This Week's Picks (#29)

This week's picks are inspired by good ol' timey bluegrass. Enjoy!

"Bluegrass Breakdown" - Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys


Bill Monroe, the father of bluegrass, is as ol' timey as it gets. Monroe started playing around with the sound that became bluegrass in the 1940's, characterizing it as "Scottish bagpipes and ole-time fiddle playing". He named it "Blue Grass" after his home state of Kentucky. It's just a shame that the Bluegrass Boys can't seem to enjoy themselves on stage.


"Crazy Train" - Iron Horse


What is more ol' timey than Ozzy Osbourne bluegrass-style?...Oh...wait. Ok, so it may not be 'ol' timey', but it kind of kicks butt. This is from the album Black and Bluegrass: The Bluegrass Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. Iron Horse is known for their bluegrass covers, and they're quickly becoming my new favorite band ever. Bluegrass Metallica, Bluegrass Guns N Roses, Bluegrass Led Zepplin...and the list goes on. Um, AWESOME!


"Man of Constant Sorrow" - Dan Tyminski, Harley Allen, Pat Enright "Soggy Bottom Boys"


Ok, so the Soggy Bottom Boys are a fictitious band created for the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? and I'm sure pretty much everyone has heard this track before.  But this version of the classic bluegrass tune, recorded by Dan Tyminski, Harley Allen, and Pat Enright is a Grammy winner for a reason- it's great! It's also said to be the closest version to the famous bluegrass artist, Ralph Stanley's distinct style of singing. Plus...who doesn't love seeing George Clooney all dirty and 'singing' bluegrass?

Album Review: Sigh of the Moor by Jadid Ensemble

Album: Sigh of the Moor
Artist: Jadid Ensemble
Release Date: March 10, 2011
Genre/Region: Fusion, Middle-Eastern, Flamenco, North African

This is the outstanding debut album from the Manchester group, Jadid Ensemble. Skillfully blending flamenco and jazz with Arabic and Turkish sounds, the group produces a blissfully serene album.

The album features a range of instruments with Glenn Sharp, the driving force of Jadid Ensemble, on guitars, oud and saz, Paul Cheneour on flutes and neys, Olivia Moore on violin, Adam Warne on percussion, and Gavin Barras on double bass. Weaving their different sounds and styles together, this talented group takes an atmospheric journey through Southern Spain and North Africa.

With a dramatic opening, Sigh of the Moor begins with a haunting and distant call to prayer that is eventually enveloped by a sublime guitar. This track, “Llamar”, beautifully sets the tone for the rest of the album—evocative yet peaceful.

Despite the overall feeling of calm and tranquility, the album does have a few delightful tracks full of energy. The track “Vandal” conjures images of a North African street market, busy with activity. “Tango Arabe” is passionate and powerful, suddenly breaking into a rhythmic flamenco-inspired finish. “The Storyteller” again brings you back to the streets as if you had just stumbled upon a street performer who launches into a spirited story.

The finest track on the album is “Ilm”. The simple, ancient-sounding melodies weave delicately in and out of each other, slowing building intensity over a steady pulse.

The album lives up to its claim of “film score style production”, creating a musical story that travels through Spain and the Middle East with a clear beginning and end. While the album makes for undeniably beautiful listening, the music is not superficial and the listener has a definite sense of transformation at its conclusion, very much like a film.

I highly recommend this album. Jadid Ensemble has produced an outstanding debut and set the bar high for subsequent recordings, which I will be eagerly awaiting.

You can listen to “Ilm”, "Raag", "Vandal", and "Tango Arabe" from Jadid Ensemble’s Sigh of the Moor on Glenn Sharp’s myspace page: www.myspace.com/glennsharpworld.

Jadid Ensemble is currently participating in the World Music Network’s Battle of the Bands. Visit their page (www.worldmusic.net/battle/track/186/) to hear the track “Sigh of the Moor” and if you like what you hear, you can vote for them.

This Week's Picks (#28)

I'm busy putting together a research proposal for study in Zanzibar, so bear with me. But, here are some picks inspired by the spice island. Enjoy!

Bi Kidude


The legendary singer of Zanzibar. No one knows how old she is, but she is still feisty!


Culture Musical Club


The Culture Musical Club is a group famous for it's taarab. Taarab is a genre of music from Zanzibar that mixes Arabic and African sounds.


Dhow Countries Music Academy


Here, performers at the Dhow Countries Music Academy play various kinds of dance including kidumbaki.

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 our email. 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 (#27)

This week's picks are inspired by tango. Please enjoy!

 "La Esquina" - Federico Aubele


Federico Aubele is an Argentinian singer-songwriter who is recognized for his fusion style, mixing bolero, tango, dub, hip-hop, and reggae. This track is from his 2007 album, Panamericana.  Aubele is accompanied by the singer, Natalia Clavier. Aubele's music tends to be chilled, edging on pop-y, but interesting as long as he's sticking to tango inspired tracks.


"Sin Rumbo" - Otros Aires


 Otros Aires are an electronic tango project that blend Argentinian roots and electronic beats. This track is from their album Vivo en Otros Aires. While "Sin Rumbo" is obviously influenced by tango, Otros Aires draw on many other traditions including milonga to create a sound much different than some of the other tango based groups.



"Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)" - Gotan Project


The Gotan Project, who I looked at backed in July,  is one of the first bands to successfully combine the worlds of folk and electronic music. This track is from their 2001 album, La Revancha Del Tango. The Gotan Project discovered that tango melodies worked beautifully on top of house and dub beats, bursting onto the scene at the turn of the century with a fresh new sound.

Too much time...?

Just for your viewing pleasure...
I happened across a video I felt was appropriate for this blog. It incorporates traditional instruments several countries and drum set...all played by one man. A man with too much time on his hands.

Wednesday's Reader Picks

Come on, you've heard enough from me, I want to know what you listen to!

Have you recently heard a great track that you would like to share? Send in your review of a track for the weekly "Reader's Picks" series.

How do I get my review posted?
Send the review you've written and a link to the track on YouTube to my email. Please include the name you would like me to use as the author of the review (it can be your full name, first name, or user name). I 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 me an email with a link to the track on YouTube and I might include the track in our "This Week's Picks" series.

This Week's Picks (#26)

Please enjoy this week's picks!

"Jiin Ma Jiin Ma" - Orchestra Baobab


This track is from the 2002 album Specialist in All Styles by Orchestra Baobab, a Senegalese Afro-Cuban band. The group formed in the 1970s and quickly won the hearts of music lovers. They broke up in the 1980s after being overshadowed by some of the other great bands of the time, but reformed in 2001. This particular performance is from Live 8 in Johannesburg, which was a series dedicated to ending poverty.


"Punjabi Wedding Song (Balle Balle)" - Red Baraat


Calling themselves 'dhol and brass', Bhangra funk, or Punjabi funk, Red Baraat has created a fresh, updated sound that has been compared to a cross between Bhangra and New Orleans jazz. The group fuses Bhangra rhythm and brass funk. Recognized as a band that can deliver a great performance in clubs, they have only just released their first album, Chaal Baby (2010) (an album I need to get my hands on!).

Nomad's Calendar: This Weekend

I am currently in the process of moving back to London and apologize for the lack of posts. Will be back to normal on Monday.

In the mean time, check out some of the gig's coming up this weekend:

• January 7th Friday 7:00pm: Mazaika Duo @ Green Note (106 Parkway NW1 7AN) £10 An intoxicating blend of Russian Folk and Gypsy songs, Hot Club Jazz,Tango, Gypsy fiddle and Balkan beats. MAZAIKA duo consists of two highly talented, passionate and versatile musicians. Sarah Harrison is a violin virtuoso and improviser.Igor Outkine is a singer and a master accordion player who will perform on his amazing midi accordion which he proudly calls “The Chameleon Virtual Orchestra”.
• January 8th,  Saturday 7:30pm: Ethiopiaaa: Krar Collective, Dan-Kera Dance @ Rich Mix (35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA) £6 Shake off your post-New Year blues – with another Christmas night out! Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on 7th January and Rich Mix brings a rocking Ethiopian party to Bethnal Green Road until late.  Much talked about as one of the freshest bands on the London African scene, KRAR COLLECTIVE deliver a gritty, rootsy sound that gets everyone dancing.

Can't make it to either of those? Check out the whole calendar. 
 

Top of the Charts

Happy New Year! Here's to a wonderful 2011!

Here's a glimpse at the World Music charts that will begin the new year. (The charts are from the Official World Chart website).


#1. AFROCUBISM - AFROCUBISM  (World Circut)

#2. RODRIGO Y GABRIELA - 11:11:00 (Ruby Works)



#3. CHEIKH LO - JAMM (World Circut)


#4. ALI FARKA TOURE & TOUMANI DIABATE - ALI FARKA TOURE & TOUMANI DIABATE (World Circut)



#5. AMADOU & MARIAM - WELCOME TO MALI (Because Music)


#6. AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM - CAPTURE (1995-2010) (Real World)


#7. RAVI SHANKAR & GEORGE HARRISON - COLLABORATION (Rhino)


#8. RODRIGO Y GABRIELA - LIVE IN JAPAN (Ruby Works)


#9. GEOFFREY GURRUMUL YUNUPINGU - GURRUMUL (Dramatico/Skinnyfish)


#10. SOUAD MASSI - O HOURIA (LIBERTY) (Wrasse)


I wish you all a wonderful new year!