Songs of Greece's Gypsies (1996)

«This is an album that could be a source of influence for blues, jazz and even some rock musicians. Though it is ethnic folk style music, it's a hauntingly beautiful journey through minor keys with (for western listeners) unusual chord changes. The album cover states that these are live recordings. They are, actually, taken from a live concert where a variety of Greek Gypsy musicians were brought together on the same stage (as opposed to field recordings). There is a beautiful rendition of the Macedonian/Albanian song “Ederlezi” sung by Chrisoula Christopoulou (“Endelesi” on the album jacket). “The Song of the Gypsies” sung by Eleni Vitali and “Don't be Sad That I Leave” sung by Yiannis Saleas are two other noteworthy tracks. Track number 11, an instrumental improvisation, I'd recommend to any jazz, blues or rock musician. Having said that, this is primarily folk music in its style of delivery and a good example of it. I hope this album will be kept “in print” because it is such a fine example of unpolluted contemporary Greek music. This album ranks #2 in gypsy albums most frequently borrowed by my friends.» (Anonymous reader, Amazon)

«An exceptional and rewarding introduction to the music of Greek gypsies. Although the contribution of Greek gypsies has often been overlooked, their influence on Greek folk music is clear. There are twelve cuts, of which two are [marvellous] instrumentals; the remaining ten songs are vocals with musical accompaniment. The first song on the CD, “The song of the gypsies” by Eleni Vitali, is a haunting lament which showcases her fine talent. Two of the songs on the CD (“Jastar Amenge Dur” and “Good Luck”) showcase the very talented Kostas Pavlidis. In “Jastar Amenge Dur”, an introduction of strings is followed by a quickening intensity of song and guitar with a flamenco-like flavour. Pavlidis also shares the vocals with C. Christopoulou on an exceptional rendition entitled “Rom”. Other singers on the CD include Yiannis Saleas and Vassilis Paiteris. Vassilis Saleas is the clarinettist on certain cuts. The vocalists’ presentation are reminiscent of Greek singers of years past, and not the more homogenized European style characteristic of today’s Greek popular music. This CD is a worthwhile addition to the collection of anyone interested in the music and talents of the Eastern Mediterranean.» (Louis Alexander, Amazon)

Many thanks again to JTC for this post.

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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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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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