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Beyond the Roots While music with 'roots' is my main interest, I also have an interest in music that blurs the boundaries between folk, roots jazz and rock. This section will highlight just a few of the CDs from beyond the roots that I carry.
En Forme De Poire - Melonious Quartet
- 18.99 8 Armed Monkey - KTU - 16.99 Finnish accordionists Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen (Kluster) join Pat Mastelotto and Trey Gunn (percussion and guitar from King Crimson and duo TU) for a round of agressive, loud and utterly unclassfiable new music. Burlesque - Bellowhead - 17.99 I have tried to tone down the prose to write this description, but what can I do? This is a remarkable recording, a shock to the sytem. fROOTS' Colin Erwin calls it "Astonishing!" It's Brecht meets Childe in Copeland's backyard, chats with Coltrane and dances with brass monkeys. This 11 piece band of notorious trad-arr hipsters (including Spiers and Boden and Benji Kirkpatrick) plays accordions, fiddles and such, punched into high gear by brass band and strings, and all manner of exceptional strangeness ensues. It's all traditional, in a sense, but like nothing you have heard before. Bonus: the package is a small, lovely hardcover book with lyrics, photos (wild!) and more. Rimfaxe - Gjallarhorn - 17.99 The new CD (2006) from this innovative and agressively creative Finnish new-roots ensemble Yizkor: Music of memory - Chevan, Nizrahi and Afro-Semitic Experience - 12.99 Composer and bassist David Chevan's Afro-Semitic Experience is joined by Jewish cantor Alberto Nizrahi for a contemporary look at Yizkor, a memorial service when sinners seek atonement, remember those who have passed before and contemplate the the transience of life. Carefully fusing modern American jazz, older American roots and ancient Hebrew traditions is no easy task, but Chevan and company prove more than up to the task on this 2008 exploration of modern American spiritually and musical experimentation. Silent City - Kayhan Kalhor and Brooklyn Rider - 16.99 Kayhan Kalhor has performed and recorded with Iran's greatest singers and instrumentalists and toured the world as a soloist. He co-founded the Dastan, Ghazal and Masters of Persian Music ensembles and has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, the Orchestre National de Lyon, and others. In addition to his work as a performer, Kalhor's compositions have been used for various television and film projects. He is also is an original member of Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project and his works are heard on all of the Ensemble's albums. Three of his recordings, including his two previous World Village releases, Faryad and Without You, were nominated for Grammy® Awards. The innovative, genre-bending string quartet Brooklyn Rider (Johnny Gandelsman and Colin Jacobsen, violins, Nicholas Cords, viola and Eric Jacobsen, cello), is named for the members' beloved New York borough and Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) — a German expressionist movement that flourished during the early twentieth century. The quartet has been challenging and delighting audiences ever since its inception by dividing its time between exploring traditional classical repertoire, new music and fervently adventurous intercultural explorations. Aside from their affiliation with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Project, Brooklyn Rider has worked with composers such as Chen Yi and Kayhan Kalhor and performers such as violinist Jenny Scheinman and visual artist Kevork Mourad. Force Majeure - Jokke Schreurs - 17.99 Elegant Belgian guitarist, accompanied by upright bass and guitar, performs straight-ahead jazz in the lineage of Django, but certainly not hemmed in by the Gypsy's legacy. 9 pieces, most originals, with works by Piazzolla, Tchaikowsky, Coltrane and one trad tune filling out the set. Heart of Andes - Guy Klucevsek - 16.99 A series of solo accordion pieces by a master of the instrument, compositions by Klucevsek, Philip Johnston, Dave Douglas and Dmitri Shostakovich. E40 - Dazibao - 19.99 The second release by this wonderful Belgian ensemble will surely garner as much acclaim as their previous CD, Alma. The diatonic accordions of Sophie Cavez and Jonathan de Neck are still in the forefront, musically and compositionally, but this 2007 release offers a more confident ensemble sound, a little richer in jazz roots while still solidly enthralled the folk roots of their region. Exceptional music from an exceptional ensemble, once again. Nia maro - Daniele Sepe - 18.99 I know I say it almost every time he does a recording, but there really is no one like Sepe in the musical world, a composer and musician with a unique vision of his world, both musical and social, and an artist both global and local simultaneously. This recording is one of his more adventuous, and yet it is remarkably also one of his more 'rooted' although those roots spread all across the Mediteranean basin. The New Village - Enzo Favata Tentetto (featuring Tenores di Bitti) - 18.99 Sardinian musician and composer Favata has been roiling the roots-jazz of Italy for decades now, recording Cds and playing more than 2,000 concertsaround the world. He fuses tradition with a contemporary sense, forging a new music form folk, jazz and avant garde elements that are strictly original. He has studied classical and jazz saxophone, plays the soprano, sopranino and tenor sax, and the bass clarinet, as well as other ethnic wind instruments from Sardinia and elsewhere. Adding Latin, African and middle eastern influences, he has come up with a creative and original new sound that pays homage to the jazz greats while being beholden to no one. This recording features the incredible Tenores di Bitti, who offer not only their voices, but the inspiration of their melodies that are infused into the very core of Favata's new compositions. Suite per bandoneon e orchestra - Daniele Bonaventura - 19.99 The bandoneon master performs two new major compositions, a suite for bandoneon and orchestra, and Piccolo Requiem for Solo Bandoneon. Sentimental Streak - Catherine Russell - 18.99 A collection of songs that hightlight this jazz singers vocal range. 14 tracks of jazz, blues and torch songs recorded at Levon Helm Studios by producer Larry Campbell (who has recorded Dylan, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, and Abbey Lincoln and adds his own mandolin, guitar, resonator guitar, violin, and pedal steel). Matt Munisteri on guitar and banjo, Lee Hudson on acoustic bass, and Larry Ham or Mark Shane on piano with guest musicians include Byron Isaacs of Ollabelle on acoustic bass, Rachelle Garniez on accordion, James Wormworth on drums, Howard Johnson on tuba, and from the Levon Helm Band, Steven Bernstein on trumpet, cornet, and slide trumpet, Erik Lawrence on saxophones, and Brian Mitchell on piano. Nubiska Natter - H3FK - 17.99 Mixing influences from the likes of John Coltrane and Anouar Brahem with their own unique style, this ensemble offers an unorthodox vision. The group started out as a double trio mixing modern jazz with Arabic folk music, but have now reached a point where the borders are blurred and the feeling is completely natural and original. The compositions are written for the whole ensemble, but also includes trio and quartet pieces, with elements of Arabic, Middle-Eastern, Gypsy and Swedish folk and pop. Tuttipari - ipercussonici - 17.99 The “marranzano”, Sicilian for jew's harp is the core of this band from Catania. In this project there is all of Sicily, the ancient Trinacria and the modern island as different rhythms and instruments intertwine with the sound of an electrified jew's harp and the beat of primitive drums. Dum dum and didjeridoo become the drum n' bass for the syncopated, psychedelic raids of the electric jew's harp; tambourine and djembč create African-Sicilian rhythms, with the voice switching between sea and urban chants, serenade and ragamuffin. Sicily is celebrated and criticized with energy, involvement, collectivity and passion. Fuori dal Paradiso - Piero Brega - 17.99 One of the most beautiful voices of Italian popular music, winner of the Ciampi Award in 2005 with his debut record "Come Li Viandanti", is back with his second work, "Fuori dal paradiso", a record of original songs written by Brega and Martire, arranged by Mark Hamlyn and produced in collaboration with the Gianni Bosio Club. The record, twelve tracks, expresses the origins and the relevance of Brega's music, who, since his beginnings in the '70's with the Canzoniere del Lazio, has always loved the contamination of the tradition with the driving force of the rhythmic instruments. Also in "Fuori dal paradiso" music and words flow in a series of tales and colours, moving from waltzes to ethnic suggestions. Brega is in love with Rome and with its dialect, and gives us a well-balanced record in which personal stories mix easily with fantastic tales. Uccelli - Teatro Settimo - 17.99 The soundtrack of the theatre version of Aristophanes' "The Birds" presented at the Spoleto Festival in June 1996 as performed by Banda Osiris, Aringa & Verdurini, Paolo Pizzimenti, Anna Coppola and many other singers and musicians from the Italian music world. Baqshish - Francesco Banchini - 17.99 Banchini’s previous works have taken him from the study of classical and Medieval music to music therapy to southern Italian folk music to the traditions of Balkans and the Mediterranean. This is a CD bursting with colour and flavour, where original compositions blend with traditional Mediterranean songs and melodies. As well as various types of clarinet he plays nay, flute, chalumeaux, piano, while his own voice broadens the sound further. Accompanying him on the record are a group of fine musicians including Davide Della Monica (guitar), Cristiano Della Monica (percussion), Francesco Migliaccio (accordion) and Manuela Salinaro (darabouka, cajon, frame drums). Wameedd - Kamilya Jubran and Werner Hasler - 19.99 Kamilya Jubran (voice and oud) and Werner Hasler (electronic instruments) have found a startling new vehicle for middle eastern texts that is both deeply ancient and human while stridently modern, not designed for the dance floor but presented in a robust, thoughtful, art-music approach. Jubran, well-known for her many years as a lead member of the Palestinian art ensemble Sabreen, finds a totally new path for her vision and voice in the unique aural landscapes created by Swiss musician Hasler. Bellemeade Sessions - Michael Hurley - 17.99 Some rough and tumble sessions by Hurley and a few friends made between between 1994 and 1998 are, as Hurley puts it, 'a return to the Land of Lo-Fi.' It's the real (raw) deal. 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 Anatomy of a Coup - Sacha Silva - 12.99 An unusual ensemble mixes flamenco, Indian classical and modern music with heady questions of personal and political issues, music, as the band says, 'that reads the newspaper.' An original sound, adventurous but rooted in traditions from around the world, and not a hint of "world-beat' or 'world fusion.' Highly recommended E40 - Dazibao - 19.99 The second release by this wonderful Belgian ensemble will surely garner as much acclaim as their previous CD, Alma. The diatonic accordions of Sophie Cavez and Jonathan de Neck are still in the forefront, musically and compositionally, but this 2007 release offers a more confident ensemble sound, a little richer in jazz roots while still solidly enthralled the folk roots of their region. Exceptional music from an exceptional ensemble, once again. Notefalls - Guy Klucevsek and Alan Bern - 17.99 In 2000, accordionist Klucevsek recorded for the first time with Alan Bern, widely known through the Jewish group Brave Old World. The two met again to play original compositions written for dance companies and found common ground in such genres as tone poems, songs with folk and jazz elements, and sound sculptures that play with reverb and special room reflections.Guy Klucevsek: accordion, piano; Alan Bern: accordion, melodica, piano, MIDI keyboard Aldrig fĺr jeg fred - Tumult - 16.99 The Third recording by the Danish folk-rock ensemble is by far the most broad in scope, and complete in execution. From hard rockers to folk ballads, their never miss a beat as they forge ahead. cinema novo - Massot-Florizoone-Horbaczewski - 18.99 So what can you can do with an accordion a tuba and a cello? The three instruments have a lot in common: they are well equipped with a big sound, an imaginary character, a large register and a photogenic outfit. This band pusheds their limits in a creative new way. Michel Massot - tuba, euphonium, trombone; Tuur Florizoone - chromatic accordeon; Marine Horbaczewski - cello. Marcel - Olla Vogala - 18.99 Olla Vogala offers a fascinating and unusual interpretation of music, word and sound, making multi-culti and multi-ethnicity much more than hollow phrases. This large ensemble is led by Belgian composer and violinist Wouter Vandenabeele. The luckless lands of the North - aNoo - 16.99 aNoo is a group led Brussels based Finn, Anu Junnonen. Anu started playing piano at the age of seven and added flute a few years later. She got the kick for jazz in her teens from playing saxophone and jamming with friends, with whom she also created a local junior big band in order to perform modern -tunes and Finnish compositions. She is accompanied by accordion, trombone, acoustic bass and drums on a set of original and unusual songs. Listen BBB - Mr Diagonal and the Black Light Orchestra - 18.99 A marriage between 2 unusual traditions: British music-hall and Belgian surrealism. OK, what more can I say than that?! Daniel Barbenel (piano, voice); Grégoire Tirtiaux (saxaphone, bass, voice); Eric Bribosia (keyboards, voice); Yannick Dupont (drums, vibraphone, glockenspiel, electronics) and Quentin Manfroy (flutes). Listen Kriya - Kriya - 16.99 Many of you already know Pauliina Lerche's accordion experiments with various global music sources, and her partner Peter Lerche's work on the guitar in similar modes. Kriya (work or process in Sanskrit) is the culmination of those explorations. The members of Kriya come from various musical backgrounds; Finnish traditional music, rock and the classical Indian (Hindustani) tradition. Songs are sung in Finnish and Sanskrit. While the folk roots are stong, this music is emphatically contemporary with strong hues of rock and jazz. PresenteRemoto - Riccardo Tesi - 18.99 A full blown ensemble release by the master organetto player from Italy. A great ensemble that includes Stefano Bollani, Elena Ledda, Ginevra Di Marco, Gianmaria Testa, Daniele Sepe, Gavino Murgia, Patrick Vaillant, Gabriele Mirabassi and of course, Tesi's Banditaliana. Highly recommended, like everything Tesi does. Jardin d'amour - Jolie Vilaine - 16.99 Yann-Fańch 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!' With mallets and strings - Ildikó Vékony - 17.99 Performances on solo cimbalom of J.S. Bach's 'Partita No. 3 in E major' and 'Sonata No. 1 in G minor.' The artist says: 'Why this music? ...you may ask. Some pieces I have been playing for ages; others I have always wanted to play. Some are not really my world, (but sometimes we long for another world); some are pieces I have been waiting for, and yet I needed years to uncover their deeper meaning. And some have jolted me out of my habits, highlighting for me the moment when a sound is born.' Soul Science - Justin Adams, Juldeh Camara - 17.99 Buzzing bass lines, no-holds-barred guitar licks, tough but playful rhythms, searing fiddle riffs, percussive groundswells and ancient-rooted vocals, Soul Science is less of a cross-cultural collaboration than a fascinating dispatch from an entirely new nation.Evoking the blues from several continents, American rock 'n' roll, a hot Sahel afternoon and desert evenings, Justin Adams (electric and acoustic guitars, Tamashek lute, percussion, banjo, vocals) and Juldeh Camara (lead vocals, one-string fiddle, West African banjo, percussion) and the tight rhythm section of Salah Dawson Miller (percussion) and Billy Fuller (bass), have achieved a synthesis instigated by centuries of history refracted through the kaleidoscope of the information age. Already an international sensation, Soul Science was nominated for "best album" in the "Culture Crossing" category at the annual BBC World Music Awards, and was selected among the "top 100 albums of the year" by both fRoots and Songlines magazines. Highly Recommended Tan Dun: Pipa Concerto; Hayashi; Takemitsu - Wu Man, Yri Bahsmet, and Moscow Soloists - 18.99 Wu Man offers the world premiere of Tan Dun's Concerto for Pipa, as well as Hikaru Hayashi's Concerto-Elegia and Toru Takemitsu's Nostalgia "In Memory of Andrei Tarkovsky". Performers include Yuri Bashmet, a recognized virtuoso violist, violinist, and champion of new music. Founder of the Moscow Soloists, here he leads the acclaimed chamber ensemble in their third Onyx project together. The well-filled disc features two premiere recordings 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 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-Shanghaďensemble 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. Liberte Creativite Feminite - Sabina Manetti - 18.99 Liberté Creativité Feminité presents a strong vocalist from Tuscany in a solid mix of roots and jazz, accompanied by a straight ahead jazz ensemble of bass, drums, pianos, percussion, with accordion and violin. This is the first I have heard her, and she's a voice to hear. 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. Lę's postproduction then crafts these performances into a piquant series of moving and thrilling world-jazz tracks. Kronomakia - Daniele Sepe, Ensemble Micrologus, Und Rote Jazz Fraktion - 18.99 Neopolitan arranger, composer and saxophone player Sepe, joined by two ensembles, takes on the early music of Italy in his usual shocking style, seamlessly joining jazz, classical and early art music into a beautiful whole. Al Qantarah - Ammaraciccappa - 18.99 This Salentine ensemble have a lot of phrases for their music: "electro-world+salento+maghrebi, ecstatic rhythms of south Italy, desert voices and metropolitan sounds." They make thoroughly modern Italian music, completely rooted in the ancient past, and totally beyond classification or pigeon-holes. Highly recommended. trend & trend - Bassignano and Luzzi - 18.99 This is an odd one, and probably only completely engaging if you can speak Italian. What is it? Weel, a small but opulent radio musical (RAI Radio Uno) in which two jesters Ernesto Bassignano and Ezio Luzzi (aka "bax and lux") crack their best jokes, introduce famous guests and play original songs for over four hundred thousand listeners. Important Italian musicians, film-makers, comedians and writers such as Venditti, Monicelli, Proietti, Vaime, Arbore, Bergonzoni, Frassica, Riondino, Piera Degli Espositi and others, demonstrate how it can be possible to participate in a funny radio show with good taste and absolute freedom of expression. Satyricon Circus - Satyricon Circus - 18.99 A rich new musical production, the work of composer Gabriele Coen (Klezroym), Mario Rivera (Agricantus) and Vito Ranucci, with participation from Barbara Eramo, Gabriel Zagni, Maria Letizia Gorga, Federica Vincenti and Gianni Santucci. La Tarantella: Antidotum Tarantulae (SACD) - Lucilla Galeazzi, Marco Beasley,L'Arpeggiata and Christina Pluhar - 17.99 A fascinating, original crossover of folk and classical, with the musicians of the Renaissance ensemble L'Arpeggiata joining the illustrious singers Galeazzi and Beasley, performed on modern and ancient instruments including chitarra battente, lutes, harp, psaltry. With Alfio Antico, Eero Palviainen, Marcello Vitale and many other fine musicians. 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. Son de los diablos - Tonadas afro-hispanas del Perú - Diana Baroni and Sapukai - 17.99 The record label says 'Far from the stereotypes of pseudo-Peruvians in publicity and the subway, this recording approaches the same sources of Andean music, mixing pre-Colombian music and the contributions of the conquistadores with the music of African slaves brought to the region.' The result is a formal 'art music' approach that finds both the formaility of the composition and the raw energy of the source material. BNB - ein song frĺ dei utsungne stunder - Berit Opheim, Nils Okland and Bjorn Kjellemyr - 17.99 Berit Opheim, Nils Řkland and Bjřrn Kjellemyr are inspired by a wide variet y of classic styles but find common ground in the field of improvisation.Berit Opheim has won the traditional Landskappleiken with her shining vocal. Nils Řkland is an extraordinary music who plays fiddle, hardanger fiddle and viola d 'amore. Bjřrn Kjellemyr's double bass and his recent fondness of the colascione, a bass lute from the Renaissance, adds the appropriate gravity to this recording, performed live in the Ullensvang church in Norway. There is a deep tradition here, but also an untamed avant garde, and together they make BNB a highly recommended CD. Il Ritorno Alla Fede Del Cantante Di Jazz - Enrico Fink - 17.99 'The Jazz Singer's To Faith' is an exploration into Italian Semitic tradition from a decidely modern viewpoint by one of Italy's premier Jewish musicians. With Amit Arieli,clarinet; Stefano Bartolini,saxophones; Arlo Bigazzi,bass, Percussion, programming; Enrico Fink, voice, flute, programming; Alessandro Francolini, acoustic guitar; Filippo Pedol, double bass; Guglielmo R. Gagliano, programming and featuring Orio Odori and la Banda Improvvisa. Tutti baci - Savina Yannatou and Elena Ledda - 18.99 The 2006 excursion by these superb Greek and Italian vocalists, includes Mauro Palmas and Primavera En Salonico. It's a bold statement, acoustic but agressively new. Sumiglia - Savina Yannatou - 17.99 The 2005 recording by Yannatou and Primavera en Salonico is positively superb, with a rich beauty and a vital edginess that rises above genre. Chants, Hymns and Dances - Tsabropoulos and Lechner - 16.99 Compositions by Gurdjieff and Vassilis Tsabropoulos, performed by pianist Tsabropoulos and Anja Lechner on violincello. the pieces are boundary crossing experiments in multi-cultural classicism and contemporary minimalism, often mournful, occasionally spritely. Sangam - Trygve Seim - 17.99 A cross-referencing of jazz, contemporary composition and diverse world folk traditions bring this second recording by the Norwegian saxophonist and composer to the forefront of his output. He draws inspiration from musical and non-musical sources both local and far-flung, bringing these influences to bear on compositions and arrangements that are uniquely personal, and executed by a phenomenal ensemble of Hĺvard Lund clarinet, bass clarinet; Nils Jansen bass saxophone, contrabass clarinet; Arve Henriksen trumpet; Tone Reichelt french horn; Lars Andreas Haug tuba; Frode Haltli accordion; Morten Hannisdal cello; Per Oddvar Johansen drums; Řyvind Brćkke trombone; Helge Sunde trombone. Paroles de Swing - Angelo Debarre and Ludovic Beier - 18.99 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. Moonshout - Trans-Global Underground - coming soon-temp out of stock-14.99 The 2007 release by this uncategorizable British globalpop band pushes yet more buttons and borders. Book of Longing - Philip Glass / Leonard Cohen - 19.99 Based on the poetry of Leonard Cohen, a song cycle composed for ensemble, singers, spoken word and imagery is the culmination of years of mutual admiration between these two artists. The piece features new music by Philip Glass that is inspired by Cohen poems and artwork. In addition to narration by Leonard Cohen, this recording features the composer on keyboard and longtime collaborator Michael Riesman conducting The Philip Glass Ensemble. Glass's composition evokes the magic in Cohen's most intimate prose with uncommon clarity. Includes a deluxe digipack with the full libretto and Leonard Cohen's original artwork.st-horoya Rumi - Lu (Luisa Cottifogli) - 16.99 Italian singer and composer Cottifogli returns in 2006 with a new solo project that expands on the explorations started in her superb (and sadly, out of print) Aio nene. Innovative arrnagements that delve into the 21st century via ancient roots are executed by a fine ensemble of piano, percussion, chitarra battente, guitars, flutes, electronics, reeds and strings, all focused on one of Italy's finest young voices. A heavier emphasis on samples and electronics is balanced by chorale vocals, classical strings and a total awareness of the roots of the music, be they sacred or profance. This is a unique and challenging recording that offers new rewards with each listen. Dype, stille, sterke, milde - Skruk and Nymark Collektive - 19.99 'deep still strong mild' is a captivating choir record that highlights what Skruk is all about. This album presents Norwegian popular religious songs performed with a small jazz ensemble. The Great Polka Swindle - Polkaholix - 17.99 The band says: 'No Polka - no fun! Without Polka there is no TexMex, no Merengue, no Ska, no Punk, no - I don't know what. Firstly: no Rock'n Roll. - What, you didn't know that?' Well, they do it all... and more, with high energy, great musicianship and lots of attitude. Motion Rootz Experimental 2006 - Village Kollective - 17.99 Three musicians from the Warsaw Village Band and a number of fellow Polish musicians create a brash fusion of electronic sounds with live instruments and singing. Traditional Polish and European roots together with the computer score constitute an integrated circuit, creating a new sound space in which expression of the words of the 'folk' can take full form. Musicians use traditional singing techniques: throat singing from Tuva and yoik of the Sami people. Original melodies also serve as an inspiration for individual creativivity and instrumental improvisation. Electronic music is a merger of electro, dub and drum'n'bass. It's thoroughly modern and not for the tradition-bound, but if you have an open ear, you might want to listen. Kalmuk (CD) - Kimmo Pohjonen - 17.99 Vitamine K - Klezmic Zirkus - 18.99 Original compositions and traditional themes from Eastern Europe are spiced up with jazz, classical, rock, folk and reggae to create a copletely personal musical style. Aurélie Charneux (clarinet), Julien De Borman (diatonic accordion), Adrien Lambinet (trombone, tuba), Pierre Greco (double bass), and Wouter Roggemans (drums) Listen Hostslov - Frode Alnćs, Arild Andersen, Stian Carstensen - 17.99 The third in the seasonal song cycles by Norwegian jazz artists Stian Carstensen (accordion), Frode Alnćs (acoustic and electric guitars) and Arild Andersen (bass), Hřstslřv explores autumn in original compositions and classics like Try To Remember, Vivaldis Hřst sequeing into Singing In The Rain, September Song, Harvest Moon, Autumn Leaves and many others from both American pop and Nordic traditions. Will There Be Spring - Maria Solheim - 17.99 Norwegian pop, pure and simple, from a fine female vocalist with a quirky sense of timing and arrangement. (Lyrics in English) Live in Frankfurt 82 - Bitter Funeral Beer Band w Don Cherry, K. Sridhar - 17.99 A remarkable concert recording of innovative trumpeter Cherry and sarod master Sridhar, joined by a stellar cast of Swedish, African, American musicians including Bengt Berger, Atsimevu, Anita Livstrand, Matthias Helldén, Christer Bothén, and many more. Tradizioni - Sud Sound System - 17.99 Alhambra - Gabriele Coen and Atlante Sonoro - 17.99 Gabriele Coen is one of the founders of Klezroym. This is his second solo album with the Atlante Sonoro project.Featuring Pietro Lussu on piano, Marco Loddo on bass and Luca Caponi on drums, Gabriele Coen (soprano and tenor sax and clarinet) is exploring fascinating places the border lands between the sunny landscapes of Mediterranean music and contemporary jazz. This project also includes Lutte Berg on guitar, playing on two different tracks. The different pages of this Atlante Sonoro are Hebrew music from eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, various European jazz traditions and the arabesques of Alhambra. Cammenann - SOS - 17.99 They blend Mediterranean sound and Neapolitan lyrics, and as they put it, 'contaminations melt down to create a half-caste and strange rock.' They start the journey in a Naple's neighbourhood, taking inspiration by the' 'Neapolitan Sound' of the 80’s (Pino Daniele, Avitabile, Senese, E’ Zezi and Almamegretta) and add Egyptian, Nigerian, Senegalese and Algerian influences to make a melting pot of styles, races, cultures and traditions. Habibi - Agricantus - 16.99 A 2005, mostly live recording from the 2004 and 2005 European tour of the well-known Italian world-fusion ensemble. Includes two new studio recordings, as well. Among the notable performances are a solo on various wind instruments by Mario Crispi and a Mario Rivera one-man drum'n'bass extravaganza. Stari Most - Stefano Saletti and Piccola Banda Ikona - 17.99 The latest work by Stefano Saletti (founder and leader of Novalia) and the Piccola Banda Ikona, a newly formed group that brings together members of Nuklearte), Agricantus, Novalia, Nando Citarella Band, Acustimantico, Klezroym and others to explore the culture and language of the mediterranean basin in a most contemporary way. Ronde Noe - Nidi d'Arac - 17.99 Garage Tango - Gigi - 12.99 An evocation of bellows instruments (accordion, bandoneon, etc) are blended with pop-dance arrangements in an unusual and surprisingly satisfying montage. In this CD, the first 'virtual accordion' (Roland V-accordion) was used; its physical sound modelling technology enables the musicians to express their creativity to sweep unexplored musical genres. Luigi Bruti, who’s responsible for Roland’s musical laboratory, is also the author of this musical instrument. Katzen Kapell - Katzen Kapell - 17.99 Katzen Kapell say they have invented a musical style of their own, in an unusual combination of instruments certainly creates an original sound. The band is Catharina Backman on accordion and vocals; Eva Lindal on violin, Magnus Andersson on Wurlitzer organ, keyboards and vocals; Kjell Nordeson plays marimba and vibraphone, Lasse Lundbom on drums and percussion and Gustaf Hielm does bass. (Originally released in 1994) Bellow Poetry - Maria Kalaniemi - 15.99 Maria K's 2005 release is a solo recording that examines the potential of accordion in the Finnish rune song and lament tradition. Highly recommended. Etsijä (Seeker) - Suden Aika - 16.99 Liisa Matveinen and Tellu Turkka return for a seond set of wonderful vocal works, joined by Katarlina Alras and Nora Vauru. Austere, beautiful arrangements of 13 pieces for voice, some accompanied by moraharpa and kantele. Zolo- Finnish works for accordion - Matti Rantanen - 17.99 Solo accordion performances by Matti Rantanen of works by 20th and 21st century Finnish composers. Hypnogol - Aurelia - 18.99 The second recording by the trio Aurélia: Aurélie Dorzée (violin, alto, voice), with Tom Theuns on guitars and vocals; Stephan Pougin on percussion. Guest musicians Michel Massot (tubas) and Sara Salverius (accordéon chromatique) fill out the ensembles unique, edgy sound in this slightly skewed tale of the sea. Singapore - Grupa Palotaď - 18.99 The ensemble of composer Csaba Palotaď (guitar, baritone guitar, percussion), with Rémi “Wildmimi” Sciuto on alto, baritone and sopranino sax,Thomas de Pourquery on alto and soprano sax, Nicolas Mathuriauon drums, percussion and Didier Havet - sousaphone offers a personal and chaotic musical experience, part film noir, part jazz, all original. Listen Árgyélus - Mihaly Dresch Quartet - 18.99 Hungarian saxophonist and compoer Mihály Dresch 's 2007 release. The artist says: I have the feeling that people today are missing a kind of organic musical culture based on a clear overview of a system, typical for example of traditional Indian music or the Transylvanian music of our ancestors. Yet it would seem that at present we are unable to create a new musical system at this level, so we try, piecemeal fashion, to tack together the systems we consider important. The result of this ‘piecing together’ is inevitably a fragmentary culture. Listen Up Close - Berger Knutsson Spering - 17.99 Swedish musicians Bengt Berger, drums Jonas Knutsson, saxophones Christian Spering, bass recorded this set of songs at Studios La Buissonne in Provence. It includes original works, an interpretation of a South Indian piece, trad/arrs of some Swedish polskas as well as Paul Motians 'It should have happened a long time ago' and Ellington's 'In A Sentimental Mood.' Jazz as only the Scandinavians play it. haize vihalak - Pello Ramirez - 16.99 Basque accordion and cello player who often plays with Benito Lertxundi, in his own set of contemporary compositions, accompanied by piano Neverland Fusion - Yildirim Levent - 17.99 The leader of a new generation of darbuka players in Turkey, inspired by both the Egyptian and Turkish traditions and by the technique of the Indian maestros. This new album contains two solo pieces, but the bulk of the eight tracks feature him playing with both traditional instruments and contemporary electronics and programming in a fusion of styles. The disc is accompanied by a free bonus DVD with live and studio footage and an interview. East Off Europe: Closing the Circle - Boris Kovac - 17.99 With the Ritual Nova Ensemble, composer/saxophonist Kovac once again explores the world of genre-less music. Anamnesis - Ecumenical Mysteries - Boris Kovac - 17.99 The Serbian composer's 1998 work is dedicated to mystics N. Berdjiaev and G. I. Gurdjieff and performed by the Ritual Nova Ensemble. Dea - Mau Mau - 17.99 The hard driving multi-culti band from Turin are back with a Brazilian inflection that always returns to Italy, particularly the Salento, and France. This 2007 release shows they are still the band to imitate in Italy! U Diavule E L'acqua Sante - Uaragniaun - 17.99 The fifth album for Uaragniaun, a key group in the research and rediscovery of Southern Italian folk music. It has an unbelievably great cover, although I am not certain what it means... [Felmay] Ting Qui: Listening to Autumn - Fung Liao aka Lars Fredriksson - 17.99 Swedish born conductor Fung Liao, aka :ars Fredriksson, directs 108 singing Chinese crickets, which belive it or not, is a long respected Chinese tradition. It is strangely beautiful and alluring. Sweet Warrior - Richard Thompson - 16.99 The Brit guitar hero and cynical songwriter returns with a full blown electric album, finally. Nothing new under the sun, RT just simply continues to pour forth with dark wit and solid music. What else can I say? I am addicted. Sha - Peeni Waali and Schildpatt - 16.99 The 2006 brainchild of the amazing Fizze of Switzerland. He says: 'Sound-stalking through Alpine and Persian inflections, drum n' bass oriental improvisations, remixes, dubs, ambiances,collages and genuine creations...' Features santur master Alan Kushan. Les noces de dada: The Music of Frank Zappa - Struber Z'tett - 17.99 Zappa was a fan of Stravinsky and Varčse, a rocker and a musical philosopher who crossed boundaries without fear. Bernard Struber's ensemble Struber Z'tett pays homage to the late, great musical genius in daring a adventurous arrangements completely up to the master's vision. 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. Cipity Lorinc - Szaloki Agi - 17.99 Szalóki Ági's Cipity Lörinc is the Hungarian singer's 2007 release, a unique album for children, folk songs from Transylvania and the Uplands arranged by her band (guitar, cello, bass, percussion, with guests on piano, flute, bagpipe and violin), as well as settings of poems by Ágnes Nagy Nemes and Sándor Weöres performed by two noted actors, Mari Kiss and János Kulka. Amid the Noise - So Percussion - 18.99 The New York City percussion ensemble breaks out of their "Bang on a Can" composers fix and perform their own original material. This CD/DVD finds So members Treuting, Adam Sliwinski, and Lawson White experimenting with glockenspiel, toy piano, vibraphones, bowed marimba, melodica, tuned and prepared pipes, metals, a wayward ethernet port, and all kinds of sound programming conceived as an audio accompaniment to Jenise Treuting’s films of street scenes in Manhattan and Tokyo. Arv - Arild Andersen - 18.99 Bassist Arild Andersen's epic Nordic folk and jazz fusion, with Nana Vasconcelos on percussion, Kirsten Brĺten Berg on vocal, munnharpe, langeleik, and Bendik Hofseth on tenor and soprano saxophones. Recorded in 1993 - how did I miss this one all these years? Highly recommended. I vrochi apo kato (The rain from below) - Thanasis Papakonstantinou - 19.99 More musical wonder and strangeness in 2006 from the Greek laikadelica master. Eleve en plein air - A consommer de preference - 17.99 The Belgian band A consommer de préférence offers a unique and varied musical pallet on élevé en plein air. Through the original compositions by brothers Jonathan and Corentin Aussems tell a series of instrumental tales, marrying various musical cultures with the sonorities of piano, guitar, percussion, violin, flute and saxophone. They call it 'Positive Orchestral Music.' OuterRail - ZetaBoo - 16.99 ZetaBoo arrives for a second round with this down to earth CD, a unique blend of pop, jazz and folk-roots. Composer Jarmo Saari offers songs that are melodic and folky, spontaneous and intuitive. Marko Timonen provides the swinging percussion that is at the heart of this new recording, driving a more relaxed band of vocals, accordion, keyboards, guitars, cavaquinho, trombone, lapsteel, keyboards, citara, and bass (Pekka Lehti) , a bit more subtle than their previous releases. The theme of the disc is the outer rail and homesickness. Says Saari: 'This is like a series of traveller’s landscapes. The journey is more important than arriving. The traveller prefers to follow a flitting butterfly or the advice of a stranger than a tourist map. Boldness and spontaneity are rewarded.' Risastova - Kristian Blak and Yggdrasil - 15.99 The ensemble Yggdrasil embarks on its 25th year with an ensemble of musicians from Faroe isalnds and Estonia, and featuring Kari Sverrisson. They perform modern interpretations of traditional Faroese skjaldurs, ballads and hymns. There are also unusual compositions by Kristian Blak. Paris, Plages D'Hawaii: Guitares Hawaiiennes 1930 - various - 16.99 24 sides of Hawaiian guitar recorded in Paris in the '20s and '30s by Parisian musicians. Not really Hawaiian music but waltzes, tangos, musette, French melodies with South Seas 'paradise' themes. Compiled by tiki scholar Cyril Lefebvre and Les Primitifs du Futur's Dominique Cravic, with cover art by Robert Crumb. Includes a nice color insert with period photos, posters, 78 RPM record labels and good notes (in French). Kapka - Tara Fuki - 13.99 A contemporary duo of voice and cello, Andrea Konstankiewicz-Nazir and Dorota Barová are joined on a few tracks of this unusual performance by Mario Buzzi (sampler). Touch! Don't Touch! - Music for Theremin - Lydia Kavina and Barbara Buchholz - 19.99 The artists commissioned eight new works for theremins, performed with musicians from the Kammerensemble Neue Musik Berlin. Works include Caspar Johannes Walter's 'Vakuum-halluzinationen for two theremins, violin and cello,' Moritz Eggert's 'The Son of the Daughter of Dracula Versus the Incredible Frankenstein Monster (from Outer Space)' and a stark and lovely "Kitezh-19" by Iraida Yusupova. There's nothing like the ethereal sound of this early electronic instrument, and these works bring it to a level far above the usual "spooky movie" novelty act it is usually relegated to. Kyrie - Iver Kleive - 18.99 Iver Kleive's original compositions are the center of focus on this one (only five of the thirteen tracks come from traditional sources). Kleive's keyboards (church organ, Hammond B3, a grand piano and synthesizers) are acompanied by an interesting ensemble, notably percussion from Paolo Vinaccia on all tracks; Knut Reiersrud guests on three and there are vocal solos and chorales on a number of tracks as well. It's a quirky work that veers from classical choir music to modern pop, from jazz to pure folkiness and then back. It was released in 1994, and it stands up even a decade later as an important and unique work in Norwegian music. Klezmer at the Cotton Club - Helmut Eisel and Band - 16.99 The German clainetist and his band perform a 'what if' and recreate what klezmer might have sounded like if it had been nurtured at NY's most important jazz emporium. It's fine stuff, and the band us more than up to the task, featuring Michael Marx on guitar, Stimme Stefan Engelmann on double bass, Nino Deda on accordion and Jochen Krämer on drums and percussion. They cover klezmer classics, jazz and blues standards (Handy, Ellington, Calloway) and Eisel's originals (like Rondo alla Klez) are stand-outs on this excellent recording. The sound is unique, and it swings like crazy. Amore e Odio - Banda Bassotti - 17.99 Heavy ska, roots and rock from an Italian band of guitars, bass, drums and horns - they're political, passionate and loud (think Negu Gorriak, Les Negresses Vertes and The Clash). If you have the 'need for speed,' this is the band for you. Jazzen - Nina Ramsby and Martin Hederos - 16.99 Singer Nina Ramsby and pianist Martin Hederos first met in 2000 and began singing casually together. In January 2004 recorded Visorna, a collection of their favorite songs in Swedish. In the spring of 2005 they began work on this new recording, Jazzen, featuring their own unique takes on jazz standards by notable jazz performers like Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Sade and Betty Carter. Nina has rewritten the lyrics in Swedish, to suit her own needs and experiences. These are bare, sometimes stark performances, mostly simply piano and voice, with occasional string, harmonica, reed and brass punctuations that envelope the voice and allow it room to expand and contract as it needs. They also have 2 original pieces (one song, one instrumental), which to my ear, are some of the best pieces on the CD. Bubbemeises:Lies My Gramma Told Me - David Krakauer, Socalled and Klezmer Madness - 17.99 Clarinetist Krakauer strikes again, as he teams up with Jewish hip hop beat architect Socalled and the ensemble Klezmer Madness!, remixing Hasidic chant, klezmer tributes to James Brown and all manner of musical merriment. It's not your old Jewish bubbe's music anymore. Storie di fiume - Simone Guiducci and Gramelot - 17.99 The Italian guitarist once again explores Italian roots in his efforts to redefine Italian jazz, joined by Roberto Dani (drums and percussion), Salvatore Maiore (double bass), Fausto Beccalossi (accordion) and Achille Succi (clarinet). Ethiopiques 20: Live in Addis (2 CDs) - Either/Orchestra - 16.99 The 10-piece jazz orchestra from Boston, in a 2 CD set recorded live in Addis with a number of great Ethiopian performers including vocalists Bahta Gebre-Heywet, Michael Belayheh and Tsedenia Gebre-Marqos, saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya and percussionist Mulatu Astatqe. Inspired by the great Ethiopian pop and jazz of the '60s and '70s, they bring a full array of modern jazz and Afro-Cuban innovations to an Ethiopian repertoire. Unusual, to say the least. Vishnu - Robert Macht - 15.99 Innova_mcf Vishnu blends Macht's playing of the tuned bronzed gongs, xylophones and calf skinned drums from Java, known as the gamelan, with the lyric-coloratura voice of Hyunah Yu. Sandip Burman (Indian tabla), John Wubbenhorst (bamboo flute) and the group Global Percussion add to the spicy concoction. Once upon a time in Chinese America - Fred Ho - 15.99 Combining music, theater and fantastic Chinese martial arts, Once Upon a Time in Chinese America is a heroic 17th Century martial arts legend of the betrayal of the legendary Shaolin Temple by a renegade monk. It is composer Fred Ho's action-adventure music/theater/ballet epic. Ruby - Marc Anderson - 15.99 A percussionist with a global perspective but a unique personal style, Anderson has created a record finally worthy of the oft-butchered term world fusion. Working with an unusually diverse group of musicisans from world, folk, jazz and experimental backgrounds, Anderson's dream-like creations are thoroughly unique. On the sensations of tone - Tom Heasley - 15.99 California Bay Area-based Tom Heasley is an internationally active composer, performer, tubist, improvisor and recording artist whose compositions for electro-acoustic tuba create 'a rich and sonorous aural experience that flies in the face of all the dumb cliches about what tuba music is.' From cathedrals to bars, from barns to conservatories, Heasley is…the ambient tubist. Live in Florence - Naftule's Dream - 15.99 a live concert performance by one of the most agressive and innovative of the 'new Jewish fringe' bands sin titulo - Rao Trio - 15.99 his Spanish trio of drums, bass and zanfona (hurdy gurdy) pushes the outside of the envelope with their thoroughly modern approach to folk music tango agazapado - la Chicana - 16.99 I have been thoroughly captivated by this Argentine band that has created its own dark, expressive version of contemporary tango, with a rich European sound, traces of traditional folk from Argentina and Uruguay, a bit of flamenco, and a youthful bad attitude. Fronted by one of the great husky voices of South America, Dolores Solá. Go listen. Top Quality Bones And A Little Terrorist - Britta Persson - 17.99 A curious Swedish pop recording (sung in English) by a unique voice with a unusual song writing style. She accompanied by a mostly acoustic ensemble that is equally comfortable with rock, pop and jazz. Coppola Rosso - Antonello Paliotti - 16.99 The Red Cap is, as the artist puts it, "an autobiographic record which takes its name fron a theatre play with the same title. The play represent the world to which I have been a witness: the world I inherited from my ancestors, the world of war and poverty as experienced at home - unbelievable as it may seem - of those wanting to live and who found the strenght to laugh without second thoughts. Technically, Coppola Rossa is a study of the song as a musical form. It can be interpreted from at least two viewpoints: at first hearing, that of folk tunes, traditional or not. At a second, more in-depht approach, that of the classical processing of material taken from the popular tradition, or at least from my personal tradition: that of somebody in his forties, who grew up with Schoenberg, The Beatles, Debussy, Canfora, Mingus, Berg, Mina, Rota, Chaplin, Satie, Iviani, Brecht.... And so, Coppola Rossa is a tribute to these monuments, which, although intheir death throes, I still feel alive." Musica Obliqua - Antonello Paliotti - 16.99 As the artist writes, this is "a record that presents the peaceful (and sometimes less peaceful) coexistence of my musical thoughts about ballet, cinema or simply about dreams." Performed by the Orchestra Collegium Philarmonicum directed by Gennaro Cappabianca. Sett - Tonje Unstad - 18.99 Pure pop music from a great young Norwegian voice, this 2006 release is her debut recording. Lovingly constructed and produced by KKV's Erik Tillsted with a small band of guitars, bass, drums, piano and horns. Live ŕ FIP - Omar Sosa - 17.99 This is Sosa's first live recording with an ensemble, featuring bass, drums, percussion and saxophone. Recorded at Radio France in Paris with a live, studio audience, he offers new interpretations of many of his earlier compositions as well as a number of new works, with Angá Díaz on percussion, Childo Tomas on electric bass, Luis Depestre on saxophones and drummer Steve Argüelles. New material includes the tracks “Métisse” and “Paralelo,” and “African Sunrise” featuring Childo Tomas on mbira and vocals. Habanera, A Soundwalk Through Old Havana, Cuba - Philip Blackburn - 14.99 What better way to get to know the intimate details of a culture than through your ears and your shoes? Environmental sound artist Philip Blackburn ambled through Old Havana, a city full of sounds. Blackburn's path takes us past alleys, buildings and streets where you can hear Fidel waffling on and on, cigar black-marketers, flamenco dancers, kids playing, Santeria and Catholic chanting, and the nightly canon fire. Wear headphones for the full binaural effect and turn out the lights (the CD cover glows in the dark) and walk with Blackburn through Havana 2004. Bahamut - Hazmat Modine - 15.99 On my list of quirkly originals, this crew just moved towards the top. Duel harmonicas, guitar, trumpet and a drum/tuba rhythm section back vocals of real originality, while guests add Romanian cimbalom, electric banjitar, contrabass sax, claviola and bass marimba, while a gang of genuine Tuvan throat singers round it all out. Totally unique. Inward I - Mystic Revelation of Rastafari - 17.99 It is rare that one of the legendary bands in any genre makes a return to a recording studio 32 years after the release of their last album. Original members Count Ossie and Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks are sadly long gone, but founding member Brother Samuel Clayton leads the ensemble with original hornmen Nambo Robinson and Johnny Moore. Mystic Revelation of Rastafari are not strictly reggae, but rather practice the spiritual percussion of Nyabinghi, rooted in the West African drumming brought to the Caribbean by slaves and Rasta philosophy pervades their music. Zarbing - Edison Studio and Mahamad Ghavi-Helm - 17.99 Music for electronics and Persian percussion - The electronic musicians of Edison Studio join Persian percussionist and vocalist Mahammad Ghavi Helm in an exploration of commonalities and conflicts between ancient and modern tools, ideals and philosophies. Valkoista Sukua - The World Mankeri Orchestra - 17.99 Founded in 1984 as Etno-Pojat, the World Mänkeri Orchestra is an innovative (and aggressive) 'primitive jazz" ensemble that features hand-made, ancient reeds, horns, and drums and electric bass, and on this recording young Finnish vocalist Meri Titola, who brings a new dynamic to the ensemble's powerful noise. Transumanza - Daniele di Bonaventura and Alfredo Laviano - 17.99 Daniele di Bonaventura, bandoneon and Alfredo Laviano, percussion Adagio - Antonio Paolo Pizzimenti - 17.99 Unlike his previous recordings, which were both sountracks for film or theater works, this is an original work conceived as a multimedia piece (the CD includes a video 'story'). All the music is composed and performed by Pizzimenti, with the voice of Simona Barbero punctuating some of the tracks. It is all stark, moody and cinematic, as Pizzimenti's work always is. Apologia Di Un Canovaccio - Neaskene - 17.99 The debut (2006) by a young band from Ravenna, Italy. Fronted by singer Sara Cicognani. Neaskenč work within and without the tradition, mixing jazz, ethnic music, other national idioms and original writing. Tammorre (traditional drums), fretless electric bass, acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin and other local and global instruments are merged to create a distinctively "pop" sound with a real edge and solid roots. Re-covers - Albert Kuvezin and Yat-Kha - 17.99 OK, it had to happen, and Tuvan singer, electric guitarist and experimentalist Kuvezin is certainly the one to do it: Tuvan rooted recovers of pop and country 'hits' (although some here fall into the category of minor). So Led Zepellin's "When The Levee Breaks" gets an acid-rock throat-singing treatment to entrancing if somewhat unsettling results side by side with music from Kratfwerk, Motorhead, Hank Williams, Iron Butterfly, Paul Mauriat, Captain Beefheart ("Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles" is one of the gems of the set!), Joy Division and a few Central Asian hit-makers as well. Irresistible fun, and occasioanlly brilliant. (This is the 2006 US release) Blue Gold - Kryon - 14.99 Composer Roberto Rusconi and a group of European musicians gather together to make a thematic statement about water and its essential importance to the world's people. A political statement as well as an artistic one, it is finey crafted in jazz, rock and ambient grooves by Roberto Bortoluzzi and Francesco Boldini (guitars), Marco Tamburini (trumpets), Aldo Tagliapietra (sitar), Billy Hart (drums) and Cameron Brown (double-bass) and the vocal creativity of Philadelphia poet Ursula Rucker, Brazilian singer Marisa Monte, and the rappers Napoleon Maddox (from Cincinnati,USA), Juny kp! (Brazil), Papa Winnie (Jamaica), and remixer Alex Danielsson aka DJ 1210 jazz (Sweden). Concert - Volga - 15.99 Recorded live at the DOM club in Moscow, this Russian ensemble of voices, electronics and acoustic instruments produces stark, beautiful and often complex music. Sell Out - The Who - 12.99 OK, why the hell is this in here? One of the 'proprietor's perogatives,' I guess. I found one of my suppliers selling a very reasonably priced edition of what I consder to be one of the 5 best rock records ever made. It was a gem, and this remastered version brings out all its quirks. There are a bunch of bonus tracks, but I don't listen to the out-takes. The core is the madness of their music and advertising parodies, and it's all you need! Piripicchio - Addosso Agli Scalini - 17.99 The band from Puglia returns in 2006 with another modern recording about uneasiness of culture clash, and the poetry and rhythm in their encounter of various cultures. In ten songs, in a fusion of high tech and low, they present a trip through the past to discover the feelings, memories and places that define the present. Una banda di pezzenti - Daniele Sepe - 18.99 A full-blown modern jazz recording from the Neapolitan saxophonist and musical revolutionary and his ensemble of musicians and singers. There are the usual Arabic, Mediterranean and Italian roots, the requisite Sepe-reggae, but they are sumblimated on this recording, serving the larger goal of making a sometimes terse, sometimes lush contemporary jazz sound with an edge of social/political commentary. Strumenti Di Pace: Live - Luca Di Volo and Claudia Bombardella - 17.99 A powerful recording of new music composed and performed by Di Volo (saxophones, clarinet and voice) and Bombardella (viola, accordion, voice and tuba), with a small chamber ensemble of percussion, strings, reeds, bombard, cornmuse and more. Kuu ja korkokengät - Vihrea Palma - 16.99 I have a soft spot for well-executed schmaltz and the Finnish ensemble Vihreä Palma stroke it nicely! Kirsi Poutanen's wonderfully warm voice fronts a strong ensemble of Juha Mäntylä, accordion, piano; Hannu Rantanen, bass and Timo Seppänen, guitar. It's a quirky mix of Latin jazz and Finnish attitude that makes it unique. Add to it that the ensemble is top-notch and you really can't go wrong. Paesaggi Lontani - Claudia Bombardella Ensemble - 17.99 An eclectic musician, singer and composer Claudia Bombardella plays various instruments (baritone sax, clarinets, tuba, accordion, steel drum). Joined by her ensemble of voices, violin, cello, bass, accordions, giutar and mandolin, they bring ancient folk songs and new compositions to life through their varied backgrounds of classical, folk and jazz. Complex, creative, rich and beautiful, and all recorded live. A Ballad for Many - Don Byron and Bang on a Can - 17.99 The record label says: After years of live collaboration, the acclaimed clarinetist shows off his talent as a composer on his new CD. The disc is dedicated to ground-breakers, with large-scale works dedicated to one-of-a-kind comic/satirist/star Ernie Kovacs, and to the Tuskegee Airmen, the famous African-American WWII-era fighter squadron.Recorded by Byron long-time producer Tom Lazarus, it features the Bang on a Can All-Stars at their best, negotiating breathtaking cello-piano duets, rocking out with one of Byron’s great grooves. This CD creates a unique opportunity to hear Byron’s music interpreted by a group other than his own. See You In A Minute - Berger, Knutsson, Spering, Cherry, Cherry - 17.99 Bengt Berger, Jonas Knutsson, Christian Spering, Eagle-Eye Cherry and Neneh Cherry in an international homage to the late, great Don Cherry Mulatos Remix - Omar Sosa - 18.99 A remix album of material from Sosa's award-winning Mulatos CD features club-remakes by Paris-based drummer/producer Doctor L; Brooklyn-based producer/remixer DJ Spinna; live Drum and Bass pioneer/drummer Marque Gilmore; Paris-based drummer/producer Steve Argüelles (who produced 'Mulatos'); and French DJ basephunk. The dance-jazz vibe of these remixes features Omar Sosa piano and marimba riffs, funky clarinet riffs, as well as new vocal and flute elements… all sharpened by the cutting edge approaches of the guest remixers. I am never sure what the attraction is to such projects, but if you like this sort of dance-floor chop=shop music, this one is well executed and might be worth your time. dan_txa - Tomas San Miguel and Txalaparta - 17.99 Composer, acordionist and pianist Tomás San Miguel explores the rythms and modes of the ancient Basque melodic-percussive txalaparta with a definitive jazz outlook, joined by a small ensemble of txalaparta, flutes, keyboards, guitar and percussion (drum kit, frame drums, jaw harps and more). Some of it harkens back to 90's Kepa Junkera in its global energy, but for the most part, Miquel and his ensemble chart their own personal path. Check it out, Igor - Bela Szakcsi Lakatos and Miklos Lukacs - 17.99 Béla Szakcsi Lakatos, piano and Miklós Lukács on cimbalom offer some wild and far-ranging improvised musical duests drawing on the musical grammar of Roman and Hungarian Gypsy tradition, classical keyboard from the Baroque to Bartók, and jazz styles from barrelhouse to bebop to Braxton. Challenging doesn't begin to describe it! To hear with the mouth - Ensemble SON - 16.99 Miero - Varttina - 15.99 Värttinä's 2006 release is strong, almost agressive, full-throated and full-throttle, with a powerful band as important as the frontline of singers. This RealWorld production has everything this Finnish band always promises but often fails to deliver. Return to the Woods - Joe Townsend and Martin Green - 16.99 Joe Townsend and Martin Green have recorded an album that walks through the hinterland of jazz, folk, and contemporary music on violin, guitar, accordion, and an array of other instruments such as Mongolian cello, octave violin, musical saw and Fender Rhodes piano. They move from the inspiration of Duke Ellington and Romanian Gypsy music, through the minimalism of Adams and Reich and into the darker regions of English folk music. Through imaginative recording techniques such as the placing of tiny microphones inside instruments, playing the accordion through rotating speakers and using vintage keyboards they have produced a unique voice which is constantly changing yet somehow familiar. There's no explaining it; you simply have to listen. Paris Mecanique - Sabine Meyer and Trio di Clarone - 17.99 Paris Mécanique presents unique small works from the early 20th century in new arrangements done especially for Sabine Meyer, her clarinet playing colleagues and Pierre Charial's 156-pipe mechanical barrel organ. Most of these compositions date from ‘les années folles’, the ‘crazy years’ of Paris, when classical composers discovered music-hall, exoticism and early jazz were en vogue and the Ballets Russes and Les Six reigned supreme. The historical range of the album’s compositions stretches from 1900 (Erik Satie's 'Jack in the Box') to 1968 (Ennio Morricone's soundtrack melody, 'A L'Aube'). New pieces written mainly by Michael Riessler and inspired by the moods and motifs of old music are also included. Plea for Peace - The Afro-Semitic Experience - 15.99 This African-Jewish jazz alliance offers a unique perspective, both musically and philosopically. Using tools expected and unexpected (bass, horns and drums are met by dobro, violin, African percussion and clarinet) they make a music that will grab the ear of mainstream jazz and Jewish fusion fans because no matter the genre, it is genuine, original and surprising. Meselia Hill - Mihaly Borbely Quartet - 17.99 Mihály Borbélyplays clarinet and jazz saxophone as well kaval flute and tárogató (a wooden soprano saxophone) joined by an ensemble of piano, bass and drums with guests Zoltán Lantos (violin) and Miklós Lukács (cimbalom). Says Michael Stone in RootsWorld, "If Bartók played not-so-straight-ahead jazz, it might sound like the Borbély Quartet, combining Serbian, Slovak, Gypsy, Jewish and German folk influences with classical music, shot through with that thing that swings. Roland Kirk would understand." Modern dances for the advanced in age - Gabor Gado - 17.99 Hungarian guitarist Gábor Gadó and his ensemble offer "a tongue-in-cheek sextet rounded out by a pair of saxes, trumpet, trombone, bass and drums... a certain down-at-the-heels dancehall feel: odd time changes, droll, edgy tango, cha cha and calypso, a guitar owing as much to Hendrix, Hawaii and heavy metal as to Wes Montgomery and George Benson, while the spirits of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini drift by for the album closer, 'Moon River,' a place you've never been but might want to reconnoiter." - RootsWorld Aparelhagem - DJ Dolores - 17.99 Aparelhagem literally means 'equipment,' and is the Brazilian slang expression for 'sound system.' It is both the title of the album and the name of DJ Dolores’ new live band and features female singer Isaar, a horn section with a distinct Nordeste-cum-reggae flavour, rock guitar, percussion, vintage synths, and DJ Dolores on laptop and turntables. Around the world - Elmer Balasz Group - 17.99 The Hungarian drummer and his ensemble of piano, bass, guitar and percussion in a set of jazz based on Hungarian roots, with Mihály Dresch on flute, David Yengibarjan on accordion, and vocalists Gábor Winand and Henriett Czerovszky. Truffe and other sturiellett’ vol. 2 - Daniele Sepe - 17.99 (in)complete clasical and films musik by the Neopolitan composer and saxophonist explores a strange cinematic landscape in 34 vignettes for films he was (often) not hired to score. Sepe's 2004 donation to the outside edge fo musical roots. And how can you say 'no' to that cover!? Lesamore - La Banda Improvvisa w/ Sepe and Kokko - 17.99 The remarkable Italian 'municipal orchestra' in a concert that is nothing like you have heard on your town square. Powerful performances by excellent musicians, and joined by two legendary guests, saxophonist is joined by Daniele Sepe and singer Auli Kokko. It's challenging, romantic, funny and great fun. Pratomagno Social Club - La Banda Improvvisa - 17.99 It may look like it on first glance, but is is not your mother's municipal band. Giampiero Bigazzi's La Banda Improvvissa is a notorious big band with a bad attitude, taking the music of Italy's community orchestra to a new leverl with daring adventure. This time around they have invited violinist Blaine L. Reininger and zingane masters Kocani Orkestar along for the ride and the results of this live concert are surprising and completely original. Nichil. - Trio Aldo Nichil - 17.99 Music from the film 'Pizzicata' by Eduardo Winspeare. Simple and direct music from Salento performed by guitarist Nichil and a trio of 2 female voices and tamburello. Rahwana's Cry - SambaSunda - 17.99 They call it 'Gamelan music from the fourth dimension.' The 17 members of SambaSunda present twelve trippy trance-like tracks that push traditional Sundanese music right off the map. Sumatran oboemeets western violin, bamboo rattles, gongs and metallophones. The sound is driven by a percussion section featuring Sundanese double drums, Javanese frame drums, African djeme and Latin American timbales. Plucked dulcimer and bamboo flutes, choral voices and lead singer Rita Tila add to a mix that is pretty damned unusual, abetted by producer Colin (Mustapha) Bass. Not for everyone, but for those with an odd sense of adventure, this might be just the thing. Positivity - Orkestina - 17.99 This is the 4th release by these musicians from Bulgaria, Spain, Ireland and the UK. More sacred and profane music from the Gypsy and Jewish communities of Romania, Bulgaria and Poland is played by a raucous band of accordions, violins and bass, Bulgarian gadulkas, clarinets and percussion. Play-Station - Motion Trio - 17.99 The Polish 'infernal trio' returns with their second recording, an adventurous exploration of the analog accordion in the digital age. The musicianship is peerless, their ideas are on the edge, and the execution is remarkable. Together again - Yunakov, Papazov, Ali and Neshev - 16.99 The epic meeting of "The Legends of Bulgarian Wedding Music" Yuri Yunakov, Ivo Papazov, Salif Ali and Neshko Neshev join forces for a Bulgarian musical event. In the 70s and 80s these musicians pretty much recreated the eastern European musical terrain with their hyper-powered blend of Balkan folk music peppered with jazz, rock, Gypsy, Turkish and Indian music. Reeds, accordion and some of the most stunning percussion you are likely to hear anywhere join forces for this important 2005 release. Soul of a Man - Knut Reiersrud - 17.99 The Norwegian guitarist's 1998 take on soul, blues and gospel is, as always distinctive and surprising. Always a step ahead, Knut employed samples of legendary blues performances together with rock-solid band of Paolo Vinaccia, Auden Erlien, Bugge Wesseltoft and Reidar Skĺr. The album is more of a band album with Knut's electric guitar virtuosity in focus. Three of the songs were written exclusively for him by Mac Rebenack and the late Doc Pomus, and the most convincing song on the recording, the title track, is an original. Completely unique and different. Komungo - Jin Hi Kim - 14.99 The disc features Kim's improvisations and compositions on the traditional 4th century Korean instrument (as well as the unique electric komungo), solo or in collaboration with Shonosuke Okura (Japanese otsuzumi drum from the Noh Theatre), Kongar-ol Ondar (Tuvanese throat singer) and Kang Kwon Soon (Korean kagok singer) Hold Me To This (...plays Radiohead) - Christopher O'Riley - 17.99 Pianist O'Riley plays 14 songs by Radiohead. Go figure! Orgia - Jaume Sisa - 17.99 Jaume Sisa was an important part of Musica Dispersa and is a folk-rock artist with a very idiosyncratic style. His first album Orgia was a prime example of psychedelic rock - the Spanish way - with Sisa followings his whim much like Incredible String Band. The vocals and harmonica playing is a little indebted to Bob Dylan, but a lot stranger. Elsewhere there are kazoos, piano, tablas, recorders, snippets of tapes, and even occasional strings and brass. The same year, 1971, that Musica Dispersa was released, he also put out this great solo album. Crazy acid folk with lots of humour and weird vocals by Sisa himself. 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. Dance of the Vampires - Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Iva Bittová, Leoš Janácek - 17.99 The innovative new music ensemble in a program performed with Czech singer and violinist Iva Bittova and composed by Bittová and fellow Czech Leoš Janácek. Challenging, exhuberant and exciting music that bridges the classical, folk and avant garde musical worlds with ease and energy. Sin Papeles (No Papers) - Martires del Compas - 17.99 Contemporary music from the roots of flamenco for a modern duende. Mártires del Compás (The Martyrs of the Beat) offer screaming electric guitars, sharp lyrics with North American, South American and Caribbean additions to carry raw-edged vocals, acoustic strumming, sweet harmonies and a rhythmic bed of palmas percussion. The Star Chamber - Industrial Jazz Group - 16.99 The ensemble says ' Not that kind of industrial. This one is way more fun!' I heard their Gross Fugue on the radio (WPKN, in Connecticut) and was positively blown away by it, and immediately put it in the catalog. They skirt the edge of a 60s noir jazz style, but ultimately, they are so far beyond categorizing that it is silly to try. Adventurous and unique. Elida: Bang on a Can - Iva Bittova - 18.99 The unique Czech violinist/singer/composer has teamed up with the dynamic Bang on a Can All-Stars for an unforgettable recording. Elida (the name is a brand of soap from the composer's childhood) finds Bittova using the All-Stars as her orchestra. Sweeping piano lines meet full string ensemble settings, while clarinet improvisations meet electric guitar noise. The music is at the same time sophisticated and direct, edgy and nostalgic, mixing Eastern European classical music and folk traditions with angular string writing and heart-breaking Czech vocal melodies. Musicians: Robert Black - Bass; David Cossin - Drum Set, Percussion; Lisa Moore - Piano; Mark Stewart - Electric Guitars, 12-string Banjo, Hohner 48-chord harmonica; Wendy Sutter - Cello; Evan Ziporyn - Clarinet, Bass Clarinet Djungelmusik med sĺng - Rudiger Carl and Sven-Ake Johansson - 16.99 Swedish experimentalists Rüdiger Carl (accordion, clarinet) and Sven-Ĺke Johansson (accordion, drums and voice) push the limits on this 1997 recording, made live in a Stockholm bookstore. Their free-association approach to music makes this challenging for those in need of a countable beat, but the mood is elegant, bizarre or beautiful at each turn and the results are nothing short of unique. The Aerial #1 - a journal in sound< |