elbicho – elbicho

This eponymous delight is street flamenco meets jazz, rock and whatever else comes to hand. As the website jokes, elbicho are two madrileños, five alicantinos and no Andalusians.

Juan Carmona – Orillas

This one slipped between the cracks. Nominated for a Latin Grammy back in 2003, I came across this CD at the recent WOMEX and fell in love with its re-imagining of the musical landscape of Moorish Andalusia and Morocco.

V/A – The Rough Guide to the Music of Central Asia

Subtitled ‘Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan: Sounds of the Silk Road’, The Rough Guide to the Music of Central Asia celebrates the enormous musical wealth and diversity coming out of these rarely visited lands.

V/A – The Rough Guide to Zydeco

Seven years ago, Rough Guides published The Rough Guide to Cajun & Zydeco. Now the bluesy Louisiana Creole accordion music gets its own release. Driving, funky and downright dirty, Zydeco will have you popping your fingers and shuffling your feet.

Lalgudi G Jayaraman – Paddhatti (The Tradition of Burnished Gold) Volumes I, II & III

This 3 CD set of Carnatic music virtuoso Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman is a real find. Expect exquisite violin playing with skilled accompaniment

Ali Farka Toure – Red & Green

“This is music that has been taken from us,” says Ali Farka Toure of the blues and this double LP release of impossible-to-find early recordings is claiming it back.

V/A – Essential Brazilian Flavas

Subtitled ‘From Barrio Beats to Funky Bossa’ the sleeve notes emphasise that there is not one single style of Brazilian music as, equally, there is not one particular style of [insert any genre you like]. And do these 14 selected tracks go on to prove the point? Yes they do but perhaps it tries too […]

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Global Music

Month: January 2005