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Sunday, March 23

Darbuki Kings, Acoustic Brazil, & DO

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The Darbuki Kings
Lawrence of Suburbia
Antonio H. Albarran and Robin Adnan Anders take us for a listen along their adventures on the Silk Road. I would have liked to see them perform during their tour through Bloomington…we’re noted in the cover. This is an instrumental c.d., featuring instruments from the Silk Road regions of China, Central Asia, Near East, and Europe.
comments / tracks of interest:
#2: Dunbak beginning
#4: complex rhythms
#8: all percussion (drums)
#9: chimes have a sunny presence
#10: about the deer

Acoustic Brazil
“Brazilian music encompasses a vast array of cool styles, ranging from the driving samba of Rio’s carnival to the lilting melodies of its enchanting acoustic grooves. Think Global: Acoustic Brazil – in association with Oxfam – features unplugged, late-night tracks from Brazilian legends such as Maria Bethania, Chico Buarque, Marcos Sacramento and Paulo Moura.” (world music network) Lots of samba here!
comments / tracks of interest:
Slow tempos: #’s 2, 7, 11, & 15
Medium tempos: #’s 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, & 14
Tracks 12 & 13 skip, so avoid playing


Omar Sosa & Greg Landau
DO: Day Off EP 1
“DO (Day Off) reflect a new vision of Latin American music- a portrait capturing the evolution of blended African and European indigenous traditions painted with new technological tools and textures. DO is the brainchild between longtime collaborators, producer/musician Greg Landau and Cuban piano star Omar Sosa. The Day Off recordings came to fruition during Sosa's visit to Landau's garage recording studio. On a random day off, Sosa immersed himself in front of Landau's computer and began elaborating on his raw sonic sketches. The result is ten laid out tracks beautifully crafted into 21st century Latin American electronic soundscapes.” (6 degrees) Nice beats.
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: Brazilian flavor
#2: touch of Reggae
#3: calm vibe, djembe & Asian string instrumental
#4: Spanish w/ Middle Eastern & conga rhythms behind a piano melody and synthesized beats

EP 2
(see above description)
Mostly chill.
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: steel drum
#2: Afro-Caribbean influences
#3: “power to the people”
#4: beat boxing

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Friday, February 29

Latin Reggae, Azam Ali, & Lotus 2007

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Latin Reggae

international

With roots in Jamaican soil, reggae’s musical sap has traveled through the trunk of time and is blossoming Latin interpretations. From Buenos Aires to Barcelona, artists have combined flamenco, rock, and electronica with the “rhythms and philosophies of reggae.” A portion of proceeds from the sale of this album will be donated to ACCION International, to provide people of Latin America and other places around the world with the tools needed to work their way out of poverty.

comments / tracks of interest:

#1: “traditional” reggae sound

#2: expressing passion for dark skinned/ light haired women

#3: song calling to help the homeless children

#4: Argentinean reggae

#5: rustic reggae

#6: a mix of sounds, pure as blood

*#7: from the creator of Radiodread

#8: reggae-funk

#9: children chime in the beginning, female reggae artists

#10: struggle against violence & oppression

#11: some hip-hop elements


Azam Ali

Elysium Remixes

Azam Ali has been making music for over 10 years. Though she discovered her musical passion on the hammered dulcimer, interests shifted to vocal displays of emotion. Born in Tehran (Iran), Azam spent her formative years in a small-hill town in India. Elysium for the Brave was Azam’s second solo album, (as she used to sing with the band Niyaz) and this is an electro-mix of that. “The album, her most ambitious work to date, brings together musicians from varied musical backgrounds performing in diverse permutations. Singing predominantly in English for the first time, the songs are based on lyrics written by Azam herself and reveal a poetic lyricism heard only in glimpses of her previous works.” (6 Degrees)

comments / tracks of interest:

#1: driving rhythm

#2: “41 ways to die” w/ beautiful bites of brass

#3: spring arrives w/ some traditional elements

#5: Persian/Indian fusion

#10: more gently mixed


Lotus Festival 2007
Feel nostalgic while listening to this compilation of ’07 Lotus artists. Travel around the musical globe to Latin America, Germany, Western Africa, Appalachia, Slovenia, Argentina, Tuva, Scotland, and Tunisia and promote world music and the arts.

comments / tracks of interest:

#1: Rumba

#2: W. African kora & guitars

#3: Slovenian accordion w/ band & female vocals

#4: Tuvan throat singing

#5: deep rattling rhythms & other modern Tunisian sounds

#6: cello and fiddle

#7: singing laments-deeply provocative

#8: Argentinean accordion

#9: acoustic guitars & vocals

#10: danceable hippie collaborative

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Friday, February 22

from Iran, to healing the holy land

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Pouya Mahmoodi
Mehr
Persian guitarist Pouya Mahmoodi threads together classical traditions with rock, jazz, and blues. Before the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Mahmoodi listened to his father’s Western rock and pop records. He was inspired by Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple’s guitar abilities, though his vocals sound in some ways similar to Tool singer Maynard James Keenan. Passion felt. On Mehr (translating to both love and sun) Mahmoodi interprets traditional melodies on his guitar, and bends Persian music beyond the norm by including Zaar music into his repertoire, which has roots in Ethiopia and Somalia.
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: captivating rhythm, Rumi poetry
#4: begins w/ sounds from the ocean, marimbas?
#5: female vocals
#6: bears the strongest resemblance to Maynard (or am I crazy)
#7: beautiful violin beginning
#8: lyrics from Zaar song
#9: desert guitar riffs
#11: somewhat jazzy


V/A
Healing the Holy land
While I think healing the Holy land is a damn good idea, I am not entirely convinced that this little album is as tolerable musically as that idea. The intention of this album is to commodify a way for Abraham’s seeds: representations of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, to come together as a family again. In doing so, this album plays representations from all three traditions. Liner notes detail artists and their songs. You should give it a listen, you just might like it better than I do.
comments / tracks of interest:
#8: Middle Eastern traditions w/ electronic dance rhythms
#10: Gregorian chanting

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Friday, February 15

tuareg nomad rockers

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Toumast
Ishumar
Bandleader, Moussa Ag Keyna traded gun for guitar by creating Toumast as his new weapon to fight the oppressive conditions of Tuareg people. (Liner notes house a bit of the history and translations of song’s lyrics). Moussa was inspired by heroes: Tinariwen and their musical messages to get involved in the Tuareg fight, and blues gurus Albert & B.B. King, and Jimi Hendrix. Toumast sounds traditionally as it merges with desert blues on electric guitars. The strong female presence is Moussa’s cousin Aminatou Goumar. She plays electric guitar and sings in her “distinctive Tuareg ululation.”
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: refugee perspective
#2: a love song
#3: begins slow, builds intensity
#4: starts w/ female vocals in lead
#5: subtle instrumentation w/ vocals
#6: musical breakdown, deep vocals fade song out
#7: for 12 moons
*#8: bouncy
#9: tambourine & harmonic vocals

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Sunday, February 10

6 degrees and luka bop

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Cheb i Sabbah
Devotion
At the tender age of 60, Algerian born dj Cheb i Sabbah produces music as adventurously as if he were in his 20s. “For Devotion, he traveled to New Delhi and engaged six leading vocalists, together with top local players of traditional string and percussion instruments, adding keyboards, guitar, electric bass—and on one track, banjo—to the mix.” (allaboutjazz.com) He goes beyond the standard ambient and visits Hindu, Sikh, Muslim religious and ritual music.
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: bell beginnings w/ Indian flute and rhythm, chant song
#2: tables & string & choral vocals
#6: reminds me of water
#7: gradually becomes med. Tempo
#8: title track, bells & rain, atmospheric sounds



Brazil Classics #7: What’s Happening in Pernambuco; New Sounds of the Brazilian Northeast
“From the first Portuguese settlers and their African slaves mixing it up with the Native Americans, through the continual influx of immigrants from around the world, Brazil’s musicians have always been adept at expressing omnivorous tastes and integrating every flavor of spice they’ve encountered. Luka Bop brings us adventurous palettes up to date with a sampling of dishes from just one of the country’s regions. Collage is the key approach among the artists on Pernambuco, with imaginative uses of cut-and-paste methods. Several tunes recognize the affinity between samba and drum n’ bass; both genres share similar tempos and frenetic feels. However, other songs simply reintroduce traditional styles for a new generation.” (allaboutjazz.com)
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: somewhat wavering male vocals
#2: whistling and deep drums
#3: electronic influences, “small snake”
#4: shaker, guitar, wood block samba rhythm
#6: fully loaded string & percussion instrumental
#7: smore samba, group sing, & clapping
#8: kinda ambient w/ gentle electro beats
#9: song by Nacao Zumbi
#10: forro
#12: catchy rhythm

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Friday, February 1

middle eastern and latin tunes

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Le Trio Joubran
Majaz
“The Paris-based Joubran brothers—Samir, Wissam, and Adnan—come from a long line of Palestinian luthiers and musicians. Born in Nazareth, the brothers decided to form an ensemble to do with the oud what other respected world and jazz trios have done with the guitar, featuring instruments that Wissam has built himself. Presented with support from the French Music Export Bureau.” (Rock Paper Scissors)_
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: haunting melody
#5: gradually blooms
#8: hastened pace
#9: atmospheric tear w/ vocals
#11: nice use of zills




Grupo Los Santos
Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea
“Grupo los Santos is a quartet of American musicians who, through a mixture of jazz with Afro-Cuban and Brazilian styles, are creating a new soul in the music of New York. Lo Que Somos Lo Que Sea (What We Are What Will Be), the group's second album, is first and foremost a jazz album. These are simply jazz musicians who share a passion for the Latin musics including son, rumba and bossa nova. But make no mistake, they are certainly capable of holding down a Latin (and any other sort of) groove.” (Jazz Near You)
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: enticing percussive intro
#2: danceable in a jazzy sort of way
#8: good use of cowbell
#9: clapping rhythms
#10: snappy

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Friday, January 18

english as a second language

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V/A
The Streets of Bollywood and Beyond
“As BOLLYWOOD, and its diverse music becomes increasingly acknowledged and accepted all over the world, so does the desire of adventurous musicians, DJs, producers, re-mixers etc. to experiment with the music. In STREETS OF BOLLYWOOD, some of the popular film music and folk music forms of India are remixed with a street-wise, Hip-Hop edge. It showcases productions by young talent, as well as stalwarts like A.R.Rahman, and the legendary late great Nusrat Fatehali Khan.”~(Times Square Records) I was surprised to hear most songs in English.
comments / tracks of interest:
#1: riveting rhythm w/ synth help
#2: traditional song embraced by modern beats
#4: subtle drum-n-bass elemented with raps
#6: reggae raps
#7: rap
#11: spoken poetry/rap to beats
#13: interesting mix of Sufi music & rhythms


Ayo
Joyful
: “AYO is a German born artist, the offspring of a Nigerian father who had come to Germany to study in the 1970s, and sometimes worked as a DJ, and a mother who is a gypsy. AYOs rather unusual name means joy in Yoruba. Her rich cultural background is also reflected in her musical influences. She grew up amidst Pink Floyd and Fela Kuti, the Soul Children and Bob Marley, and many others.”~(MeTiX) She sounds gently strong in her voice and carefully composes, both musically and lyrically. Singing songs in English she tells of life, love, or love lost. Ultimately, I appreciate her honest simplicity.
comments / tracks of interest:
#’s 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, & 12 are slow tempo
#1: reggae step w/ acoustic guitar & hand drums
#3: harmonica twang, in beginning
#5: begins slow, transforms into flamenco-like guitar style
#7: slower reggae step
#8: reggae influence, “help is coming”
#10: rowing instrumentation, “life is real”
#11: w/ violins

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