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Please note!
Most of our CDs have been imported from Europe or Asia. They are not all shrink-wrapped, and I am not going to con you by wrapping them here just to make you think they have been sterilized in America. I guarantee that the CDs and the contents are all brand new and in perfect condition. Whenever I can, I use recycled shipping materials. They may not look as pretty on the outside, but they save money and keep the trash dumps a little bit emptier.
Thanks- Cliff, cdRoots

Welcome, friends of Mabel!
Here's a few titles in the cdRoots catalog from North America and the western isles of Europe that might interest you. Be sure to search the whole catalog for hundreds more recordings of folk music from around the world.
While I do not stock a lot of the traditional American music titles that Mabel did, I am more than happy to special order any titles you may need. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or requests. - Cliff

From Sweden to America - Various - 17.99
Swedish Emigrant Songs: Amerikavisor - Historic recordings from Sweden and the US about emigrants and immigration. All are vocal works, folks songs about the joys and hardships

Rosco - Roger Tallroth and Scott Nygaard - 16.99
Swedish guitarist Tallroth (of Vasen) and American guitarist Nygaard pair off on a trans-Atlantic set of new and traditional tunes, occasionally accompanied by American fiddler Emma Reid. Highly recommended! Listen to "Roger's Rough" and "Rough Crossing."

Ceremony - Omar Sosa and NDR Bigband - 17.99
A major new work by pianist-composer Omar Sosa, a big-band collaboration with composer-arranger-cellist Jaques Morelenbaum, Hamburg's 18-piece NDR Bigband, and the Omar Sosa Quartet, featuring Julio Barreto (drums), Childo Tomas (electric bass), and Marcos Ilukán (Afro-Cuban percussion) with Sosa on piano and marimba. Morelenbaum's amazing arrangements of selections from Sosa's repetoire give them new meaning. It also acknowledges the majesty of the legendary Afro-Cuban big bands of Frank "Machito" Grillo, Chico O'Farrill and Dizzy Gillespie, while extending those revered traditions in a contemporary salute to the expansive universe of global jazz. Highly Recommended!

After the Big Rain - Avishai Cohen - 14.99
Alternately moody and joyous, richly atmospheric yet beat-driven, the album features trumpet player Avishai Cohen with some of his most esteemed peers: Lionel Loueke on guitar and vocals, Jason Lindner on keyboards, Omer Avital on bass and Daniel Freedman on drums and percussion. The music is texturally rich, full of heated improvisation, group interplay and the kind of funky, internationalist flavor for which Avishai has become known.

Sea of Reeds - Accordion Tribe - 16.99
Bratko Bibic, Lars Hollmer, Maria Kalaniemi, Guy Klucevsek and Otto Lechner bring their accordions together in new compositions for anything from solo to quintet arrangments that defy categories and regional influence. Recorded inHollmer's famous 'Chicken House' studio in Uppsala, Sweden.5 Accordions, No Waiting! Highly recommended.

Lunghorn Twist - Accordion Tribe - 16.99
2006 release by the accordionsists Bratko Bibic, Lars Hollmer, Maria Kalaniemi, Guy Klucevsek and Otto Lechner, stunning as always

The Broken Tongue - Daniel Kahn and The Painted Bird - 18.99
Kahn and his band concoct a mixture of Klezmer, radical Yiddish song, political cabaret and punk folk, kept together by Kahn's amazing abilities both as a songwriter and a performer; telling stories of outrageous incidents, poetically dark, tragically humorous and politically incorrect. This 2009 release continues their explorations

Schamlos Schön: 13 alte Lieder aus Deutschland - Tine Kindermann - 18.99
Kindermann sings German folk songs accompanied by American rock musicians and arranged by Frank London. The result is astonishingly natural. There was something in these five centuries old songs that resisted obliteration. Mothers preserved them in secret; grandmothers and kindergarten teachers sang and sing to their children the songs of their own childhoods. Kindermann has blown the dust off these songs and made them alive, fresh, good as new. With her musicians, she has put them in an unusual contemporary intercultural context. She offers them to us, tenderly and unabashedly, songs of love and – in the words of Heine's "Loreley" – bygone ages. The band: Marc Ribot und Greg Cohen (Tom Waits Band) on guitar and double bass, Glenn Patscha (Ollabelle) on keyboards and Frank London (Klezmatics).

Partisans and Parasites - Daniel Kahn and Painted Bird - 18.99
A Detroit area native, Daniel Kahn has lived, played music, recorded, acted, directed plays and composed theatre music in New Orleans, Detroit, New York and Ann Arbor. In summer 2005 Daniel moved to Berlin, and, within a very short space of time, became an integral part of the city's folk and klezmer scene, playing in different groups and musical projects. As a corollary, he soon formed his own band, featuring a rotating roster of some of Berlin and New Yorks best young Klezmer and Balkan players. "The Painted Bird" concocts a mixture of Klezmer, radical Yiddish song, political cabaret and punk folk, kept together by Kahn's amazing abilities both as a songwriter and a performer; telling stories of outrageous incidents, poetically dark, tragically humorous and politically incorrect.

Glitter and Doom Live - Tom Waits - 16.99
17 selections hand-picked by Waits, from his 2008 tour: 'Trampled Rose', 'Get Behind the Mule', 'Singapore", 'Dirt In The Ground', more. With a typically strange, Waitsian 35-minute bonus disc encompassing an arrangement of between-song banter into a consecutive monologue entitled, 'Tom Tales'.

The Road That heals the Splintered Soul - Afro-Semitic Experience - 14.99
The Afro-Semitic Experience is a six piece group with a jazz and world music sound. Their music is a merging of the many elements of their cultures. Much of what they play has a strong spiritual center to it - their repertoire contains a heavy dose of music from the Jewish synagogue and the African-American church. This new work is an exploration of the deep well of myths, epics and stories that unite all cultures.

Princesa de la Naturaleza (Nature's Princess) - Maria Marquez - 10.99
The US-based singer from Venezuela finally hits the mark on this 2004 recording. Acompanied by a great band (including Omar Sosa, John Santos and Gustavo Ovalles) and self-producing a set of unusual and often unexpected arrangements, Marquez has found the right framework for her unique and beautiful voice, flirting with folk, jazz and even a touch of the avant garde. Even an old chestnut like Besame Mucho gets a new lease on life in the hands of this able ensemble and this first class vocalist.

Cantors, Klezmorim And Crooners 1905-1953 - Various - 26.99
Classic Yiddish 78s from the Mayrent Collection features 67 selections on 3 CDs, and 42 of those tracks have never before been on CD. Includes 72-page illustrated book with track annotations by Henry Sapoznik.

Trova - Marta Topferova - 17.99
The music of Marta Topferova, the Czech-born, New York-based singer and songwriter, fuses a range of Latin American musical styles and rhythms that Topferova has studied and mastered since her childhood in Prague. Described as “a leading light of the nueva cancion movement,” Topferova’s blends of folk and jazz is conveyed through her silky hypnotic vocals and her crisp cuatro and guitar playing. Trova, her latest release on World Village, continues this extraordinary artist's growth and development of her own unique and decidedly sexy Latin groove.

Gastonia Gallop: Cotton Mill Songs and Hillbilly Blues - various artists - 16.99
Piedmont Textile Workers on Record Gaston County, North Carolina 1927 - 1931 features 24 tracks of music traditions heard in the mill villages of Gaston County, North Carolina.

The Definitive… 75th Anniversary Edition - Charley Patton - 24.99
3 CDs and 1 DVD. Compilation of 60 tracks, spotlighting his influences, contemporaries, and songs from Charley himself. Featuring Son House, Robert Johnson, Tommy Johnson, Howlin' Wolf, Ma Rainey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, others. The DVD, "Talkin' Patton", features interviews with musicians, musicologists, historians, and others. Also, shows new footage of Dockery's plantation where he was raised.

Sube Azul - Sofia Koutsovitis - 18.99
Argentinean-born singer Sofía Rei Koutsovitis is considered one of New York's most passionate, charismatic and inventive vocalists. The listener is treated not only to the depth and fullness of a riveting voice but also to her formidable skills as a songwriter and arranger. The album is a collection of mostly original Spanish-language songs that reflect Koutsovitis' immersion in modern and progressive jazz while also responding to the pull of ancestry and the appeal of organic, pan-musical connections. She brings to bear the folkloric traditions of Argentina and its regional neighbors, tying together diverse influences in a program full of complexity, melody and romance. Just as Sube Azul reconciles the artist's worlds, her North and South American homes, the album strikes other balances in turn - the polish and professionalism of a seasoned artist, the hunger and wide-eyed energy of youth and the simple, sensual qualities that can spring only from the heart.

Cosmic Meltdown Vol. 1 - Erik Hokkanen and Lumisudet - 16.99
Fiddler and guitarist Hokkanen, Texan of Finnish descent, with Finns Arto Järvelä, mandolinist-guitarist Petri Hakala and bassist Tapani Varis and great guests: Maria Kalaniemi, Timo Alakotila, Mauno Järvelä, Kimmo Pohjonen. It's a bit of Finnish tradition, some old-timey American, Texas swing, Tin Pan Alley and more, played by some of the hottiest musicians around.

Tales From The Earth - Mark Weinstein and Omar Sosa - 17.99
Flautist Weinstein and Sosa on marimba and vibraphone (with an occasional piano piece) are joined by the global ensemble of Jean Paul Bourelly (guitars) Aly Keita (balafon) Marque Gilmore (drums) and vocals and percussion by Aho Luc Nicaise and Mathias Agbokou. Deeply spiritual and moody, these two artists seem to have found new depth in each other's work. Highly recommended!

and the Stewed Tomatoes - Oliver Schroer - 16.99
A wonderfully quirky Candian fiddler and his band take on all genres and concoct a completely original dish. Schroer leads on violins, David Woodhead on bass, Rich Greenspoon on drums, Ben Grossman on percussion and saz, David Travers Smith on trumpet with Colleen Allen on saxophones, blues harp by Carlos del Junco, pianist Casy Sokol, and guitarist Rich Pell. Special cameo appearances by Finnish accordionist Maria Kalaneimi and South Indian master drummer Trichy Sankaran.

Is This Tomorrow (2 discs) - The Henrys - 15.99
The new CD/DVD combo from this most eclectic band is coming in late June, 2009. This is not just a CD, it is a CD/DVD package. 2-disc set is about 2 hours of music, copious photography, home theatre (5.1) sound, a pdf file with song info, and the tactile kicks of the 3x2 panel recycled paper digipak packaging. Highly Recommended

Saints and Tzadiks: Yiddish and Irish Songs - Susan McKeown and Lorin Sklamberg - 17.99
Vocalists Susan McKeown and Lorin Sklamberg (of the Klezmatics) present a fascinating album combining Yiddish and Irish songs culled from rare archive material and old recordings, with themes common to the Jewish and Irish traditions: love, death, betrothal, betrayal and the demon drink. The bulk of the Jewish material is drawn from the Ruth Rubin Archive at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, where Sklamberg serves as Sound Archivist. The Irish songs come from both the popular and the ancient Gaelic sean nós traditions. Listen

Atlas Travel - Don Rooke - 15.99
The solo release by composer, guitarist and all around swell guy Don Rooke from The Henrys is an exercise in sonic spaciousness, aural elbow room and capricious experimentation.

Rishte - Najma Akhtar, Gary Lucas - 17.99
Najma Akhtar is an English-born singer of South Asian ancestry. Her unique and distinctive styles ranges from fusions of jazz with Indian ghazals and bhajans (love songs and spiritual songs), Indian semi-classical vocals and the occasional Bollywood hit. Gary Lucas is an American guitarist, a GRAMMY nominated songwriter, and an international recording artist with over a dozen solo albums to date as well as a soundtrack composer for film and television. He has been described as "one of the best and most original guitarists in America" a "legendary leftfield guitarist" and one of "the most innovative and challenging guitarists playing today." Listen

Duo - Bidaia - 13.99
Basque composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Mixel Ducau and Californian singer-songwriter and hurdy-gurdy player Caroline Phillips come back for their second recording as Bidaia, now a duo, with a repertoire that includes original compositions and traditional Basque songs. The Basque alboka and ttun-ttun are combined with acoustic guitar, hurdy-gurdy and bamboo clarinet to offer a strong second look at their original approach to the tradition.

Africa To Appalachia - Jayme Stone and Mansa Sissoko - 15.99
2009 Juno Award winner by banjo ace Stone and Malian koraplayer Sissoko in "a polyrhythmic journey to Mali and back again" to "reconnect Africa and North America -- or is it the other way around?" With guitarist Grant Gordy, bassist Paul Matthew, Casey Driessen on fiddle, Bassekou Kouyate on ngoni and more. Listen

Until the Ocean - The Horse Flies - 15.99
The long-lived, wildly original old-time music visionaries in a brand-new CD! Richie Stearns, Jeff Claus, Judy Hyman, percussionist Taki Masuko, bassist Jay Olsa and Rick Hansen on accordion, organ and Moog. "Build a House and Burn it Down," "Carnival Lips," "Baghdad Children," "Drunkard's Child" and more.

Book One - New Orleans Jazz Orchestra - 17.99
Founded in December 2002 by its current artistic director, Irvin Mayfield. They perform and present educational programs that draw upon the rich musical and cultural traditions of "the birthplace of jazz," where the group is based. Book One, the group's debut recording, is a showcase of Irvin Mayfield's original compositions for big band and features cameos by vocalist Johnaye Kendrick, R and B singer John Boutté and a singing/scatting turn by orchestra member Leon "Chocolate" Brown.

Live in London - Leonard Cohen - 21.95
2 CDs, 25 songs - recorded live at London's O2 Arena in July 2008. "Dance Me to the End of Love," "Bird on the Wire," "Suzanne," "First We Take Manhattan," "Sisters of Mercy" and more. Highly recommended

Rise Up! - Klezmatics - 10.99
The LONG awaited return of one of the genres most innovative and challenging bands

Fairbault, Minnesota 1939 - Oscar Hamry - 17.99
Oscar Hamry (Ola O. Reishagen) was the son of Ola Gudmundson Hamre from the tenant farm Hamro, belonging to Midtre Hande in Vestre Slidre. He was born in 1884, and spent his childhood years with his parents at Hamro. He had two brothers, also named Ola. Around 1900, one of the brothers bought the farm Reishagen. After a while Ola moved in there and adopted the farm's name. His other brother emigrated to the USA while still quite young and settled in Minnesota. In 1912 Ola married Ambjørg Sårrbu from Vang. They immediately emigrated to America, and later had a daughter.

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.

Yizkor: Music of memory - Chevan, Nizrahi and Afro-Semitic Experience - 14.99
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.

Alliance - Afrissippi - 13.99
The second round for this allianceof Senegalese roots and Mississippi blues, and every bit as solid as the first. Guelel Kumba - guitar, vocals, Eric Deaton - electric guitar, Kinney Kimbrough - drums, Justin Showah - bass, Papa Assane M'baye - percussion, Jeff Callaway - trombones Listen

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

Trad. - Barry Phillips - 16.99
On Tråd American cellist Phillips tackles traditional Scandinavian fiddle tunes and original pieces with Vasen's Olof Johansson on nyckelharpa, and Olof Gothlin on fiddle. String ensembles for solo and duo cello, trios and quartets, plus a bit of percussion and pipe organ.

A Man About A Horse - Steve Tibbetts - 16.99
American musician's eighth ECM release continunes his explorations of sound and aural space

Djamano - Laye Sow - 19.99
OK, it has been done before, and done well, so why should you listen to another Malian-blues collaboration? Perhaps because this one really works well, because the players are excellent, no one tries to steal the show, and the songs are always the primary focus of this collaboration between Senegalese singer and guitarist Laye Sow and American guitarist Richard Caswell and American bass/percussionist Steve Marshall. No flash, no funk, no pyrotecnic displays of gadgetry and wizardry, just some musicians getting together to share their roots and diversity.

The Act of Being Free in One Act - Richard Hunter - 14.99
Innovative harmonica works by one fo the US' best players.

The Second Act of Free Being - Richard Hunter - 14.99
The American harmonica player's second recording of original material and standards.

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.

Dans les airs - Le Vent Du Nord - 16.99
The Québec band plays innovative yet traditional music from the region, with Simon Beaudry (guitar, vocals); Nicolas Boulerice (hurdy-gurdy, piano, pianoaccordion, vocals); Réjean Brunet (acoustic bass, diatonic accordion, piano, vocals); Olivier Demers (fiddle, foot tapping, mandolin, vocals). Excellent, as they always are!

Anger and Marshall with Väsen - Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, Vasen - 16.99
The self-dubbed "Duo" of American jazz-roots join forces with the Swedish trio of Olov Johansson (nyckelharpa), Roger Tallroth (guitar) and Mikael Marin (viola) for a shared look at their resppective roots.

Mandolin Boogie - The Armstrong Twins - 10.98
Stars of radio, records, and TV, the Armstrong Twins performed on the Louisiana Hayride, KXLA Pasadena, CA, Cliffie Stone's Dinner Bell Round Up and his legendary TV show "Town Hall Party." For the first time on CD the sound of their classic country brother duets featuring their first recordings from the late forties to the early fifties, and a reunion session in 1979. And a nice price, too!

Fulani Journey - Afrissippi - 15.99
Things like this are just too irresistible: a Senegalese musician moves to Oxford Mississippi, meets up with some local blues talent and before you know it, a new band is born. Guitarist Guelel Kumba is joined by Eric Deaton (of the RL Burnside Band) and local legends, The Taylor Grocery Band, with a special bonus video that includes a guest appearance by the MC5 legend, John Sinclair. highly recommended

From the Inside - Stacy Phillips - 13.99
The archduke of dobro is joined by Jon Sholle, Ken Kosek, Tony Trischka, Evan Stover and others. "Stacy Phillips hits almost every high point on this new release ("From the Inside), from klezmer to Hawaiian to bluegrass to Western Swing. This album is just damn beautiful, and if I don't write about it hear, you may miss it. Phillips has a masterful touch on one of my favorite instruments. . . gentle, totally fluid, totally present practitioner of American roots musics. [GRADE: A+]" - The Klezmer Shack

From Mali to America - Cheik Hamala Diabate and Bob Carlin - 15.99
The meeting of clawhammer banjo ace Carlin and west African griot Diabate, master of the ngoni of Mali connects the dots between the 5-string banjo and its African ancestors. With special guest Solo Tounkara on guitar. Extensive notes on the artists and the tunes in English and French.

Fragmenti - Paris to Kyiv - 16.99
The 2005 release by this Canadian based, Ukraine inspired global music ensemble. Marvelous music, a first rate ensemble of Julian Kytasty, Richard Moody, Paul Yee, Christian Dugas, Alan Schroeder and Rodrigo Muñoz and of course, the voice of Alexis Kochan.

Midnight Prayer - Joel Rubin Ensemble - 15.99
Rubin is one of the leading performers of instrumental klezmer music and has spent the last 14 years in Germany and Eastern Europe researching and performing the old Russian Jewish klezmer tradition.He is joined on this marvelous recording by a great group of musicians, including Kálmán Balogh, Ferenc Kovács and David Chernyavsky.

World's on Fire - The Crooked Jades - 15.99
A potent mix of all-acoustic old-time mountain instruments (banjo, guitars, jews harp, fiddle, double bass, etc) and modern edge, this band writes their own material in a style that at first seems to be in the tradition, but on closer listening reveals a sharp, contemporary approach to lyrics and playing style.

New Words - Novas Palavras - Mike Marshall and Hamilton de Holanda - 16.99
Two plucked string masters (bandolim, guitars, mandolin, etc) meet and exchange cultures by exploring the works of Jacob do Bandolim, Garoto, de Holanda, Nazareth, Pascoal, Pixinguinha, old bluegrass standards and original songs by Marshall and Bela Fleck.

The Player: A Retrospective - David Bromberg - 12.99
The guitar player's guitar player, Bromberg forged a unique path with his first recordings. This is a collection of the best of those, and includes brilliant work like 'Sammy's Song," "Sharon", "The Holdup," and "Dehlia" as well as a good dose of his humor, and some traditional songs, too. If you wore out your old LPs, here's the replacement.

Flying Saucers - Mad Tea Party - 13.99
True Americana by a quirky crew from North Carolina delve into old blues, hokum and folk tunes, with a touch of coutry pop music from the 20s and such. Ami Worthen (vocals, ukulele), Jason Krekel (vocals, guitar, fiddle, and kazoo) and Lora Pendleton (vocals, bass) recorded this little gem of American roots in their home in North Carolina and the energy and spontaneity overflow in every tune, from the clever novelty of "Flying Suacers" to the warmth of the old country standard, "Walking on the Kings Highway." I was priveleged to have these folks on my radio show in CT in 2005 and fell in love with their personable and witty approach to all kinds of American roots music. Highly recommended.

Rub That Rhythm - The Bluelights - 14.99
They call it 'Roots Music In Overdrive' and while this might be a jug band in some sense, they have moved past the strict definition in this new recording, offering rock, rockabilly and R'n'B in the mix, as well. Folk and blues legend Eric Von Schmidt calls them 'absolutely the best since Kweskin's Jug Band... traditional music in overdrive.'

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.

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.

Every One Tells a Story - The Real Stormin' Norman - 14.99
Best known for his work in the 70s are the pianist, composer and second voice in the legendary NYC band Stormin' Norman and Suzy, Norman Zamcheck returns with his 2006 solo release of new songs.

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.

Mahkato Wacipi (2CD set) - Lakotah and Dakotah artists - 19.99
This two-disc set brings together traditional songs, dances, and stories from the native peoples of southern Minnesota in the form of a two-day Wacipi (or Pow-wow).

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

East Flatbush Blues - Andy Statman - 17.99
A 2006 followup (after 25 years!) to the legendary Flatbush Waltz by mandolinist Andy Statman. Crossing seamlessly across genres, from American jazz, blues, bluegrass to folk and klezmer, he relentlessly searches for new ideas. This new recording has traditional folk and blues, and some stark, original songs.

Awakening From Above - Andy Statman - 17.99
This 2006 release by the mandolin (and many other instruments!) master CD focuses on the meditative and ecstatic centuries-old melodies that lie at the heart of Jewish music. Spare arrangements, loose improvisation and expressive depth are in evidence throughout the recording. In solos, duets and trios, he galvanize the klezmer roots with jazz and other folk and ethnic styles to create his own unique Jewish instrumental music.

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.

Gloryland - Anonymous 4, Anger and Marshall - 18.99
A sequel to their American Angels, Gloryland delves into traditional American folk music, joined by n Darol Anger (violin, mandolin) and Mike Marshall (mandolin, guitar, mandocello). Lyric folk songs, religious ballads, shape-note tunes and gospel hymns are given new interpretations in a mix of traditional and classical vocal styles.

Fenci's Blues - Shtreiml and Ismail Fencioglu - 15.99
The third recording by the wonderful Canadian based klezmer ensemble led by harmonica player Jason Rosenblatt explores ancient connections with Turkey, via the work of Turkish udist Ismail Hakki Fencioglu.

Chasing Grace - The Henrys - 15.99

Wood That Sings - Various Native American - 12.99
Indian Fiddle Music Of The Americas

Traveling Chamber Blues Show - Corky Siegel - 15.99
I heard Corky Siegel's Traveling Chamber Blues Show on the radio (WPKN in CT) one night and it just bowled me over. It was weird, it was funky, it had grit and class. Here is the famous blues harp and piano man, joined by a string section (cello, violins, viola) and percussion on one of the most unexpected CDs of the year 2005. Listen

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.

The Protocols - Hank Sapoznik and the Youngers of Zion - 16.99
Old time Yiddish music — hot fiddle tunes, forgotten ballads, introspective instrumentals and snappy Second Avenue vaudeville songs performed with anmmediacy evoking the coziness of the parlor and the raucousness of the dance floor. Deeply rooted in traditional Yiddish music, the Youngers of Zion make it their own, playing with an easy sense of ownership and understated virtuosity. Singer and tenor guitarist Henry Sapoznik is joined by Mark Rubin on bass and tuba, and fiddler "Cookie" Segelstein in a 'live in the studio' recording of great energy.

Dogie Music - Skip Gorman and the Waddie Pals - 16.99
Old timey music from the American west by Skip Gorman and pals Ruthie Dornfeld on fiddle, Mary Burdette on bass, Tom Sauber on banjo, fiddle and mandolin and Patrick Sauber on accordion and mando. Sweet old tunes familiar and un, played with love and spirit.

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

Flesh and Armor - Liam Bailey - 15.99
Pure pop with American roots - not my usual catalog addition, but I make exceptions for musicians with a wry outlook, an unusual voice and a certain sense of production restraint. Liam and his team of musicians have all of this working for them, so if you have the occasional, selective soft spot for intelligent pop music like I do, you might want to give this one a listen.

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.

American Primitive Vol. II: Pre-War Revenants 1897-1939 - various - 26.99
2 CDs, 50 tracks with a 72 page booklet - a collection of obscure commercial recordings of early Americana: the NuGrape Twins, Bayless Rose, the Salty Dog Four, Geeshie Wiley, the Mississippi Moaner, Blues Birdhead, the Bubbling Over Five, Pigmeat Terry, Mattie May Thomas and many others

Good For What Ails You: Music Of The Medicine Shows, 1926-1937 - various - 24.99
2 CDs, 48 old-time classics in a nicely designed trifold digipak and a well-illustrated 72-page booklet with extensive notes, period photos and much more. A musical document of the old-time medicine shows, with Gid Tanner and Riley Puckett, Pink Anderson, Sam McGee, the Memphis Sheiks, Emmett Miller, Carolina Tar Heels, Henry Thomas, Mainer's Mountaineers, Cannon's Jug Stompers, Charlie Poole and many others

Our worlds beyond - Elemér Balázs Group with Charlie Mariano - 17.99
The Hungarian percussionist and drummer is joined by his jazz ensemble and the American saxophonist Mariano.

Hold Me To This (...plays Radiohead) - Christopher O'Riley - 17.99
Pianist O'Riley plays 14 songs by Radiohead. Go figure!

Pandoukht - David Yengibarjan and Frank London - 17.99
David Yengibarjan - accordion; Frank London - trumpet; József Barcza Horváth - bass; András Dés - percussion; with guest guitarist Gábor Gadó.

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.

Le Nozze di Carlo - Le Nozze di Carlo - 11.99
Their premise is that they make 'ethnic and psuedo-ethnic music.' Perhaps, but then, we all take ourselves too seriously, so why not? This quartet from New York plays accordion, bass, sax and guitar, they all sing, they have a good time playing old Italian folk songs, modern Italian pops, Irish and pseudo-Irish ballads, polkas, sea chanteys, jazz odysseys, mini-operas, and 'the occasional game of croquet.' Relax and enjoy.

The Well-Tampered Accordion - Guy Klucevsek - 16.99
The centerpiece of composer/accordionist Guy Klucevsek’s new solo recording is a collection of 12 short pieces that consist of etudes, preludes, chorales, songs without words, dances and a fantasy. In his most ambitious solo composition to date, inspired by J.S. Bach’s 'The Well-Tempered Klavier,' Klucevsek draws on all the elements of his previous music and ventures into new territory as well: hints of Bartok, Copland, Gottshalk, Eastern European folk music, Middle Eastern melodies and minimalism. Features 'Accordion Misdemeanors,' which Klucevsek wrote to accompany E Annie Proulx’s novel Accordion Crimes, and 'Four Portraits,' inspired by Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer-winning novel The Hours.

Atom Bomb - Blind Boys of Alabama - 13.99
More traditional gospel from this great singing group, plus some quirky covers of pop tunes like Spirit in the Sky, Prsence of the Lord and the 1950s cult country tune, Jesus Hits Like An Atom Bomb.

...and friends - Wu Man - 16.99
..and the friends are a pretty interesting group - the Chinese pipa master and singer is joined by American Lee Knight (banjo, dulcimer, mouth bow, voice), Ukrainian Julian Kytasty (bandura, sopilka, voice) and Bugandan harpist James Makubuya (endongo, adungu, voice) in a global song circle that includes traditional folks songs from each region.

Freshet - Freshet - 16.99
You can't really assemble a much better acoustic music group than this collaboration of Finnish and American musicians: Ruthie Dornfeld on fiddle, Petri Hakala on mandolin, John Miller on guitar and Tapani Varis on bass and overtone flute. They move effortlessly between Finn and American folk, swing and jazz (and a touch of bossa nova, samba, choro!) in a trans-continental, trans-oceanic music fest. (This ensemble was originally called Helsinki Express.)

Ways of the World - Ruthie Dornfeld, Joel Bernstein, Keith Murphy - 16.99
Folk tunes from Appalachia and Texas played by Ruthie Dornfeld -fiddle, viola; Joel Bernstein -harmonica, banjo; Keith Murphy -guitar, vocals

Brother Moses Smote The Water - Klezmatics with Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer - 17.99
Klezmer meets gospel: the one and only Klezmatics, with renowned gospel artists Joshua Nelson and Kathryn Farmer, breathe new life into songs from both the Jewish and African-American heriage to tell a story of inspiration and social action, while weaving a revelatory dialogue between cultures and musial styles. Their first live album, recorded during the HeimatKlänge at MuseumsInselFestival in Berlin, Germany, includes 8 new and 2 classic songs.

Troubadour - Mesut Ozgen - 15.99
Classical guitarist Özgen presents a varied selection of music for the instrument in a series of compositions inspired by folk music, by an equally varied group of composers from around the world.

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.

How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone?: Vol. 1, 1928-1934 - Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell - 29.99
4 CDs with 95 tracks of early citified blues from this popular piano/guitar duo: "How Long, How Long Blues," "Naptown Blues," "Christmas in Jail," "Papa's on the House Top," "Midnight Hour Blues," "Mean Mistreater Mama," and much more. Essential listening

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

Hummingbird - Jeremiah McLane and Ruthie Dornfeld - 16.99
This unique duo is pulling together disparate influences from around the world and making a roots-based music that often borders on the avant garde. Dornfeld's fiddle and McLane's accordion weave and diverge in unique and creative ways.

Selwa - Choying Drolma + Steve Tibbetts - 15.99
Tibetan Buddhist nun and singer Chöying Drolma and American guitarist/recordist Steve Tibbetts' second recording together.

La Linea (Border) - Lila Downs - 16.99
Border forges a bridge between cultures and time. It's a collection of stirring songs inspired by border life, the plight of migrant workers, and the hardships endured by indigenous peoples. Accompanied by pre-Colombian and Mexican folk instruments, Downs infuses jazz, gospel, and hip hop influences into traditional cumbias, creating powerful music in any language. The artist dedicates this recording to the Mexican migrants, to the spirits of those who have died crossing the line.

Days of Awe - David Chevan w/ Afro-Semitic Experience and Frank London - 15.99
David Chevan and The Afro-Semitic Experience has been amazing audiences all over Connecticut and the northeast for a number of years (and lately, also around the world). Trumpeter Frank London joins the ensemble on this 2003 release that reinterprets 'meditations for Selichot, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.' It's an astounding work of musical art, innovative, spiritual and musically adept at merging tradition and innovation, ancient melodies and jazz.

Backwards into the Backwoods - Stian Carstensen - 16.99
The Norwegian musican and composer's 2004 release, his second under his own name for Winter and Winter recordings is an exciting and innovative work, in keeping with his long time experiments with Farmer's Market and other projects he has been a part of or spearheaded. he explores uniquely southern American music in a truly Norwegian, avant garde way

Sanctuary - Charlie Musselwhite - 16.99
The great blues harper with Ben Harper, Charlie Sexton, the Blind Boys of Alabama. (2004)

Mareas - Juan Carranza - 16.99
Costa Rican born guitarist Juan Carranza merges traditional and new flamenco with an undercurrent of Latin and North African rhythms on this collection of ten original songs. This is no slick pastiche a la Gipsy Kings, but rough and ready roots music played with great energy and skill, delivered with passion and creative spark.

Jump for George - Imaginary Homeland - 15.99
This is one of those 'what can you say?' sort of recordings. Composer, saxophonist, and percussionist David Rogers, percussionist Mark Stone, violinist Marlene Rice and funky bassist Matt Pavolka have found the non-existant link between Appalachian string bands, Ghanian percussion, downtown jazz and host of other unrelated ideas that miraculously fit together as if they had the deepest of ethnomusical roots.

American Angels - Anonymous 4 - 17.99
Anonymous 4's natural and decidedly non-classical approach to the roots of American music. This collection features 18th-century psalm settings from rural New England, 19th-century shape-note and camp revival songs from the rural South and some of America's best-loved gospel songs.

Seventh and Trade - Clare Fader and The Vaudevillains - 16.99
Singer and writer Clare Fader and company are back with their second release, and it is, if anything, weirder, darker and more quirky than the first. It's part cabaret, part Jaques Brel, perhaps a skittering dose of The Doors without the amplifiers and leather. The Vaudevillains: Aaron Bachelder, drums; Andy Mabe, upright bass; Brad Cokendolpher, guitar; and Mary K. Elkins, cello.

Omar Sosa and Adam Rudolph - Omar Sosa and Adam Rudolph - 17.99
A collaboration between Cuban pianist Omar Sosa and Los Angeles-based percussionist Adam Rudolph.

Guitar - Peter Lang - 14.99
11 new songs by this mid-western American string wizard, all new for this 2003 release, his first in many years. Most pieces are performed on the 12-string guitar.

Margot Leverett and The Klezmer Mountain Boys - Margot Leverett and The Klezmer Mountain Boys - 16.99
Klezmer clarinetist Margot Leverett joins forces with today's stars of klezmer and bluegrass to explore the shared musical spirit of two genres literally worlds apart. Appalachian tunes by Bill Monroe meet klezmer melodies from pre-war Russia and Eastern Europe, some newly discovered, and the resulting medleys and improvisations are at once raw, funny, melancholic and footstomping. Featuring bluegrass legends such as Kenny Kosek on fiddle, Barry Mitterhoff on mandolin, with special klezmer guests including Frank London and The Klezmer Brass Allstars, Michael Albert and many more.

Beautiful Isle of Somewhere - Geoff Muldaur - 17.99
The great and often quirky jazz-blues singer and guitarist in a live performance in Bremen, Germany. Muldaur’s new interpretations of mostly classic blues, folk, jazz and gospel material reach a rare kind of intensity and depth. Both of his duo albums with ex-wife Maria are considered certified roots music classics and his name is inseparable from the history of the American folk and blues revival, but rarely has Geoff Muldaur sounded better than on this particular album. It’s a remarkable comeback after an 18-year-absence from the music business by a wonderful artist delivering acoustic roots music built to last.

Work and Pray: Historic Negro Spirituals And Work Songs From West Virginia - Various artists - 16.99
38 field recordings from 1949-1953. Railroad work chants, ancient spirituals, hammer songs, slave-era songs, more. A collection of varied and powerful African-American music from Appalachia.

Going Elsewhere - The Clayfoot Strutters - 16.99
The Clayfoot Strutters are a self-styled 'New England-based Contradance Jam Band' who specialize in fusing the modes and melodies of traditional American immigrant music, progressive pop and modal jazz harmonies with' dance-floor grooves from the Latin, Swing, Afropop and Zydeco/Cajun worlds. Members are fiddler, songwriter, and producer Pete Sutherland, Jeremiah McLane on accordion and keyboards, and drummer, vocalist and guitarist Lee Blackwell. Special guests often include: Peter Davis, who plays clarinet, sax, piano, and guitar, bassist Dave Grant, and banjo and flute player Mark Roberts.

Maudite Moisson! - Le Vent du Nord - 17.99
Step dancer/accordionist Benoit Bourque (Matapat) and singer/guitarist Bernard Simard join pianist and hurdy-gurdy player Nicolas Boulerice and fiddler Olivier Demers in a recording of what they call 'new traditional music from Québec.'

The Danubians - The Danubians - 16.99
Amy Denio, Pavel Fajt, Csaba Hajnoczy and Gaby Kenderesi

Songs of my People - Peter Garcia and The Garcia Brothers - 13.99
From San Juan Pueblo, in Northern New Mexico, comes a sound rich with history and honor for the living Earth. San Juan has been an active ceremonial center for seven hundred years and Songs Of My People is a collection of music to accompany ceremonial dances. The solo and group songs are sung by men with deep, penetrating voices and the instrumentation consists mainly of double-sided drums and gourd rattles.

Solidarity, It Can't Be Beat - The Solidarity Singers - 15.99
In the economic and political times that are on the horizon, it's probably more important than ever that the average folks stick together and sing. That's what The Solidarity Singers of the New Jersey Industrial Union Choir are doing, adapting classic songs of labor and liberation to the new times; the age old folk-process in action. It's neither slick nor what you'd call professional, but homespun, genuine and personal.

Mahima - Debashish Bhattacharya and Bob Brozman - 16.99
Two renowned slide guitarists (from India and the US) meet and merge their talents and ideas into a new musical sound.

Puerto Angel - The Henrys - out of print - not available

Weatherhole - Michael Hurley - temp out of stock-16.99
More snock, complete with a band and, as always, some great, quirky songs.

Tokyo - The Legendary Stardust Cowboy - temp out of stock-15.99
More of that infamous rock and roll insanity from the king of the outside pop scene, Norman Odam, friend and inspiration to a generation (including David Bowie, whose Space Oddity gets The LegendaryStardust treatment on this new recording).

Live in Chicago - The Legendary Stardust Cowboy - temp out of stock-15.99
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