamaica. His best work was done with legendary producer Leslie Kong, and several of those songs are available here, including "Wonderful World Beautiful People," "You Can Get It if You Really Want It," "Many Rivers to Cross," and "Vietnam," all of which are indispensable classics. Following Kong's death in 1971, Cliff seemed to lose his focus and drifted in and out of different styles, never quite finding his earlier touch. While he is too good a performer to ever be less than professional, the second half of this disc doesn't quite match up to the material done with Leslie Kong.» (AMG)

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Fanfare Ciocărlia - Queens and Kings (2007)

«Following the release of Gili Garabdi in spring 2005, which promptly landed at number 1 in the WMCE Top 10, Fanfare Ciocarlia travelled throughout Europe to record with musicians from the continent’s extended Romany community. Overcoming borders and visas, foreign tongues and rhythms, more than two dozen musicians from France to Bulgaria came together to create Queens and Kings an extraordinary celebration of Gypsy songs. Casual observers may wonder how Fanfare Ciocărlia’s roaring Balkan funk could possibly fuse with the flamenco guitars of French Gitans Kaloome or Macedonian legend Esma Redzepova’s accordion driven music? Zece Prajini’s musical magicians shrug off such concerns, noting that they share elements of language, experience, and an almost indescribable yet very Gypsy musical synergy with their guests. Hungarian music has permeated northern Romania for centuries, while Yugoslav and Bulgarian music came from encounters with travelling Gypsy communities or on pirate cassettes. Spain and France existed in pre-war memories, lost yet not forgotten Latin connections; as did jazz and pop flavours long filtered through closed borders. From these sources and their own ancient Gypsy roots, Zece Prajini’s musicians built Fanfare Ciocărlia. Here, accompanied by some of Europe’s finest singers, Romania’s brass dervishes share tales of life, love and loss. Queens and Kings celebrates unity in diversity while standing as a testament to the vision of Ioan Ivancea, Fanfare Ciocărlia’s clarinet-playing patriarch, who died in October 2006. To Ioan then, a true Gypsy King, this album is dedicated.» (Asphalt-Tango)

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Nilo Espinosa - Shaken, Not Stirred (2007)

«Nilo Espinosa may not be the best-known player in jazz circles – or bossa nova, disco, funk, Latin soul, boogaloo, and rhumba – though he is one of the best at playing all of them (often in the same ensemble). Espinosa is a Peruvian sax and flute-playing legend who has been hard at it since 1959, when he was getting a conservatory education. In 1962 he made his debut with the Neptuno Orquesta, who played in a club underneath a movie theater in Lima. Not exactly an auspicious beginning, perhaps, but it was enough and he was able to do correspondence studies at the Berklee School of Music in Boston. From 1963 to 1965 he played in an established jazz group at the Astoria in Lima and began to formulate his own ideas for creating jazz ensembles to fit his mood and method. This 18-cut disc issued on the Vampisoul imprint (a label well-known for brilliant reissues and compilations of Latin jazz, Pachuco soul, bossa, funk, and lots of other stuff, including rock & roll, on vinyl and CD) is a fantastic overview of Espinosa's work with five of his own ensembles – Nil's Jazz Ensemble, Bossa 70, Los Hilton's, Los 007, Nilo Espinosa y Orquesta – and some guest spots. Most of the tunes here are from the 1970s, though there are a few from the late '60s, and given the technology of the time, the sound is not exactly modern digital. (But it will more than do.) The jazz-funk in the opener, "Reflexiones," is just killer with breakbeats, electric keyboards, and taut popping (fretted) electric basslines, all backing Espinosa's wide-open soprano saxophone work. The groove is deep, laid-back, funky, and in the pocket – 18 tracks of this stuff would have been just fine, but man, there is so much more.» (AMG – read more)

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Trilok Gurtu - Broken Rhythms (2004)

«A world class, virtuoso percussionist, now in his mid fifties, Trilok has attracted a world class set of collaborators over a long career; these started with John McLaughlin in whose trio, Trilok flourished as the featured soloist for 4 years, other jazz greats continued this path – Joe Zawinul, Jan Garbarek, Don Cherry, Bill Evans, Pharoah Sanders, Dave Holland were all attracted to Trilok’s burning sense of rhythm. Of course he is deeply rooted in the Indian tradition, so it is no surprise to see that collaborations also took place with the glitterati of Indian musical society – his mother, Shobha Gurtu, Zakir Hussain, L. Shankar, Shankar Mahadevan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, The Misra Brothers and Sultan Khan. World music has become an established genre in which Trilok has further “ploughed his own furrow” with his own group, to great effect, performing and recording with Salif Keita, Oumou Sangare, Angelique Kidjo, Neneh Cherry, Omara Portuondo, Tuvan throat singers, Huun Huur Tu, to such effect that . Rita Ray of BBC Radio described him as “a serial collaborator”. […]

Trilok started 2004 with a 10-date tour of Norway in February followed by an extensive tour of 25 concerts in France to announce the release of his eleventh cd “Broken Rhythms”. As with all Trilok records, the accent was on rhythm and drumming – but this one more so. Featured collaborations with the Tuvan Throat Singers Huun Huur Tu, the Arké String Quartet and an outstanding screaming guitar part from Gary Moore bring a heady mix of bright and fast with gentle and peaceful. The album was released in France in March 2004 and received all 4**** reviews.» (trilokgurtu.net)

«This recording completes a four album musical journey which began with Africn Fantasy, prceeded through Beat of Love and Remembrance and comes to a beautifully composed conclusion on Broken Rhythms. Every element in Trilok's musical palate is used, from percussive experiments to rockier pieces to orchestrated arrangements that would satisfy many an old Mahavishnu fan. And the ensemble of musicians which he has chosent o accompany him and perform these songs are some of the finest in the world of Indian music and World music today. I am at a loss to imagine what he will do to "top" this release. If you have ANY of his earlier recordings, this one will have a certain logical sense and feel to it that you will really enjoy. This is the artist at his most mature to date.» (Amazon)

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Antonio Carlos Jobim's Finest Hour (2000)

«While Antonio Carlos Jobim is an essential figure in the music of Brazil, he also created a significant place for himself in American music as a great songwriter and a key figure in the tremendous popularity of bossa nova. Apart from his unique melodic gift, what makes Jobim’s work memorable is the complexity of mood he could evoke - the touch of sadness that colors the brightest bossa nova, the irony in the midst of joy, and the mixture of delicacy and resilience in his voice and piano. He was an artist who worked primarily in pastels, but it was his sense of shadows that gave his work its most enduring qualities. Including his most famous tunes and collaborators – like “The Girl from Ipanema” with Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto – Jobim’s Finest Hour catches it all, from the standard-bearers to such gems as the playful “Aguas de Março”.» (Stuart Broomer, Amazon)

«Verve continues their Finest Hour series with Antonio Carlos Jobim’s Finest Hour, a 17-song collection highlighting the bossa nova pioneer’s singing and songwriting. “Insensatez”, “Corcovado”, “The Girl From Ipanema”, “Desafinado”, and other definitive tracks make this set entertaining, if not comprehensive.» (AMG)

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Ancient Heart: Mandinka and Fulani Music of the Gambia (1990)

«Co-produced by bassist Bill Laswell and Gambian griot Foday Musa Suso, this album delves into the West African roots that inspired their fusionary Mandingo project. Ancient Heart features recordings of both of Gambia's two major ethnic groups, the Mandinka and Fulani. But while the 11 songs are fairly true to tradition, the approach is updated by recording the musicians in ensembles rather than the usual solo setting. All in all, this is an extremely uplifting album that features some truly amazing performances.» (AMG)

«Gambia is the home of numerous ethnic groups, among them the Mandinka and the Fulani. the Mandinka are the westermost branch of the Manding people, descendants of the great Mali empire founded by Sunjata Keita in the 13^th century that include the Bambara, Malinke, Dyula and Soninke among others. The Mandinka are famed for their virtuosity on the kora, a 21-string harp-lute with a large gourd resonator that is featured on this recording. […] For the Mandinka jali (griot) it is the instrument of choice. […] The Fulani are a semi-nomadic people who may be found in most of the countries of west Africa and the Sahel. renowned as fierce warriors and able horsemen, they were early traders with the Arabs. […] By tradition, the Fulani were cattle herders and, perhaps because of their wandering nature, their musical instruments tend to be small and transportable. […]

This recording presents a rich tapestry of Mandinka and fulani music. While the songs are all in the tradition mold […] the assembly of such large ensembles is a fairly recent phenomenon. […] Since the recording was done on location in Mr. Suso’s compound in Birkama, Gambia, there were all manner of extraneous noises to deal with! The resultant sound is truly a triumph of teamwork between musicians and engineers and should appeal to listeners on both sides of the Atlantic for it is both stepped in tradition and thoroughly modern.» (From the Liner Notes, included in the zip).

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Ismaël Lo - Jammu Africa (2003)

«Ismael Lo, born in 1960, is the son of a Senegalese civil servant who loved American soul music. Lo grew up listening to stars like James Brown, Wicked Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding. Lo built his first guitar from a cooking oil can, and learned to play harmonica and guitar together by nailing his harmonica to the wall. Lo was a guitarist for Super Diamano, a mbalax blues band, for five years before leaving to start his own solo career. Lo is often called the “Bob Dylan of Senegal” because of his guitar and harmonica combination coupled with his deeply satisfying lyrics. As Lo himself says: “I speak of racism, poverty, famine, and the relationships among people”» (The African Music Encyclopedia)

«This album grows on you. It’s not immediate, so at first listen not all the beauty and appeal are evident. But with every subsequent spin you’ll discover more of its rich variety which includes 3 distinct styles. The first is the catchy uptempo pop songs showing a resemblance to the soukous style of artists like Tabu Ley Rochereau and Ray Lema. The hit Dibi Dibi Rek is a tad slower but has highly addictive hooks whilst the rhythmic texture of Raciste is exceptional. Percussive tracks like Samba et Leuk and Takou Deneu represent a subgroup of the pop style possibly influenced by Nigerian music like that of King Sunny Ade.

The slow, often mournful, melodious ballad is the second type. All of these have beautiful tunes and moving vocals. They include the undulating Tajabone with its distinct country tones, the atmospheric Nabou spiced with synth and soulful female backing vocals, the melancholy Lotto Lo which has an introspective singer/songwriter air about it and Souleymane, the one with a pop-rock arrangement that starts slowly & gently before the tempo increases & the vocals intensify to transform it into a soaring power ballad. This “southern soul” is a staple of West African artists like Baaba Maal and Youssou N'Dour.

Thirdly, there is the torch song with aching vocals over a meandering rhythm, represented by the title track, Khar and Without Blame, the devastating duet with Marianne Faithfull which is in a class of its own. Sometimes the voices are in harmony, then they diverge in a call & response style. […] This tour de force […] is the highlight on an album of soulful songs and beautiful melodies that offers impressive stylistic variety.» (Amazon)

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Marie-Line Dahomay & Kalindi-Ka - Yo (1999)

«The islands of Guadeloupe were colonized by the French in 1635. Under their watch the indigenous Carib Indians were routed and African slaves were brought onto the islands and forced to work in the burgeoning sugar industry. Several hundred years later, soon after the French abolished slavery on Guadeloupe in 1848, the island’s plantation owners had workers from one of France’s East Indian colonies, Pondicherry, brought over to labor in the cane fields. As a result of these multifarious influences, Guadeloupe’s cultural practices – including its music – are hybrids of various traditions. For example, gwo ka music, which is traditionally performed during nocturnal gatherings called léwòz, incorporates the French-influenced Creole vocals of a lead singer and accompanying chorus with drummers playing on African-modeled gwo ka drums, the low-pitched boula and the higher-pitched makyè. Among the more popular practitioners of gwo ka music is the vocalist Marie-Line Dahomay. On Yo, Dahomay is joined by an all-female choir, Kalindi-Ka, and a battery of percussionists. Dahomay delves into such issues as femininity, religiosity, unrequited love, reclaimed ancestry, and Guadeloupe’s complex cultural identity. Dahomay’s powerful and soulful voice allows her to deliver these and other messages with conviction. As stated in her liner notes, the songs on this particular CD are not meant to reflect traditional gwo ka music. Rather, they “were inspired by traditional songs, enriched by Cuban rhythms.” Indeed, Afro-Cuban rumba rhythms and timbres from such drums as the bata and conga at times overpower the gwo ka drums, thus giving the music a predominately Afro-Cuban sound. Whatever its relation to traditional gwo ka, Marie-Line Dahomay & Kalindi-Ka’s Yo is full of beautiful vocal harmonies, vibrant polyrhythms, and thoughtful lyrics. All in all, it’s a must-have for those interested in contemporary interpretations of traditional Caribbean music.» (AMG)

«La musique Gwo Ka est un héritage de l’esclavage aux Antilles et en Guadeloupe en particulier. Autour du Gwo Ka gravitent la danse, le jeu, l’humour... une certaine façon d’être. Aujourd’hui, le groupe Kalindi-ka s’inscrit dans cette mouvance identitaire. Ce choeur féminin polyphonique et polyrythmique porte une note originale dans l’interprétation des morceaux anciens. Les compositions les plus récentes s’inspirent de chants traditionnels et sont enrichies de rythmes cubains. Les percussions ka se marient au djembé, au conga et au bata ce qui donne une plus large place à l’improvisation. La chanteuse principale, Marie-Line Dahomay, s’accompagne parfois d’un instrument indien: l’Ektara. Yo sorti en 2000, sur Playa Sound.» (Mondomix)

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The Rough Guide to Bellydance (2002)

«The Western image of bellydancing is associated with Greek or Middle Eastern restaurants, or some form of low-cost home seduction. The truth, of course, is something different. It's an ancient form of dance, requiring extremely complex body control to execute properly — and it's original name, baladi, has nothing to do with the belly, translating instead as "country dance." But whichever way you look at it, the music on this compilation is made for the dance, whether it's the satisfying full Egyptian strings of Jalilah and Mokhtar Al Said's "Enta Omri," a piece originally written for the great Oum Kolthoum, or the stunning buzuq work of the late Mohamed Matar, whose nimble, inventive playing deserves greater exposure. The centerpiece, however, belongs to Nubian percussionist Mahmoud Fadl, with "Aament Bellah," a piece written to illustrate the power of the dance to lighten spirits and the oppressive weight over everyday life. At 12 minutes, it demands a lot from the listener, but amply repays it with shards of musical genius from the ensemble, and a rhythm that can't be denied. The music ranges from the classical compositions of Mohammed Abdel Wahab to folk pieces, presented in a manner that largely runs the gamut of Middle Eastern music. And if you get tired of using it for dancing, it makes excellent listening too.» (AMG)

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Corsica: Ostriconi Plage

Various Artists: Corse (2003)

Here is a nice selection of Corsican recorded music. Most of these artists are not strictly polyphonic groups, at least not any more, since they don’t sing a capella traditional Corsican polyphony. Some of them, by the way, like Petru Guelfucci, still have their roots in Corsican polyphony, notwithstanding their musical evolvement. Those who do not innovate and develop their singing are likely to leave Corsican polyphony as a museum piece. But here you’ll find also valses bastiaises and monodic secular songs, instrumental tracks, modern songwriting etc. from l’ile de beauté (To learn more about traditional Corsican music click here).

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Vavangue - Musiques Folk de l'Ocean Indien / Folk Music of the Indian Ocean (1989)

«Fondé en 1988 par Jean Pierre La Selve, (ex « Compères Grat’Fils ») Vavangue est une association « loi 1901 » qui a pour but l’étude, la pratique et la diffusion des musiques traditionnelles de La Réunion.

Pour cela nous voulons continuer à faire entendre les instruments comme le bob le violon, le ralé-poussé ou le banjo, laissés de côté par la course à la modernité et à l’alignement sur les musiques dehors , et à faire danser sur les polkas, quadrilles, ségas , valses, mazurkas et scottischs que nous recueillons sans discontinuer auprès des derniers vieux jouars.

La musique que nous aimons n’est pas seulement destinée aux amateurs de folklore ou aux conservateurs de musées, elle est avant tout source de plaisir pour ceux qui la jouent, l’écoutent ou la dansent. Cet héritage peut aussi servir de base à une création actuelle. C’est pourquoi nous proposons nos propres compositions pour les mêmes instruments.

Notre activité principale nous conduit surtout sur des podiums de fêtes de quartier, pour des concerts ou des bals traditionnels, mais nous nous produisons aussi dans des lieux de culture : Muséum De la Canne et du sucre, Musée de Villèle, Médiathèques. A l’extérieur ; Festival créole des Seychelles, Métropole, Maurice, Louisiane, Martinique, Rodrigues.

Nous proposons également des actions de formation en musique et danses traditionnelles réunionnaises ainsi qu’une exposition d’instruments traditionnels.» (Akout)

Booklet in French and English

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Earth-Wheel-Sky-Band - Waltz Rromano (2003)

«There's definitely a concept of a journey about this album, but it's the kind of trip you'll be happy to make. Yes, it's gypsy music, coming from a Serbian home, but traveling everywhere — note the Indian inflection on "India Rroma," where guitar sounds like sitar, balancing a delicate violin line over chord changes that could almost have been lifted from "Get Back," filtered through, well, China. Odd, but enticing, which is also true of the rest of the disc, like the breakdown that comes at the end of "Me Sem Rrom," where cimbalom and violin take off like Serbian bluegrass, after a track that gives a nod to the U.S. with its bluesy inflections. Considering that Olah Vince has been playing professionally for 40 years, this is a major step forward not just for himself, but for gypsy music in general, an adventurous, daring disc. On "Vranje-Rromans," with guest trumpeter Boban Markovic heavily overdubbed in a fanfare, Vince's guitar work connects the dots between flamenco, the Balkans, and the Middle East in a magnificent way. And he's not afraid of being quieter, either, as on "A#-Rromans," a lyrical piece with echoes of a fading past. A magnificent record.» (AMG)

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Beyond the River: Seasonal Songs of Latvia (1998)

«This fascinating album is part of the excellent Hemisphere series of world music. Latvia – together with Estonia and Lithuania – is one of the Baltic states that regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 following an earlier period of independence between the first and second World Wars. The album speaks of the new confidence of a re-emergent country rediscovering the richness and diversity of the folk roots at the heart of its culture. Indeed a collection of over 200,000 dainas (folk songs), gathered by Krisjanis Barons (1835-1923), is one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Latvian folk song centres on the rituals of everyday farming life and the changing seasons but always lurking in the background is the sense of spiritual life, particularly from the pre-Christian pagan era. The music tends to be tinged with mysticism and a sense of melancholy, yet at other times there is a startlingly holistic connection with the natural world.

Four contemporary groups are represented on the album: Auri, Ilgi, Grodi and Rasa. An impressive range of instruments include trough fiddle, bagpipes, wooden trumpet, flute, whistle, drum, violin, hurdy gurdy and accordion. However, the jewel of Latvian music is the kokles, a type of board zither with between 5 and 12 strings. This instrument gives the music a haunting, ethereal quality and a moving delicacy. Evidently the history of the instrument can be traced back 3,000 years so listening to it today gives an incredible musical connection to past millenia.

There are many references in Latvian folk songs to the midsummer and midwinter solstice festivals and a range of stories, beliefs and superstitions surrounding them. One of the most exceptional songs on the album is "Es Jums Ludzu, Salmenieki/Friends, I Beg of You" by Grodi. Throughout the song the use of a gouri-type percussion instrument evokes, for me at least, the rasping call of the corncrake that is still widespread in Latvia. (In Britain, the remaining stronghold of this wonderful bird is the Outer Hebrides.) The call of the bird captures the spirit of midsummer.

Another song, "Mildas Dziesma/Milda's Song" by Ilgi, seems to come from deep in a pagan past. It is a dark song with a sinister drumbeat and includes the line "Let this evil day flow past me." Other songs on the album express a simpler celebration of farming life and a strong affection for animals. […] I recognise some of the tunes on this album but have been more used to hearing them sung on recordings in a rather sanitised, classical style by the typically huge massed choirs of Latvian song festivals. It is a revelation to hear them returned to their simpler roots but with a contemporary touch that combines the vocal and instrumental (often kept apart traditionally) in new ways. The music has a passion and rawness that, at times, can be uncomfortable. It is not music that will necessarily appeal to everyone but will interest many interested in the authentic folk traditions of Europe. The songs here have the power to transpose you to another world.» (Andy Jurgis, Rambles)

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Maghreb Sound System (2003)

«Les enfants de l’immigration maghrébine, reprenant les traditions musicales de leurs parents, se nourrissent de l’électronique et s’appuient sur des tendances musicales urbaines et occidentales pour préparer un tajine sonore des plus surprenants. Les chansons présentées sur cet album balaient un large spectre des tendances actuelles : hip-hop, dub, jungle, ragga, house, techno… mixées avec du châabi, raï, nuba, kabile, arabo-andalou. Un cross-over réussi où domine les mélodies et les rythmes du Maghreb.» (Indiz.fr)

«La mezcla y fusión entre culturas y músicas pueden deberse a diversos motivos, pero desde luego, los movimientos migratorios son los que generan las fusiones más reales y naturales, pues no surgen de análisis sesudos o de personas con espíritu experimentador… simplemente suceden.

Así, este disco, que ha sido recopilado por Alex Van Loy, aparece como un testigo de las fusiones entre música, nacidas de los movimientos migratorios de personas del norte de África que se han asentado en Europa.

En los 17 cortes que incluye el álbum se puede escuchar música vitalista, fresca, llena de energía y que gracias a la incorporación de elementos propios de la cultura árabe suena a nuestros oídos tremendamente original. Estilos como châabi, raï, nuba, kabil o milhum, por la parte árabe, se encuentran con house, techno, reggae, jazz, Hip Hop… o incluso rock, por la parte occidental.

Dentro de éste planteamiento el contenido resulta realmente diverso […] Maghreb Sound System es un disco interesante, diverso y muy entretenido. Útil para descubrir nuevas músicas, para los DJs que quieran dar un toque exótico a sus sesiones o simplemente para servir de banda sonora a un día optimista.» (F-MHop, La factoria del ritmo. Comentario completo)

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