La Veillée imaginaire: Airs populaires harmonisés, de Chopin à Canteloube - Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, Françoise Masset, François Lazarevitch - 17.99 The composers of the 19th and 2th centuries were often passionate about popular musical traditions. Joseph Canteloube (1879-1957), Maurice Emmanuel (1862-1938), or Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894) who said from himself: « I rhythm my music with my ‘Auvergnat's clogs » gave tribute to those popular melodies, by harmonising them with creativity, taste and respect. Listen Mais d'Ou Vient le Vent - eLZef - 12.99 Here is a carnival of sounds from France from a brass band with accordion that has some real bad attitude, some great humor and top-notch musicianship. This is tossed about with North African sounds, French chanson and musette, analog-electronic effects in what they call bidouillages. Unique and unclasifiable. Pòble Mon Pòble - La Talvera - 17.99 2003 release by the noteable Occitania roots ensemble received the 'Choc de la musique' award from Bravo Trad Magazine French Cafe Music - Daniel Colin, Dominique Cravic, Claire Elzière - 18.99 An audio-postcard of the golden days of Paris. The legacy of French song that you could once hear (or so the legends go) in Parisian cafés or on the street as you strolled along the banks of the Seine, is lovingly and stylishly presented by Dominique Cravic (Les Primitifs du Futur) on guitar, Daniel Colin on accordion and featuring atmospheric vocals by Claire Elzière. Manuia! - Ukulele Club de Paris - 18.99 The mysterious Ukulele Club de Paris brings many different ingredients to the musical stew: the music of the South Seas, a healthy dose of jazz, some serious instrumental dexterity, a vaguely demented sense of humor and much more. This music is as hard to categorize as it is pleasure to hear. Utterly charming and highly recommended. Polyphonic Chants of Corsica - E Voce di u Comune - 11.99 Nicely priced colletion of Corsican vocal music, great for a first exploration of this wonderful regional style. Departe De Casa - Formatia Valea Mare - 16.99 This group of Roma (Gypsy) musicians in France (flugelhorn, trumpet, e flat clarinet, b flat clarinet, baritone horn, tuba) have recorded a stunning set of pieces in an old Church in Orleans. High energy, great music and brilliantly recorded sound. Listen Out of Time and Country - Rosenberg, Deslignes, Descamps, Gomar - 16.99 A collaboration between musicians from France and Sweden looking to find common ground in their repsective folk and medieval music traditions. Susanne Rosenberg: vocals; Christophe Deslignes: organetto; Jean-Lou Descamps: medieval fiddle, tambura; Thierry Gomar: percussion - Listen fi de l'eau - la bergere - 17.99 Back in stock: The second recording by la bergère is again a poetic vision, created by the trio of Sylvie Berger (voice), Julien Biget (guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, percussion, voice), and Emmanuel Pariselle (accordion diatonique, concertina, flute, voice), joined by a wonderful list of guests including Gilles Chabenat, Gabriel Yacoub and Alain Bruel. Highly recommended, as was their first! Malicorne 4 - Malicorne - 17.99 W Jan D’L’Eiretto - Lou Dalfin - 17.99 Originally released in 1992 Listen Gibous, Bagase e Bandi - Lou Dalfin - 17.99 Originally released in 1995 Listen Radio Occitania Libra - Lou Dalfin and Sustraia - 17.99 Live concert recording originally released in 1997 Listen Brand new world / Dans l'oubli du sommeil - Didier Francois and Gilles Chabenat / D. François and Gabriel Yacoub - 23.99 Two complete recordings on 2 CDs in one package, both essential works of new central European folk music. On one, the passionate dialogue of two symbols of the French and Swedish traditions: vielle a roue (hurdy-gurdy) and nyckelharpa. Music that is popular and erudite, terrestrial and celestial. The second celebrates the violin and nyckelharpa in union with the human voice, with one of France's great singers at the lead, joined by Sylvie Berger and Tom Theuns. It is flawless and visceral; highly recommended. Les Tisserands (The Weavers) - Les Tisserands - 19.99 A collaboration between three Flemish groups involved in folk, contemporary and early music, in a modern exploration of the Flemish spiritual movement of the Cathars from the 12th and 13th centuries. The movement had roots in Flanders, France and Occitania. Their Medieval texts and melodies serve as source material for this program of music, both in original form and in the compositions of Jowan Merckx. En Bal - Trio Patrick Bouffard and Anne-Lise Foy - 19.99 The Breton trio plays live for a dance. Alba auba aurora aurore - Veziana - 17.99 Veziana, which means 'joyful' in medieval Occitan, is a French-Pyrenean group whose music is a crossroad of styles. From the Middle Ages to modern times, and on either side of the Pirénéus, a deep rich vein of sonorities, musical practices and emotions have undergone a process of assimilation and exchange. Veziana is also a sound in itself, characterized by ensembles of voices, viola da gamba, qanoun, harp, hurdy-gurdies, bag-pipes and percussion. Listen Nebaon! - Bugel Koar - 18.99 Marthe Vassalo's wonderful voice and Philippe Ollivier's unconventional bandoneon and accordions return for the second recording, joined by bass, drums, a touch of brass and flute to create new Breton music of completely original design. There are contemporary songs that come from centuries of imagination, and traditional ones that tell you an old story. Tourmenté D'Amour - Voix des haute-Bretagne - 13.99 Breton songs: Mathieu Hamon: voice - Christophe Caron: bombardes - Ronan Robert: accordéons diatoniques Jaadu -Magic - Faiz Ali Faiz, Titi Robin - coming soon Thierry "Titi" Robin’s joins acclaimed qawwali vocalist Faiz Ali Faiz. These two talented musicians have created more than a simple dialogue. For this project Robin composed several original melodies, selecting modes and rhythms that best represent the world of qawwali. Faiz, on the other hand found sacred poetic texts that would match the instrumentals. Their combined creation is unique. For the recording, Robin and Faiz are joined by a multi-cultural cast of musicians on voice, harmonium, accordion, winds and percussion. Taraf Auvergne - Jean Bona and Son Ensemble - 9.99 cabrette music Toots Blues - 1950-1952 - Toots Thielemans, Les Thompson - 9.99 With a career that goes back to World War II, harmonica virtuoso Toots Thielemans has played with everyone from Benny Goodman to Charlie Parker, from Paul Simon to Jaco Pastorius. He has done fusion, crossover and pure pop, but here we get to hear some early Toots. There are also a few live tracks by another legendary harp player, Les Thompson, included in this set. Aksak - Melodies of the south of Balkans - Aromates, Michèle Claude - 18.99 After its previous discs dedicated to the Arabo-Andalousian universe, the Aromates ensemble makes a visit to the Balkans. These Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek melodies have been influenced by the Persian, Ottoman and European music. They are characterized by the so-called 'Aksak' or 'lame rhythms.' Live - Les Yeux Noirs - 10.99 French sextet plays Gypsy and Yiddish music topped off with a dash of Manouche jazz. Violinists Eric and Olivier Slabiak lead a band of violins, cello, accordion, electric guitar, cimbalom and electronic samples Paroles de Swing - Angelo Debarre and Ludovic Beier - 9.99 Born in Saint-Denis, France, Angelo Debarre was only 8 when he picked up the guitar. In the Gypsy community, musical practice is transmitted orally at family gatherings, where music always occupies a prominent place. The gypsy jazz tradition launched by Django Reinhardt is at the heart of this culture and Debarre quickly became one of its key proponents. He founded his first group, "The Angelo Debarre Quintet," in 1984 and began touring the world with Gypsy musicians the following year. This is music he knows inside and out, and at concerts and festivals his enthusiasm and passion prove it. For Debarre, Django Reinhardt's music never loses the dynamism and richness of the past: it is immortal, a living art form. Here is his fifth collaboration with fellow-musician, accordionist Ludovic Beier. Hot on the heels of their previous release Entre ciel et terre, here they are joined by guest singer Sansévérino, making a cameo on 2 of the tracks. Jewish Liturgies - A.Attia, H.Désarbre - 12.99 A special re-issue of Jewish liturgical chant sung by Adolphe Attia, the officiating Prime Minister of the Grande Synagogue de la Victoire in Paris. The role of the officiating minister, the chaliah tsihour, is basic in the synagogue. His song alternates with the rabbi's sermons and teachings. Attia is accompanied by Hervé Désarbre, playing the organ of Val-de-Grâce. Istanpitta: Danses florentines du Trecento - Henri Agnel - 18.99 Although the estampies are formally based on the scheme of verse and refrains, they allow for a certain degree of freedom. During the fourteenth century, music was mobile, composed then reinvented: improvisation, ornamentation and the art of preluding were the keynote. Henri Agnel directs the ensemble, and plays cistre, ceterina, oud; joined by Mickael Nick, quinton; Henri Tournier, flûte traversière (bansouri); Djamchid Chemirani, zarb; Idriss Agnel, oud Marions les roses: Chansons and psaumes, de la France à l'Empire Ottoman - Les Fin' Amoureuses - 18.99 Ottoman music in France, performed by Emmanuelle Drouet - voice, Nannette van Zanten - voice, vièle, viole and Nathalie Waller, voice, vièle, viole, dilruba. By creating their own harmonizations, accompaniments, and musical language, Fin' Amoureuses rethink the sephardic love songs of the Ottoman Empire in which, since the era of François I, French culture was much in vogue. Alla Napoletana, Villanesche & mascherate - Suonare e cantare, Jean Gaillard - 18.99 Inspired by the work of Gian Domenico del Giovane da Nola (1510-1592), organist and later master of the church of the Annunciation in Naples. In addition to a number of madrigals and motets, he left a rich collection of Canzoni Villanesche (1545). These Canzoni Villanesche (or Napolitane) were songs on popular themes, originally written for three voices in the Neapolitan dialect. The texts are characterised by their burlesque or erotic inspiration, usually containing metaphors, popular proverbs, malicious or saucy puns, distorted words and various types of comical or meaningless onomatopoeia. The programme is enriched by a selection of varied instrumental pieces, featuring not only instruments that were fashionable during the Renaissance (recorders, post horns, reed instruments, violas, luths, guitars, percussions and bagpipes), but also typical Neapolitan instruments as colascioni, tammorri, tromba degli zingari and more. Danses des bergers, danses Des loups - Francois Lazarevitch - 18.99 The traditional repertories of central France and the Auvergne are presented by François Lazarevitch and Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien (cornemuses, voice, violon, vielle à roue, diatonic accordion and cabrett), bringing to life traditional music rich in vivid imagery and unexpected energy, a traditional repertoire that has inspired 20th century composers including Francis Poulenc, Darius Milhaud and most notably Joseph Canteloube. de la nature des choses - Gabriel Yacoub - 17.99 It took seven years for this French artist to compose and record an all new studio work, but the wait is always worth it when you have an artist of such high caliber. Joined by a wonderful ensemble (including Gilles Chabenat, Yannick Hardouin, Julien Biget and many more), his voice is surrounded by deep folk roots and modern sounds, all to the service of 14 rich and marvelous songs. As you might suspect from this description, it comes highly recommended! chant de guerre - John Delvarre - 17.99 The debut recording by a marvelous French champion of la nouvelle chanson française, accompanied by a great cast including Gabriel Yacoub (who also produced), Yannick Hardouin, Sylvie Berger and others. Balançoire en feu - Malicorne - 17.99 Almanach - Malicorne - 17.99 l'extraordinaire tour de france... - Malicorne - 17.99 The full title was "l'Extraordinaire Tour de France d'Adélard Rousseau dit Nivernais la Clef des Cœurs, Compagnon Charpentier du Devoir" and the grand title matches the grand concept of this 1978 recording by what had become France's most important roots-rock/progressive rock band, at the height of their talents. Power and energy, elegance and grace were all in abundance, and the overall sound was cinematic in nature. This is often cited as Malicorne's greatest recording, and while I have my personal favorites from later in their discography, I can't argue with the accolades this one has garnered over the last 2 and a half decades. La Beastiaire - Malicorne - 17.99 yacoub gabriel malicorne malicarne Ouvarosa - La Bergere - temp out of stock-17.99 The French singer Sylvie Berger and her ensemble, La Bergère, present a beautuful collection of original and traditional songs, all elegantly produced by Gabriel Yacoub (who also participates as musician and singer on a few tracks). je vois venir (2 CDs) - Gabriel Yacoub - 22.99 The 2004 release of a live recording on 2 CDs. Recorded live at the Théâtre de Cornouaille in Quimper, January 17th and 18th 2003, the album features the whole concert, no tricks! The recording features all new arrangements for this unique ensemble, with unreleased pieces, old memories, rarities, and, as the band says, the pleasure of playing and living together. That joy exudes through every minute of this performance. la polonaise - Cie Montanaro - 22.99 The artists say: 'The songs here describe the landscapes of Poland, the forests and the lakes, the town of Katowice, what one sees from the window on a train, the rumours of the streets, the heat in the homes these songs also describe inner landscapes, feelings, surges, restraints, feeding a shared but impossible love la polonaise unveils a rare aspect of Miquéu Montanaro's art, writer, composer and singer, for a sensitive and fine work, wonderfully served by Sylvie Berger and the production work of alchemist Gabriel Yacoub.' Other musicians include Yannick Hardouin (piano, bass), François Heim (diatonic accordion), Daniel Malavergne (tuba), Miquèu Montanaro (vocals, whistles, chromatic accordion) and Frédéric Paris (clarinet). Petite planete - Trio Ifriqiya - 17.99 Fayçal El Mezouar was trained at the music school El Kordobia in Tlemcen, Algeria. For this trio, he has gathered around him jazz pianist and improviser Didier Fréboeuf and drummer Emile Biayenda, founder of the band Les Tambours de Brazza. Their music blends many styles including Arab-Andalous, traditional, jazz and contemporary. It highlights a kind of common musical language where elements from the Orient, Africa and Europe cross paths.Listen! En concert - Bivoac - 16.99 This Breton band claims inlfluences are wide as Coltrane, Zappa, Grappelli, Hendrix and all musiques traditionnelles du monde... They deliver it all in complete simplicity on accordéon diatonique, voices, saxophones, bombarde, violon and banjo. Diam - Ablaye Cissoko - 9.99 music for the kora by Senegalese player Une Musique Trad-Urbaine En Centre-France - Tend'm - 16.99 Music from Auvergne, central France, focused on the hurdy gurdy or vielle a roue. Musicians: Stéphane Arbon, violincello, guitare; Anne-Lise Foy, vielle (hurdy gurdy), voice; Léonore Grollemund, violoncelle; Laurence Pinchemaille, vielle Digeridoo - Phillip Peris - 17.99 solo performances on digeridoo - 5 tracks, 68 minutes Jazz N'Roses - Félix Belleau - 17.99 French accordina (mouth accordion) and accordionist interprets popular and lesser known jazz and popular songs, accompanied by percussion and bass, with some guests on some vocals and violin Riyad al-hubb, musiques d'al-Andalus - Al Arabi, Lefeuvre, Delgado - 19.99 Available again: A collaboration of musicians from Spain, France and Morocco give new meaning to trans-Andalus, with a blend of orth African, Occitan and just pure non-geographic ingenuity. Sport et Couture - Amestoy Trio - temp out of stock-19.99 This unique French trio's second recording. As the review says: "You listen to this disc of musette jazz manouche with accordion, guitar and bass and gradually somethinghappens to you ears ... a singular, warm universe, a jubilant and playful music, light and full of happiness. It sounds like you are encountering an orchestra... but one that snores and purrs a happy tune... it envelops the listener and you are into a strange jubilation. A triple treat for the ears." - Etienne Bours Saï-Ko - Trio Miyazaki - 19.99 Steeped in Japanese tradition, the music of Mieko Miyazaki, guided by the delicate interplay of the koto - sharp, illuminated and transformed to meet the accordion of Maurice Bruno and the violin of Manuel Solans. The aesthetics of Miyazaki Trio is unique, combining writing and improvisation, Eastern roots and contemporary inspiration, imagination, elegance and refinement. Avril - Achiary, Lopez and de Ezcurra - 19.99 Beñat Achiary, Ramon Lopez and Philippe de Ezcurra took a long time to forge their complicity through various art projects on stage or on disc, at in groups or duos in the Basque Country and elsewhere. On a night in October 2004, the trio finally met near Langon, gave its first public concert. Three days of studio,and a few more live recordings captured these moments of poetry. This first disc reflects the unique and artistic aspirations Beñat Achiary, rooted in the language and the traditional singing of the Basque Country, inhabited by poetry, jazz and improvisation. It also shows the talent of Ramon Lopez and Philip de Ezcurra, their fusion and osmosis with Beñat and their celebration of improvisation. Chin Na Na Poun - Vaillant, Malavergne and Théron - 19.99 Daniel Malavergne, Patrick Vaillant and Manu Theron look at the work of Victor Gelu, legendary songwriter and poet of nineteenth century Marseille. His words, raw and sometimes violent, come from a world that industrialization suddenly plunged into uncertainty. It is a whimsical, turbulent, Baroque and talkative, as Gelu depicted using cartoons that refer to both the Neapolitan farce and melodrama. To evolve in this universe, drawing enthusiastic musicians in popular music of the nineteenth century or today. Tuba, mandolin, percussion and vocals walk bluntly over the songs, which sometimes arise from unforeseen musical references, like walking down a busy street. Not a recreation or vain modernization, they try to join the human dimension, both grotesque and poignant, to portray a poet of the people in a musical cabaret. Miniatures - Mireille Ben Ensemble - 14.99 The Italy-based French singer returns with another trans-Alpine musical exploration, joined by Italian guitarist Oliviero Biella and an ensemble of cornmuse (bagpipes), clarinet, violin, drums, acoustic and electric bass and musical saw. Beautiful in its simplicity of performance, with traditional songs both familiar and obscure. Home Sweet Home - Moussu T e lei jovents - 18.99 Moussu T e lei jovents from La Ciotat return in 2008 with another slice of Occitan wit and wisdom. The band's third proper studio album continues in the same vein as their previous work - i.e., catchy, melodic, quirky, funny, dark, poignant, gritty. Singing as usual mainly in the Occitan language, the band again invoke the heat and intensity of Marseille and its neighbor, the band's hometown, La Ciotat. Tango alla Romanesque - Old World Tangos Vol.2 - various - 18.99 The second CD in the Old World Tangos series focuses on the 'Romance' countries of Italy, France, and Romania, with a Greek encore. En Forme De Poire - Melonious Quartet - 18.99 The Melonious Quartet, four musicians led by Patrick Vaillant, make an unseemly postulate: the mandolin and Satie. Practising the art of what if, the mandolin quartet has taken on in the painstaking work of transcription of Erik Satie. Completely original and unique. Highly recommended! Swing from Paris - Pommes de ma Douche - special order-18.99 The French 'hot jazz' quintet occupies a musical universe in which Gypsy jazz and waltzes commingle with swing. In their five years of playing together, "the Apples of my Shower" acquired a cohesiveness that aloows their music to be more than mere "retro" revival but rather an expancsion of the work of Django's generation. They are joined by guest artist Raphaël Faÿs on guitar, who joins their guitars, violin, double bass, concertina, and great songs by Michel Legrand, Cole Porter and the two Charleses (Trénet and Aznavour). Essai - Bastien Lucas - 19.99 The french singer, composer and musician is joined by a wonderful group opf musicians to present a strong recording of new French song. Musicians include Gabriel Yacoub, Aurélie Dorzée, Yannick Hardouin, Julien Biget and Sylvie Berger. Listen to "Sans rancune" and "Autant pour moi" Al son del diableton vol. 1 - various - 17.99 Anthologie de l'accordéon traditionnel occitan Volume 1 - This first volume is devoted to musicians of 4 communes located in the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Languedoc (Tarn and Hérault). In addition to the famous accordionist of d'Anglès, Marcel Bacou, with his inexhaustible repertory, the CD also present four of his friends: Germain Cros and Denis Barrau of La Salvetat sur Agout, Pierre Planès from Saint Etienne d'Albagnan and Emilien Gleizes from Condades (commune de Riols). Includes a detailed and illustrated 36 page booklet (in French). Vielle A Roue-Autriche - Matthias Loibner - 16.99 Original compositions for solo performances on the hurdy-gurdy. The artist says: 'Passages is a collection of acoustic hurdy-gurdy music inspired by traditions and atmospheres I came across on various travels. The recording was done in a renaissance-castle with the beautiful name Schloss Tausendlust in Höllberg close to where I live.' Listen En Avant Baleti - Spi and La Gaudriole - 16.99 High energy 'new folk' from France fronted by 'Spi' (aka Jean Michel Poisson), the former singer and songwriter of OTH, a punk-rock band in the 80s and the Naufragés folk-rock band Shipwrecked Persons. Now Spi digs deeper into the roots of popular folk music and dances of France, polkas, mazurka, bourrées, rondes et gavottes. Spi and the Gaudriole (from the XIII century ancient verb gaudere (to be delighted) use vielle a roue (hurdy- gurdy), fife and drums, Languedoc oboe, hautbois, mandolin along with guitars, drums and bass, using arrangements both trad and contemporary, enriched by original contemporary lyrics. The artist says: 'As in Africa, India or Brittany, it's time for our tribes to go on stage and proclaim that, here and everywhere else, tradition and evolution are as one.' Recommended. Majaz - Le Trio Joubran - 16.99 The second recordng by Palestinian ud trio of Samir, Wissam, Adnan Joubran with guest percussionist Yousef Hbeitsch. Tarale - Buff'grol - 16.99 This quartet from Pitou, France has taken the themes of French work songs and children's music and developed a set of recordings that is at once charming and bizarre. The band uses a lot of reeds (clarinet, saxophones, cornmuse, ivy leaves) along with violin, accordion and raucous vocals. The reeds give a community dance band sound to the tunes at one moment, but can also propel them into avant garde jazz or sparse pop settings of the same folk melodies at another. It is these conflicts that give Tarale its greatest strength; they move from solo fiddle tune to driving ensemble, from gravelly work song to jazz improvisation with a perverse logic. So many bands see their task as taking a crude folk melody and polishing it until it's smooth and shiny. Buff'Grol revel in the sharp edges and find beauty in the rough. Auseths - Tenareze - 17.99 Ténarèze plays traditional music from Auvergne, France. Their 1999 recording Ausèths was inspired by the birds of the region, and offers these four musicians a chance to explore and expand the tradition. Hurdy-gurdy and fiddle, solo and chorale vocals, percussion, clarinet and bass clarinet and many other instruments make for a rich sound. Transept - Patrick Bouffard - 16.99 Bouffard takes his hurdy gurdyout of France, to eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin. A great cast of musicians joins him, including Anne-Lise Foy (vocals, vielle), Cyril Roche (melodeon), Benoît Mager (bagpipes), Gabriel Fernandez (ud, cajon, saxophone), Francois Arbon and Abdelati el Boussehabi (darabuka, bendir, percussion), Frédéric Paris (voice, melodeon, bagpipes, harmonium), Carlo Rizzo (percussion) La Passion de Clermont: Hora vos dic vera raizun - Brice Duisit - 17.99 The turn of the first millennium was experienced by people of that time not with fear that the world was coming to an end, but rather with hope that the world would be renewed, as 'the promise of a new Spring'. Thus, Christ's Passion came to symbolise the resurrection of the Church; a great reformation began. Seen in that context the lyric poem La Passion de Clermont takes on its full meaning. Brice Duisit performs vocals and vièle à archet. Follow - Joel Grare - 17.99 Bells, Indian double-headed drums, bendirs and many other instruments blend together and offer a fascinating imaginary journey: Grare integrates all the possible and imaginable influences and invents a unique and outstanding world of sounds. Joël Grare, percussions and featuring percussion ensemble Koân with Axel Lecourt and Nicolas Giraud on trumpet and percussions Une Messe pour la Saint-Michel et tous les saints anges - Freddy Eichelberger, Michel Godard and Ludus Modalis - 17.99 This recording recreates the 'Ordinary' of a seventeenth-century Catholic Mass, during which the organ and the choir continuously respond, with parts entirely improvised by the choir as well as the organ.Freddy Eichelberger, orgue; Michel Godard, serpent and the vocal trio Ludus Modalis Paris - Istanbul - Shanghai - Joël Grare - 17.99 Joël Grare (ar., percussion), Guo Gan (erhu), Bruno Helstroffer (theorbo), Emek Evci (bass), Karine Herroud Gonzalez (Flamenco) with the participation of the ensemble Les Tambours de Lune, Claire Lefilliâtre (soprano vocal) and Véronica Votti (cello). This recording is a manifesto of modernism, culture, temporality, style and improvisation. This Paris-Istambul-Shanghaïensemble is a musical invitation to travel. Somewhere between a chamber music ensemble and a traditional one, they play standardsmuch like in jazz. But their standards are classic themes from Spain, Turkey and China, ancient music… Puching these melodies well beyond their borders, thoroughly enjoying them, improvising, composing, whether or not in the style of their country or their period, following moods and moments to a uniqque new sound. L'Ora Daurada - Montanaro, Bourdin and Gardone - 17.99 Named after this moment before dawn, when Montanaro often gets inspired, "the Golden Hour". The tracks of this album find Montanaro and his Compagnie evolving in their very own musical universe, somewhere between traditional music of Provence and free jazz, evoking North Africa, Central Asia or Esmeralda Beach in Ecuador. Forever Swing, Grappelli Forever - Costel Nitescu - 17.99 Romanian-born phenom Costel Nitescu is as much at ease with traditional music of Central Europe as he is in the realm of jazz, where his sense of swing and gift for improvisation mark him out as one of the strongest adherents to the cause of the great Stéphane Grappelli. A violinist with a solid classical training, Nitescu was only 16 when he joined the orchestra of Radio Bucharest. He was soon performing and recording with some of Romania's finest artists and has made his home in Paris for the last ten years, during which time he was cherrypicked to perform at a party organized by Bill Clinton (we kid you not!). Here he sizzles in eight originals and four standards, with a line-up comprising Antoine Hervier (piano), Yves Rousseau (double-bass) and Yoann Serra (drums). Homescape - Nguyen Le - 16.99 French-Vietnamese jazz musician Nguyên Lê stands out as a unique explorer of sound. Homescape is based upon improvised duos with either Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu or oud player and vocalist Dhafer Youssef. Lê's postproduction then crafts these performances into a piquant series of moving and thrilling world-jazz tracks. Aral - Tenareze - 17.99 The five musicians Tenarèze use the theme of water, one of the main political and humanitarian issues of the twenty-first century. With their original instruments (most of which they conceived of and built themselves) and songs sung in the Occitan language, they fly over the borders of imaginary lands to draw their own personal map of the world. Marc Anthony (electro-acoustic hurdy-gurdy), Laurent Rousseau (guitar), Alain Cadeillan (vocals, alboka, bagpipes and invented instruments), Olivier Hestin (percussion) and Bernard Subert (clarinet, bass clarinet, bagpipes and water-drums). Eured an Diaoul - Bernez Tangui - 18.99 He calls it Breton rhythm'n'blues, but I don't know how you might really classify this music... all the better, I think. The poetry is important, but the delivery is the real message here, as Tangui twists and turns his phrasing around a complex ensemble of piano, percussion, guitars, flutes, bagpipes and more. L'engrenage - Louis Sclavis and Quatuor Habanera - 17.99 The composers Alexandros Markeas, Alain Berlaud and Yassen Vodenitcharov, long-standing associates of the Quatuor Habanera, thought out a program of works that would enable the jazz clarinetist Louis Sclavis to contrast and compare his world with that of the Quartet. Each of the scores was created with the idea of enabling him to extemporize his part above those of the four saxophonists. Se canta que recante: Chants des moments perdus en Massif Central - Bruno Bonhoure; La Camera delle Lacrime - 17.99 This recording explores the traditional music of the Occitan-speaking people of south-central France known as the Massif Central as well as the influence that the emigrants to Paris had on the music of their native region. Bruno Bonhoure gives a bold interpretation of some of those songs. He is joined by the charming voice of the Italian singer Patrizia Bovi. Fresh and alive, their interpretation brings out all the intrinsic beauty and lyricism of these pieces, which have all too often been diminished by false authenticity. / Bruno Bonhoure, voix and direction; Jean-luc Tamby, renaissance lute and mandora; Karim Touré, tambour sur cadre, tambourin, bendir and djembes, derbouka à cymbalettes, tambour of Sri Lanka Rayon de Lune, Mélodies andalouses du Moyen-Orient - Ensemble Aromates, Michèle Claude - 17.99 Following his critical triumph of 2005, Jardin de Myrtes, Michèle Claude offers a 2007 recording which lovingly combines the musical idioms of Al Andalous with the timbres of the organetto, the psaltery, the harpsichord and a rich selection of percussion instruments. This disk is at the crossroads, knows of no borders and reminds us that the very character of music is universal. Trobar: Chansons d'amour, de la Vierge à la Dame - Jean-Paul Rigaud and Beatus - 17.99 A program of love songs presents pieces from the repertoire of the monastery of St Martial de Limoges, which includes the earliest written polyphonic compositions that influenced Bernard de Ventadour, one of the finest of the troubadour poets and probably the most important musically. Bernard's songs show an idealistic view of courtly love that is very close to the themes that appear frequently in the monastic tropes referring to the Virgin Mary. Aux Marches du Palais - Romances et complaintes de la France d'autrefois - Le Poeme Harmonique - 17.99 This record explores the "hazy" boundaries between written and oral traditions, as well as the complex links that unite them. It provides a moving experience for the twenty first-century listener who can imagine the distance travelled and the paths taken by the simple melodies we still hum today. La Votz Deus Anjos - Balaguera - 17.99 Polyphonies du Béarn and des Pyrénées Gasconnes - Heirs to a long oral tradition, the nine singers of the vocal ensemble Balaguèra dedicate themselves to the Pyrenean interpretation of the polyphonies of Gascogne. All songs are performed unaccompanied. All'Improvviso - Christina Pluhar and L'Arpeggiata - 17.99 Working with sources from 17th century chaconnes to new compositions by artists like Lucilla Galeazzi, baroque harpist Christina Pluhar and her ensemble L'Arpeggiata offer an imaginative look at improvisation, joined by actor-singer Marco Beasley, vocalist Lucilla Galleazzi and jazz clarinetist Gianluigi Trovesi in traditional baroque grounds that demolishes conventional notions of 'crossover' music. With Gianluigi Trovesi, Marco Beasley, and Lucilla Galeazzi. Invente a La Ciotat - Moussu T e lei Jovents - 17.99 Occitania and Brazil meet in this group that takes its inspiration from Marseilles in the thirties, a veritable musical melting pot, where Provençal songs could be heard alongside local operettas by Vincent Scotto or the Black jazz and blues bursting onto the scene at the time (with music from the West Indies and Brazil to boot). That eventful decade provides the background for the group's up-to-the minute songs and sea shanties that speak of briny air, shipyard cranes and rocky inlets. The DVD side of this DualDisc release features two hours of images for a journey through their world, with clips, extracts from live concerts and shorts produced by some of the best film-makers in Occitania. Enamorada Madalena - Patrick Vaillant, Renat Sette and Bijan Chemirani - 17.99 Popular religious songs from Provence, France 10 - Ambrozijn - 17.99 Never an ensemble to rest, Flemish trio Ambrozijn (Tom Theuns, Wouter Vandenabeele, Wim Claeys) celebrate their 10th anniversary with an epic live recording, joined by a small string orchestra and guest vocalists including Sylvie Berger, Vera Coomans, Soetkin Collier, Eva Deroovere, Ludo Vandeau, Paul Rans and Gabriel Yacoub. Les Italiens - Les Italiens - 16.99 A roots-style big band from Italy. They swing, they rock, they root and roll, and the sound moves from tarentella to mambo to ska with fluidity and humor. Terre-Neuvas - Subert, Anthony, Lemou - 18.99 Bernard Subert, Marc Anthony and Pierrick Lemou (vielle, voice, clarinet and violon) present what they call an astonishing musical voyage, the story of a sailor on a great fishing trip across the seas - a historical document for contemporary ears. All acoustic and of course, given the musicians, expertly and energetically performed. Avant Soleil Levé - La Chavannée - 17.99 Musiques Traditionnelles en Auvergne Kalon Koat - Pierrick Lemou - 17.99 Breton violinist plays Celtic music and music from Brittany, accompanied by a fine cast of musicians on flute, guitar, bagpipes, biniou kozh, harp, reds and more Violin - Jean-Francois Vrod - 16.99 Jean-François presents a solo set of tunes for violin from the French tradition, by a founding member of Trio Violin, Café Chabons and Compagnie Chez Bousca. Quintette De Violons - Drailles - 16.99 Music of the southern Alps from Dauphine, France Revenant de Paris - Trio Patrick Bouffard - 16.99 Originally released in 1996, this is epic new-folk by Patrick Bouffard (vielle a roue), Anne-Lise Foy (vocals, hurdy gurdy), and Cyril Roche (melodeon), with Benoît Mager (bagpipes) and Frédéric Paris (vocals, melodeon, bagpipes, harmonium). Auvergne - Accordéon Diatonique - Eric Champion - 18.99 Solo performances of mostly traditional tunes on the diatonic accordion by an excellent French artist. Part of the excellent solo recording series on the Cinq Planètes label. Good notes on the tunes in French and English. Musique des Violoneux de Gascogne - Luc Charles-Dominique - 17.99 Traditional fiddle music from Gascony Legende - Malicorne - 18.99 Légende is a 15 track compilation that covers the second decade of this seminal French ensemble, from 4 of their most acclaimed recordings, a record of the band at its artistic heights. La Cite Invisible -Rencontre a Casablanca - Achiary,Bacan/Bekkas,Lopez,Soler - 18.99 A live recording of a 2002 performance by European and north African artists spans tradition and the avant garde with nary a seam. A superb ensemble plays - Inès Bacan (voice), Benat Achiary (voice), Majid Bekkas (voice and guimbri), Pedro Soler (guitar), and Ramon Lopez (drums). Solisterrae - Pascal Gaigne - 17.99 While there are references to Galician, Euskadi, French and other folk musical cultures, this is a purely contemporary, creative work performed by an ensemble of musicians of renowned skills; primarily acoustic ensembles of guitars, percussion, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, strings, flutes, harp, zither, and piano. Biniou Braz - Patrick Molard - 17.99 Chilltimes - Ludovic Beier Quartet - 17.99 With this new album thre young French accordionist has produced his most adventurous and mature recording to date. While his musette and manouche roots are still evident, Beier has embraced the wider jazz spectrum of musicians he works with including Herbie Hancock, James Carter and Paquito D’Rivera. With his new quartet, Beier is now a jazz artist to watch out for. Best of Gypsy Jazz Vol.2 - various - 22.99 A 2 CD set of Gypsy jazz old and new, includes performances Ludovic Beier, Pierre Blanchard, Angelo Debarre, Raphael Fays, Bireli Lagrene, Marcel Loeffler, Florin Niculescu, Les Pommes de ma Douche, Mandino Reinhardt, Dorado Schmitt, Tchavolo Schmitt. Each artists' interpretation is then followed by the original performance by Django Reinhardt. La Fabrica Occitana - Gai Saber - 17.99 2006 release by this now well-seasoned young Occiantian folk rock ensemble of vocals, bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, flutes, melodeons, djembe, derbouka, harp, drums, Provençal flutes, acoustic guitars, bodhran, samples and programming. On n'est pas.. - Pommes de ma Douche - 17.99 A quintet from the Blois region of France do another round of what the crotocs call Manouche jazz, but watch out… this band surprises with its twisted humor, its modern sense of timing and arrangement, it's incessant swing. It's not your father's Django! The Humours of Altan - Valerio - 17.99 Fiddler Kieran Fahy with Julie Biget (voice, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki and bodhran), Serge Desaunay (accordion) and Julien Favreuille (saxophone) bring Belgium and Ireland together quite nicely on a spirited set of tunes and songs that capture the tradition without being trapped in it. Includes a great interpreation of the Richard Thompson tune that gace the band its name. Forever Polida - Moussu T et lei Jovents - 17.99 Marseille's folk-pop troubadours Moussu T et lei Jovents (Mister T and the Youngsters) present their pateneted mix of charming songs, idiosyncratic vignettes of Marseille life and Occitan culture, with a dash of Recife and Brazil's North-Eas. These are catchy, hook-filled ditties, presented in the same quirky fashion as their cdRoots fave CD, Mademoiselle Marseille, evoking the unique character of France's 'second city' in glorious fashion. Tatu, Blu, Zerbino and Jamilson have crafted another work of artistic joi de vivre. Highly recommended! World Musette - Les Primitifs du Futur - 14.99 Dominque Cravic, Robert Crumb, Daniel Colin and a wild cast from Africa, Europe and the America create a strange, sweet new cafe music. Pau i Treva - Fàbregas, Martinotti, Torregrosa, Sette - 12.99 It means 'Peace and Truce.' A thousand years after the famous medieval edict, war has become again a sad reality. Music cannot change the world, but it can surely throw little signals of peace, of social cohesion and this is the hope of this musical project, which gathers together musicians from Piedmont, Occitania, Catalunya and Pais Valencia, each one carrying his own store of personal experiences: Jordi Fabrégas, Maurizio Martinotti, Renat Sette, Toni Torregrossa, Paul James and many more! Boombal Vol. 1 - various - 16.99 Live recordings of the Boombal, a live music and dance event spreading around Belgium, featuring some of the best dance bands in the country including Kadril, Goze, Follia, and many others. Mhm A-ha Oh Yeah Da-Da - Darko Rundek - 17.99 Croatian born, Paris-based Rundek and his Cargo Orkestar are a band unto themselves, shamelessly mixing European roots with rock, jazz, film music and just plain oddness in a manner only rivaled by Serbian Boris Kovac. Their songs tell of the loneliness of the exile and the placelessness of the Internet, the realities of a modern metropolis and the utopia of a love that transcends all borders, recited and sung in a number of languages. It's all cool and callous, wonderfully played and very original. Stories - Regis Gizavo, Louis Mhlanga, David Mirandon - 19.99 Malagasy accordionist Régis Gizavo, South African guitarist Louis Mhlanga and French percussionist David Mirandon join in a beautiful, subtle recording of shared roots and diverse interests. It's all trio arrangements, with vocals by Gizavo and Mhlanga and no additional instrumentation, and the rich and dynamic sound is a testament to their musicianship. fRoots says: Well, for a start the extraordinary tightness of their playing makes it sound like a hard working regular band... the general level of telepathy is really remarkable, even on the more obviously jammed pieces... Nicely recorded too by Gizavo and Mirandon's regular sound man Manou Gallet, with a pleasing roundness that's perfectly suited to the ensemble sound: busy but light and warm. - Ian Anderson Paris Tehran Project - Alain Brunet Didgeridoo Orchestra and Shargh Ensemble - 17.99 The 21st of June is 'The Day of Music' in France, a phenomena that is spreading and now more than 100 countries are celebrating music on this special day. Hermes Records of Iran and the Cultural Center of the French Embassy celebrated by organizing a live concert at the Niavaran Cultural Complex in Tehran. This event offered a remarkable opportunity for these two ensembles to come together and share their cultures and talents, to make a whole new music full of rich drones, Persian percussion and strings, and European jazz. le fil - Amestoy Trio - 17.99 The Amestoy Trio, hailing from Toulouse France, plays enchanting and delicate music with a decidedly Mediterranean swing. Flashes of musette, tango and samba flow in and out of this music like warm breezes. The combined timbres of accordion, guitar and tuba create a familiar sound that crosses musical boundaries effortlessly. Revolucion Tanguero - Serguei - 19.99 Born in Buenos Aries and now living in Paris, Serguei is both a gifted tanguisto and an illustrator for the world's number one French language newspaper, Le Monde. He brings his music and vision together in this unique graphic package, Révolucion Tanguero. Source Manouche - Marcel Loeffler - 17.99 The French Gypsy accordionist, backed by a quartet guitars and acoustic bass Turbulences - Alain Pennec - 17.99 Spring in Niavaran - Various - 16.99 During May and June 2004, everal concerts in Teheran focused on meetings between Iranian artists and European artists Bazar Bla (Sweden), Hamon Martin Quartet (France), Christophe Joneau Trio (France), Persiano (Iran, Norway). This recording features both indivdual works and jamm-session collaborations among the artists. Plaisir d'Amour: Chansons and romances de la France d’autrefois - Le Poème Harmonique - Vincent Dumestre - 17.99 The French ensemble explores works from the end of XVIII and the beginning of XIX centuries, marked by a renewed interest in pastoral instruments and popular songs of the period. marie de malicorne - Malicorne - 18.99 2005 compilation of Malicorne tracks featuring vocalist Marie Yacoub, plus bonus CDR file with lyrics to the songs. Includes a number of never-released versions, remixes and different editions. les choses les plus simples (book) - Gabriel Yacoub - 21.99 A book of poetry/lyrics by Gabriel Yacoub Vox - Malicorne - 18.99 A collection of the vocal works of this seminal French folk-rock ensemble fonds de tiroir [1967] - Hughes de Courson and Patrick Modiano - 17.99 These two founding members of the seminal French folk-rock band Malicorne produced a recording of bitter songs with strange characters and daring, fresh arrangements by Bruno Coulais. In 1979 [the year Modiano wins the Prix Goncourt, France's utimate literature prize], the album is released with no succes at all... since then, fonds de tiroir 1967 has been a cult album, much coveted by French musicians, artists and the discerning public alike. Now it's here, and its quirky nature is yours to hear. . Cantigas de Santa Maria - Johannette Zomer and Antequera - 17.99 The Crusade against the Albigensians (in southern France) forced many musicians to take refuge in Spain. Collected by King Alphonse X, these cantigas are directly inspired by these artists as they adapted to their new situation in Spain. Zomer and the ensemble Antequera have explored these works and give them a unique, semi-formal presentation (classical? early music?) that has life and energy. Une Petite Lanterne - Alain Genty - 18.99 Breton musician Genty (fretless and electric bass, voice, keyboard and guitar) is joined on this 2004 release by a stellar ensemble of Jean-Michel Veillon (flutes), Jacky Molard (violon), Patrick Boileau (drums), Laurent Genty (piano), with special guest vocalist Yann-Fanch Kemener. This is big, high-production music, using vague folk roots to create a broad cinematic sound. While it's not for folkies, these things actually work once in a while, and genty seems to have succeeded. Lucettina - Jean-Marc Andres - 17.99 A marvelously quirky recording by a French banjo player and his Belle Epoque Ensemble (violon, piano, bass, accordion, guitar, cello and uke). He's lived in France, New York, Florida, the Caribbean and now back in France, his work shows all of these influences in a collection of original tunes, waltzes, ballads, blues shuffles and swing. Absolutely charming. Mademoiselle Marseille - Moussu T e lei Jovents - 17.99 Tatou and Blu of the Massilia Sound System join Brazilian percussionist Jamilson to explore the city of Marseilles, circa 1930. Provençal songs sit side by side with Vincent Scotto operettas, jazz, blues, Latin and Caribbean dance music evoking the coastline from Marseille to La Ciotat. This is unique French music, a rough-hewn acoustic sound, augmented by clever electronics, samples and audio archival snippets, all to create a psuedo-historical documentary that might be more true than the real thing. Ready'n Able - Stochelo Rosenberg - 17.99 Gypsy jazz guitarist with Mozes Rosenberg (guitar) and Soni Von Mullem (bass) Dialog - Yildirim Levent - 18.99 A powerful and unique recording by this Turkish percussionist, who performs on darbuka, daf, bendir, deholla, and other small percussion instruments, does some pyrotechnic 'mouth music' percussion, and on some tracks is accompanied by a small group of guests on bass, percussion, clarinet, baglama, tampura and ney Sud - ar su - Bagad Kemper - 17.99 The famous Breton 'bagad' (bagpipes, bombard and drums) covers the world, from the traditions of Brittany to the moods of Brazil to the jotas of Spain. Includes guest performances by Susanna Seivane and others. Hep Diskrog - Bagad Kemper - 17.99 On the occasion of their 50th anniversary in 2002, the bagad once again hits a lot of high marks in the tradition and out. Featured guest on one track is South African superstar Johnny Clegg, just to hint at their liberal diversity Tango Negro Trio - Juan Carlos Caceres, Marcelo Russillo, Carlos 'El Tero' Buschini - 17.99 Paris based singer, trombonist and pianist Caceres offers an idiosyncratic look at tango, infused with jazz and a far cry from the Piazzolla vision. Joined by Russillo on drums, El Tero on double bass and with guest Daniel Binelli bandoneon, the music is lush and deceptive, offering what on first hearing might seem light and easy, but upon closer inspection reveals itself to be quite unique and complex. Caceres is often compared to Paolo Conte, not only for his vocals, but for his sly arrangements and delivery. En concert que c'est - BD Swing Orchestra - 19.99 The BD Swing Orchestra has created a dynamic, explosive and festive sound through its distinctively youthful, open and convivial approach to traditional Breton music. 15 young musicians from the Trégor in Brittany merge their love of traditional music with their talent for revitalising it, plus a fair dose of good humour to create new music, from the past, but of its time. Reves Sauvages - Ti Jaz - 18.99 Starting with a band of bass, drums and accordion, this Breton ensemble have added the instruments of jazz: saxophones, and the instrument of ancient France: the bombarde, a raspy, woodwind with a bagpipe-like sound. So, too, have they melded these musical elements, the melodies and ideas of early French music with the improvisation of free jazz and the gut of rock. They pay hommage to the 'ideal jazz' bands of 1940s and players like Yves Menez, who used horns, fiddle, accordion and banjo to create a new French folk music. In that same spirit, Ti Jaz sprawl across the musical landscape, one minute a dark dirge on bombarde, the next firing off a slap bass and drum riff that would settle in nicely at The Knitting Factory. The eight instrumental works on Rêves Sauvages are sometimes chaotic, often lyrical and always challenging. They achieve power without electricity, a power intrinsic in the instruments and the source material.' - RootsWorld Alcoves - Alain Pennec - 17.99 Double jeu - Romane and Stochelo Rosenberg - 17.99 Swing guitarists Stochelo Rosenberg and Romane, accompanied by bass and drums presents a set of original tunes in the Gypsy swing-guitar style of Django. Also includes a unique interpretation of Brubeck's 'Blue Rondo a la Turk.' The Humours of Altan - Valerio - 17.99 Fiddler Kieran Fahy with Julie Biget (voice, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki and bodhran), Serge Desaunay (accordion) and Julien Favreuille (saxophone) bring Belgium and Ireland together quite nicely on a spirited set of tunes and songs that capture the tradition without being trapped in it. Includes a great interpreation of the Richard Thompson tune that gace the band its name. Tribal Musette - Les Primitifs du Futur - 15.99 2008 recording by Dominique Cravic and his outsized, wildly eclectic multi-ethnic Parisian ensemble, including mandolinist, cartoonist and illustrator Robert Crumb (who did the artwork for the CD), plus interesting guests: Sanseverino, Flaco Jimenez, Raul Barbosa, Mieko Miyazaki and many others. Highly recommended Chtildo - Rene Mailhes Trio - 18.99 René Mailhes first came to public notice in the 1950s. Breaking free of the long shadow of Django Reinhardt, he forged his own style, inspired by the work of American players like Barney Kessel, Jim Hall and Kenny Burell, and the bebop innovators Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. With sensitivity and lyricism, Mailhes gives musical expression to the diversity and depth of his emotions. On this intimate album, the melodic beauty of his solos, with their subtle harmonic development, poignant inflections and, above all, their sensitivity and emotion, form a passionate declaration of his love for music. His line-up includes Patrice Galas (piano) and Dominique Lemerle (bass), with guest vocalist Gilda Solve. Cafe Oran - Maurice el Medioni and his PianOrientale - 17.99 Pianist Maurice El Médioni combines North African, Andalusian, Jewish, Cuban and western jazz and pop with his ownunique keyboard technique. The backing orchestra is a stellar cast of Moroccan singer Michel Rebibo, Frank London on trumpet and David Krakauer on clarinet (both from the Klezmatics), bassist Sabah Habas Mustapha (of 3 Mustaphas 3), Egyptian percussionist Mahmoud Fadl, and drummer/percussionist Marco Maimaran. Ce soir là - Lo'Jo - 16.99 Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, North African, West African, English, Gypsy, Caribbean, and of course French influences are the raw materials for this amazing French ensemble. These diverse origins are united seamlessly by the gravelly voice of lead singer Denis Pean, the synchronized tones of singing sisters Nadia and Yamina, and the legacy of the band’s quirky origins as street performers. This is Lo’Jo’s first live CD and features 17 tracks, including some unreleased songs. Also includes a bonus a CD-Rom video (playable on Mac or PC) which features Lo’Jo performing the song 'Tangito' along with the acrobatic rope duo Les Sélène. The Triplets of Belleville - soundtrack - 16.99 When an album uses such devices as the spokes of a bicycle wheel and a vacuum cleaner to flesh out the backdrops of its songs, you know you're in for something interesting. Music from Sylvian Chomet's Academy Award-nominated animated film about a grandmother's search for her kidnapped grandson (with the help of the washed up Triplets of Belleville), the soundtrack echoes the film's quirky look at the roaring 20's. French-flavored retro-jazz and big band are the central influences across the album, which means plenty of horns, accordion and catchy rhythms. Throw a few more unorthodox instruments and you have a recipe for unusual vibes and smiles. an Eured - Daniel le Noan and Alain Micel - 18.99 Here is the pace and rhythm of an crazy day, a wedding in central Brittany. In the morning, the two families measure each other up, reserved. Then comes the the sounds of the rite and the priest... At the precise time the bell ringers entone their calling, jubilation comes forth, the match approved. Then comes the union and dance, songs and laughter follow one another. Daniel le Noan (bombard), Alain Michel (biniou - breton bagpipes) and their friends have attempted to recreate the sound of the wedding. An Eured will plunge you into the heart of an old tradition, as if you had received your very own invitation. The Trouble With Happiness - John Greaves - 16.99 Greaves is a multi-talented artist, known to some as the virtuoso bass player in some of the more interesting progressive groups of the 1970s - Henry Cow, National Health - and to others as a singer/songwriter, and crafter of sophisticated, witty and beautiful songs. This distinction may mislead one into thinking that there have been two (or more) very distinct phases in his career, yet John Greaves has always stood at the crossroads of several musical traditions, which he has fused into a highly distinctive body of work. He has released a number of solo albums and has appeared on albums by Peter Blegvad, Slapp Happy, Soft Heap, Michael Mantler, Michael Nyman, Pip Pyle and Robert Wyatt. Greaves was a key contributor to a musical movement that attempted to break away from the limitations of the rock format, by integrating elements of classical conceptualization as well as totally free improvisation, a dimension that set Henry Cow apart and firmly established the band's place in rock history. Les chemins des forains - Patrick Saussois and Alma Sinti - 17.99 Gypsy southpaw guitarist and his hotshot band; with guests Raul Barboza on accordion, Dominique Vernhes on clarinet, Enrico Granafei on harmonica and more. Accordeon: Nostalgic Poet of Paris - various - 15.99 Recordings from 1928 to 1944 by some of the greats of the romantic cafe accordion era includes performances by Maurice Alexander, Edith Piaf, Emile Vacher, Louis Vola, Fredo Gardoni and others Djangovision - Romane - 17.99 Romane (guitar), Benoît Sourisse (organ), André Charlier (drums), Marc-Michel Le Bévillon (double bass) Y va tomber des cordes - Les Pommes de ma douche - 17.99 Gypsy swing group, very Django-Grappelli-ish and a lot of fun: guitars, fiddle, bass, accordion... all instrumental boheme de cristal - Lo'Jo - 16.99 france french gypsy Au Cabaret sauvage (L'une des siens) - Lo'Jo - 16.99 The 2002 release from triban lo'jo Balamouk - Les Yeux Noirs - 16.99 Balamouk (literally insane asylum), is an irresistible invitation to participate in some of the most rhythmic and emotional sounds emanating from any part of the world. Part gypsy, part klezmer, Les Yeux Noirs (The Black Eyes) take the listener into Central European sounds and images. The Simple Things We Said - Gabriel Yacoub - 13.99 A collection of songs, including 4 in English, some old and some new, plus some previously unreleased. All are new recordings made in Paris in 2001. The album is all acoustic. chante par Xavier Grall - Dan Ar Braz - 9.99 Mondeolino - Oller and Company - 11.99 Testing for Discount - Test Item - 16.00 zczxczxc zxczxczcx zxczczxc zxczzxc zxczcxc zxczxczxc Testing for Discount Again - Test Item 2 - 20.00 zczxczxc zxczxczcx zxczczxc zxczzxc zxczcxc zxczxczxc Dibenn - Dibenn - temp out of stock 8 of Brittany's finest musicians come together to take the vocal tradtional of the region into new realms. An deiziou zo berr - Loened Fall - temp out of stock Traditional singing style accompanies the dances of Central Brittany (Kan ha Diskan) with guitar, fiddle and bombarde. A true modern fest noz, recorded live and featuring the voice of Marthe Vassalo. Clarinettes Armorigènes - Michel Aumont - temp out of stock-18.99 A remarkable solo effort by this Breton clarinetist, offering solo and multi-tracked clarinets. His unique, often percussive playing is mind-bending, and his sometomes 'prepared' and altered instruments often give the instrument completely unreal sounds. Spontus - Spontus - temp out of stock (18.99) Traditional and newly composed music from Brittany in the 'fest noz' style, played with youthful exhuberance by de Erwan Berenguer (guitare), Pascal Kermorvant (bombarde), Ronan Le Bozec (biniou koz), Yann Le Bozec (contrebasse), Alan Paranthoen (violon) et Youen Paranthoen (accordeon). Beo! - Jean-michel Veillon and Yvon Riou - temp out of stock Music for guitar and flute, bridging the Breton and the Celtic in beautiful and creative style Kornog IV - Kornog - temp out of stock-18.99 The 4th recording by this important Breton-Celtic band, recorded just before they disbanded, but not released until 2001. Encounter - Kej - temp out of stock-18.99 From Quimper, Brittany, this trio of flute, guitar and bass mix Breton tradition with jazz and contemporary art music a c'hoant - Darhaou - temp out of stock-18.99 Quintet from Brittany composed of clarinet, saxophone, bombard, wooden flute, guitar, bass and accordion create a solid breton dance music Gouez - À l'état sauvage - Loened Fall - temp out of stock-18.99 Another superb recording by a great Breton band. Their 1999 record has been a steady favorite around here, and this one surpasses expectations, offering a vibrant, rough-hewn vision of Breton folk music in the new century, played out on bombarde, voices, guitar and violin. Babel - Gabriel Yacoub - temp out of stock-18.99 1997 Dancings Des Bouts Du Monde - L'Attirail - temp out of stock-16.99 Xavier Demerliac (guitar, reeds and brass) and Jean Stéphane Brosse (piano and adion) are the founders of L'Attrail. Joined by various musicians, they create an imaginary road trip that journies through eastern Europe and Turkey, sometimes urban, sometimes rural, but always with a sense of wonder and surprise, a continuing changing of partterns that leaves the listener a bit disoriented, but happily along for the ride. Kara Deniz - L'Attirail - temp out of stock-16.99 The 6th album of music from the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean by this wonderful French band. The title means Black Sea in Turkish, symbolizing the meeting of Slav, Greek, Romanian, Albanian influences, and the convergence of Christian, Jewish, Muslim ideals of the region. `Formed as a duet by guitarist Xavier Demerliac, they are now a quintet, (plus a host of guests from all overt he region), playing trumpet, clarinet, doudouk, flutes, drums and percussion, double bass, accordion and violin. It's an imaginary landscape where Balkan, Gypsy, klezmer, cabaret, and more all peacefuly coexist in musical harmony. Accordeons Diatoniques en Bretagne - Various Breton accordionists - temp out of stock-17.99 A classic recording of diatonic accordion and its musical diversity in Brittany celebrated by seven Breton accordionists: Bernard Lasbleiz, Patrick Lefebvre, Yann Dour, Etienne Grandjean, Jacques Beauchamp, Christian Desnos and Alain Pennec. Daou-ha-daou - Perroches and Landreau - temp out of stock-17.99 An accordion. A violin. A microphone. No tricks. We play, that's all.' So say accordionist Yann-Fanch Perroches and fiddler Fanch Landreau . Both veterans of the Breton band Skolvan, these two artists have woven a master work of simplicity, just duets with no guests, no overdubs. Bacchanales - Alain Pennec Quartet - temp out of stock-17.99 Modern Breton music with deep roots, led by a master of the diatonic accordion in a unique quartet: Aurore Bréger (harp) Alain Pennec (diatonic accordion), Youenn Landreau (chapman stick) and Stéphane Barbier (percussion). The artists say: ...an original repertoire from the traditional Celtic universe with new harmonies and rhythms, together with compositions steeped in the different musical backgrounds of each musician. And above all it is four musicians wishing to share their musical passion and conviviality. An Droug Hirnez - Yann-Fanch Perroches - temp out of stock-17.99 Yann-Fanch Perroches offers an elegant look at the Breton buttonbox on this release. Formerly of Skolvan and a member of the remarkable Cocktail Diatonique, he plays the accordeon diatonique with amazing subtlety and skill. Joined by Glidas Boclés on double bass, Didier Squiban on piano and many others, this is an exploratory and revealing piece of work. Dakar - Bagad Men Ha Tan and Doudou N'diaye Rose - temp out of stock-16.99 The ensemble writes of thsi work: The music of « Doue Lann » was the framework for the encounter between the Bagad and the Senegalese percussionists of drum-master Doudou N'Diaye Rose. That show traveled throughout France in May and June 1998 and was an immense success. The encounter couldn't stop there. Doudou N'Diaye Rose indeed wished to record this astonishing cross-cultural mix..." Musique de Haute-Auvergne - Trio DCA - temp out of stock_16.99 Music of Avernge played masterfully by the trio of Anne-Lise Foy (vocals, vielle a roue), Hervé Capel (melodeon), and Dominique Paris (bagpipes). Tour à tour - Bouffard and Chabenat - temp out of stock-17.99 The 2006 release by this important French duo: Patrick Bouffard, acoustic hurdy-gurdy and Gilles Chabenat, electro-acoustic hurdy-gurdy. Guest artists: Frédéric Paris (Vocals, Melodeon, Bagpipes, Harmonium), Catherine Paris (Vocals), Tobie Miller (Renassance Flute) Listen Sao - Jerez-Texas - temp out of stock-17.99 Somewhere on a curve of classical, folklore, flamenco and jazz lies Saó, a recording by the French-Spanish trio of Ricardo Esteve (flamenco guitar), Matthieu Saglio (classical cello) and Jesús Gimeno (jazz percussion). Hotel Bergerac - Papillon - temp out of stock-17.99 An elegant Gypsy-jazz-inspired ensemble from Belgium that is centered on the wonderful vocals of Karla Verlie and a fine ensemble of musicians and singers: Gwen Cresens (accordeon), Jean Corti (accordeon), , Ben Faes (bass), Hendrik Braeckman (guitar), Koen De Cauter (voice, guitar, saxophone) and percussionists Cesar Janssens and Kobi Preosmans, with special guest Jean Corti on accordion. It's elegant. It swings. It's superb. Jardin d'amour - Jolie Vilaine - temp out of stock-18.99 Yann-Fañch Perroches (accordion), Véronique Bourjot (voice), Vincent Guérin (doublebass), Jean-François Roger (percussion) and Erwan Bérenguer (guitar) come together to produce an exciting new Breton sound, filled with surprises, deeply rooted and yet thoroughly new. fRoots says: 'One just has to sit back and bask in this aural beauty. No one should be surprised if Jolie Vilaine turn out to be the strongest influence in Breton music this decade.' Cliff says 'Highly Recommended!' Bateau Doré - La Chavannée - temp out of stock-17.99 Music from the Bourbonnais of France with Patrick Bouffard (vielle à roue [hurdy gurdy]), Frédéric Paris (vocals, melodeon, bagpipes, harmonium), Eric Elsner (bagpipes, flute), Jean-François "Maxou" Heintzen (vielle a roue), Eveline Paris (vocals), Manu Paris (bagpipes), Marc Peroneille (vielle à roue), Patrick Perot (fiddle, vocals), Catherine Paris (vocals), Camille Daumin (vocals). Cocktail Diatonique - Cocktail Diatonique - temp out of stock-17.99 Yann-Fañch Perroches (diatonic accrdion), Jaques Beauchamp (bagpipe), Patrick Lancien (diatonic accordion) and Ronan Robert (diatonic accordion, with specal guest Richard Galliano (chomatic accordion). Rabaterie - Trio Patrick Bouffard - temp out of stock-17.99 The trio's second recording - Patrick Bouffard (vielle a roue), Anne-Lise Foy (vocals, hurdy gurdy), and Cyril Roche (melodeon). Portrait de musicien - Alfred Mouret - temp out of stock-17.99 Portrait of a French Folk Violinist from Saint-Donat, Auvergne Malicorne 2 - Malicorne - temp out of stock-18.99 En Public - Malicorne - temp out of stock-18.99 La Nonchalante - Emmanuel Pariselle - temp out of stock-18.99 la bergere accordionist steps to the front, joined by his partners in the trio, Silvie Berger and Julien Biget, plus a few friends, for a unique recording of new music. Malicorne 1 - Malicorne - temp out of stock-18.99 Elementary Level of Faith - Gabriel Yacoub - out of print 1987 :Yacoub - Gabriel Yacoub - temp out of stock-18.99 2001 Trad Arr - Gabriel Yacoub - temp out of stock-17.99 One of Gabriel Yacoub's most popular recordings was this elegant and simple set of songs, arranged from the tradition and performed with an understatement that was a radical change from the high-tech sound that Malicorne had developed. Musicians include Marie Yacoub, Hughes de Courson, Barry Dransfield and Jean Blanchard Tri (collection) - Gabriel Yacoub - temp out of stock-18.99 A compilation from earlier recordings (pre 1999), and an excellent place to begin to learn about this unique artist. Bel - Gabriel Yacoub - temp out of stock-18.99 1990 Quatre - Gabriel Yacoub - temp out of stock 1994 Les cathedrales de l'industrie - Malicorne / Gabriel Yacoub - temp out of stock-18.99 Cathedrals of Industry is the recording that turned the tide in French folk-rock, a high-tech experiment that infuriated some old (folkie) fans with its electronics and sometimes calculated mechanisms. But it is also the recording that placed Malicorne in the new European avant garde, bringing the nation into the 'new roots' movement that Britain had already started. tout et son contraire - Michel Macias - temp out of stock-19.99 Accordionist Raul Barboza says of the Gascogne artist: "By listening to Michel Macias, one feels the earth with its sweet scents and hear the birds singing. The notes from his instrument tell stories, joyful, sad or nostalgic, as if they had always been stored in the magical box of his accordion. But it is undoubtedly his own spirit that speaks through this music and words are not needed to explain an idea or express an emotion ... I think that when his hands caress the keys of his accordion, Michel Macias can communicate everything." The performances are solo and in small ensemble with guiter, violin, percussion and bass with a few vocals. Pierre de Grenoble - Gabriel and Marie Yacoub - temp out of stock-18.99 This is the 1973 "acoustic Malicorne" recording of 1973, for some reason put under just the Yacoub name, but featuring all the major players from the band. Among the many 'classic; recordings made by the band, this one is probably the most sought after, and it is available again in a new edition. I virasolelhs - Lou Dalfin - temp out of stock-18.99 After a four year break, the Occitan band is back. The release of the I Virasolelhs (the sunflowers) is an opportunity to celebrate the twenty-five career of a band whose music has promoted the culture of the Occitan valleys of Piedmont. Guided by hurdy-gurdy maestro Sergio Berardo, Occitan music has come out of the local shadows to become known by global audience. Since the 90's, the band has put traditional instruments (hurdy-gurdy, accordeon, violin, horns) next to guitars, keyboards and drums, modernizing their music without radically changing their sound, keeping alive the traditional legacy of the valleys in which they were born. Bastian Contrari - Patrick Vaillant - temp out of stock-18.99 French mandolinist Patrick Vaillant's unique new recording, joined by a marvelous ensemble including Bijan Chemrrani (percussion for Iran), Serge Pesce (guitar), Benjamin Novarino Giana (voice) and Lucien Massuco Search for more