World Music

Posted by: Lontano on 20 April 2008

There is so much wonderful world music out there and I have been trying my best to learn more and buy more of it.

I thought it would be good to have a thread of recommended world music that you have found so that others may go out and try if they are interested.

Today I have come across this excellent CD that I recommend to start off this thread.

http://www.thierrytitirobin.com/anglais/biographie.php

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/a4wm2008/2008_titi_robin.shtml

What else do you recommend?

Lontano

Posted on: 11 May 2008 by fatcat

Princesses Nubiennes by Les Nubians is pretty good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3S9d172x00&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22HL5ZOOHGI

Posted on: 11 May 2008 by fatcat

Posted on: 12 May 2008 by Jono 13

quote:
Originally posted by Bruce Woodhouse:
quote:
For today I'm staying with great female African voices

I've a very big World collection, probably 50% from Africa. If you want to stick with female voclaists check out Oumou Sangare, Angelique Kidjo.

Bruce

I saw Angelique at the Festival Hall in the mid '90's and she was super. The only time I have seen people dancing in the Festival Hall, along with random members of the audience being invited on stage to join in with the performance. One girl did a faultless duet with Angelique.

A great concert.

Jono

Posted on: 12 May 2008 by sjust

For me, Bob Brozman is one of my "World" heroes. He takes the credit for going out there, and tries to understand what rocks the boat in various cultures. And, he's a great Blues artist, too. But then: Isn't Blues just another flavour of "World" ? It has been said, before, here: World doesn't exist, or better: it's all "World" music...

Posted on: 17 May 2008 by MilesSmiles

I got these two today. Great world music and a good cause.

Posted on: 18 May 2008 by Huwge

Have not seen any VM Bhatt here, his collaborations with Ry Cooder (meeting by the river) and Jerry Douglas (Bourbon and Rosewater) are worth seeking out.

Closer to home Boban Markovic or Fanfare Ciocarlia for a bit of the Balkans and the east of Europe

Nigel Kennedy's disc with Kroke and the Itzhak Perlman's kelzmer discs

From Spain, Radio Tarifa and the excellent Bebo & Cigala (Lagrimas negra)

Souad Massi, Cheb Khaled or Cheb Mami

Swedish acapplla versions of Voodoo chants and a cracking version of Mercy Street, try Amanda - Café Creole

Lila Downs, Llasa, Chavela Vargas (anything from these ladies)

Two volume set derived from the Discos Fuentes back catalogue - Cumbia Cumbia

Africa covered reasonably well elsewhere, with the exception of the two volume Indestructible Beat of Soweto which is a good compilation and starter for broader exploration.

Posted on: 18 May 2008 by BigH47

Any idea what would be filed under world music in say Africa?

Posted on: 18 May 2008 by 555

Interesting point biggy!
Isn't all music world music (except invented bands)?
IMHO P.G. named Realworld thus because it's all real music.

Posted on: 18 May 2008 by JWM

Thank you, everyone, for this wonderful and inspiring thread.

T.D.'s Mande is the most refreshing CD I have bought for ages. I am about to launch into his back catalogue on previous recommendations from Forum members, but I am really looking forward to trying some/several/many/all of the recommendations here as well. So that's my CD pocket money accounted for for the rest of the year...

And I toss this into the ring:

Posted on: 18 May 2008 by fred simon

quote:
Originally posted by 555:

Isn't all music world music ...

Agreed. As I said in an earlier post in this thread. The very idea of "world music" is Western-centric.

Now, music from Jupiter ... that's not world music, it's "other world music"!

All best,
Fred

Posted on: 18 May 2008 by MilesSmiles

quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:
Now, music from Jupiter ... that's not world music, it's "other world music"!

... what station do I have to tune in to?

Posted on: 19 May 2008 by 555

quote:
The only time I have seen people dancing in the Festival Hall

When these boys played The RFH in 1985 everyone got up & danced.
Sadly The RFH management pulled the plugs when the audienced refused to sit down!

Posted on: 19 May 2008 by fred simon

quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:
quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:
Now, music from Jupiter ... that's not world music, it's "other world music"!

... what station do I have to tune in to?

Radio Jupiter, of course!

http://tinyurl.com/6nf6z4

All best,
Fred

Posted on: 22 May 2008 by MilesSmiles

quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:
quote:
Originally posted by MilesSmiles:
quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:
Now, music from Jupiter ... that's not world music, it's "other world music"!

... what station do I have to tune in to?

Radio Jupiter, of course!

http://tinyurl.com/6nf6z4

All best,
Fred

Fred,
good one.

Cheers ... Oliver

Now playing -

Posted on: 22 May 2008 by fred simon

I haven't even heard the whole album yet, but based on the review I heard on NPR the other day, and the excerpts at Amazon, I highly recommend this:

Afreecanos by Omar Sosa

Imagine African, Cuban, Latin instrumental and vocal flavors meeting acoustic piano with a Bill Evans/Herbie Hancock sensibility, sometimes reminiscent of Salif Keita, sometimes reminiscent of Weather Report ... very engaging and life affirming. Never heard anything quite like it.

All best,
Fred

Posted on: 24 May 2008 by Huwge

quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:

I haven't even heard the whole album yet, but based on the review I heard on NPR the other day, and the excerpts at Amazon, I highly recommend this:

Afreecanos by Omar Sosa

Imagine African, Cuban, Latin instrumental and vocal flavors meeting acoustic piano with a Bill Evans/Herbie Hancock sensibility, sometimes reminiscent of Salif Keita, sometimes reminiscent of Weather Report ... very engaging and life affirming. Never heard anything quite like it.

All best,
Fred

Whilst this is a good disc, I find Mulatos to be more enjoyable and consistent

Posted on: 24 May 2008 by fred simon

quote:
Originally posted by Huwge:

Whilst [Afreecanos] is a good disc, I find Mulatos to be more enjoyable and consistent

I haven't heard Mulatos. Is it similar? Can you describe how it's more consistent and why you enjoy it more?

Thanks,
Fred

Posted on: 25 May 2008 by 555

Thanks for pointing Afreecanos by Omar Sosa Fred.
Sounds great so I have ordered a copy.

Following on from my 'What Festival 2008',
thread is anyone going to
World Of Music, Arts & Dance at Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, U.K?

This years line-up is the best in years IMHO.
If you've not been to one before I've always found The W.O.M.A.D. campsites have much better facilities than your average fest'.

For those (like me) seeking a treat & a good nights sleep there's
Deluxe Camping in Shikar Tents & Boutique Camping (yet to go on sale) this year.
There's a good 'early bird' offer for the Shikar Tents (nearly 40% off),
if booked & deposit paid by 9th June.
I understand the luxury camping sells out very quickly, so if you are tempted don't delay!

Have you ever been to WOMADELAIDE MilesSmiles & Lontano?

Posted on: 25 May 2008 by Huwge

quote:
Originally posted by fred simon:

I haven't heard Mulatos. Is it similar? Can you describe how it's more consistent and why you enjoy it more?

Thanks,
Fred

Hi Fred,

sorry didn't see this earlier. Mulatos is a real hodge-potch of Cuban, European, Asian and Middle Eastern influences that, to my ears, just grooves along. The music making just seems effortless. I find Afreecanos to be a typically good Sosa album, but not really that much different to other African-oriented music that is out there. Mulatos for me defies categorisation, it fits in no obvious geography - it is neither one thing, nor the other. That is why I prefer it, it seems to be the sound of Sosa doing his own thing rather than trying to fit his music making into a pre-defined musical style. I don't know if that makes sense.

I like both albums, but Mulatos is an album that I play a lot.

Huw

Posted on: 25 May 2008 by Lontano

quote:
Originally posted by 555:
Have you ever been to WOMADELAIDE MilesSmiles & Lontano?

I have not and I know MilesSmiles has not either. The UK line up and event look great. Enjoy.

Posted on: 25 May 2008 by fred simon

quote:
Originally posted by Huwge:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by fred simon:

I haven't heard Mulatos. Is it similar? Can you describe how it's more consistent and why you enjoy it more?

Thanks,
Fred

Hi Fred,

sorry didn't see this earlier. Mulatos is a real hodge-potch of Cuban, European, Asian and Middle Eastern influences that, to my ears, just grooves along. The music making just seems effortless. I find Afreecanos to be a typically good Sosa album, but not really that much different to other African-oriented music that is out there. Mulatos for me defies categorisation, it fits in no obvious geography - it is neither one thing, nor the other. That is why I prefer it, it seems to be the sound of Sosa doing his own thing rather than trying to fit his music making into a pre-defined musical style. I don't know if that makes sense.

I like both albums, but Mulatos is an album that I play a lot.

Huw

Hi Huw,

Thanks for the reply. Mulatos sounds like I'd dig it, too.

I'm curious as to which "predefined musical style" Sosa is fitting his music into on Afreecanos?

Also, I can't claim to have heard as much African music as some might have, but I certainly haven't heard any using acoustic piano with a modern jazz/Herbie Hancock-like sensibility. Maybe there's a lot out there with that, I don't know.

The other thing that distinguishes what I've heard on Afreecanos from most other African music is the more sophisticated and Latin/jazz/fusion oriented harmonic language. Much African music is extremely sophisticated rhythmically, but harmonically relatively basic. Not a deficiency, just a description.

All best,
Fred

Posted on: 26 May 2008 by Huwge

Fred - I listened to Afreecanos again last night. I may be doing a disservice, but for me the Senegalese vocal influence is a distraction. The music and rhythm under-pinning the songs is very good, but I can't quite take to it in the same way as the non-vocal tracks on Mulatos (grunts, groans and the odd exhortation excepted). This is, I think, a very personal judgement and I can see why many people would be more than impressed with the album.

Ballads is a good compilation of Sosa's earlier work

Posted on: 26 May 2008 by 555

quote:
I have not and I know MilesSmiles has not either.

Have you ever been tempted to go chaps?
I've seriously considered going - as part of a Aus' holiday,
& that's travelling all the way from the U.K.

Posted on: 27 May 2008 by 555

Boutique Camping at W.O.M.A.D. - Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, U.K is now on sale!

Posted on: 27 May 2008 by MilesSmiles

quote:
Originally posted by 555:
quote:
I have not and I know MilesSmiles has not either.

Have you ever been tempted to go chaps?
I've seriously considered going - as part of a Aus' holiday,
& that's travelling all the way from the U.K.

555,
I had never heard of it before - but then again I'm still a newbie here down under. I will seriously consider it - many thanks for pointing it out.
Cheers ... Oliver