Açoriana: Madalena (Pico)

Soledad Bravo - Paloma Negra (2001)

«Spain-born and Venezuela-raised Soledad Bravo has been one of the leaders of the nueva cancion (“new song”) movement that swept through Latin America in the '70s and '80s. Although equally proficient at singing traditional and popular songs, Bravo made her greatest impact as a protest singer. According to Billboard, “her voice is an exceptional instrument”. The Diario, a newspaper in Madrid, claims “her voice captivates you, the range is so wide and its strength is amazing”.» (AMG, read more)

«Listening to this collection of 13 south-american standards, you'll immediately find out that Soledad Bravo is one of the best female singers in the Central and South American territory. Her fresh and intense vocal timbre on these recordings is immeasurably moving. Soledad Bravo is the only Latin singer able to go from a style to an other, epitomizing the fusion of beautiful poetry and unique singing in an extraordinarily varied programme of canciones latino-americana (from argentinian tango to mexican bolero, from ranchera to venezuelan folklore...). Intense emotions and heavy thrills from these classical refrains that sound even better with the lights off (Silvio Rodriguez's “La Maza”, or Carlos Jobim's “Eu sei que vou te amar” are pure gems!). Truly exceptional! And let's add a superlative that should only be used with great forethought and care: Essential!» (Calabash Music: click for more)

«Soledad Bravo responde auténticamente al concepto de intérprete. Más que cantar cada una de sus canciones – que también lo hace, con voz caprina, poderosa y brillante – , las interpreta, las actúa, las vive, las hace suyas. Y en un mismo disco, dedicado a sonoridades americanas, ofrece versiones personales de temas de toda la vida, respaldada casi apenas por las cuerdas de la guitarra. Apuesta así por el minimalismo, por la vieja fórmula de peñas y canturreos, y sortea esa falta de aderezo con calidad y sale entera. Entrega – entre otros ejemplares- un pasillo hermoso (el clásico “Sombras” de Carlos Brito), una ranchera desgañitada (“Paloma negra”) y un delicado medley dedicado a la tropicalia romántica (“Eu sei que eu vou te amar/a noite de nos dos”).» (Emol)

«Depuis la fin des années 60, la carrière de Soledad Bravo est d'une exceptionnelle richesse. Chanteuse autodidacte devenue à 18 ans une des icônes de la chanson engagée au Venezuela, Soledad Bravo ne s'est pourtant jamais laissé enfermer dans un registre musical, ce qu’elle aurait ressenti comme une entrave insupportable à sa passion des beaux textes. Enflammée, tendre ou mélancolique, la voix de Soledad Bravo incarne depuis trente ans le vaste répertoire de la chanson populaire latino-américaine. Elle a interprété ou adapté les plus grands auteurs d'expression espagnole du xxe siècle (Garcia Lorca, Rafael Alberti, Violeta Parra, Carlos Puebla, Silvio Rodrígues…) comme ceux du Brésil (Chico Buarque, Tom Jobim, De Moraes) et de France (Barbara). En près de 30 albums, Soledad a tout exploré: la contestation, la frénésie festive de la salsa et presque tous les folklores du nouveau continent. Accompagnée d'une simple guitare ou d'un orchestre afro-caribéen, sa voix se confond désormais avec celle du chant latino-américain.
Soledad Bravo revient en France après des années d'absence avec un nouvel album, Paloma negra, dédié à la mémoire de Barbara. Ce disque est en fait la réunion de 13 titres inédits enregistrés en 1979, puis entre 1995 et 2000 (sur la genèse de l’album, lire notre entretien). L'unité de cette collection de chansons est assurée par le timbre magistral de Soledad, le dépouillement des arrangements réalisés par Antonio Sánchez et la guitare de Dioni Velásquez, fidèle accompagnateur de la chanteuse. Le résultat est au-delà de toute critique. Ranchera, tangos, ou boleros, ces chansons populaires sont d'une beauté déchirante. Elles sont rendues avec une humilité et une urgence qui ne versent jamais dans le professionnalisme compassé de certaines divas de la chanson. Soledad est une interprète magnifique, d'une humanité sincère. Elle puise en elle le sang des émotions pures pour donner aux mots une chair sonore et éphémère. La vérité artistique, cette illusion vitale, est à ce prix.» (Chronicart)

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Skyscape

Bijan Chemirani with Ross Daly - Gulistan (2001)

«At 22, surrounded by his brother and father, who had taught him how to play the zarb (a Persian drum transforming the beat into a melody), Bijan Chemirani invited several musicians, among them Ross Daly, to accompany him on his sumptuous and intoxicating album. Beyond the interest one can find in the multitude and the originality of instruments chosen to compose this record (oud, cetera, saz, duduk, etc.), the true revelation comes from the result: a peaceful, rich, dense instrumental music inspired by many horizons and at the same time very homogenous. Recorded between Athens and Marseilles, Gulistan leads the listener in the Mediterranean area and further eastward.» (AMG)

«Bijan Chemirani is interested in mythical musical spaces. On Gulistan, Chemirani explores a place where Greek, Persian and Azerbaijani music meet. A gulistan is a rose garden, the classic metaphor for the source of inspiration for poets and musicians.
The album is full of spirited tempo and fiery instrumental conversations between fiddles and percussion. These are Middle Eastern fiddles, kamanchehs, kemences and rebecs. In the Persian musical tradition, the kamancheh is thought to be the world's original fiddle. Chemirani plays with a hard attack, framing the melody in double chords, making use of changing Balkan rhythmic patterns. Chemirani's sound will startle those whose exposure to the kamancheh has been the more refined playing of Ostad Ali Asghar Bahari or Kayhan Kalhor. It's like putting Bartok and a Gypsy orchestra side by side. However, let me quickly add that this in no way implies a "high" and "low" value. Like any good musician, Chemirani has discovered strengths in his instrument that few others have. He is a virtuoso and the power and beauty of his music is really quite remarkable. Outstanding tracks include Chemirani's composition "Liqa" and Ross Daly's "Makrinitsa."
The Irish-born Daly is an ideal collaborator, having absorbed Greek, Turkish, Egyptian and other Middle-Eastern influences. The result is an incredibly virile music that has the wailing, nasal-like color of Balkan and Near East folk tunes yet it is very contemporary, melodically sophisticated and unpredictable.» (Aaron Howard, Rootsworld)

«Le jardin des Roses, du perse "Gulistan", se trouve au bout du périple. Mais dès l'ouverture de cet album les fragrances qui s'en échappent provoquent des frémissement de délices. Pour son premier album en tant que capitaine, le plus jeune membre de l'ensorcelant trio Chemirani, n'a certes pas laisser refroidir les peaux magiques de ses zarbs, dafs, reqqs et autres tambourins, ni coupé les liens du sang, conviant frère et père pour un bout du voyage. Même si pourtant dans cette famille on sait raconter comme personne des histoires merveilleuses rien qu'avec les doigts, Bijan Chemirani n'a pas voulu faire un disque de percussions. Pour son évident plaisir comme pour le notre, il a préféré se faire accompagner par quelques unes de ses relations les plus précieuses. L'irlandais atypique Ross Daly d'abord, qui avec Bijan, nous guide à travers quelques coins merveilleux de la méditerranée, du Soudan et de son imaginaire où ses lyra, laouta, saz et robab résonnent de toutes leurs saveurs. On retrouve aussi avec grand plaisir le compagnon d'aventure musicale d'Angélique Ionatos et de Houria Aïchi, Henri Agnel, sa science du taksim, son amour des pays Helléniques et transalpins. C'est aussi en Grèce, le disque fut en partie enregistrer à Athènes, que l'on rencontre un autre magicien des rythmes ensoleillés Socrates Sinopoulos. Quant à Tigran Sarkissian et son duduk, il nous font planer au dessus de l'Arménie et de l'Anatolie.

Ce n'est qu'après avoir visiter des airs traditionnels joliment réappropriés et partagés, après s'être fait presque oublier pour mieux mettre en avant les talents de compositeurs de ses invités que Bijan nous dévoile son jardin secret. Aidé de la seule, mais puissamment évocatrice voix du marseillais Manu Théron, il clôt son album par le seul morceau qu'il revendique entièrement. Et là les parfums éclatent de façon si personnelle et si étourdissante que l'on se demande s'il n'y aurait pas sur la terre quelque coin qui n'aurait été visité que par lui seul.» (Benjamin MiNiMuM, Mondomix)

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Dancers

Pidżama Porno - Bułgarskie Centrum (2004)

A great band from Poland, playing an infectious punk-rock (with touches of ska & reggae for good measure) and showing very good instrumental and vocal technique, above average compositional skills and excellent taste for arrangements. I discovered them some weeks ago thanks to Last.fm, and since then they have become a staple in my daily music “diet”. Recommended.

«Pidżama Porno evolved from Polish underground acts, such as Ręce Do Góry, Ryzyko and Papierosy. The name Pidżama Porno was first used in 1987. It was then an underground band. Their first demo albums, Ulice jak stygmaty and Futurista, were widely spread across Poland through amateur copying, and achieved great popularity among punk rock and hardcore music listeners. Pidżama Porno disbanded in 1990, but reactivated 4 years later, following a continuously big popularity. The demo album Futurista was officially released under the same name, but it also contained six songs from Ulice jak stygmaty. In 1997 Złodzieje zapalniczek was released, Styropian followed in 1998. Then, the Ulice jak stygmaty demo album was recorded again, and released as Ulice jak stygmaty - absolutne rarytasy. The next album, Marchef w butonierce, arguably their most popular one, saw the light in 2001. As for now, their newest album is Bułgarskie Centrum, which appeared in 2004.» (Velvetundergroundforum)

Official site: http://www.pidzamaporno.art.pl/

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Re-Posts

Fela Kuti & Nigeria 70 - The '69 Los Angeles Sessions (1969)

Nour-Eddine - Zri-Zrat (1997)

Pictures of Greece: Moonrise Over Santorini

Courtesy of JTC

Ivan Kupala - Kostroma (1999)

«Despite what some first-time (English-speaking) listeners may think, Ivan Kupala is in fact a group not a single composer. Hailing from St Petersburg in Russia: Denis Fyodorov, Alexei Rumyantsev and Alexei Ivanov were all working at the same radio-station when they teamed up and decided to make modernised versions of Russian folk-songs. A variety of live shows and tours across Russia resulted in the group Ivan Kupala and their debut 11-track album Kostroma released in 1999. The group is named after the feast of John the Baptist (who is known as Ivan Kupala in Russia) which is a Belarusian version of the midsummer-festival on 7 July. Lead voices on the album are all female, and each track for the most part features solo voice and group-chants interchangeably. The title-song was also released as a single and serves as a great primer to the album – Russian traditional-singing combined with upbeat arrangements and lots of synthesiser work including Dao Dezi-like bagpipe solos. “Brovi” follows this with a similar approach, but adds more complexity and thus is even better: a thumping club beat introduces us to the track with perky synth-instrumental and verse/chorus chants that are exceptionally performed and highly infectious. “Vinograd” slows things down slightly with a rock-pop beat and accordion instrumentals to create a more folk-like piece. “Molodost” is a laid-back, more romantic piece with beautiful flute interludes. Slower tracks are in the minority though, the album is primarily a collection of fast-tempo uplifting songs: like the accordion flourishes and staccato male backing yodels of “Kanarejka” and the bouncy-synths of “Kolyada” which culminates in a fantastic clapping-yelping section that urges everyone to come dance. However “Galia” stands as a true highlight; its slow steady beat, lush synth chords, faint mandolin playing combine with a haunting vocal performance continually multi-tracked, light electronic basslines and even a sitar bridge-section. “Polosa” ends the album off nicely by continually growing more excited, with the listener unable to resist being swept along. The album is near-perfect and only let down slightly by the unfortunate use of reggae influences and brass-instruments in the song “Svatochki”. If you are a fan of Eastern European singing you will surely love Kostroma. Similarities with Deep Forest's second album Boheme are inevitable due to the Eastern European influences, but Ivan Kupala is much more than a clone. After the release of the first album all the songs were then handed over to various producers to create the compilation album Remixed Kostroma (released in 2000) which saw the original tracks re-invented into commercial styles that are very popular in Russia today […] – trance, hip-hop/breakbeat, club, drum'n'bass, jungle and even salsa! Ivan Kupala is definitely a project that deserves wider distribution and worldwide attention. […]» (Earth Rhythms)

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Rubber Folk (2006)

«To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of (arguably) The Beatles’ folkiest album Rubber Soul, Mike [Harding] presents a tribute from the cream of the folk music community of the British Isles. All the artists taking part did so with a huge amount of enthusiasm, some immediately drawn to the classics from the album, others relishing the challenge of the more oblique. In each case the artist was given a completely free hand. Some interpretations are faithful, albeit acoustic versions of the original; others have taken the opportunity to give a completely new feel to the song. From Ralph McTell's Michelle, complete with accordion and ukuleles, to June Tabor's unaccompanied rendition of In My Life, this is a remarkable collection which illustrates not only the great writing skills of The Beatles, but also the inventiveness and creativity of British folk artists.» (BBC)

Thanx to an anonymous reader for this post.

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Açoriana: São Mateus da Calheta (Terceira)

Orchestra Baobab - Specialist in all Styles (2002)

«Putting a classic band together 15 years after their demise can be a recipe for disaster. In this case, though, World Circuit head Nick Gold has definitely done the world a favor. Orchestra Baobab might be best known for their classic Pirate's Choice, but this disc is every bit the equal — it's most certainly not Buena Vista Baobab Club. For someone who hadn't touched a guitar in years, after becoming a lawyer in his native Togo, Barthelemy Attisso is all over this record, offering beautiful, inventive solos and playing whose fluidity, especially on "Gnawe" and "Dee Moo Wor," is wonderfully atmospheric. As any fan would expect, the Cuban influence remains very strong, but the Wolf roots are also strong, especially in the voice of young singer Assane Mboup. Guest turns from Ibrahim Ferrer and co-producer Youssou N'Dour on "Homage a Tonton Ferrer" — a remake of "Utru Horas," their biggest song — aren't going to hurt the album's visibility. But ultimately it's the band themselves who carry the record, playing better than ever (not only the superb Attisso, but also saxman Issa Cissokho). Back in fine style, indeed.» (AMG)

English biography here, here and here

Portrait en français

Biografia in italiano

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Açoriana: Windmill (São Jorge)

Tony Allen & Afrika 70 - Jealousy (1975) / Progress (1977)

«Tony Allen first gained prominence as the drummer for Fela Kuti's Afrika 70, and his technical proficiency and musical versatility were key components in the creation of Afrobeat. Allen shared Kuti's spirit of musical restlessness, and was continually exploring ways to graft funk, jazz and R&B onto traditional African music. Allen has often claimed that the Afrobeat rhythm is "one drummer playing like four" and this pair of records from the late '70s finds him doing just that. But while the percussion is constant, it's never overbearing; Allen is the master of the steady, easy roll, and his gently pulsing patterns serve to support his songs rather than dominate them. He demonstrates equal acuity as a bandleader: "Africa Disco Beat" is peppered with jubilant bursts of brass and is grounded in a burbling, liquid bass line while a thrilling, knotty sax solo dominates "Progress." Allen is not just a celebrated collaborator – he's an innovator in his own right.» (J.Edward Keyes, eMusic)

«[…] Imagine a Nigerian version of James Brown's band with Art Blakey's finesse and Max Roach's jazzy complexity and you'll understand the groove signature of the extended tracks. With Allen's drumming driving the gut-level bass lines, down-home horns, spacy keyboards, and spicy vocals, cuts like the nearly 12-minute "Jealousy" and "Afro Disco Beat" will drive today's kids into Afro-diasporic dervishes that only a groove master like Tony Allen can conjure. (Eugene Holley, Jr., Amazon)

Read the interview.

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Me'Shell NdegéOcello - Comfort Woman (2003)

«To get immediately to the point, if Me'Shell NdegéOcello's Comfort Woman isn't regarded as one of the finest contemporary soul albums of 2003, then those who review music for a living had better get eardrum transplants and a transfusion of blood to get rid of the sawdust, or quit to sell used cars, work in a fast-food establishment, or pump gas. The marketplace is tricky, but if this disc doesn't sell, then Madonna needs to fire her marketing department at Maverick. Comfort Woman is a deeply sensual album, sexy as hell and drenched with lush, richly textured bass grooves that bubble under warmly and luxuriantly in a series of songs that may not be all that divergent in tempo, but don't have to be either. This is late-night music, where the sound of a bass doesn't so much pop as it rumbles in the lower spine, looking for release. Make no mistake on Comfort Woman, space is the place and that place is reached via two vehicles, a perfect commingling of the spirits of dub reggae and mid-'70s soul and groove jazz. Think, perhaps, of David Sancious and Teena Marie as bandmates with Sly & Robbie in the rhythm section, Jimi Hendrix's "Rainy Day, Dream Away" as a music model, and Sade as vocalist – you get the idea. […] Fact of the matter is, Comfort Woman is one of the most forward-thinking records to come out of contemporary soul in well over a decade. It's possible to remember when Prince made music as fine, sensual, and spiritual as this, but it's a struggle. This is NdegéOcello's finest moment on record thus far, and is as good as it gets in the field.» (AMG)

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Postcards from Italy (42): Rifugio Pedrotti, Dolomiti di Brenta, Trentino

Sur Sudha - Images of Nepal (1998)

«The Nepalese trio Sur Sudha came together in the late 1980s for what amounts to a national-cultural mission. They set out to document the varieties of music in Nepal, and, given the remarkable contrasts in the landscape, it's no surprise that Sur Sudha's musical evocations span large distances. The musical highs and lows, though, are all kept within close reach of each other, reminding that Sur Sudha is a spare ensemble, employing only flute (Prem Rana Autari), sitar (Bijaya Vaidya), and tabla (Surendra Shrestha). The tunes here are compact, ranging from just over 5 to around 16 minutes, much in contrast to traditional Indian ragas, which can stretch to near eternity in their balance of drones and cyclic tabla rhythms. Like Indian music, these pieces feature each instrument closely entwined with the others, developing melodic units that spiral at a moderate and measured pace and featuring the sitar in a not-quite-drone role that sponges up the flute tones and wrings them back out in resonating solo segments. Listeners who enjoy standout solos as much as collective improvisations off raags (a musical scale similar to Indian ragas) will enjoy the work Sur Sudha has done to keep the band's direction balanced on an axis of expressive play.» (Andrew Bartlett, Amazon)

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Açoriana: Angra's Cathedral at Night (Terceira)

Malouma - Dunya (2004)

«Les griotes ne sont plus ce qu’elles étaient! C’est ce que certains doivent se dire en Mauritanie quand ils entendent chanter Malouma Mint Moktar Ould Meidah, rejetonne d’une dynastie de musiciens renommés dans le pays. Il y a de quoi, car depuis plusieurs années, cette dernière se place à l’avant-garde d’une sorte de révolution culturelle. Non seulement elle modifie les canons musicaux traditionnels – de type pentatonique – en y intégrant des couleurs blues, mais, en plus, elle introduit dans ses chansons des thèmes inhabituels, tels que les problèmes de mœurs et de société. Lors d’élections, on l’a également vue s’engager pour le parti opposé au pouvoir en place parce qu’il prônait l’entente entre les différents peuples qui se trouvent sur le territoire mauritanien – sujet brûlant s’il en est. Cela ne se fait pas vraiment quand on est de la caste des griots. Pourtant, malgré ces choix qui ont pu être jugés provocateurs, l’audience de Malouma s’est inexorablement accrue. Chez elle comme à l’étranger, où elle a trouvé un public aussi curieux qu’elle des musiques non industrielles. Malouma a enregistré ce disque à Nouakchott, accompagnée des jeunes musiciens du groupe Sahel Hawl Blues. La rencontre est fructueuse. Elle génère même quelques moments exceptionnels, tels que “Mreïmida” et “Rafi”, superbes chansons à la fois purement mauritaniennes et profondément blues – la première avec un solo de guitare électrique brûlant, la seconde avec des chœurs semblant venir du Mississippi. Parvenir à concilier le respect de traditions séculaires et l’ouverture à d’autres cultures, ça n’est jamais gagné d’avance. Malouma y arrive avec cet album.» (Routard)

«It's easy to understand why Malouma is revered in her native Mauritania. From the griot tradition, she's a stunning singer, whether on traditional or modern songs — and, indeed, she mixes both idioms. She's also a political activist, vocal in AIDS campaigns and literacy programs. On this recording, she uses a relatively sizeable pool of musicians, sometimes a full band, and on "Intro El Houb" just her brother on tidinit, an instrument with a sound a little like a kora. On a couple of instances she dives headlong into those ol' desert blues, as on "Mreïmida," with its jerky rhythm, where a roaring guitar pushes the track, and her ululating voice surges over the chorus; it's actually one of the best examples of the style, bringing Africa and the Mississippi Delta next to each other. If that were all, it would be ample, but Malouma goes through many styles — on "El Moumna" she takes two old Mauritanian songs and fuses them seamlessly together. And "Tuyur El Wad" could almost be up-tempo Western singer/songwriter fare. In essence, every cut here is a little gem, deserving of several listenings to winkle out its treasures. And Malouma is a star. No boundaries, no qualifiers, just a star.» (AMG)

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Bellowhead - Burlesque (2006)

An anonymous reader (many thanx!) sent me the link to this debut album by Bellowhead, a quite unusual and very interesting folk-funky big band from UK. Another breath of fresh air in the ever-ebullient world of traditional English folk.

«Bellowhead, winners of the BBC Radio 2 folk award for Best Live Act 2005, are a dynamic 11-piece band combining the traditional skills of John Spiers, Jon Boden, Benji Kirkpatrick, Paul Sartin, Rachael McShane and Giles Lewin with the percussion of Pete Flood and the brass quartet of Andy Mellon, Gideon Juckes, Justin Thurgur and Brendan Kelly. While the material is traditional, the execution is far from the norm: full bloodied instrumentals, harmonies from the huge group and some superb dynamics make this one of the most exciting folk albums you could wish to hear.» (Fish Records)

«To describe Bellowhead’s music is a very difficult thing indeed - the material is steeped in the English folk traditions of song and dance, but the feel is exciting, intoxicating, slightly sinister and deeply funky ... Above all this is a BIG band.» (Thisisbellowhead)

«If Tom Waits ever decided to make an album of traditional English folk, it might sound a little like Bellowhead, the folk big band. The aptly titled disc has a real circus quality to the sound. […] It's a record that's to be praised for the chances it takes […] even though they don't all succeed. But even the failures, like the clumsy "Flash Company" are never less than interesting. Kudos to the producers, who bring clarity to a dense sound. This is a summation of the formation of this sound; where they take it will be the fascinating part.» (AMG)

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Pictures of Greece: Rethymnon, Crete

Photo: JTC

Psarantonis - I Reckon (1998)

I owe many thanx to Nmos of Meet the Music Traveller blog for this wonderful CD in which Cretan composer & multi-instrumentalist Psarantonis newly interprets some of his own compositions of the last several decades & a few traditional tunes. A truly eloquent player of the Cretan lyra (an upright fiddle which involves a whole different playing technique than does the typical Western violin), Psarantonis is a striking example of a highly individual, improvisatory artist whose music is deeply rooted in tradition, but singularly his own.

«Antonis Xylouris, known as Psarantonis, was born in Anoyia Crete in 1942. He first picked up the lyra at age 13, and within one month, played at his first wedding. "The job was funny", Psarantonis now reflects. Named after his grandfather who was also a lyra player, Psarantonis in three years became one of the most renown new talents in Crete. Psarantonis plays various sorts of lyres as well as laouto, 12 stringed laouto, mandolino, tzoura, and daouli.
Psarantonis is an acquired taste. He plays unlike any of his peers. His singing is like no one else's, ranging from mellow whispers, to low singing, from cacophonous bellowing to an incomprehensible moaning. His playing ranges from simple to beautiful from wild to painful. Handpicking the musicians that accompany him, he composes a sound rooted in tradition -only newly interpreted. Psarantonis’ old albums consisted of him playing lyra with two laouta (his son was usually one), but he always added another instrument if he could, such as the askomandoura (a cretan bagpipe). As time progressed Psarantonis added more instruments to his compositions such as outi, mandolino and bulgari. Today Psarantonis’ albums are not lyra- laouto compositions, like most cretan albums of today. The use of more instruments, such as a lyraki (a small lyra) accompanied by a vrodolyra (a large lyra that looks like a small cello), allow him to form compositions that are deeper in texture than anyone else's today.» (Creternity)

Dutch review here.

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Mervent - Mervent 2 (2003)

One of my favourite Celtic bands from Russia. Enjoy!

«Celtic music has risen swiftly in popularity in Russia since it first began to be heard in the mid-1990s. The first bands on the scene in the late 90s included Si Mhor, Slua Si, Puck and Piper. Feeling their way in a new idiom and meeting up with new musicians on the same course, frequently by chance, the bands found a focus in the First Celtic Music Festival in Russia, held in Moscow in 1998. Since then twice-yearly festivals of Celtic inspired music have centred on St Patrick's Day and Samhain (the Pagan New Year). The initial, perhaps experimental, phase in Celtic music in Russia has come to a close, and recently a number of the original bands split up and reformed in new groupings under the leadership of individuals who have developed a clear vision of how they wish to express themselves through the broad medium of Celtic folk music. One such new grouping is the Moscow group Mervent [in translation from the Breton, “Mervent” means a wind from the southwest, and is a punning expression of their influences on the music that they play], which was formed in August 2000, with a nucleus of two members of Si Mhor - Igor Burmistrov (fiddle, guitar, lead vocals) and Anastasia Papisova (harp, vocals, dance). […]

The musicians of Mervent try to exploit to the full their very varied musical experience, and this comes across clearly in their sets. The rich diversity of stringed, wind and percussion instruments gives their sets a shimmering range of instrumentation which is fully exploited in the arrangements of tunes in their sets, and the Irish dance numbers performed by Anastasia (rated as one of the best performers of Irish dance in Moscow by Irish nationals visiting Russia) are a natural visual enhancement to their concerts. Mervent's repertoire consists mainly of the music of European peoples, from Scandinavia and Ireland to the Balkans and Western Ukraine. There are also arrangements of Armenian melodies, and original compositions. […] Mervent does not perform reconstructions, but concentrates on playing contemporary folk music in a style strongly their own. You can simply listen to it, dance to it, or enjoy it as it unfolds - it contains both the human and the ethereal moments, which are the true marks of music played from the heart. (Mervent.ru; group bio also available in French and Russian)

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Postcards from Italy (41): Agliè, The Castle (Piedmont)

More Re-Posts

Manu Dibango - Countdown at Kusini OST (1975)

Putumayo Presents Colombia (2001)

Açoriana: Landscape (São Jorge)

Achien'g Abura - Spirit of a Warrior (2004)

«Kenya’s Afro-Jazz sensation Achieng Abura has every reason to smile after her latest achievement of scooping the top East African female artiste award jointly with Ethiopia’s Tsedenia Gebremarkos. Her song “Toto Wangu” from her latest album Spirit of A Warrior helped her sail through. […]
An ardent peace advocate, Abura says her priority is to use her music to assist in the process of developing a culture of peace in Africa. Inspired by Aretha Franklin, Patti Labelle, Miriam Makeba, Gladys Knight, Letta Mbulu and Randy Crawford, Abura has always been into music. At the age of 12, after excelling in her primary school education, her mother Isabella Abura rewarded her with a new Campbell piano.
She sang gospel music and joined Life Ministry while at Kenya High School and continued doing the same as a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) student at the Virginia Commonwealth, University, USA, singing with the Monroe Sisters, in 1990.
Upon graduating she released her debut gospel album I believe. The album launched her into the limelight showcasing her powerful voice and strong writing skills. The title track became a household song and was even adopted as the signature tune for a gospel music programme on KBC TV. In 1992, Abura graduated with a Masters of Philosophy in Environmental Studies at Moi University, Eldoret. And in 1993, when her mother passed away she recorded a dedication album for her titled Way Over Yonder. She then recorded her third album Sulwe with Ted Josiah of Blu Zebra.
Abura then reinvented her style of music to a more secular Afro-Jazz style. “Gospel music is restricted to preaching”, she once said. “I believe that God wants me to express myself more; to expand and sing about peace, domestic violence and other aspects of life”.
In 2002, Abura released her fourth album, Maisha, and […] performed with Senegalese based Saintrick Et Les Tchielly of Congo Brazaville in a highly acclaimed show at the Carnivore, under the sponsorship of the East-West Cultural Exchange Cooperation Project of the French Cultural Center. Under the same initiative she was invited to perform at the Africa Fete Festival in Dakar, Senegal, […] becoming the first Kenyan artist to perform in culturally rich Senegal.
Her latest CD, Spirit Of A Warrior, was voted among the top Afro-Jazz releases in Francophone Africa in January and her music has been gaining popularity with audiences in Central and West Africa.
Abura has achieved startling artistic maturity, with a fifth album in a career spanning a decade. Her good reputation and experience have seen her perform in high-profiled concerts in the US, England, Spain, France, Germany, Senegal, Tanzania, South Africa and Zanzibar. […]» (True Blaq)

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Burhan Öçal & Istanbul Oriental Ensemble - Grand Bazaar (2006)

Another fine contribution from JTC.

«This 10-track CD is a kind of concept album based around Istanbul's celebrated Kapali Carsi – the grand bazaar of the title. Led by percussionist and composer Öçal, the six-piece Ensemble produce a full-bodied sequence of rhythmic instrumentals, led by Volkan Gumuslu's violin and Savas Zurnaci's clarinet. Propulsive, up-tempo numbers such as “Rakkase” [The Belly Dancer] and “Pasa Selim”, loosely based on a theme from Mozart's “Abduction From the Seraglio”, are treats.

Young kanun player Mehmed Celiksu makes a guest appearance – his recording debut – on “Kanun-Name”, but after 12 minutes of his solo improvisation, the band are ready to ease back in with the serpentine “Roxelanin Sesi” [Roxelana's Cry], a portrait of Sultan's Suleiman I's wife and former concubine, which features a much-augmented Ensemble. The suite ends in a more low-key manner, with a subtle but tense tone poem for kanun (Celiksu) and darbuka (Öçal).» (The Guardian)

«Au cœur d’Istanbul se situe Kapali Çarsi, autrement dit le Grand Bazar, l’un des marchés couverts les plus vastes qui soient dans le monde. Le percussionniste stanbouliote Burhan Öçal en trace le portrait à sa manière dans cet album aussi vivant et coloré que son modèle. Les compositions sont toutes inspirées par la tradition classique ottomane. Cela nous vaut sur la plupart des titres des cavalcades exaltantes. Cordes et percussions paraissent se poursuivre en bondissant, n’arrêtant leur course effrénée que pour laisser à quelques instruments le temps de prendre des solos bienvenus. Violon, clarinette, kanun, oud, guitare affinent alors le trait, figurant tel ou tel aspect de la vie observé dans le haut lieu du commerce d’Istanbul. Si, dans ses grandes lignes, la musique d’Öçal est proche de la tradition, elle contient de-ci de-là de discrets échos provenant d’autres genres. Le percussionniste est un artiste de son temps et, depuis ses débuts, il voyage beaucoup, notamment pour jouer avec des collègues de toutes sortes. Certains sont, comme lui, versés dans le jazz, le Brésilien Nana Vasconcelos, par exemple, ainsi que l’Indien Trilok Gurtu. On l’a entendu aussi au côté du claviériste autrichien Joe Zawinul et du bassiste états-unien Jamaaladeen Tacuma. Mais il a aussi croisé la route de la chanteuse électro orientale Natacha Atlas ou de la pianiste classique portugaise Maria Joao Pires. Et si, à l’écoute de ce disque, vous trouvez des traces de folklores tsiganes, vous ne vous tromperez pas. Burhan Öçal et son Istanbul Oriental Ensemble sont de ces artistes turcs qui se passionnent pour la culture des Roms de leur pays (ils ont d’ailleurs enregistré Gypsy rum, un disque au titre explicite). On trouve de tout dans le bazar d’Öçal!» (Routard)

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Açoriana: Landscape (Faial)

Eddy Louiss & Richard Galliano - Face to Face (2001)

«Mon premier a été baptisé meilleur organiste du monde, mon second a redonné ces lettres de noblesse à l’accordéon en inventant le new musette. Mon tout forme un nouveau duo, quoiqu’il paraissait logique que ces deux-là se rencontrent un jour. Nouveau duo et rapidement nouveau disque, sorti chez Dreyfus Jazz, chez qui on retrouvera de nombreux disques d’Eddy Louiss et de Richard Galliano.
Le répertoire est construit comme une invitation au voyage. Un voyage à travers le Brésil, l’Argentine, le bop (“I remember Clifford”) ou la chanson populaire (“Sous le Ciel de Paris”). La chanson est ici justement le phare central de l’enregistrement, ce n’est finalement pas étonnant quand on sait que Louiss et Galliano ont été d’émérites compagnons de route de Claude Nougaro (ils reprennent d’ailleurs “Berimbau”, soit Bidonville de Baden Powell).
S’ils sont reconnus comme de grands mélodistes, le fait de jouer ensemble a semble t’il annihilé une propension à un excès d’ornementation, ce que l’on peut parfois regretter (toute proportion gardée) chez l’un comme chez l’autre. Chacun s’est adapté à l’autre et cela vient sûrement aussi de leur grande pratique du duo. Epurer leur jeu - sans aucune austérité, loin de là ! - pour mieux converser en une même respiration. D’où une musique profonde, parfois triste ou émouvante faite de rythmes doucement chaloupés, jamais brusqués, ou de ballades.
Une musique nostalgique aussi. Conclure le disque par Léo Ferré est un signe: avec le temps, tout s’en va, ils auront justement réussi à ne pas (l’)oublier.» (Citizen Jazz)

«Duet albums featuring an accordion and an organ are rather rare, but this collaboration by Richard Galliano and Eddy Louiss is consistently delightful and charming. Their two instruments blend together quite well, the songs (which range from a couple jazz standards and straight-ahead tunes to tangos and French folk melodies) are catchy, and this duet set by two of the top French jazz musicians is a complete success. Listeners who think that the accordion does not belong in jazz are particularly recommended to check out this infectious CD.» (AMG)

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Waaberi - New Dawn (1997)

«Taking their name from the Somalian word for morning, Waaberi has helped usher in a new era of traditional Somalian music. Comprised of former members of Somalia's National Theater, which flourished before the civil war, the group has continued to explore the musical traditions of its homeland. While Billboard described Waaberi's music as “an intoxicating mix of African and Arabic influences”, Spirit called their repertoire “raw, hypnotic, and powerful tunes of traditional and modern Somalia – beautiful and cruel, African and Arabic... music that carries the ethereal quality of the oud and the wonderful earthiness of Afro-percussion”. […]

The music of Somalia is a mixture of African and Arabic influences, with instruments that range from household items like tea cups and water bottles to bongo drums and the oud, a lute traditionally associated with the Middle East. On the ten spirited tracks that make up New Dawn, the focus is primarily on singers Maryam Mursal, Abdi Nuur Alale, and Kadra Dahir, whose passionate vocals drive these songs to ecstatic heights. The stellar musicians urge the singers on, with intricately syncopated rhythms and Salah Qasim's rollicking oud melodies woven tightly together to create dazzling tracks like “Heei Yaa Alahobalin Hobalowa” and “Shubahada”, which seem to urge listeners to get up and dance. A wonderful introduction to the enchanting music of Somalia.» (AMG)

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Możdżer Danielsson Fresco - Between Us and the Light (2006)

Another sparkling gem in Leszek Możdżer’s rich catalogue, Between Us and the Light (which, as far as I know, despite its English title has been published only in Poland) sees the Polish piano genius in a jazz trio context, alongside Swedish bassist and cellist Lars Danielsson and Israeli percussionist Zohar Fresco. Like the previous album of this exciting trio (2005’s The Time), Between Us and the Light has garnered double platinum award in Poland. It’s not difficult to understand why. Highly recommended.

L-R: Lars Danielsson, Leszek Możdżer, Zohar Fresco

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Re-Post

Stormy Six - Un Biglietto del Tram (1975)

Pictures of Greece: The Cyclades Islands at Sundown

"Pictures of Greece" series courtesy of JTC

Konstantinos Vita - "2" (2006)

Here’s the first of a bunch of fine Greek & Turkish albums kindly offered by JTC from Turkey. Many thanx!

The Greek composer, painter and videoartist Konstantinos Vita (also known as Konstantinos Beta and K Bhta) was born in Melbourne, Australia, where he studied painting and history of art. Then he moved to Athens, where he studied graphic design and in 1992 was one of the founder members of Greece’s finest electronic group, Stereo Nova. In 1996, after five albums, he disbanded the group to follow a solo career. He has written music for film, theatre and dance productions, covered songs by Manos Hadzidakis (Transformations, 2003) and exhibited his paintings and videos (Soundscapes, 2005). Striking a near-perfect balance between hard-core electronica and emotive lyricism, between introspection and the pulse of city life he also composed the music for Dimitris Papaioannou’s (the acclaimed Olympic Ceremonies art director) enormously successful production “2”, winning over a broader public and earning himself his first gold record.

Konstantinos Vita creates sensitive, exhilarating soundscapes that can just as easily familiarize us poetically with the dizzying realities of contemporary life as usher us into the time and space of dreams. […] He has never stopped experimenting with the emotion of violence and the violence of emotion. (Partly based on this review)

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Açoriana: Azulejo (Faial)