Yearly Archives: 2008

Those of you who might have seen the wonderful Amparanoia will get an idea where this collection is coming from. The CD starts with a great ska flavoured track from Spain’s Muchachito Bombo Infierno, indeed the Spanish influence is strong here with tracks from Macao, Radio Malanga , Black Gandhi and Go Lem System as well. Another fine Putumayo collection.

Graham Radley

Thirteen tracks that open up brilliantly with Cuban Cowboys (El Capitan) and closes equally brilliantly with Dengue Fever’s ‘We Were Gonna’  Along the way there are tracks from Ravi Bal & Daljit Mattu, Francis Beeby, Ozomatli, Wayne Gorbea, Rhany, Sami ali, Idan Raichel’s Project, Jolly Mukherjee & Sridevi, Tribali, Geraldo Pino & The Heart Breaks and Corey Harris with Ali Farka Toure – now that’s what you call a compilation CD!

Graham Radley

From the cultural melting pot of Marseille this release (their third) with songs in French, Arabic, Hebrew, Yiddish , English and Spanish is a vibrant mix of Arab, Balkan and Mediterranean influences that are further evolved through a mix of various dance beats from dub to electronic which includes amongst the  samples Fanfare Ciocarlia and The Klezmatics. There’s a lot going on here so repeat listenings are required to get the full range and feel of things but the more you find the more you enjoy, I bet they are equally good live.

Graham Radley

Second release for Nels recorded with a brilliant line up of musicians including producer Todd Sickafoose , Adam Levy (Norah Jones), Michael Jorgensen (Wilco) and Ben Perowsky instruments. This is by way of a musical journey for Nels as he incorporates a subtle range of diverse sounds into the core of his country folk songwriting, the result is excellent.

Graham Radley

Brazilian music late night style with an unplugged approach and artists that include Orquestra Imperial, Mongol, Maria Bethania, Chico Buarque, Marcos Sacramento and Paulo Moura. The CD is released in association with Oxfam giving a voice to end poverty and defend human rights, let’s see the major record companies lend their weight to the campaign as well.

Graham Radley

From Wodaabe and Tuareg tribes but now based in Niger this follow up to ‘Introducing’  features several songs which deal with their desire to get back to the nomadic lifestyle of their roots. A raw edged recording style brings the desert blues to life in vivid fashion to create a moving and powerful medium for their message. Very good.

Graham Radley

Makasound’s  Inna de Yard series is well suited to the The Mighty Diamonds with a stripped down collection of 10 of their best (although I was disappointed that "Pass the Kouchie" wasn’t covered) included are ‘Country Living, I Need A Roof, Have Mercy and When The Right Time Come. Very good.

Graham Radley

Argentina quite rightly gets four of the eleven tracks (Melingo with Florencia Bonadeo, Federico Aubele, Jose Marmol y Tarija and Hugo Diaz) but to show the global spread of tango we also get tracks from Finland, Norway, Brazil, Serbia, Portugal, Greece and the very classy Ousmane Toure from Senegal, good stuff.

Graham Radley

A star in Brazil since the days of Banda Bel and where he’s worked with a lot of big names like Gilberto Gil, Leleo is now resident in London where he’s been ripping it up with DJ sets as well as band sets (his band is same name as this CD). The CD however was recorded in Copacabana and brings  Leleo’s  acid samba style up to date, with the trademark Brazilian samba and bossa rhythms getting a base of  beats, to get those feet stirring into dance floor action. Very good.

Graham Radley

A venue and artist who are perfectly suited with Dick always closing his autumn  tour of England and Wales with a date at this famous Hebden Bridge venue. Starting with Si Kahn’s ‘What You Do With What You’ve Got’ followed by Brian McNeil’s ‘No Gods’ there’s 13 tracks in all ending with Dick’s own ‘Both Sides The Tweed’. Inspiring.

Graham Radley

Such a sad loss last year but here’s a timely reminder of how great he was. 17 tracks which give a popular flavour of his 22 studio albums and includes tracks like ‘Slave’ (the Slaves was the name of his brilliant live band) ‘Victims’ and my own favourite ‘Feel Irie’. Excellent.

Graham Radley

Follow up to the excellent ‘Noted’ this is another classy jazz release with every one of the ten tracks having blue(s) in the title but all having a different musical aspect. Her vocals flow easily and adventurously into and around the songs with an excellent band including Robin Aspland, Jeremy Brown, Steve Brown and Tristan Mailliot.

Graham Radley

As I  think about some of the latest hip hop releases of the past year, I reflect on the golden age of the genre. That was when we were consistently treated to now classics from The Native Tongues, Brand Nubian and The Pharcyde. One element that was prevalent within the music of those artists was the inclusion of jazz samples or collaborations with jazz artists. Those samples were from some of our most respected jazz musicians and gave the listener greater appreciation of jazz music. The artists, I’m sure gained a greater appreciation.  Well, thanks to the Jazz Liberatorz and some of the most respected MC’s in the game today, that feeling comes to life with their remarkable debut “Clin d’oeil”. The theme throughout this disc is the love and respect for 70’s Jazz expressed by the Jazz Liberatorz and the MC’s on board. On the track, “Ease My Mind",  I don’t know what sounded better, the smooth chords and accompanying flute or hearing Fat Lip and Tre Hardson together again. “Indonesia” finds Tableek of Maspyke flowing over some cosmic jazz funk reminiscent of Lonnie Liston Smith. On “U Do”, Stacey Epps sings over a smoothed out rhythm guitar enhanced so that has a summertime vibe to it. What is also equally enjoyable is the interludes that feature each MC or vocalist expressing their love for jazz while a jam session serves as the backdrop.  The Jazz Liberatorz succeed by capturing the essence of one of hip hop’s prime moments in its history. I can’t get enough of this cd. I have no doubts that you’ll feel the same way.

Reg Dancy

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Upon its original release back in 1973, ‘Listen Of’ sold more than 150,000 copies in Bryan’s native Brazil alone, but as time passed the record’s status became that of a hidden treasure, buried away in the depths of dusty emporiums and known only to the most astute of diggers. It is therefore with a justified air of excitement and anticipation that music lovers are greeting its glorious release back into the wild, courtesy of a reissue on Jazzanova’s Sonar Kollektiv label. As befits a man who went onto work with Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Gil and Tim Maia, as well as fellow blind musician Stevie Wonder, Paul Bryan (real name Sérgio Sá) has a style that is clearly influenced by both golden era Motown soul and classic Brazilian song writing, and what we have here is a beautiful collection of calming, softly-spoken Folk ballads, full of understated guitar plucks and breezy, Jobim-inspired string arrangements, that has truly stood the test of time. What greater commendation is there than that?

Tom Breslin

If ever the term ‘world music’ could apply to a band, then it’s here. Seckou Keita SKQ is a quintet, consisting of Senegal’s Keita on the kora (a 21 string harp/lute like instrument from West Africa, played using only the thumbs and index fingers), accompanied by an Italian double/electric bassist, an Egyptian violinist, and a percussionist and vocalist both hailing from The Gambia. But don’t let that scare you; this isn’t some kind of hideous concept fusion group (the stuff of politically correct, right-on musical nightmares). Far from it. This is genuinely beautiful and uplifting music that requires little or no explanation. The focus is on Keita’s crisp, clean and impeccable playing of established West African roots sounds, with sympathetic support from the accomplished musicians around him, adding little tweaks of Arabic or flamenco rhythm here and there. A wonderful album that had me engrossed and that played all the way through twice before I even touched the controls.

Tom Breslin