FolkWorld Issue 34 11/2007

FolkWorld CD Reviews

Kate Campbell "Blues and lamentations"
Label: Large river music; No. 4104; 2005
Slowly but surly, Kate Campbell her music won my heart. When, some years ago, I reviewed her cd 'wandering strange', I liked it but filled it under average Americana singer-songwriter. Than I got 'Monuments', which was a cd that got closer to me and after that Blues and lamentations, her best cd yet. Campbell writes sings that are rooted in old and rich traditions. She mixes folk, country, Gospel and blues and out of these styles she creates her own. Her vocals got much deeper and her music more down to earth and more personal. Already in my review of wandering strange, I wrote that she is at her best is slow, ballad like songs. I think that is still her best side, but now the more vivid songs are of much higher standard as well.
www.largerivermusic.com; www.katecampbell.com
Eelco Schilder


Massimo Ferrante "Ricuordi"
Label: Felmay / Dunya; No. 8113; 2006
Massimo Ferrante is an Italian musician specialised in the Southern Italian music. He is an active musician since the eighties. First as singer/guitarist and later as member of several projects in both jazz and (more or less) traditional music. This cd Ricuordi, is his second solo cd. The cd starts with seven women aged between 55 and 78 years singing a traditional love song called Vijershë. This song makes me think that I'm about to listen to a pure, traditional cd, but that's far from true. Yes, the wedding dance Aria Pianettese, the nursery rhyme Piripiriddri and the final song Valljia, are a few of the songs on this cd that has the feeling of ancient field recordings. But in between them, Ferrante sings his versions of traditionals, own material or chanson like songs including En mediterranee by Moustaki sung in French. His music is filled with the rich Southern Italian tradition, but also French and light Arabic influences. An intriguing cd with a wide variety of quality music.
www.felmay.it; www.massimoferrante.it
Eelco Schilder


V/A "Repentistas Nordestinos"
Label: Talvera / Memoires sonores; No. gemp60; 2006
This book, 95 pages so it is a book instead of a booklet, is a publication made by the Occitan association research centre for ethnographic resources and activities. The association is also the home of several musician who record Occitan music under the name of Talvera. This Repentistas Nordestinos is the sixtieth publication, this time about troubadours from North-east Brazil. The recordings are quite recent, made between 1998 and 2002. The singers on this cd are Repentistas, singer / guitarists who have an improvising style of singing. They play all around the area both solo concerts and on festivals or Repentistas contests. The book, in French only, contains general information and specific information about each song. There are two cd's with both over 70 minutes of music. Unfortunately my French isn't good enough to be able to understand the information, which I think is necessary to understand the full impact of the music. Without the background info, I have to say that all the songs sound a bit the same. But maybe, when I know what to look out for, I hear the more subtle differences in styles. It's a beautiful production, but only for those who speak French on a high level.
http://www.talvera.org
Eelco Schilder


Chieko Mori "Katyou fuugetsu"
Label: Felmay / Dunya; No. 8111; 2006
Chieko Mori started to play the Koto, Japanese string instrument, at the age of three. From young age she has been promoting the Japanese music. She moved to Italy in 1999 and from 2001 on her star is rising and she had successful concerts worldwide. This Katyou fuugetsu is her second solo cd and an amazing one. The Japanese Koto society considers her to be a bit strange because she doesn't follow the traditional restrictions but follows her own intuition in music. The result is a fascinating cd with fresh, original and unique Koto music. Her compositions are based on or influenced by traditional material, but often go an unexpected way. Listen to Aki no kyoku ten minutes of Koto solo and she manages to keep my ears focused on what she is doing. Here you can hear Japanese and Western music come together. Highlight is the three minutes song Sky travel, this is the first psych-koto song I have ever heard. Somehow it has an Indian undertone, but also this dreamy, psych sound. This Katyou fuugetsu is an intriguing piece of work. I think, for the folkies, that this is how Joanna Newsom would have sounded when she would have been Japanese.
http://www.felmay.it; http://www.morichieko.fastmail.fm
Eelco Schilder


Arto Tuncboyaciyan "Every day is a new life"
Label: Living music; No. 37; 2000
Tuncboyaciyan was born in Turkey in an Armenian family. He started to play traditional music at the age of eleven and moved to the United States in 1981. a small Dutch label issued his first two solo lp's in 1985, the start of a rich career in music. Since than he has been part of several groups, projects and recorded some solo work. The first time I heard him was on the Paul Winter cd Journey with the sun, I reviewed that cd for a Dutch magazine writing that Tuncboyaciyan was one of the main reasons this Paul winter cd has such high quality. A few months later, in 2001, I reviewed, for the same Dutch magazine, this solo work 'Every day is a new life'. For some reason I got it now, six years later, for review again only for a different magazine. Tuncboyaciyan is a percussionist and singer and his music has still a lot of traditional elements. You can hear them in his vocal style, rhythms and melody lines. On this solo cd he cooperates with several artists including the earlier mentioned Paul Winter. The cd has a few fantastic songs, I love Thank god I wake up again, a song with a nice brass section. Even closer to his roots is the song I miss you every moment my brother, a duet between duduk and keyboards. It is the same keyboard sound that is, to my opinion, the weak link on this cd. The keyboard arrangements are a bit too much in new age style to my personal taste, for example in Dear my friend ono. I think that several songs would have sounded much purer and fresher without the keyboard sound. Anyway, even after six years I still have mixed feelings with this cd. Tuncboyaciyan still gives me the feeling that it could be so much more. But on the other hand, I know that many will love his mixture of tradition, light jazz and keyboard sounds.
http://www.livingmusic.com; http://www.naregatsi.org/Artoistan
Eelco Schilder


Francesco Banchini "Baqshish"
Label: Felmay/Dunya; No. 8122; 2007
Banchini is an Italian multi instrumentalist with the clarinet as his main instrument. He studied at the conservatory of Naples and has been part of many musical projects since. He also recorded several solo cd's, this Baqshish is his latest one. This cd focuses on traditional music of the daily life. He recorded songs that breath the streets, the people and the landscape of the area they origin from. Sometimes very Italian, but also Greek, Balkan, Arabic and many other influences. Together with a wide range of guest musicians, Banchini made a more than interesting cd with beautiful and intense sounds from the Mediterranean countries.
http://www.felmay.it - http://www.francescobanchini.com
Eelco Schilder


Mallem abdenbi el Gadari "Bambara "
Label: Felmay/Dunya; No. 8116; 2006
Mallem abdenbi el Gadari is a singer born in Marrakech. He has the title Mallem which means something like 'master' in his case revering to his musical skills. On Bambara he shows the secrets of Gnawa music. Doing the lead vocals and g'mbri (kind of lute) him self backed by five singers and the qaraqeb (metal type of castanets). The Gnawa music comes from the Saharan region and it has a hypnotic style of music. It has the repeating sound of the percussion and g'mbri, mixed with the call and answer style of singing. I have been at a few Gnawa concerts before and loved the long songs that has subtle changes in rhythm and melody which slowly creeps under the skin. This cd contains twelve songs and that is a bit the problem. At the time the music starts to do its hypnotising work, the song is over, there is a few seconds of silence and a new song starts. What is left are twelve nice pieces of music but It doesn't have the unique power and energy a long Gnawa concert can have.
http://www.felmay.it
Eelco Schilder


Jon Byrd "Byrd's auto parts"
Label: Own; 2007
Jon Byrd is a singer-songwriter from Alabama, making music in country / honky tonk style. Most of the eleven tracks are self penned but you can also hear a Neil Young and Lennon / McCartney cover. Byrd has a rich, full voice with a low sound. His songs are easy going Americana pop, including pedal steel guitar, mandolin and keyboards. Some male and female guest vocals to create some variety. Nothing wrong with this cd, good solid music.
http://www.jonbyrd.com
Eelco Schilder


Sivan Perwer "Min bëriya te kiriye"
Label: Daqui hm 83; 2004
Perwer was born in the Turkish administered territory of Kurdistan. Because of his singing in Kurdish language, which was forbidden, he tried to immigrate to Sweden during the seventies. This failed and he ended up in Cologne, Germany in 1976. Here he studied musicology and from here he climbed up to become one of the most important protectors of Kurdish culture. He recorded over twenty albums, this new one is a registration of a live performance during the Langon festival. Together with a fabulous band he performs fourteen songs out of his big repertoire. Sometimes sad, other times powerful and energetic. His deep, rich voice come from deep inside and when you hear his music you will understand why Kurdish people see him as a important icon. He has the talent but also the emotion and right appearance. A beautiful cd, great for a first time listener as well for those who have been following Perwer for decades.
http://www.daqui.fr - http://www.sp-f.org
Eelco Schilder


Tenore de Onifero San Gavino "E Prite tottu custu"
Label: Felmay/Dunya; No. 8118; 2006
This cd by the Tenore de Onifero San Gavino is not just another polyphonic cd. This quartet sings ancient Barbagia shepherd songs in the Canto a tenore tradition. This tradition got Unesco world heritage status in 2005. The band comes from Sardinia, where this tradition is an important part of the cultural live. The polyphonic vocals can be divided in a solo singer, who sings the lyrics and singers who sing the Guttural sounds. Tenore de Onifero San Gavino has four singers and three of them come from a family of Canto a tenore singers. On this new cd they sing Sardinian poetry in an amazing way. It's fantastic to hear such an old tradition in all its glory. Listen to the Guttering which gives meaning to the lyrics by changing speed and heights. This E prite tottu custu is a fantastic piece of special and ancient music that is both of cultural importance and an adventure to listen to.
http://www.felmay.it - http://www.tenoreoniferi.it
Eelco Schilder


Erin McKeown "Sing you sinners"
Label: Nettwerk 037703 056428; 2006
Only 28 years of age and this is already her fifth studio cd, Erin McKeown normally sing songs in the folk style. But on Sing you sinners she sings known and lesser known songs from the American songbook with an old fashioned jazzy sound. They say it's spring is a good example of music with the atmosphere from the twenties / thirties of the last century. Brought in a warm and professional way. Title song Sing you sinners has this great Wurlitzer sound and her version of the Cole Porter classic Just one of those things is one of the best songs on the cd. So here we have a singer-songwriter with no jazz background at all, singing no self written, classical jazz songs…and doing a great job! I like McKeown's fresh interpretations, her powerful yet sensitive voice and the sober musical arrangements she made for the songs. This sing you sinners is a warm cd of constant quality and in spite of being a folk magazine, even recommended to our readers.
http://www.nettwerk.com - http://www.erinmckeown.com
Eelco Schilder


The Crooked Jades "World's on fire"
Label: Jade note music 206; 2006
The crooked jades are a San Francisco based band formed by Jeff Kazor. His dream was to play pre-radio music, ancient tunes and songs brought back to the attention of a modern audience. With a pure acoustic line-up the crooked jades do exactly that. They reinterpret ate traditionals or play original material in the same style. Banjo, violin, mandolin, bass, guitar, ukulele and vocals. The music is firmly rooted in Northern American roots music. Can't stare down a mountaineer, the opening track, reminds me of the early Mcgarrigle sisters. The way this song is constructed and the vocal style by Jennie Benford make this song a strong start which gives a familiar feeling. Sandy boys with the bandleader Jeff Kazor on vocals is very different. This traditional song has a good alternative touch and Kazor knows how to bring it dramatically. Beautiful are ballades such as Shallow brown. Good harmony vocals, slow and sad atmosphere, a highlight on this cd. This song is followed by the much happier sounding, but don't let that fool you, Heaven's gonna be my home. More Canadian influences in Indian war whoop/Pancake walk, shows that the band has a wide horizon and mixes styles without any problem into their own sound. Blur has again this Mcgarrigle sound. A fragile song with careful guitar and droning violin, followed by the traditional Blackberry blossom which is a nice instrumental with fast fiddling, good finger picking on mandolin and banjo and a nice heavy bass as finishing touch. Finally The world's on fire a traditional in gospel/pentangle style. The end of an adventure, well played, high quality acoustic cd which easily can compete with the best names in the new folk-wave.
http://www.crookedjades.com
Eelco Schilder


Gabriel Rios "Ghostboy"
Label: Pias 182; 2004
Gabriel Rios was born in Puerto Rico but lives in Belgium for some years now. This is a reissue of his 2004 debut cd Ghostboy with a seven song dvd as a bonus. Rios mixes Latin sounds with contemporary music styles. His last cd, angelhead, is a huge success in Belgium and Holland where he gets a lot of airplay and his cd's sell very well. On this Ghostboy you can here his first attempt to create modern Southern-American, sunny crossover music. A good attempt, but a bit careful compared to his success cd angelhead. Rios has grown between these cd's from a good solid artist into a musician with an own and unique sound. Ghostboy does contain the hit Broad daylight which has a kind of cult status in Holland because the murdered Cineaste Theo van Gogh used the song in one of his movies. Gabriel Rios is a great talent and his music is of such quality that the cd's can be blind by anyone who is into this style of music.
http://www.pias.com - http://www.gabrielrios.be
Eelco Schilder


Jeff Talmadge "At least that much was true "
Label: Corazong records 255096; 2007
Texas singer-songwriter Jeff Talmadge has been reviewed by Folkworld a few times before. Personally I reviewed his Spinning of the world which a liked a lot. The past years he managed to reach a bigger audience and his latest cd At least that much was true will probably be liked by even more. Talmadge has moved over a bit more to the roots-pop that on his spinning of the world cd. Easy going Americana pop, well played, well produced and with the fine vocals by the master himself. Although this is a pleasant cd with strong music, I miss a bit his more intense and personals style of his older work. But that's only my opinion, I think many others will enjoy this more popular sound a lot.
http://www.corazong.com - http://www.jefftalmadge.com
Eelco Schilder


Hazmat Modine "Bahamut"
Label: Jaro 4283; 2007
Hazmat Modine is a New York based group that is inspired by the popular American music from the twenties until the early sixties. The diversity of styles was immense, from early blues to jug band, klezmer and so on. They don't just play old songs, but bring self composed songs in the earlier mentioned styles. In Yesterday morning you can hear the classic song Summertimes running through the melody line, without being a copy of this song. It calls me is a nice cooperation with the Tuva band Huun-huur-tu, followed by the raw klezmer inspired song Bahamut. More into the blues direction is Almost gone. A strong instrumental with a rusty harmonica as star player. Purest music can be heard in Lost fox tracin which is a duet between voice and harmonica. The cd ends together with Huun-huur-tu, Tuva blues! This Bahamut is a remarkable cd with powerful and intense music. Sometimes surprising, sometimes old-fashioned, pure quality.
http://www.jaro.de - http://www.hazmatmodine.com
Eelco Schilder


JJ Grey & Mofro "Country ghetto"
Label: Alligator 4914; 2007
This is the debut cd by Florida based JJ Grey and his band Mofro. Under the name Mofro, they have issued a cd before. JJ Grey takes the lead vocals, guitar, harmonica and bass, while the rest of the band exists out of more guitars and bass, organ and drums. On the cd theyinvited a whole horn and string section and ladies and family background vocals. Country ghetto might make you think this is a pure country cd, somehow it isn't. Country ghetto has soul influences, touches of gospel, just an edge of blues and a good feeling of rock music. My personal favourite is On Palastine which has this light gospel sound. Also nice is footsteps, which has a more alternative country rock style. Country ghetto is a strong debut cd, with mostly innovating songs with both a familiar and exciting atmosphere.
http://www.alligator.com - http://www.jjgrey.com
Eelco Schilder


Ciaran Dorris "Chasing dreams down a dirty road "
Label: Own; 2007
Belfast born Ciaran Dorris lives in Glasgow now since quit some years. He was part of the band Arran Bede and with Chasing dreams he has released his first solo cd. Together with a full band of musicians he brings folk and pop music closer together. His self written songs are nice and easy going. His voice is nice but has it's limits, he doesn't cross that limit and knows what he is capable of. It doesn't matter much if you hear Angel wings, Amy rigby shoes, the Ballad of Maisie Madden or Wrong turns. All songs have the same sound and atmosphere and move on without noticing a new one has just begun. This Chasing dreams is a sweet, friendly cd but could use a bit more adventures song writing.
http://www.ciarandorris.com
Eelco Schilder


Lucineh Hovanissian "Vem"
Label: Studio sm 2994; 2006
Hovanissian was born in Yerevan, Armenia in 1973. she has been performing music since the age of nine and started composing when she was only eleven years old. She won several prices and is a Unesco laureate in music. She has been the soloist of the Armenian national radio chamber choir and has performed worldwide. Her repertoire exists out of ancient sacred songs from Armenia. Vem contains a collection of fourteen sacred songs. She is backed by Levon Tevanian on traditional Armenian wind instruments. The beautiful, classical voice has an intense power. It's pure music from a rich and old culture, Hovanissian makes me feel the intensity of the songs. The wind instruments can hardly be noticed, but in a subtle way they add an extra layer to the music. This Vem is a cd that makes me close my eyes and shows me a world much older than mine.
http://www.lucinehovanissian.am
Eelco Schilder


Guido Ponzini "Twilight town"
Label: Ozella 013
Only twenty-two years of age, the Italian composer / musician Guido Ponzini recorded his solo cd called Twilight town. He started to study electric bass at the age of sixteen and recently started to study the viola da gamba. On this cd he recorded fourteen tunes written by himself or by pianist Giovanni Amighetti, who is also part of the musicians playing on the cd. Ponzin's music is a crossover between jazz, light rock, blues, classical and soundtrack style. Sometimes for freaks only like the two minutes solo piece Rainstorm opon the harbour. Sometimes for dreamers like in Avalon. More experimental in Hammers upon the coal-mine and almost meditative on Little dance for a Siamese cat with influences from the Far east. The songs that follow can all be put in one of these categories. A well produced sound and sometimes nice tunes but I keep having the feeling that the cd misses something. The keyboards are bothering me on a few occasions, with their wall of sound they take something pure out of the music. Besides that I find the compositions a bit to much in the same vein, after six songs it doesn't surprise me anymore. Maybe for dreamers or freaks this cd will do, but it needs more to keep me awake for the full fourteen tunes.
http://www.ozellamusic.com
Eelco Schilder


Äl Jawala "Lost in Manele"
Label: Jawa records; 2007
Lost in manele is the debut cd recorded by the German band Äl jawala. In their music there is a leading role for two saxophonists, backed by drums, keyboard, bass etc. They write their tunes themselves although some are based on traditional themes. The band has a nice brass sound with gypsy, klezmer, funk and rock influences. This cd is a live registration of a concert in Karlsruhe. The band sounds nice and energetic, but their self written tunes often have the same basic structure. This makes the music a bit predictable. Nevertheless a nice sounding debut cd from a band that can compete with the average brass formation, but needs a more unique sound to really get above the average.
http://www.jawala.de
Eelco Schilder


A.R. Rahman "Pray for me brother"
Label: Universal 060251724810; 2007
Terrible middle of the road pop song record to raise money for the Rahman foundation. Also a hidden commercial for a manufactory of mobile phones. Double cd/dvd contains the one pop song only and a dvd with the video clip and a making of. Not something to spend too many words on in a folk magazine.
http://www.universal-music.com
Eelco Schilder


Mohanders "End of our lies"
Label: Relax records cd2; 2006
The Mohanders is a musical project by two musicians; Sven Bäzner and Michael Graefe. The project was started in 2003 and the result is this End of our lies cd. Both musicians are guitarists and are inspired by worldwide famous artists such as BobDylan, Leo Kottke and Neil Young but also by Bach and the Dutch guitar virtuoso Harry Sacksioni. Bäzner has recorded cd before using the name sick sinus syndrome and Graefe started his own record label, relax music, to be able to release his solo work and now this Mohanders project. The most songs are vocals and guitar only, some songs have guest musicians on percussion, vocals violin etc. The music has a good atmosphere, listen to the title song End of our lies with sparkling guitar play mixed with the deep vocals by Bäzner. This is one of the best songs on this cd in the tradition of early seventies American singer-songwriters. Somehow a song like Dark and windy crossroad could be an early Leonard Cohen song. The way it's composed and the atmosphere, but with different vocal style. In between these two songs you will hear nice, well cared songs in a style an acoustic folk / singer-songwriter style. I think this debut cd by the Mohanders shows two musicians which reach a higher level by playing together. Very nice!
http://www.relaxrecords.de - http://www.mohanders.de
Eelco Schilder


Sidh "Lila"
Label: Felmay / Dunya 8123; 2006
Sidh is a musician from Algeria who is now living in Italy. He is inspired by the Gnawa music and mixes this style with other ethnic sounds from Africa and Europe. Besides singing he plays the guembri (string instrument) qraqueb and the bender. On this cd he is backed by musicians on guitar, sax, flutes, percussion and vocals. The tracks are mostly traditional tunes which he has changed into a cross over piece of music. Take, for example, Salla nabina. It has the hypnotic character of a Gnawa song but also a saxophone in free jazz style running through the eight minutes song. One big difference is that Gnawa songs often are much longer and have a more subtle structure than in Sidh his versions. He makes it very clear that he wants to make the tradition accessible for a bigger audience. In Shalini he has a sound like an acoustic African pop song, a bit sounding like the popular Senegal style. This cd has nine nice recordings, but I do find it regrettable that he choose to record short songs only, to really get the Gnawa feeling he should find a way to arrange these long Gnawa traditional songs in such a way that they still have this hypnotising feeling and this great carefully build up structure. That would really be something! Nevertheless this Lila is a nice crossover cd with easy going roots music.
http://www.felmay.it; http://www.sidh.it
Eelco Schilder


Angelite "Mysteries"
Label: Jaro 4153-2; 1991 (2007)
Well, that is a bit of a strange thing putting 1991 as a year of release above this review, but it's true. According to the yellow note stuck on the cd sleeve this is a 2007 reissue of the legendary cd by the Bulgarian voice Angelite. There is no doubt that this is a fantastic cd which made the Bulgarian female choir style popular worldwide. Together with the Sarband ensemble, Angelite is at their best. Traditional works with Balkan influences but also classical and songs in early music style. It shows the group in its purest form. Here you can here the basics they used on their success cd Balkan passion, which was much more orientated on a bigger international audience. So, again, if you didn't have this cd in your collection already, it's about time you get it. But….why does Jaro reissue this cd? I mean, they use the same lay out, add (except for some recent cd titles) nothing to the liner notes and didn't even update the sleeve with their webpage or something. The only difference is that the group is called Angelite on the booklet instead of The Bulgarian State Female Choir. That might have something to with it, maybe they thought not enough people know this is Angelite as well. Anyway, next time when you make a reissue at least update your sleeve and info a bit.
http://www.jaro.de
Eelco Schilder


Martha Tilston "Of Milkmaids & Architects"
Label: Squiggly sorcd03
Martha Tilston has been brought up with the folk music surrounding her. Being the daughter of Singer songwriter Steve Tilston and the stepdaughter of folk singer Maggie Boyle, she grew up in the English folk scene. From a young age she has been writing her own songs and after supporting Damien Rice on a tour through Ireland in 2002, she started her solo career. Since than her star is rising, she recorded her first solo cd in 2005, just released her second and plays frequently in concert halls and festivals. Besides singing she plays the guitar and piano and on this cd she is backed by Maggie Boyle, John Thorne and others. The cd starts perfectly with her own song Winter flowers. A beautiful acoustic song in folk style with strong vocals. Artificial has the same atmosphere, followed by the traditional Polly Vaughan which I consider to be a highlight on this cd. Here Tilston shows to have the perfect voice for singing traditional songs like this. It's one of the best versions I have ever heard of this song. Also Music of the moon is a strong Tilston composition which reminds me of the "Alison Krauss" Americana style. In Milkmaid she brings the earlier mentioned folk and Americana style together, another highlight on this cd. A very different composition is The Architect. A bit more dreamy song with a light touch of India. Also the five not mentioned songs are in the same vein and of strong quality. Martha Tilston, not only a very talented promising artist for the future, with this cd she can easily compete with the best of the UK folk singer-songwriters.
http://www.marthatilston.co.uk
Eelco Schilder


Niniwe "Live in Concert"
Label: Eve's Apple; 2006
Niniwe is a German a cappella quartet who started in 2002. In five years the group got international success, most recent winning an international a cappella competition in Taiwan. The female vocalists write the most compositions themselves but also sing songs like All blues from Miles Davis, Feelings or the Hungarian folksong Turot eszigk a zigany. The vocal style stays close to the jazz music. No vocal acrobatics but well chosen, subtle arrangements. Nice, relaxing music, technically well done although a bit sterile sound sometimes. A bit like they want it to be to beautiful. Nevertheless a cd that will easily find its way to the right audience.
http://www.evesapple.de - http://www.niniwe.de
Eelco Schilder


Nomad Soundsystem "Nomad Soundsystem"
Label: Stockstein 107-5; 2007
The nomad soundsystem is a cross-cultural band based in Berlin. The five musicians have very different backgrounds both in culture and musical experience. Their homelands vary from Germany, Japan, Tunisia and Algeria. Their musical backgrounds go from Arabic musician to DJ. On this debut cd they mix drum & bass with raï, German rap, dub and electronics. They can be compared to artists such as Transglobal underground or the uplifting cross-over music by Rachid Taha. Each time when a group starts mixing Oriental/Arabic sounds with modern beats, I get a bit afraid. So less musicians understand how difficult it is to make a good mixture of dance and tradition. Many think that adding a drum computer and some strange computer sounds is enough to be successful. Often these productions are death boring and a disrespect for both traditional and electronic music. I'm very happy to hear that the Nomad soundsystem takes it very seriously and did a great job here. This is very danceable music with a good groove. The styles are in the right balance and it can be heard that the musician took the time and care to record this cd. The Nomad soundsystem have the quality to change a boring evening into a hot and hypnotising dance event.
http://www.nomadsoundsystem.com
Eelco Schilder


Jacanda "Back to the sky"
Label: Own; 2006
Jacanda is a UK based band playing pop music with a good (acoustic) touch of jazz and folk. This promo review cd contains four songs of their debut cd Back to the sky. Four friendly songs backed by guitar, piano, organ, percussion and sax. These four songs are not shocking, but show a consistent band with a popular sound. It's music that, because of it's neutral style, will be enjoyed by many, but could do with a bit more fantasy. It's a bit to much on the safe side for me personally.
http://www.jacandamusic.com
Eelco Schilder


Amador Kino & son ensemble "Foeman Table"
Label: Felmay / Dunya 8108; 2006
Amador Kino is a singer and Demes master from Burkina Faso. He is a griot from the Made culture. In the past he has played with artists such as Baba Mail and Ouzo O'Doul. On this new cd he plays not only music from the Made culture but also mixes styles from several other ethnic groups that live in Burkina Faso. There are working songs, slave dance and protest songs on the cd. His band is, besides an occasional guitar, pure percussion with instruments such as the Djembe, balafon and many others. With this cd you get a unique piece of Burkina Faso music, deeply rooted in the ancient history of this African country.
http://www.felmay.it
Eelco Schilder


Markowski "Family café"
Label: Own; 2006
Markowski is a German singer-songwriter who lived in the Netherlands for the past fourteen years and loves Americana music. Together with Dutch dobro, mandolin, guitar and banjo player Jan van Bijnen she started to perform about ten years ago. She sung in several other bands and decided to go solo about three years ago. This is her debut EP cd with six self written songs. Besides Markowski and van Bijnen, she is backed by Cees van der Laarse on bass and Rudi Sanders on drums and percussion. Markowski her compositions are in a light pop style with country/Americana influences. Opening track How will I know is a nice song, well sung and played. Beautiful is the sensitive song In the distance, Markowski is at her best in this one. That she is still searching for the right sound can be heard in On & on, the last part of that song is a bit unbalanced in both vocals as composition. Nevertheless a promising start and it makes me curious to hear her first full length cd which has just been released.
http://www.markowski-music.com
Eelco Schilder


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