FolkWorld CD Reviews

Issue 22 06/2002

Yuri Yunakov Ensemble "Roma Variations"
Label: Traditional Crossroads; No. CD 80702-4306-2; 2001 Roma-Bulgarian-Turkish wedding music at its highest quality, with a strong jazzy spice in it. Yuri Yukanov hails from Bulgaria, nearby the Turkish border, and has also family links to Turkey. His biography is rather exciting; Yuri became nationally famous as a box champion, and changed his former Muslim name Husein Huseinov to a Bulgarian name, as in communist Bulgaria you would have no success as a boxer with Muslim name. The full biography is extensively described in the CD booklet.
Yuri himself is a master on the saxophone, and Yuri's ensemble is full of talent: Ivan Milev on the accordion, Catherine Foster on clarinet, Georgi Petrov on percussion and Lauren Brody on keyboards. The music is mostly wild and fast, with terrific and breathtaking duos on saxophone and accordion. Impressive musicianship, very lively inventive and improvising music. Still I have to say this is not a CD that I could listen to every day - which is not a question of quality but only of personal taste.
Michael Moll

Katia Guerreiro "Fado Maior"
Label: Ocarina; No.OCA002; 2001; Playing time: 35.34 min Fado - probably the most important and best known music style of Portugal - enjoyed during recent years a new revival. One of the young singers entering the music scene is Katia Guerreiro, a 25 year old with South African and Azores background. "Fado Maior" is her most impressive debut album.
Katia has a beautiful warm and expressive voice; she knows to change in her singing between whispering and shouting. She sings full of emotion, creating this blue, romantic atmosphere so typical for the Fado, singing about what the Portuguese call "saudade" - yearning, homesickness, bitterness. Kato is tastefully sparsely accompanied by three skilled musicians: Paulo Parreira on Portuguese guitar, João Mário Veiga on classical guitar and Armando Figueiredo on acoustic bass. Her repertoire consists of songs from some of the great Fado singers and composers, especially Amália Rodrigues, who has been a major influence on Katia's singing style.
Katia Guerreiro proves already with her debut CD that she is part of the top league of Fado, and of European roots music in general. A superb voice which, I am sure, we will here often in future.
Homepage: www.ocarina-music.pt, contact: ocarina@ocarina-music.pt
Michael Moll

Azarbe "Acuarela de me tierra"
Label: Trenti Discos; No. TF-CD-125-2001; 2001; Playing time: 63.36 min Azarbe are six young folk musicians from Murcia in Spain. Playing a mixture of traditional and self penned music, Azarbe have a very good hand for compiling a highly attractive selection of songs and tunes. Most notable is the impressive soulful singing of Carmen Maria Martinez Salazar creating a beautiful Southern atmosphere. Instrumentally, often a violin is in the centre of the music, joined by two guitarists (on classical, Flamenco, acoustic and Spanish guitars), a bassist and a very effective percussionist (playing bongos, darbouka and other percussion instruments). Some numbers start off with melodies in the Mediterrean tourist cliché, just long enough to be still thoroughly enjoyed, to move on from there into more lively and exciting tunes or songs. The music seems to be rooted in the Murcia region, presenting a distinctive Southern Spanish sound with various influences from around the Mediterrean.
A very talented band and a highly recommended CD. One of the special discoveries of recent times.
Homepage of the artist: www.azarbe.com, contact to artist: surefolk@lycos.es
Michael Moll

Antonello Paliotti Trio "Tarantella Storta"
Label: Dunya Felmay; No. FY 8036; 2001 The Tarantella is the typical dance of Southern Italy. Antonello Paliotti gets with his string-based trio away from any cliché, developing the tarantella and other typical Southern tunes away from their traditional form. There is a lot of improvisation in this trio, as much improvisation as we are used to from Jazz musicians. At the same time, the music has often a flair of classical music, yet also adding to this musical mosaic influences from other Mediterrean cultures, such as Arabic and Andalusian.
Antonello plays guitar, and his trio partners play mandolin/mandoloncello/percussion and violoncello/mandoloncello. Antonello has composed nearly all numbers of the album himself, taking traditional melodies as a based, yet developing them into something completely new.
Contact to artist: costabile.ciro@wanadoo.fr, contact to label: info@felmay.it
Michael Moll

Altan "The Blue Idol"
Label: Virgin Records; No. CDVE961/8119552; 2002; Playing time: 49.25 min One of the undoubtedly best traditional bands Ireland has to offer is back with a new album. "Blue Idol" is once again steeped in Irish traditional music; all tracks on the album are traditional. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh's voice is as beautiful and crystal clear as ever; actually you start thinking if her voice sounds younger with every CD. She sings six songs (out of 13 titles) on this album, two of them in Irish, the other four in English. While four of the songs are slow and enchanting, among them twice the same song in an English and an Irish version, my personal highlights of the album are the two livelier songs, when Mairéad's voice joyfully gliding across the music - the Gaelic "Cuach mo Lon Dubh Buí" even features a saxophone, adding a new exciting dimension to Altan.
And then of course there are also the good old fast and powerful reels that Altan is famous for, with the two fiddles just flying away. To give an overview of the tunes on this album: Two sets of reels, two jigs, an air, one set highlands and reels, and one slip-jig and reel. Guest are also on this CD; among them Donal Lunny, Liam O'Flynn, Paul Brady, Dolly Parton and Harry Bradley.
Another classic Altan album.
Homepage of the band: www.altan.ie
Michael Moll

Gunter Bauweraerts "MidWinter"
Label: Own; No. W20011; 2001 This CD had reached in the Readers' Top 10 2001 the Number 2 - a big surprise for all concerned. Gunter Bauweraerts is in Belgium well-known bagpiper and composer. The CD "MidWinter" is an impressive album celebrating winter traditions and the winter atmosphere.
Gunter invited a range of the very best musicians of Belgium for his album. The choice of instruments makes this recording most unusual - most of the pieces are based on a combination of Gunter's bagpipes (and bodhran), church organ (played by Erik Claeys) and cellos (Haedwijch Devillé and Winde Caluwe). Additional players on the album are Paul Garriau on hurdy gurdy and Stefan Timmermans on bagpipes and recorder. Obviously, the music has throughout the CD a strong bordun feeling about it; for my taste it is at times a bit too much.
Although the CD is based on instrumental music, you find also three songs - two traditional German songs ("Tjo-iri" from Bavaria and "Ein Kindlein") presented by choirs plus a bariton singer; and a song by the Belgian Luc Cielen, "Verlangen", sung by the Belgian folk stars Lais with a children's choir. All music presented on this album (with the exception of the above mentioned songs) is written by Gunter Bauweraerts. It reflects on winter and Christmas, and creates a peaceful and harmonic atmosphere. A lot of the music has been recorded in a church, giving an additional atmospheric element to the music.
"MidWinter" is an unusual CD, probably most enjoyed if also listened to during winter time. If you like both bordun instruments (especially bagpipes) and organ, you will love this album.
Contact to artist: gunterbauweraerts@skynet.be
Michael Moll

Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay "Shruti"
Label: Dunya/felmay; 8046; 2002; Playing time: 66.51 min Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay is the daughter of the well-known Indian tabla player Pandit Sankha Chatterjee. Together with her father and harmonium player Saibal Bandyopadhyay she released an essential double cd on the Dunya label. Sangeeta has been coached by several known Indian musicians and her voice can be heard on several indo-western fusion cd's. She has a three octave range and somehow she got my attention more than other Indian singers I heard during the last years. Her interpretation of the traditional tunes is with respects but she also knows how to add a new sound . Her voice is very powerful and on some occasions she amazes me with vocal techniques I hardly ever heard before. Helped with the two great musicians on tabla and harmonium this cd opened my ear again for the traditional music of India. But there is more....What makes this cd extra important is the second cd which contains more than 50 minutes of video material. Besides live recordings it also contains Sangeeta telling about her music and explaining some of her techniques. But also her father Pandit Sankha Chatterjee tells about his music on Tabla in such a way that it's impossible not to watch this with great admiration. The video end with a part of a live concert by Manilal Nag. This production is worth every euro, dollar, krone, pound or any kind of money and for me the most refreshing Indian product in a long time.
Dunya/felmay
Eelco Schilder

Yasko Argirov "Hot blood"
Label: Dunya/felmay; 8047; 2002; Playing time: 47.27 min Yasko Argirov was born in central Bulgaria and grew up in a family who had its roots in old Bulgarian wedding music. His father played the accordion and used to drag him along to all kind of celebrations. As a child he started playing the clarinet and from his thirteenth birthday on he started playing on wedding parties as well. For more than thirty years he has been playing with several Bulgarian folk-artists and he can be heard on the balkanton 1986 release about famous Bulgarian clarinettists, playing together with Ivo Papasov. He released his first cd in 1999 and Hot blood is his newest recording. Argirov is absolutely a master on his instrument. He is accompanied accordion, drums, keyboard and sax and he plays several folk-tunes from Bulgaria and a few from other places. It's impossible to compare him with an artist like Ivo Papasov because they both choose to interpret the music in a different way. I think that Argirov has a much more traditional sound and play the tunes in such a way that a big audience will enjoy them. This last remark has two sides, his music will be enjoyed by many people but on the other side I personally miss some adventure in his way of playing. It's a bit to brave for me. This cd also contains some video which can be played on your computer. I wish more groups would do that because it really adds something extra to the audio part of this cd.
Dunya/felmay
Eelco Schilder

Donnie Munro "Across the city and the world"
Label: Hypertension; 2212; 2002; Playing time: 45.41 min Donnie Munro is a well-known name in the Scottish folkrock scene. As leadsinger of Runrig he recorded many fantastic songs. In 1997 he decided to leave the band and to focus on a solo carrier. After his first solo cd from 1999 On the westside this across the city and the world is his second solo album. The new album has a different sound than the westside album. Less musicians, sober sound and I have the feeling that this album is much more personal. Does this mean it is also of better quality? My personal opinion would be that it's not. Although this album contains a few nice songs like sweetness in the wind it never gets more than "nice songs". They all have a poppy sound and some tunes like Highland heart are of poor quality and don't capture my attention for even a second. With such songs I got the feeling that Munro plays them without any joy or inspiration. The sound of the bagpipe comes out of the keyboards and that can be heard. It's all done too easy and so much without passion. Please, please bring back the old fire on your next solo cd and make me enjoy your music again like I did for so many years before.
www.donniemunro.net
Eelco Schilder

Juan Mari beltran " Arditurri"
Label: Elkar; kd-614.; 2001; Playing time: 48.10 min Juan Mari Beltran is a musician who brings the traditional Basque music alive. His album Arditurri, which he made together with a nice group of fellow musicians, is of high quality. Altough Beltran used acoustic instruments only, he managed to create a full sound-landscape with intense melodies and songs. He uses, besides several flutes, traditional instruments such as the txalaparta and accordion and all kind of instruments that I didn't even know they existed. I love the sound of the Alboka in songs like gorrotxategitarren pandango and rau rau. Beltran found a good balance between powerful and intense songs like Charmagarri bat badit, which exists of nothing more but the txanbela and the voice of Maddi Oihenart. The cd comes with a nice booklet where you can also find English translation for the songs. With this work Juan Mari Beltran shows how alive and how rich and beautiful the Basque traditional music is.
Elkar
Eelco Schilder

Dave Ellis and Boo Howard " Amber"
Label: Doghouse records; dghcd523; 2002 The English duo Dave Ellis and Boo Howard just released their second record called Amber. Dave Ellis already released his first solo record in the seventies on the Sonet label. Their first album which I never heard, has been compared with the early work of Gregson and Collister. When I compare these two duo's I'm afraid that I even prefer Ellis and Howard. The singing of Boo Howard is very intense and a bit melancholic. But the strongest part of Amber is the instrumentation. Sober and intense the instruments support the lead vocal to a higher level. Weak point of this cd would be some of the lyrics. The song Amsterdam is the best example of this. "Cos all the sex and drugs in Amsterdam can't give me inspiration like my baby can" This is almost to much to take serious, but maybe this song is meant to be cynical? please note that I'm Dutch and born in Amsterdam so maybe you should not take me to serious Nevertheless, this album sounds fine and will hopefully find it's way to all the lovers of male/female duo folk.
www.daveandboo.com
Eelco Schilder

Peer Gynt " Fairitale"
Label: Ruf; 1070.; 2002; Playing time: 47.42 min I'm going to be very short about this cd. Although the opening song gives the idea that Peer Gynt has something to do with folk music, the rest of the songs have nothing to do with any kind of traditional music. So I think this album is not on the right place here; it contains long electric guitar music with beating drums. This is an album for rock freaks and to be honest, it's brought with a lot of enthusiasm but not suitable for a folk magazine.
Eelco Schilder

Bert Smeets and Ey Uchnjem " Lukomorye"
Label: Triskell ; 0101; 2001; Playing time: 29.12 min Well, this is something new! The Dutch singer Bert Smeets has a voice that reminds of the Beatles and his songs also have that atmosphere. But he does something extra with his music. He co-operates with the Russian group Ey Uchnjem and this combination makes the songs very pleasant to listen to. It's funny to hear Smeets sing a pop-song and he is backed by balalaika and full Russian vocals although they sing in English, the sound is very recognisable as Russian The cd is a bit short but I also think this is enough. For eight songs Smeets showed is quality and that is exactly enough to be interesting. Highlight of the cd is Desert moon which sounds like a desperate Russian ballad. Interesting cd which you should have heard at least once.
no contact info available
Eelco Schilder

Mahones " Get stuffed"
Label: Jigit ; 1019; 2002; Playing time: 42.42 min The Mahones are a German band playing Irish fun music. The band started in 1987 and this is their fifth cd. They mix Irish folk with some chicken humour and the result is not bad at all. The cd starts with the song Get stuffed which is a "happy" folk song and might give you the impression that this whole cd is nothing more than Irish feeling good dance music. The second song Salonika shows different. The mahones blend the "happy" songs with some very interesting self-written ballads and interpretations of famous traditionals like Black is the colour. High quality is their version of Salt creek which is featuring the band Lecker sachen. A great mix of samples and strong banjo music wrapped in a light dance-beat. It is these songs that make this cd really interesting. The "happy" songs are not new and played by so many other bands. It is the slower numbers and the song where they co-operate with Lecker Sachen which shows that the Mahones have a lot to offer.
Eelco Schilder

Alyth McCormack " An lomall / The edge"
Label: Vertical; vertcd054; 2000; Playing time: 43.41 min The singer Alyth McCormack comes from almost the upper north of Europe from the Island Lewis. This Island can be found North ofthe Scottish mainland. This album has been a product of a creative process of years. It developed slowly in her mind and now finally it's released. She wanted to express the extremes of the island where she grew up, in her music. The songs are sung in Gaelic and have a very sober and almost cold atmosphere. Alyth sings with a crystal clear voice in a monotone way which make the songs sound like small prayers sung on a very cold night. She plays with rhythm and knows how to create a unique atmosphere. Many artists make their music drown into too much effects, Alyth knows that more is not always better. This cd is of high quality. It took me a few times listening before I found its quality. In my opinion this cd is worthwhile taking the time and trouble to get to know it.
Eelco Schilder

More English CD Reviews: Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 4 - Page 5
More German CD Reviews: Page 1 - Page 2
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