The Festival in the Desert / Le Festival au Désert (2003)

«It’s the unlikeliest place to imagine a festival, in the Sahara, not far from the Malian town of Timbuktu. But that’s the home of the Festival in the Desert, which celebrated its third anniversary in 2003. While it attracts international talent, the real focus is on artists who make their homes in the area, often of the nomadic Tuareg people. But there are others who live locally, like the legendary guitarist Ali Farka Toure, whose village of Niafunke lies just 40 kilometers away, and whose “Karaw” here is a masterpiece of desert funk. But so many of the bands here mine a wonderfully dark, spare, bluesy groove, like Tindé, or Tinariwen, whose “Aldachan Manin” has a muscular suppleness. Oumou Sangare, one of the great singers from Mali’s southern Wassoulou region, brings plenty of raw soul to “Wayena”, and kora genius Ballake Sissoko collaborates with Italian pianist Ludovico Einaudi for a fascinating piece. America’s Blackfire connect the dots between the Sahara and the Arizona deserts, although their punk-inflected rock is a little out of place, but still powerful. Lo’ Jo, one of the festival’s instigators, team up with Malian Django for a storming version of their “Jah Kas Cool Boy”, and with “Win My Train Fare Home”, Robert Plant and Justin “Scarecrow” Adams offer a circular blues that fits in perfectly with the other artists. Every performance is outstanding, but even more, they communicate the open nature of the festival, the feeling of what it was to be there on those nights and days in January 2003. And that is what makes this very special indeed, lifting it far above most live albums. This one definitely has the magic, making it simply one of the best live albums ever released.» (AMG)

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Mick Wills - Fern Hill (1988)

«Guitarist and songwriter Mick Wills is a close pal of Bevis Frond frontman Nick Saloman. Wills and Saloman played and recorded together in a band called the Parthenogenetick Brotherhood of Woronzow. Woronzow is a pet label project of Saloman’s, hence this record’s issue in 1988, and its eventual very limited CD release on Acme in 1995. Much of the disc falls into the trad folk and blues category with one or two notable exceptions. The title track is a six-string workout that is almost reel, in feel and structure; it departs in the turnaround that is more Anglo than Celtic in style. On "The Storm," one is reminded of Michael Chapman’s tune "The Rainmaker," where the English Channel provides accompaniment in the form of waves and swells as Wills moves into the folk-blues, bending and pulling the hell out of his strings, varying tempos, and allowing the waves to provide a kind of percussive atmosphere. One listen and it’s obvious: the guy’s a monster guitar picker. One of the previously mentioned exceptions is "Jam #3-Extracted Decebelia," which features Wills burning up a blues jam on an electric guitar, Cyke Bancroft on alto saxophone, and Graham Cummings on organ. Saloman participates as a duet partner on the gorgeous tunes "Saxifrage" and "Waltz." The guitar interplay is as telepathic as Ronnie Woods and Keith Richards, but tougher, more fluid, and certainly not as burnt out sluggish as all that. The finest track on the disc is its closer, "She Looked Down," with vocals by Jenny Brown. It’s a lengthy tune, with Saloman playing lead electric guitar, bass, and drums. However, it’s Wills and Brown who shine here. Wills’ folk styles are so fluid, so silvery and knotty he’s like Richard Thompson or Martin Carthy with his traditional material, but so much faster and so much darker, using diatonic fourth and eights to punch up the standard minor key lines of his melody. Brown doesn’t enter the tune until almost three minutes in, after some lengthy interplay by Saloman and Wills. The lyrics are simply adapted from old world folk songs, like something out of Steeleye Span or Fairport in their true neo-traditionalist period. But half way through the track’s nine minutes, there is a break with tradition. Although the melody remains throughout, the song drifts, hither and yon, transforming itself into a psychedelic folk/acid jam, ending up in some other place and time, far from the territory it began in. It’s too bad this set isn’t readily available, as fans of Bevis Frond would get a kick out of it, and Wills varies it so much there is something for almost everyone here.» (Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

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Saddar Bazaar - The Conference of the Birds (1995)

«Bristol based and formed in 1990 by Shaun Hyder (Sitar etc.) and Rehan Matthew Hyder (Slide Guitar), Saddar Bazaar (Central Market) were soon joined by John Sage on Drums and supported various bands in the local area such as The Seers, Praise Space Electric and the Bevis Frond. They also played at the well known Ashton Court Community Festival in Bristol. By 1992 John had left the band and had been replaced by David Spencer, whilst Tainenska Royal came in on flute and keyboards. It was this line-up that recorded “Night Descent” for the indie charting Fun With Mushrooms album on Delerium. The bands appearance on this album resulted in a pile of mail from punters, at Delerium HQ, requesting a whole album of material by the band. It also resulted in a session for American doom metal band Solitude Aeturnus! (Saddar Bazaar play on the track “The 9th Day” on the band’s 1994 album Through the Darkest Hour on Music For Nations). Delerium decided to fund an album and the finished article featured new keyboard player Terry Banx and was produced by Bob Pierce (an ex-member of 60s UK psych band The Mirror). The Conference of The Birds is one of Delerium’s strangest releases to date. A perfect acoustic Eastern chill-out experience that harkens back to groups such as The Third Ear Band and The Ceyleib People, with its atonal, psychedelic simplicity, whilst appealing to the ambient trance textures of todays head music scene…» (Last.fm)

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Ska Cubano - ¡Ay Caramba! (2005)

«Take the propulsive backbeat shuffle of Jamaican ska and blend it with soulful Afro-Cuban son, and the result is Ska Cubano.The band is the creation of London promoter Peter Scott, who came up with the brilliant idea of blending two of the Caribbean’s most influential music styles. He brought London ska artist Natty Bo to Santiago de Cuba, where they collaborated with local musicians to create the unique Ska Cubano sound. It was in Santiago that they discovered the band’s future lead singer, Juan Manuel Villy Carbonell, a.k.a Beny Billy, a rough-and-tumble former boxer and crooner whose voice is a dead ringer for that of Cuban legend Beny Moré.» (Putumayo)

Click here for full biographies and infos.

Scheda biografica in italiano qui.

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Tabla Beat Science - Tala Matrix (2000)

«The North Indian drums know as the tabla were said to have been invented in the 13th century by Amir Khusrau, a disciple of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizemuddin Aluya. At the time, Khusrau sawed a pakhawaj (a single two-headed wooden drum) in two. Though no one may never know exactly why Khusrau felt it necessary it to saw a pakhawaj in half, his act gave birth to the tabla. Since that time, the tabla have been conceived to accompany vocalists and such instruments as the sitar (a multi-stringed lute), bin (a seven-stringed tube zither), venu (a side-blown cane flute), saord (a lute with a parchment soundboard and metal frets), and the sarangi (bowed lute).

The late Ustad Alla Rakha, who played for many years with Ravi Shankar, is widely credited with having expanded the repertoire and the role of the tabla. Thanks in great part to his ingenuity and determination, today the tabla is no longer considered to be merely an accompanying instrument. In honor of his impressive contributions to the world of tabla, the musical consortium known as Tabla Beat Science has dedicated their debut CD, Tala Matrix, to the memory of Ustad Alla Rakha. By asking some of the most highly regarded tabla players in the world to play with a variety of musicians and programmers, producer and bassist Bill Laswell has essentially appropriated the ancient tradition of the tabla and fused it with contemporary electronica studio wizardry. Tabla Beat Science is comprised of Ustad Alla Rakha's son and tabla superman Zakir Hussain, venerated sarangi player Ustad Sultan Khan, Indian and jazz percussion innovator Trilok Gurtu, New York drummer Karsh Kale, bass and drum visionary Talvin Singh, music programmer Brad Somatik, and producer/bassist Bill Laswell. Laswell, who “conceived and constructed” the CD, acts as the catalyst for the outfit, adding the bottom end with his dub basslines and the overall aesthetic with his studio prowess. More of a consortium than a full-blown collaboration, not one of the songs on Tala Matrix features all members of the group. Zakir Hussain's many tracks are among the best on the album, though Trilok Gurtu's funky Big Brother and Talvin Singh's Don't Worry.com are both extremely compelling. The often zombie-ridden doldrums of electronica should benefit immensely from this experimental union with tabla. An excellent CD that deserves to be heard many times by many people, Tala Matrix manages to be innovative without loosing sight of tradition.» (AMG)

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Martin Stephenson & The Daintees - Salutation Road (1990)

«Martin Stephenson's English brand of folk/roots rock underwent a cultural translation of sorts on Salutation Road. For this album, he traveled to the U.S. to work with Los Angeles-based producer/guitarist Pete Anderson and engineer Dusty Wakeman. At this point, Anderson and Wakeman were best known for their involvement in the burgeoning Bakersfield sound of the 1980s – especially their work with Dwight Yoakam. The pairing of the Geordie with these equally roots-minded Americans in the town south of Bakersfield, along with the participation of a stellar group of musicians from the Anderson-Wakeman circle, was a mouthwatering proposition. Stephenson's first two albums (Boat to Bolivia and Gladsome, Humour & Blue) had displayed a considerable stylistic range; that versatility is not diminished here. Working within his familiar folk-rock idiom, Stephenson incorporates simple acoustic fare ("Morning Time"), more jazzy numbers ("Heart of the City"), and even a smattering of Latin grooves ("Long Hard Road"). With its smooth beat and sunny horns, the latter is the standout track. Although the making of Salutation Road took Stephenson far from home, he didn't forsake his roots in the northeast of England. This is especially clear in thematic terms, as Stephenson pays homage to his Geordie origins on the title track with its joyous brass and on "Big North Lights," which is enhanced by the warm melody of Skip Edwards' Hammond. "Left Us to Burn" takes a more politicized look at the Northeast, denouncing the Thatcher government's betrayal of the region's coal miners in the 1980s. In comparison with his previous recordings, the expansive arrangements of Salutation Road offer a grander setting for Stephenson's talents as a singer/songwriter.» (AMG)

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Anouar Brahem, John Surman & Dave Holland - Thimar (1998)

«The role of the Arabic, lute-like, stringed instrument, the oud, has been revolutionalized through the playing of Anouar Brahem. While used in the past to accompany vocalists, the oud is used by Brahem as an imaginative solo instrument. In 1988, Tunisian newspaper, "Tunis-Hebdo", wrote, "If we had to elect the musician of the 80s, we would have, without the least hesitation, chosen Anouar Brahem". The British daily newspaper, "The Guardian", wrote that Brahem was "at the forefront of jazz because he is far beyond it"…» (More here)

«A strikingly attractive "transcultural" project initiated by Tunisian oud virtuoso Anouar Brahem, who is both an innovator and a traditionalist in the deepest sense (he has been credited with "restoring the sovereignty of the oud" in Tunisian music). There is no glib fusion of traditions on Thimar but rather a coming together of three very distinctive musicians who sacrifice none of their individuality in the search for common ground. Arab classical music and jazz are the reference points here, but Anouar Brahem, John Surman and Dave Holland meet as improvisors not limited by genre definition.» (ECM)

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Robyn Hitchcock - I Often Dream of Trains (1984)

«After the debacle that was the making of 1982's Groovy Decay, Robyn Hitchcock briefly retired from music, and when he returned it was with an album that offered a thoroughly uncompromised vision of Hitchcock's imagination. Released in 1984, I Often Dream of Trains was a primarily acoustic set with Hitchcock handling nearly all the instruments and vocals by himself; the tone is spare compared to the full-on rock & roll of his recordings with the Soft Boys or his solo debut, Black Snake Diamond Role, but the curious beauty of Hitchcock's melodies is every bit as striking in these stripped-down sessions, and the surreal imagery of "Flavour of Night," "Trams of Old London," and the title song comes to vivid and enchanting life. Hitchcock's off-kilter wit has rarely been as effective as it is on this album; the jaunty harmonies of "Uncorrected Personality Traits" are the ideal complement for the song's psychobabble, "Sounds Great When You're Dead" manages to be funny and a bit disturbing at once, and the drunken campfire singalong of "Ye Sleeping Knights of Jesus" was joyously sloppy enough to inspire a cover by the Replacements. There's a slightly ramshackle quality to these recordings, but Hitchcock was rarely in more uniformly fine form as a songwriter, and there is a consistency of tone to the disc that makes it all the more effective, drawing listeners into a curious world of its own and allowing them to explore the surroundings and their quiet splendor. And Hitchcock has rarely recorded a song as luminously gorgeous as "Autumn Is Your Last Chance." Hitchcock would pick up his electric guitar and reunite with his band the Egyptians in 1985, releasing two fine albums in one year, but I Often Dream of Trains was a simple and marvelously effective return to action that's all the more winning for its subdued, tentative tone.» (AMG)

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Transglobal Underground - International Times (1994)

«It's not hard to recognize good Middle Eastern music when you hear it: Like effective blues or gospel, the good stuff both weeps and rejoices. In their never-ending quest for the exotic, many Westerners enshrine Middle Eastern melodies in incredibly pretentious surroundings (Brian Eno and David Byrne) or make them as foreign and mysterious as a fictional opium den (Led Zeppelin) or simply treat them as the decorative icing on plain white cake (the Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian").

Transglobal Underground are one of the few pop bands to actually get it. International Times proves that point. It's this London outfit's second album and its first one available in the United States. While the band's vocalist and three DJs turn traditional Middle Eastern music into British dance hits by way of samples and syncopated beats, Transglobal Underground also respect their Arabic sources as an expression of actual, living people.

Sonically, the band is edgy, sleek and soulful. The bellow of a horn, the kind that has resounded from the tops of mosque walls for thousands of years, signals the approach of snaking melodies and lots of beats, from house to dub to techno. The mesmerizing drawl of a tabla syncs with street-savvy hip-hop, while imperfect tabla beats mix with recorded snippets from Western media and even a silly sample from an answering machine.

Singer Natacha Atlas tops it with lines in Arabic, her voice sailing and dipping like a runaway scarf on a windy day. Hers is not the only voice on this album: The rapping of Heitham Al-Sayed spices the pulse of "Lookee Here," while the booming Jamaican patois of T.U.U.P. adds an angry edge to the bass-heavy "Holy Roman Empire." T.U.U.P.'s fury is juxtaposed against the delicate singing of children in the background.

The subtle mixtures of various other music – Indian, African, Asian – work because Transglobal Underground let each culture breathe rather than melting them down into one seamless, multiculti swill. The result is as inexplicably intricate and contradictory as your average human.» (Lorraine Ali, Rolling Stone)

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The Pink Floyd - The Early Singles (1997)

As a tribute to Richard Wright, here are the first five Pink Floyd singles (1967-1968), indelebly marked by his highly creative keyboard playing. There's no need to present one by one such classic tunes, I guess. Their titles speak for themselves... So long, Rick (and thanks for all the fish, Douglas Adams would have probably added...)!

Tracklist:

1. Arnold Layne 2:58
2. Candy and a Currant Bun 2:47
3. See Emily Play 2:57
4. Scarecrow 2:12
5. Apples and Oranges 3:07
6. Paint Box 3:47
7. It Would Be So Nice 3:46
8. Julia Dream 2:36
9. Point Me At The Sky 3:40
10. Careful With That Axe Eugene 5:45

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The Incredible String Band - Hard Rope and Silken Twine (1974)

In my opinion, this Incredible String Band’s final effort was a good album, much underrated at the time of its release. “Maker of Islands” is a wonderful song, not ruined by its sweeping orchestration. “Dreams of No Return” is Robin Williamson at his best. And the epic suite “Ithkos” is a saucerful of surprises (the proto-world Greek intro, nice orchestral passages, even hard rocking bits in a Wishbone Ash vein!). Also the live rendition of “Cold February” is haunting, though the sound is far from perfection. Of course, this is not the “classic” ISB sound, but neither is the anonymous folk-pop of, say, Earthspan – and, by the way, does the word “classic” have any sense with an ever-changing and ever-evolving band as ISB? Definitely, I invite you to listen to this album, thirty-five years later, with new (or renewed) ears, for it deserves a second chance. Radu

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Miró - Angel N1 (1990)

Some time ago, an anonymous reader (thanx!) left a link for the first Miró album in the comments section of my first Miró post, devoted to their beautiful The Divine E.P. Since it’s a very nice album, worthy of your attention, I thought it deserved a post of its own.

«Roderick "Roddie" I. Harris (v,g), nato nel 1963 da madre spagnola e padre inglese, influenze che vanno dalla Incredible String Band agli Status Quo, da Jacques Brel ai Clash, da Erik Satie a Scott Walker e a Marc Bolan, dopo varie esperienze in gruppi punk e rock […] nella seconda metà degli ‘80 riapre alla musica il Troubadour Cafè, un club che dall'inizio dei ‘60 alla prima metà dei ‘70 aveva visto nomi come Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello e tanti altri calcare il suo piccolo palco. Ben presto, il Troubadour diventa un luogo di ritrovo per tutti gli artisti emergenti della nuova scena acustica londinese. […] Uno dei nuovi gruppi più interessanti è quello dei Dinner Ladies, in cui suona anche Julia Palmer, violoncellista con esperienze di conservatorio ma anche con Sadista Sisters e Hollywood Beyond. […] Già dalla fine del 1988, Julia si unisce sempre più spesso alla nuova band di Roddie Harris, i Miró, nati nel marzo dello stesso anno dalle ceneri degli Harvey. All'inizio dell'89, i Miró si ampliano con l'inserimento in pianta stabile della Palmer e l'aggiunta di Richard Kirstein (cl,v) e Julian Jackson, violinista che aveva suonato anche con Darryl Way e Sonja Kristina, mentre alle percussioni si alternano Mark Louis Waldman, Pablo Cook e Fat Eddie. Alla fine dello stesso anno, con la produzione dell'ex-Metro Sean Lyons, viene inciso l'ottimo Angel N1. L'album, viene accolto molto bene dalla critica inglese (NME e Folk Roots su tutti), ma colpisce nel segno soprattutto in Italia, dove i Miró vengono praticamente adottati da stampa e pubblico…» (Continua)

For a Miró fansite in English, click here

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Levellers - A Weapon Called The Word (1990)

«The Levellers' first full-length release, after a well-received pair of EPs, falls somewhere in between the Mekons in the middle of their political-folky days and the hard-edged trad folk-rock of the Oyster Band, with a foreshadowing of Ani DiFranco's direct folk-punk as well. More rock than folk, but obviously rooted in traditional British folk idioms, A Weapon Called the Word is a tough, occasionally strident call to arms that wisely couches its agenda in unexpectedly catchy choruses and memorable melodies. From the fiddle-driven opener "World Freak Show" through the singles "No Change" and "The Ballad of Robbie Jones," the scruffy quintet play with the passion of folkies and the intensity of young punks. Some tracks work better than others […] but the best songs on A Weapon Called the Word have an astringent power.» (AMG)

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Pressgang - Fire (1996)

«I've long admired Pressgang for their ability to provide no-holds-barred folk-punk. And this is English electro-acoustic folk-punk with a capital "E" and a capital "NGLISH," the kind of waggish onslaught on tradition that is definitely not for the faint of heart. In fact this album may very well redefine the genre. I am mystified by the lack of attention Fire! has received in both the overseas and domestic press. This edition of Pressgang is sans the fiddle of Imogen Gunner, returning the band to its testosterone-fueled roots. It's as if they have stripped down the sound, become leaner, but cranked up the volume.
The "Cutty Wren" starts things off, droning in on bass hum and accordion before Tony Lyons' frenetic pagan drumming takes over. The ancient tune is invested with all sorts of urgent energy, and you can tell that lead vocalist Damian Clarke is poised at the microphone with all sorts of illicit treats in mind for the rest of the album.
"Take a Jump" is magnificent, topical English folk with an irresistible reggae backbeat. Pressgang have always excelled in writing songs whose lyrics have the timeless ring of seasons and magic, and no song on Fire! disappoints in that regard.
The band reworks "Hard Times of Old England" into "Hard Times," a screaming modern funk-rap, replete with Ye Olde recorder break. It's a coup for mining the tradition in the punker's idiom, and high marks go to Cliff Eastabrook's thundering bass work throughout Fire! But Fire! is not all wham bam thank you ma'am... "Bad Bread" (concerning ergot, a fungus that is the source of LSD, infecting a village's bread and driving the hapless folks crazy) and "John Knox" display Pressgang's acapella bent. These are rousing enough outings in their own right, mysterious breaks in the midst of righteous Englishness.
On the instrumental side, check out "Sherrif's Ride," with its enthusiastic yells and aggressive accordion, drum, bass, and guitar attack that captures all the roving speed of law and order in the dead of night.
But nothing can prepare you for the sheer genius of "Merrily, Merrily." A lengthy song of the devil, "a worm in his mouth and a thorn in his tail," this is conceptual art-folk. "What d'ye lack?" asks the devil during his monologue to the listener, enticing us with a list of dark deeds. But remember. "Everything has a price...". A stirring example of Pressgang at the height of their powers, "Merrily, Merrily" closes out the CD with fiery menace indeed. Even with repeated listenings, Fire has not lost its spark. » (Lee Blackstone, Rootsworld)

Official Site: http://www.voxpop.demon.co.uk/pghome.htm

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The Men They Couldn't Hang - How Green Is The Valley (1986)

A folk-rock classic from UK, and an old favourite of mine.

«The Men They Couldn’t Hang were officially formed in early 1984. The founding members were Phil "Swill" Odgers (vocals, guitar), Paul Simmonds (guitar, bouzouki, keyboards) and Jon Odgers (drums) from punk-pop band Catch 22 with Shanne Bradley (bass, flute – former member of Shane MacGowan’s band "The Nips") and Stefan Cush (vocals, guitar), whom they met while busking in West London. TMTCH appeared at a St Patrick’s Day festival in 1984 and were also asked to play at a benefit gig for the striking miners. Paul Simmonds wrote the song "Shirt Of Blue" on the way to the gig when he watched a whole police force gathering. The Men’s first big hit was their cover version of Eric Bogle’s "Green Fields Of France", which ended up in John Peel’s Festive Fifties two years running! In 1985 they released their first album Night Of A Thousand Candles, closely followed by How Green Is The Valley in 1986. Among the TMTCH fans, these two album remain the most popular due to now classic Men songs like "Ironmasters", "Ghosts Of Cable Street" [about the 1936 Battle of Cable Street – a clash between the Police, overseeing a legal march by the British Union of Fascists led by Oswald Mosley and anti-fascists including local Jewish, socialist, Irish and communist groups – read more] and "Shirt Of Blue".» (TMTCH’s MySpace site)

«If there were any justice, The Men They Couldn’t Hang would be famous. Yet cruel twists of fate concerning their name and timing of releases undermined their chances of commercial success. Instead, they remain one of Britain’s best-kept secrets, known to the few who kept the faith over the years. […] Paul Simmonds’s superb songwriting forms the backbone. Phil Odgers (‘Swill’) and Stefan Cush provide fine contrasting songs and the exuberant vocals which give the band its unique character. Add Ricky McGuire on bass and quality session musicians such as Bobby Valentino and Nick Muir and you end up with recordings of rare potency.» (Song-book)

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Nick Haeffner - The Great Indoors (1987)

A (lost) masterpiece of British Folkedelia, in the vein of Syd Barrett, Kevin Ayers and Nick Drake, and still one of my favourite albums from the 80’s.

«The Great Indoors is an album of songs released in 1986 on the Bam Caruso lable. Although out of print it is still available second hand on LP and CD.
Extracts from reviews at the time of release:

“The best sixties-style psychedelic release of the week is not Sgt Pepper on CD but the debut by Nick Haeffner... an album that is varied, unexpected and wonderfully refreshing.” (Robin Denselow, The Guardian)

“...reminiscent of the best of English psychedelia” (Jon Savage, The Observer)

“Pink Floyd... Nick Drake... to undergo these influences, so well, is to demand a hearing.” (Paul Oldfield, Melody Maker”

“A truly great album that could only have been made by someone with real talent and a genuine understanding of music past, present and future.” (Underground)

“The Great Indoors is a melting pot of ideas strung out over melodious rhythms as diverse as folk, punk, psyche and classical... the lyrics are witty and embracing, the final delivery charming and effective... a remarkably good album... Just 12 inches that leap over all barriers.” (Music Week)» (From Nick Haeefners’s official site)

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Untouchable Outcaste Beats, Volume 1 (1998)

«London’s Outcaste Records continues to sate those in the know with some of the most intriguing fusionary sounds on either side of the Atlantic. Untouchable Outcaste Beats, Volume 1 will serve as the label’s American calling card – an amalgam of tracks from its roster as well as from other seminal works in the genre. Dance Music Federation’s essential “Cybersitar” stands out as a pioneering work, lacing a furious breakbeat with confused sitars and repetitive chant. Artists like Shri, with his serene “Meditations”; Nitin Sawnhey, who takes it to the lounge with “Bengali Song”; and Badmarsh, who abuses the hardsteppers on the dance floor with “Jungle Sitars” all take the music on divergent paths yet still find roots both in traditional Indian sounds and more frenetic U.K. club rhythms. The Outcaste sound fails to be monolithic, and precisely because of that, it paves the roads toward tomorrow.

The great thing about this disc is how it mixes older funk/psychedelic rock tunes with sitars (“Mathar” and “Streets of Calcutta”) with newer techno sounding ones (“Cybersitar”) and songs that could be considered acid jazz (“The Hand of Contraband”). It also captures more traditional sitar playing in its own rite. Listening to this disc is like taking a trip to different countries and worlds to hear many artists interpretations and styles of sitar playing melting with many different music genres.» (Amazon)

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The Ripple Effect - Hybrids (2005)

«Hybrids is a jazz album in name only – specifically the names of multi instrumentalist John Surman and drummer Jack DeJohnette, who leads this collaborative ensemble.

One of the few musicians to have recorded or performed with Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis, DeJohnette’s jazz credentials are obvious. But Hybrids tosses his cap into the modern electronica realm. With producers Ben Surman (John’s son) and Big Al (the mastermind behind the Sonic Kitchen, one of UK’s biggest and brightest electronic music studios), DeJohnette reinterprets seven of his own pieces in modern electronica. Four come from his recent collaboration with Mandingo griot Foday Musa Suso (Music From the Hearts of the Masters).

Hybrids does feature jazz and world music, but only as raw source materials for Surman to manipulate in the creation of a new electronic music hybrid. “I wanted to extract some of the grooves and melodies that I was drawn to and use them in a different context, retaining the groove and feel but placing it in a different musical setting,” Surman says. “I wanted to move outside of the more traditional acoustic approach and add elements you wouldn’t normally find in jazz.” In this respect, these Hybrids might be more Surman’s than DeJohnette’s.

The opening track, “Ancient Techno,” says a great deal about this set. DeJohnette’s fluid drums bubble up from underneath their accompaniment, constantly changing patterns. […] “Na Na Nai” opens with Surman on either bass clarinet or saxophone, which then washes away in electronic ripples; next, vocals by Marlui Miranda, one of the world’s leading researchers and performers of Brazilian Indian music, are shredded then laid in between the instruments. As Surman ghostwalks from the background into the foreground, the multiple layers (drum, voice, sax/clarinet, and electronic) coalesce to create a very new musical sound. DeJohnette again sets shifting tides of rhythm and sound, like a painter sampling from his palette, to create a new sound for futuristic “Worldwide Funk.” “The Just-Us Department,” the final track (and the only new song), crunches out DeJohnette’s most pronounced drumming on the entire set, pounding thick African drumming hewn in a modern, brittle icy metallic sound. (Allaboutjazz)

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Crimson Jazz Trio - King Crimson Songbook, Volume 1 (2005)

Dedicated to Ian Wallace.

«A jazz piano-bass-drums trio performing the songs of the rock group King Crimson? That's what the Crimson Jazz Trio accomplished on this intriguing CD, King Crimson Songbook, Vol. 1. By re-harmonizing the music a bit, adding vamps, and digging into the grooves, the Crimson Jazz Trio transforms the pieces from rock anthems into viable devices for jazz improvisations. Electric bassist Tim Landers has nearly as much solo space as pianist Jody Nardone; the trio (which also includes drummer Ian Wallace) works together very closely and they not only create new versions of unexpected material, but show that they have developed their own group sound. Recommended, particularly to listeners who are familiar with King Crimson's recordings.

The band were working on a second album, The King Crimson Songbook, Volume Two, with assistance from Jakko Jakszyk and Mel Collins (Wallace's colleagues in 21st Century Schizoid Band; Collins is also a King Crimson alumnus) when Wallace died on February 22, 2007.» (AMG & Wikipedia)

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Mojave 3 - Excuses for Travellers (2000)

Simply one of the best albums of the last decade, «heroically tragic» in its outdatedness, which is the reason why it does appear so relevant today. An homeopathic cure for the autumn blues, particularly useful to those who still believe in joy and are not willing to give up to cynicism, «cos anyday will be fine, still some distance to run, keep moving on». Very highly recommended. R.

«I Mojave 3 sono uno strano gruppo inglese, innamorato dell'America e dei suoi suoni, di canzoni classiche come le scrivevano Nick Drake e i Velvet Underground più riflessivi, Bob Dylan e Gram Parson. Anche in questo terzo disco ripercorrono le stesse strade incontrate nei dischi precedenti, ma mai come in questo caso le loro canzoni affascinano irrimediabilmente, mai come adesso sanno incantare. Continuano a inseguire gli stessi miraggi di sempre, soltanto con più decisione.
Basta ascoltare il brano di apertura, "In Love With a View" coi suoi echi del Dylan di "Blonde on Blonde" e un crescendo che non può che stregare o abbandonarsi alla spoglia e fragile "Prayer for the Paranoid", con Nick Drake nel cuore. Sono canzoni malinconiche, storie di fallimenti, lettere non arrivate, di sogni inseguiti invano e di amori persi per strada. Come i miraggi inseguiti nell'avvolgente "Life in Art", racconto dolce amaro degno del miglior Raymond Carver, o ancora la scarna storia d'amore di "She Broke You Softly". A sorprendere e a colorare il disco sono i fiati e l'energia che illuminano "Any Day Will Be Fine" e "When You're Drifting", e il coro gospel nella conclusiva "Got My Sunshine". Un disco da favola.» (Kalporz)

«Le groupe de Neil Halstead sait bien ce qu'il est en train de faire : écrire des chansons qui ne se soumettent pas à l'air du temps, qui, bien plutôt, tracent une voie intemporelle et mélancolique vers ce que l'on pourrait appeler la sérénité. Ici la longueur des chansons ne se ressent pas ("My life in art" fait plus de sept minutes, assez rare pour une chanson "pop"), et le chant est surprenant de simplicité et d'émotion. Souvent composé de deux voix qui se mêlent l'une à l'autre et se soutiennent, le timbre en varie imperceptiblement suivant les morceaux. Tout se joue d'ailleurs dans l'imperceptible et dans une douce communion. Dans "My life in art", sommet génial de l'album, les magnifiques arpèges de la guitare et l'accompagnement discret, serein, de l'harmonica et du clavier portent avec langueur le chant évasif, cette lancinante et fugitive mélopée. Et si le rythme se fait plus rapide, plus entraînant, si les chansons, plus concises, retrouvent un format pop familier ("Return to sender" et "Anyday will be fine"), elles se changent alors en irrésistibles envolées d'espoir, en jaillissements effrénés de vie. Ca et là, un glissement de cuivres, ligne chaude et sinueuse, ou d'inattendues voix féminines : celle de la bassiste Rachel Goswell sur "Bringin' me home", ou, pour clore l'album de façon majestueuse, un choeur gospel sur "Got my sunshine", chanson frissonnante et aérienne. "Excuses for travellers" est un fruit doux souvent, amer rarement...» (Sefronia)

«Con su tercer trabajo estos tres supervivientes de la banda británica shoegazer Slowdive han confirmado su definitivo abandono de las guitarras graníticas para, mezclando influencias de la psychedelia, el folk y hasta el country, rematar una obra memorable impregnada de una fascinante y ensoñadora belleza. He tenido que remontarme hasta Septiembre de 1998, concretamente al "Deserter's Songs" de Mercury Rev, para toparme con otro disco que no sólo me haya dado tantas "excusas para viajar", sino que me haya arrastrado tan firme e ineludiblemente, como éste lo ha hecho, a los misteriosos vericuetos de un viaje en toda regla. Un disco para escuchar con los ojos cerrados y dejarte transportar por el balsámico efecto de sus canciones, plagado de melodías evocadoras de esas que te retuercen sin piedad las vísceras y que, en perfecta armonía con las atmosféricas guitarras y teclados que llenan sus surcos, te atrapan sin remisión. Desde el sobrecogedor tema inicial "In Love With A View" hasta "Got My Sunshine" que lo cierra pasando por ese acariciador susurro que es "My Life In Art", "Excuses For Travellers" ofrece 10 perfectas excusas para viajar sin necesidad de aditivos ni moverte del salón de tu casa. Corre a la tienda más próxima y quedarás eternamente agradecido a Mojave 3 por regalarte tanta belleza contenida en un solo disco.» (Terra)

«[…] Mojave 3 puts an English spin on country, essentially creating country-informed English pop music as opposed to hardcore traditional American country. Mojave 3 has been criticized on occasion for their “too polite” approach to country music, but that argument really misses the point entirely. Excuses for Travellers – and Mojave 3’s previous work – isn’t meant to be heart-wrenching, cry-in-your-beer type of stuff. It’s pastoral, complicated pop with an innate sense of melancholy that draws more from the Nick Drake school of songwriting than the Merle Haggard school of classic American country.» (Popmatters)

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