This Week's Picks (#3)

Please enjoy this week's picks and don't forget to check out the constantly updating Map feature!

"Au Grand Jamais" by Bensé


This track is from Bensé's self-titled album, released in 2009. He is a celebrated French artist who has the tendency to walk away from the beaten path of his contemporaries who believe music should be all too serious and profound. With "Au Grand Jamais," Bensé delivers a melodic, delightful and unashamedly light hearted tune that brings a smile to your face. The lyrics are sweet and befit the mood Bensé successfully creates—a happy-go-lucky environment without a care in the world. 
(Reviewed by Rafi)


"Kabhi Kabhie" by Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh

This duet is the title track from the 1976 movie "Kabhi Kabhie" (Love is Life). The movie is a love story that spans two generations. It tells a story of a poet and his love that cannot be. The song echos the themes of the storyline in that it speaks to lost loves, repentance, and forgiveness. In its purest form, the lyrics could be best described as poetry. The words were written for the single purpose of captivating the audience's hearts and minds to the main protagonists of the film. The basuri and drums typify the beauty and gentleness of Bollywood music in that era. The song is rounded up by Lata's distinct voice that adds a touch of majesty and gravitas to the slow rhythmic beat of the song.
(Reviewed by Rafi)

"Sabu Yerkoy" by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabate 

This track is from the recently released and long awaited album, Ali and Toumani. It was the last album this Malian duo recorded before Ali Farka Touré passed away. Ali Farka Touré is a world renown blues guitarist/singer and Toumani Diabate is an equally well-known musician and kora player. This duo successfully blends their sounds into a soothing and beautifully interlocking tune. The soft vocals and engaging, yet subtle, rhythms draw the listener deeper into the song. Closing your eyes, it is easy to imagine yourself transported to steaming, sunny day in Mali.
(Reviewed by Alexandra)

New Map Feature

Please check out our new Map feature (found on the right hand column). We've added a colored map showing countries from which we've reviewed music. Below the map is a list of all the countries we've discussed and links to the tracks we've reviewed. We hope this helps you find the music you love faster. Please enjoy!

Nomad's Calendar: This Weekend

Be sure not to miss some of the great shows coming up this weekend! Can't make any of them? Then, check out Nomad's Calendar for details on other upcoming shows.

•  May 28th, Friday 1:10pm: "Vibraciones del alma": Alison Turriff & Ingo Davis-Rutter @ St. James' Church (197 Piccadilly W1J 9LL) Free, £3 suggested donation Prize-winning clarinettist Alison Turriff reminisces back to her studies in Spain, presenting a programme of hot-blooded works with fiery, driving rhythms and passionate melodies, on an instrument whose national popularity is widely regarded as being second to that only of the guitar. Here, el clarinete takes a well-deserved place centre-stage in a programme which showcases some of Spain’s rich clarinet repertoire, in addition to some popular favourites.  She is joined by pianist Inga Davis-Rutter http://www.ilams.org.uk/concerts.htm
• May 28th, Friday: "Explosive Carnival Samba Show" @ Islington Metal Works (7 Torrens St EC1V 1NQ) £7 before 10pm, £9 after 10pm: Learn your first steps of Samba and Baile Funk at 9pm to warm up for this torrid night of tropical sweetness.Your Dj’s Jerome and Shakit joined by Afro-Romanzo and Keita will set the dancefloor ablaze with Latin, Caribbean, African sounds and more. Salsa, Reggaeton, Reggae Dancehall, Latin House, Merengue, Tropipop, Cumbia, Coupe Decale and more and more and more. www.sunbailante.com
• May 29th, Saturday 6:30pm: Balkan Fever London @ Ocean (Hackney) (270 Mare StreetE8 1HE) £10-16 adv: BALKAN FEVER LONDON returns in 2010 as a one-day Festival with 6 hours of music in a big venue - OCEAN HACKNEY - with huge dance floor, big stage, sound system and long bar. 4 acts will travel to the UK specially for the show making it a unique event! Top Music from Hungary, Romania, Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania and more... Traditional, Funky Fusions, Gypsy Madness, SchliwoBeatz, Soulful Sevdah. Something for everyone. Time to catch the Fever! http://tinyurl.com/2aeqaoa
  
• May 29th, Saturday 9:00pm: Afrik Bawantu Live @ The Rest is Noise (Brixton SW9 8BH) £3 Afro-beat collective Afrik Bawantu blend vibrant African percussion to a rifflingly funky horn section. http://www.spoonfed.co.uk/london/event/afrik-bawantu-622210/

Win a Free Songlines Magazine!

Songlines is the magazine that looks at the world through its music. Covering music from traditional and popular to contemporary and fusion, Songlines features artists from all around the globe: from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe; from Miriam Makeba to Mariza; from Gilberto Gil to Gogol Bordello and from Bjork to Buena Vista Social Club. Discover the traditional instruments of the world: the sitar, the kora, the talking drum and beyond. (Songlines Website)

To Enter To Win a Free Issue of the April/May 2010 (#67) of Songlines:
Please submit a review of your favorite album to nomadsplaylist@hotmail.com before 12:00pm June 25th, 2010. The winner will be selected at random from the entries and the winning entry will be posted on NP. (If you are entering from outside the UK, please be advised that there would be a £3 shipping fee.)

This issue of Songlines: Features a banjo playing Steve Martin (bet you didn't know he played banjo!) and two free CDs (Songlines' Top of the World and Iranian Underground)

Click here to see what's inside this issue of Songlines.

Thank you and good luck!

Wednesday's Reader Picks

Have you recently heard a great track that you would like to share? Send in your review of a track for our weekly "Reader's Picks" series. Here, we want to know what you listen to.

How do I get my review posted?
Send the review you've written and a link to the track on YouTube to nomadsplaylist@hotmail.com. Please include the name you would like us to use as the author of the review (it can be your full name, first name, or user name). We will post up to three tracks in a given week.

I have a great track I would like to share, but I don't want to write a review. Can I still share it?
Of course! Please send us an email with a link to the track on YouTube and we might include the track in our "This Week's Picks" series.

This Week's Picks (#2)

London's heat wave has inspired some hot tunes for this week's picks. There is nothing better to get you in the summer mood than some spicy Latin grooves. Get your margaritas and mojitos ready and let's dance.

"Pura Salsa" by King Bongo


Salsa is the name given to a genre of music created by Cuban and Puerto Rican immigrants in New York in the 1960s and 70s. It's stylistically Cuban in origin, but has since been mixed with genres including R&B, rock, pop, and jazz to create what is recognized as "the essential pulse of Latin music." A more recent recording, this track by King Bongo is a prime example of the salsa style so closely identified with the salsa style of dancing.
(Reviewed by Alexandra)

"London Samba" by Joyce


Cooling down a bit, this tune is a beautiful jazzy samba by the Brazilian artist Joyce. Written after a trip to England, this track features her smooth voice in harmony with the trombone. The samba pulse keeps this tune from getting too chill. Joyce started recording in the late sixties, and though some of her tracks can be a bit on the cheesy side, sometimes a cheesy samba groove is just what you need to relax to on a summer day.
(Reviewed by Alexandra)

"La Burrita" by Cumbia Ya!

(embedding is disabled upon request: Please visit YouTube to enjoy)

Based in France, Cumbia Ya! are a group that mix French, Argentinean, and Colombia cultures to revive the 1950s Colombian cumbia style.   While they do compose some original tracks, this tune "La Burrita" is a cumbian classic. A strong, solid horn section and an undeniable energy, this group is able to breathe new life into a classic style.
(Reviewed by Alexandra)

Wednesday's Reader Picks

Have you recently heard a great track that you would like to share? Send in your review of a track for our weekly "Reader's Picks" series. Here, we want to know what you listen to.

How do I get my review posted?
Send the review you've written and a link to the track on YouTube to nomadsplaylist@hotmail.com. Please include the name you would like us to use as the author of the review (it can be your full name, first name, or user name). We will post up to three tracks in a given week.

I have a great track I would like to share, but I don't want to write a review. Can I still share it?
Of course! Please send us an email with a link to the track on YouTube and we might include the track in our "This Week's Picks" series.


I emailed a review and it did not show up in this week's series. Should I resend it?
No. We keep all the reviews we receive and if your review didn't make the cut for this week's series, we will keep it to possibly appear in another series. However, we have the right to mediate the content on this blog. If we feel your review does not belong on this blog, either for inappropriate content or an inappropriate piece, we will not post it.

Nomad's Calendar

Do you love world music and live in London? If so, be sure not to miss your favorite artists as they come through town! Visit the Nomad's Calendar to see a list of upcoming events in London. 

There are some great shows this weekend that you should be sure not to miss: 

• May 21st, Friday 7:00pm: Kadialy Kouyate's Sound Archive @ Green Note (106 Parkway, NW1 7A) £10 adv Senegalese kora virtuoso/singer leads this acoustic quartet, showcasing his fleet-fingered skills, complemented by his hauntingly, darkly beautiful voice, to create a sound akin to Toumani Diabate-meets-Youssou N'Dour. http://www.timeout.com/london/music/event/187624/kadialy-kouyate-s-sound-archive
• May 22th, Saturday 8:00pm: Yaaba Funk and Grupo Lokito @ Malamu Music Club (35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA) £5 adv, £7 door:Malamu Music ClubA collective of inspiring groups and DJs from London's burgeoning afro pop influenced scene. http://www.richmix.org.uk/351

If you know of any world music events happening, and don't see them on the calendar, please email us at nomadsplaylist@hotmail.com and we'll be sure to post them. 

This Week's Picks (#1)

Deciding upon the very first tracks for our "This Week's Picks" series was not an easy task. These had to be really good. After much soul searching, we've decided upon our three tracks that I am sure will not disappoint. Without further adieu, I would like introduce our top three picks for our series premiere.


"Masimango" by Mbaraka Mwinshehe and Moro Jazz Band



I recently traveled to Zanzibar, Tanzania and came across a small shop with a shelf of local music. I came away with a few selections, but this album Tanzania Dance Music ended up being the real treasure. This track my favorite off the album, however the whole album is fantastic. The distinct guitar style makes it easy to understand why Mbaraka was often called the Franco of Tanzania. The big band sound urges you to your feet, and the vocals provide the unmistakable East African flavor. This truly is dance music.
(Reviewed by Alexandra)  

 
"El Negro Estan Cocinando" by Los Van Van



Los Van Van was my introduction to Cuban music.  With the recent attention they've been receiving after their long awaited return to the USA for a tour this past winter, it only seems appropriate that they appear in the premiere of NP's picks. This live performance of "El Negro" is a prime example of their energy and groove. It is impossible to stay still when listening to this track. Formed in 1969, Los Van Van have been reshaping salsa music for forty years. Their recent return to Miami drew no protesters (unlike their performance 10 years before) and heralds better times for Cuban musicians in the States.
(Reviewed by Alexandra)


"Sundary Arak" by Balkan Beat Box



I can't help but love this track. While I may be slightly bias and love anything I've ever heard by this group, this instrumental track really grooves. Based in Brooklyn with a sound and background that crosses several borders, this group successfully mixes world music with pop, hip-hop, and rock. The horns in this track kick in over a grooving pulse, and get down and dirty with some gooey, irresistible lines. Balkan Beat Box is able to convincingly give a modern twist on the Balkan melodies without losing the spice like many modernizing attempts.
(Reviewed by Alexandra)

Welcome to Nomad's Playlist!

What is NP? Nomad's Playlist is a world music blog written for people, by people, with a passion for music. As music lovers, we are always listening to music and want to share what's on our playlist with you. We also want to discover new music by finding out what's on your playlist.

What to expect from NP:
1. Weekly track picks from our favorite artists including reviews and artist information
2. Informal features on world artists and World Music News
3. A calendar of upcoming World Music Events in the Greater London area (found in "Nomad's Calendar" in the the right side bar)
4. Concert reviews

For more information about Nomad's Playlist, check out our "About Nomad's Playlist" link on the right side bar.