int'l genre adds 9/18
here are some new non-lotus discs that will be in the genre add tower sunday afternoon:Artist: Bebo Valdés Label: Calle 54
Title: Bebo de Cuba
Genre: int’l / latin jazz
Grade: A+
Valdés wasn’t a BVSClubber, but most certainly has been a key figure in Cuban music for over half a century. His recent work with Diego El Cigala won new converts from the Caravan crowd (and yes, that’d be me too), but this double-disc all-instrumental set leaves behind the fusion in favor of celebrating his roots. Deserves attention from world, latin, and jazz fans alike.
Suite Cubana: 02, 04, 08, 06
El Solar de Bebo: 03, 08, 04, 10
-bjorn ingvoldstad
Date: 18 Sept 2005 Label: Putumayo
Artist: v / a
Title: Latin Lounge
Genre: int’l / latin / electronica
Grade: A-
The latest in Putumayo’s Lounge series is about what you’d hope for. Old friends/usual suspects: a new track (for us, anyhow) from Wagner Pá (08), a nice reminder from Federico Aubele (10), etc. New folks: been hearing much about Bebe (03), but this track is more tepid than chilled. Useless mind-bogglers: why won’t Deepak Chopra (11) just go quietly?!?
Choice Cuts: 08,10,12, 04, 03, 07
-bjorn ingvoldstad
Date: 18 Sept 2005 Label: NorthSide
Artist: Hurdy-Gurdy
Title: Prototyp
Genre: int’l / experimental Scandinavian
Grade: A
Swedish folksters go 21st Century on our butts: taking their hurdy-gurdys and close-mikeing them, looping them, mashing them up, and generally coming up with something well representing two (if not three) millennia. With drum machines. Avant brilliant: we should be so lucky if this were the prototype of what’s to come in 2006.
Choice Cuts: 09, 01, 02, 07, 04
-bjorn ingvoldstad
Date: 18 Sept 2005 Label: Tommy Boy
Artist: Tom & Joy
Title: Antigua
Genre: int’l / bossa nova +
Grade: A+
Effortlessly shifting between bossa nova, afrobeat and points between, Tom & Joy bring much to the table. Opener “Meditation” (01) is smooth bossa nova, only in French [and a little English]. Two tracks later, Tony Allen sits in to anchor the title track “Antigua” (03), this time sung in Portuguese. Generically and linguistically all over the map, but in a very, very good way. Highly recommended.
Choice Cuts: 03, 01, 04, 10, 05
-bjorn ingvoldstad
Date: 18 Sept 2005 Label: Omnium
Artist: Horace X
Title: Strategy
Genre: int’l / UK raga-esque dayglo
Grade: B
They sound like they give a great concert (dayglo body paint in a black light, yadda yadda), but I’m not totally sold on the disc. Try out the near-instrumental “Skin” (03) before moving on to “It’s About Time” (04), which could use the first minute lopped off. They are on the right path, putting together a genre montage (reggae, gypsy, et al), but they really really need some new keyboard patches.
Choice Cuts: 03, 04, 07, 06
FCC: 02
-bjorn ingvoldstad
posted by Anonymous @ 12:06:00 PM
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