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The US house label of Harmonia Mundi offers a small but wonderful catalog of music from around the world, chosen only for quality without regard to genre.
Herencia - Harold Lopez-Nussa Trio
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv479035)
A remarkable young jazz trio led by a rising pianist with roots in Cuba and France. 24-year-old Harold López-Nussa was born into a Cuban musical dynasty - the nephew of famous pianist Ernan López-Nussa and the son of drummer Ruy López-Nussa. He is known for his piano work as part of Omara Portuondo's band, and the lead female singer of the Buena Vista Social Club makes a guest appearance on this recording. López-Nussa fronts a trio comprised of bassist Felipe Cabrera (a member of Gonzalo Rubalcaba's band) and a marvelous drummer, his younger brother Ruy Adrian López-Nussa. This gets my highest recommendation for anyone into jazz or Latin music of any kind.
Vital - Fernando Otero
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468094)
Argentine pianist, composer and bandleader Fernando Otero’s new album for World Village, Vital, is a meditative yet emotionally refractive set of eleven modern chamber music pieces, redolent of new-style tango, twentieth century atonality, sharp-edged downtown jazz, and other sounds Otero picked up at home and on his travels. The opening duet for piano and violin, "Nocturno," is a limping waltz that appears to depict an insomniac’s midnight musings; it leads seamlessly into two succeeding yet unrelated movements. "Siderata," scored for six players including a bandonéon, Argentina’s emblematic squeezebox, is an exercise in stillness, like the uneasy peace that so often precedes a difficult decision. "La Abundancia," another duet, is roundly, ripely melodic; but the wryly titled "Reforma Mental" is scored for eight players and from its opening keyboard arpeggios, depicts a dialogue between voices in conflict, with scampering piano runs periodically overwhelmed by groaning, overbearing horns. Between them, the violin and bandonéon achieve a small universe of sonic color on "Noche Illuminata," while "Fin de Revision" contradicts its title by continuing to mutate and evolve until the final, wheezing exhalation. Listen
I Can See The Gates Of Heaven… - Marta Sebestyen
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv450009)
Well known for her important work with Muszikás, Hungarian singer Márta Sebestyén sings songs personally chosen from the extensive Hungarian folk and religious repertoire - songs that have close personal resonance for her and that reflect the proud cultural heritage of the Carpathians. The musicians accompanying her are two of Hungary’s finest - Balazs Dongo Sokolay on bagpipes, flutes, saxophone and tarogato and Matyas Bolya on lute and zither. In the informative sleeve notes, Sebestyén introduces the album and the background to each song, and leading Hungarian folklorist Ferenc Szabó provides further detail. Listen
À L'ombre des Mots (CD and DVD) - Le Trio Joubran
$19.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv479036)
In The Shadow Of The Words features the CD and DVD recordings of Le Trio Joubran's September 19, 2008 concert at the Cultural Palace in Ramallah, Palestine, on the memorial day of Mahmoud Darwich, forty days after his death. The trio comments: “Mahmoud Darwich was as sensitive to the notes of our ouds as our ears and hearts to his poetry. We accompanied him in more than thirty shows in Europe and the Arab world. The last one was in France, in Arles, this beautiful city where we decided to begin a common work and where our music would accompany the variations of his voice, in strength and weakness, certainty and doubt, life and death...When he passed away, we decided to realize this project and the accompanying became a tribute…The first was in Ramallah, where his voice reached us, strong, dominant, and flew over our tears and the suffering of Palestine... and who better than Darwich can honour Darwich himself, absent and yet so present.” Listen
Sweet Sweet Jamaica - Gilzene & The Blue Light Mento Band
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv479037)
Debut from a group from remote areas of Jamaica has a sound that retains the unpolished quality of mento at its most genuine In the best mento tradition, the fifteen songs cover a range of topics, featuring folk favourites, suggestive ditties and songs examining the finer points of human relationships. Audiences may already be familiar with songs such as ‘Wings Of A Dove,’ once adapted in ska by Bob Marley, ‘Brown Girl In The Ring,’ a children’s ring game song adapted in disco by Boney M, ‘Dream Of Me,’ a big hit for Mac and Katie Kissoon in the mid-1970s, and the oft-versioned ‘Sly Mongoose,’ which references radical religious leader Alexander Bedward. Similarly, the group tackles mento classics such as the suggestive ‘Hold Him Joe,’ ‘Goosey’ (aka ‘Gungu Walk’) and ‘Water Your Garden’ with considerable aplomb, and there are also fine renditions of the ring game songs ‘Hill And Gully Rider’ and ‘Emmanuel Road,’ joined as a mini medley, as well as the heartbroken ‘Come Back Liza.’ ‘Jammin Tonight,’ which exhorts the listeners to join in the mento party, adapts a traditional number known as ‘You Safe,’ while in contrast, ‘10,000 Years’ adapts a bible hymn within the language and symbolism of the Rastafari faith. The originals are equally captivating: the ballad ‘Crying’ relates a riverside tale of seeking to give comfort in times of hardship and distress, while ‘Honey And Honeycomb’ has Lanford pledging eternal devotion to his sweetheart; ‘Sweet Sweet Jamaica’ naturally expresses the enduring appeal of the island for visitors. Perhaps most notable of all, the band’s adaptation of Toots and the Maytals’ much loved ‘Sweet And Dandy’ recasts the reggae hit as a mento country stomp, with none other than Toots himself contributing the vibrant harmonica. Listen
Pynandí (Los Descalzos) - Chango Spasiuk
$12.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468083)
Argentinean accordion virtuoso and composer's 2009 release is Pynandí -- Los Descalzos (Barefoot, from an indigenous Guaraní word, referring to the rural poor) Like American blues, Portuguese fado and Argentina's own tango, the sunny, lilting chamamé was at one time considered too lower-class to be of interest to educated listeners. This recordin is a love letter to the land of Spasiuk's birth, capturing the red earth, blinding heat, rough good humor and warm fellowship of laborers heading out for an evening's fun. But while cheerful on the surface, it also harbors edgy moments of dissonance. Suite Nordeste opens with an accordion astride a staggering percussion motif. Guitars, fiddle and other instruments fight to create luchness and roughness, always seeking a contradiction of some kind. Spasiuk engenders the best of the tradition, then tosses it into his own unique mix. Listen
Amarte - Manuel d'Oliveira and Mediterraneo
$9.99
(cdRoots# hm-amarte07)
This CD by the Portuguese guitarist was recorded live in 2005, in Praça de Santiago, Guimarães. The musicians of the ensemble Mediterrâneo are José Lima (acoustic bass), David Leão (flute and bagpipe), Mário Gonçalves (drums) and Rui Ferreira (piano).
Live - Les Yeux Noirs
$10.99
(cdRoots# hm-yeux-live)
French sextet plays Gypsy and Yiddish music topped off with a dash of Manouche jazz. Violinists Eric and Olivier Slabiak lead a band of violins, cello, accordion, electric guitar, cimbalom and electronic samples
Shime - The Cultural Music Club of Zanzibar
$12.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468080)
They began life as part of the youth organization of the Afro Shirazi Party during Zanzibar's struggle for independence back in 1956. Today it is not only the largest, but also one of the most prolific and successful orchestras of Zanzibar as they present taarab music. They perform new compositions and have developed a distinct and uniquely Swahili style. Listen 1 - Listen 2
Off The Map - The Silk Road Project
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468095)
This ensemble has evolved from a group of strangers brought together by artistic director Yo-Yo Ma, into a close-knit band of friends and they now celebrate a 10th anniversary. Gabriela Frank's 'Ritmos Anchinos' transports us into the Andes, with pipa and sheng imitating indigenous folk instruments. Angel Lam's childhood memories emerge in 'Empty Mountain, Spirit Rain' - an urban groove of Hong Kong carried by shakuhachi and bass. Creation of the world is at the center of Evan Ziporyn's 'Sulvasutra,' written for India's great tabla player Sandeep Das. Osvaldo Golijov's 'Air to Air' invokes a Sicilian protest song, prayers to Holy Mother Guadalupe and songs from the Christian Arab Easter service. The album also features Kayhan Kalhor, Wu Man, Cristina Pato and Wu Tong, yet it is the Ensemble's collective spirit that shines through, proving great things can happen when strangers meet. Listen and listen
Sacred Bridges - The Kings Singers, Sarband
$9.99
(cdRoots# hm-sacredb)
A capella group The King's Singers and Middle Eastern early musicensemble Sarband explore the bridges between Jewish, Christian and Muslim cultiures via sacred texts from each. The Psalms of David, common ground for all three religions are perfoemed in settings composed in the 16th and 17th centuries and performed in Hebrew, French and Turkish.
Rutilantes - Los Amados
$9.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv498019)
A musical journey through boleros, mambos, cha-cha-chas, congas and danzones. Making its World Village début, Los Amados presents Rutilantes ("The Sparklers") – an intoxicating mix of songs that recapture the sounds of the Latin Orchestras of the 1950s and '60s. Los Amados (The Beloved) is based in Buenos Aires and its band members come from different corners of Latin America: Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guyana... In concert, the musicians dress in the style of the period which they explore in their music. The CD includes 12 infectious tracks, opening with the gorgeous bolero "Soy tu esclavo" and featuring a bonus video track, "Noche de Ronda."
Outra Praia - Swami Jr.
$18.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv479029)
Outra Praia (Another Beach) is a case of a supporting actor emphatically and justifiably stealing the limelight. Swami Jr. has long been a highly sought-after producer, arranger, composer and guitarist who has worked with musical talent from Brazil and further afield. He recorded and toured with Chico César for ten years and has accompanied and/or produced Omara Portuondo, Vanessa da Mata, Elba Ramalho, Zélia Duncan, Elza Soares, Zeca Baleiro, Tom Zé, Lokua Kanza, Mayra Andrade, Dori Caymmi and more. This is the debut solo album for Swami Jr. as he establishes himself alongside these cohorts as a major new name in Música Popular Brasileira. Listen and Listen
Sube Azul - Sofia Koutsovitis
$18.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv498035)
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.
No Tan Distinta - Gabriela Torres
$18.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv498031)
Argentinean singer, composer and guitarist Gabriela Torres travels naturally from tango, milonga, bossa nova to Rio de la Plata rhythms. This unique mix results in a style with a personality of its own and a deep sense of rhythmic fusion. She is joined by Lito Vitale (a fixture on all of her albums), Juan Subirá and Pepe Céspedes for the song "Está Apunao" and Kevin Johansen, with whom she sings the last track of the album, "Panadero." Other featured contributors include Mati Cella, Fernando Mántaras, Luciano Vitale, Juan Buonuome, Martín González, Pablo Guerra, Dorita Chávez, Pol Neiman, Javi Viña, Mariela Mendez Christie and Omar Ramirez. Listen
Lus - Nancy Vieira
$18.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv498033)
In this Cap Verdean's voice is neither rage nor rebellion. Instead, it is full of tenderness and subtlety; rhythm and firmness. There is both true feeling and interpretation. Cape Verde is inspiration. The world is both the auditorium and the essential part of a cultural mix from where she draws inspiration. Vieira has worked with many top artists including Rui Veloso, Ala dos Namorados and Dany Silva. Lus is her third album. With traditional Cape Verde rhythms as a starting point, Vieira reaches beyond the borders of her home and deftly incorporates sounds from other parts of the world, but especially South America. Listen
rivermudtwilight - Les Triaboliques
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468088)
This collaboration from multi-instrumentalists Ben Mandelson, Lu Edmonds and Justin Adams is the culmination of a decades-long quest by these musicians to absorb and utilize the planet's sounds. The Desert, the Delta, the Steppes and the Underground - all are united in what Mandelson likes to call "Triabolique Twi-Fi." Listen!
Imidiwan: Companions - Tinariwen
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468096)
Tuareg band's fourth CD release possesses all the elements that have made them so magnetic: raw simplicity, melodic beauty, songs ranging from the epic and universal to the intimate and personal. Listen!
Madagascar - Jaojoby
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-jaojoby-m)
Jaojoby is one of the most popular singers in Madagascar and is a favorite throughout the Indian Ocean islands. His group is on a par with the best rock, funk and jazz bands of the Western world. If you're partial to the sweetly intertwining electric guitars that are an integral part of Congolese popular music, you'll find a similar sound in their Malagasy salegy. The music's rich vocal harmonies, powerful yet-never-overbearing percussion, nifty electric bass coupled with a warm and generous spirit are sure to win you over.
Petite planete - Trio Ifriqiya
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv479034)
Fayçal El Mezouar was trained at the music school El Kordobia in Tlemcen, Algeria. For this trio, he has gathered around him jazz pianist and improviser Didier Fréboeuf and drummer Emile Biayenda, founder of the band Les Tambours de Brazza. Their music blends many styles including Arab-Andalous, traditional, jazz and contemporary. It highlights a kind of common musical language where elements from the Orient, Africa and Europe cross paths.Listen!
Festival in the Desert (CD) - Various Artists
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-festdes)
A unique celebration of the music and culture of the Tuareg people, this live recording of performances from the three-day festival held in January, 2003, includes tracks by Lo'Jo, Oumou Sangaré, Ali Farka Touré, Blackfire, Tartit, Afel Boucoum, ballake Sissoko, Tinariwen, Robert Plant, Justin Adams and many others.
Muso Ko - Habib Koité and Bamada
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468055)
Reissue of the great 1990s classic from the Malian guitarist: 'Guitarist Habib Koite is from Mali, but this rising star represents the contemporary sound of African pop. His first album, which is now being re-released here, is mostly made up of upbeat songs that electrify a variety of regional styles. The accompanying translated lyrics show Koite to be a songwriter that takes on weightier subjects than the usual vacuous party fare. The songs don't translate easily, resembling fables at times, but there is no mistaking the message of his hit, "Cigarette A Bana (The Cigarette is Finished)." Koite's brisk, breezy songs layer call-and-response singing over a seamless mix of African percussion and Western instruments. His academic training shows up most notably in his sophisticated arrangements, which continually change textures, keeping his songs as appealing to the head as the feet.' - Marty Lipp, RootsWorld
Nömadak Tx - Oreka Tx
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468085)
"...a brilliant project - more the spiritual and musical heir to Junkera's Maren... the duo visit with nomad musicians in a variety of countries Mongolia, India, Morocco, a Western Saharan refugee camp in Algeria, and Scandinavia and the result is an unforgettable visual and musical experience, somewhere between Baraka, Latcho Drom, and Buena Vista Social Club. In their travels, they create txalapartak (the plural form) out of ice, stone and wood, showing the many possibilities of their ancient instrument. In doing so, they form global links of friendship between small and marginalized peoples. Oreka TX meet with and perform with a diverse array of musicians, many with traditions as old and unknowable as that of the txalaparta itself. Basque instruments such as the alboka mix with singers and musicians of many lands." - David Cox, RootsWorld - NOTE: this is the single CD US release (no extra CD or DVD) - Listen
Brakka System - So Kalmery
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv479023)
So Kalmery is originally from the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country sadly so often in the headlines over the last years. His story is one marked by the rich history but also the misfortunes of this part of Africa. His father was assassinated because of his close ties to the independence leader Patrice Lumumba, and So Kalmery became an orphan and a refugee at the age of seven... He spent many years fleeing from the various wars that devastated the region and finally found asylum in Zambia. It was during this period that the humanism which permeates his songs was forged. Very young, he learned music and played in numerous local orchestras. He established himself in Europe following a tour with the great Congolese musician Franco. A prodigious musician, an insatiable traveller, a poet, singer and dancer in search of the roots and the values of humanity, So Kalmery is an atypical and mystical figure, who plays an unclassifiable music which is at the crossroads of blues, folk music, soul and pop: Brakka.
Piano Jondo - Diego Amador
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-amador07)
Flamenco piano? He calls it 'deep piano' and he pulls off the unlikely approach with passion and flair, giving a literal interpretation of the style, whether over-dubbed on several instruments or accompanied by Miguel Vargas on double bass, Luis Amador on percussion and Joaquín Grilo tapping and hand-clapping. Interesting, to say the least.
Red Soil in My Eyes - Somi
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-redsoil)
Somi is of Rwandan and Ugandan heritage, and while she lives in NYC these days, she is a citizen of the world who has found a home in her music. Singing has been a journey of healing, says the young singer and writer. She tells stories of life, love, and liberation that incorporate jazz, classic soul, African folk, and urban grooves. Listen
Amin Iman - Tinariwen
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-tinar07)
The 2007 release by the Touareg 'desert blues' masters from Mali.
Arcadia - Shirai
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-shirai06)
Shirai's music blends the sounds produced by quartz crystal 'singing' bowls and didgeridoos with human voices, violins, percussion, keyboards, native flute, Tibetan bowls and gongs. The extemporaneous voices of the singers, traveling on the vibrational wave of the quartz instruments evokes a non-denominational spiritual atmosphere of resonating landscapes full of complex aural harmonics. New age but not newage.
Aulanulua - Leo Minax
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-minax06)
A Brazilian in Madrid, Leo Minax mixes up folkloric aspects from his native state of Minas Gerais with a guitar-rock attitude. Sixteen tracks, all original compositions and sung in Portuguese, with Minax on acoustic guitars backed by a band of guitar, bass and drums with guest musicians including Arnaldo Antunes of Tribalistas. The album comes with a DVD that includes a ‘Making of’ documentary and 7 tracks performed live in the studio.
Negro Color - Tania Libertad
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-libertad04)
Libertad again pays homage to her Afro-Peruvian roots, but the arrangements for the album are more delicate and less dance oriented than previousr projects devoted to this repertoire. Libertad is at her most compelling on thoughtful and contemplative tracks like 'Dos gardenias,' where her voice floats angelically above a sparse piano accompaniment. Not limiting herself to music of her homeland, Libertad also includes a powerful rendition of Brazilian composer Chico Buarque's 'Funeral of a Farm Worker.' Libertad's shimmering voice rules thsi recording- clear, intense and always beautiful.
Vieux Farka Toure - Vieux Farka Touré
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-vieux)
Bouriema 'Vieux Farka' Touré is the son of the late, great Malian guitar master Ali Farka Touré. This is his first recording, made with his father and many of his musicial compadres.
Heritage - Mamadou Diabate
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-mdiabate06)
Drawing from the music the Mande jeli, kora player Diabate highlights the flexibility and adaptability of this courtly tradition. The band includes balafonist Bala Kouyaté, Baye Kouyaté on calabash and talking drum, American jazz musician Noah Jarrett on bass, with a special guest cameo from the Guinean guitarist Djikorya Mory Kante. Mande music is usually centered around a singer, this all instrumental recording is unusal, This music is not typically accompanied by calabash or talking drum, so the percussive aspect of the group is also innovative. But the deepest innovation comes in the compositions and arrangements themselves.
Aulanulua - Leo Minax
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-minax06)
A Brazilian musician in Madrid, Minax mixes up folkloric aspects from his native state of Minas Gerais with a guitar-led rock aesthetic. This 2006 recording is his musical response to the Madrid train bombings. Sixteen tracks, all original compositions and sung in Portuguese, with Minax on acoustic guitars backed by a guitar,bass,drums band and with a few guest musicians including Arnaldo Antunes, of Tribalistas. The album comes with a free, bonus DVD that includes a ‘Making of’ documentary and 7 tracks performed live in the studio.
Aconteceu - Ana Moura
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-moura06)
The second recording by this up and coming Portuguese fadista offers traditional songs and newly written compositions.
Endless Vision - Hossein Alizadeh and Jivan Gasparyan
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-endless)
Live recording of 2 world-renown artists, Hossein Alizadeh from Iran and Djivan Gasparyan from Armenia, recorded outdoors in Tehran on September 4-6, 2003 before an audience of 12,000. They were accompanied by Vazgen Markaryan (bass duduk), Afsaneh Rasaee (vocal), Hoorshid Biabani (vocal), Armen Ghazaryan (duduk), Ali Boustan (shurangiz), Mohammadreza Ebrahimi (ud), Ali Samadpour (dammam, udu, vocal) and Behzad Mirzaee (daf, tombak).
Son de la Frontera - Son de la Frontera
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-frontera)
With pounding flamenco footsteps over thunderign guitars, Son de la Frontera's music is balanced between genres even while breaking them down. Famenco falsetas soar over the sounds and rhythms of Venezuelan, Colombian, Cuban, and Argentinean dance forms, punctuated by the tres, a hybrid descendent of guitar and lute developed by guajiros.
de ayer manana - Eliseo Parra
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-parra05)
Eliseo Parra has been rewriting the folk music of Spain for a long time now, imbuing the folklore and traditions of the Iberian Peninsula, the forgotten lore and ancient music, and revitalizing it with his own special sense of modernity. He sings in Castilian, Catalan, Galician and Basque on de ayer mañana (from yesterday, tomorrow), joined by stellar musicians including members of Alboka and Josean Goikoetxea.
Nadal - Marina Rossell
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-rossell05)
Music for the Christmas holiday from one of the great voices of Catalan Spain.
Hold Me To This (...plays Radiohead) - Christopher O'Riley
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-radiohead)
Pianist O'Riley plays 14 songs by Radiohead. Go figure!
Kongo Magni - Boubacar Traore
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-traore05)
Guitarist/singer Boubacar Traoré is one of the 'house favorites' at cdRoots. His dense voice and rugged guitar style contrasts sharply with the rolling lilt of many of his Malian contemporaries. On Kongo Magni, Boubacar’s realistic, if pessimistic, view of life and its problems is finally granted a fragile silver lining. Accompanied by a small combo of accordion and harmonica, kamele ngoni, balafon and percussion, Traoré is again revealed as philosophical, lyrical and resigned - guarded, hopeful and humane.
Barnabe - Regional Barnabe
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv498007)
'Old school' choro performed by a trans-oceanic ensemble from Brazil and Catalan Spain, solidly acoustic, totally creative, beautifully played.
Behmanka - Mamadou Diabate
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468039)
Mamadou Diabate’s combination of fiery melodic improvisation, inexorable rhythmic precision, and ringing tone is a revelation. The eight solo performances tracks on Behmanka, which is named for very old dialect of the artist’s native Mandinka language, reveal a virtuoso in his prime.
Bidad - Mohammed Reza Shajarian
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468043)
Classic recordings by Mohammad Reza Shajarian, one of the most revered singers in modern Persian music. Bidad, literally translated, means 'injustice.' It is also the name of the gusheh (fragmentary musical building blocks) upon which this recording is based. This 1984 recording was a turning point in the musical direction of Iran's art music. During the turbulent years immediately before and after the revolution of 1979, the younger generation of musicians devoted much of their work to being a voice for the people, calling for and then celebrating social and political change. Bidad was one of the first albums to successfully bridge the gap between tradition and modernity, proving that Iranian art music could maintain its integrity and remain socially and politically relevant.
Faryad (2 CDs) - Masters of Persian Music
$19.99
(cdRoots# hm-persian2)
Mohammad Reza Shajarian (vocals), Hossein Alizadeh (tar), Kayhan Kalhor (kemancheh) and Homayoun Shajarian (tombek) certainly qualify for the tile of 'masters'. This 2 CD set of live recordings is a brilliant follow-up to their astounding Without You.
La Marea - Marta Topferova
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-topferova)
Born in Prague, steeped in both European and Latin American musical traditions, Topferova now lives in New York, where she has forged a strongly European, Latin nuevo-jazz sound. This recording, all sung in Spanish, offers her original sound, and original songs, backed by an ensemble focused around her voice and Edmar Castañeda's South American folk harp, joined by violinist Jenny Scheinman, French horn from Chris Comer, Angus Martin's accordion, flutist Yulia Musayelyan, percussionists Neil Ochoa, Urbano Sanchez and Chris Eddleton and Topferova's own cuatro and guiro.
Guarda-me a vida na mão - Ana Moura
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-moura05)
The music we call fado is an old music, unique to Portugal. Part of a long musical tradition, the Lisbon fado is as integral a part of the city’s character and culture as its history, religion and language. Ana Moura is one of the finest of a new generation of wonderful young fadistas (fado singers) that is responsible for the explosive resurgence in popularity of this hauntingly lovely song form, not only in Portugal itself, but throughout Europe, the Americas, even Asia. Ana Moura follows in the tradition of the great singers of earlier generations such as Amalia Rodrigues, but her music is in no sense derivative. She is a serious student of the fado and, while she loves the traditional forms, in Guarda me a vida na mão she has totally made them her own, with superb modern arrangements performed by some of today’s most prominent fado musicians-all very gifted performers in their own right. Moura, whose deep, rich, contralto voice is as radiant as her face, also performs a number of the newer fados.
Remezclas de la casa: - Remixes from Barí - Ojos de Brujo
$13.99
(cdRoots# hm-ojosx)
Featured are remixes from this Spanish group's turntablist DJ Panko, including 'Calé Barí' 'Tiempo de Drumba' and a 7-minute reinvention of Quien engaña no gana' (Cheats Never Win). The six-track collection also features a remix from Ojos de Brujo's gypsy guitarist (and break-dancer!) Ramón Giménez
Douga Mansa - Mamadou Diabate
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-douga)
His reputation as a kora virtuoso and tradition-based musical maverick is well known. In Diabate's hands, the kora proves capable of infinite variation, encompassing delicately articulated structures, swirling eddies of glissandi, pounding, vertical rhythms and roaring cataracts of arpeggio. On the opening track, an astounding range of simultaneous yet syncopated melodies and rhythms join and separate in a complex clarity that amazes. The 12 selections that follow are all equal to that moment,, showing a rich tradition that lives on in the hands of a master.
Akh Issudar - Terakaft
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-terak)
Malian Touoareg ensemble's keening, scratchy singing veers off onto curvy, Islamic-flavored tangents and passages of "talking blues," discursive chanting, and raucous call-and-response, punctuated by wailing, cries, ululations and even an underlying, buzzing drone. The multi-layered guitars fulfil the image with their rich, sensually tinny chords and lead riffs. They might evoke the Mississippi Delta at high noon, T Rex and the early Stones, and certainly the late Ali Farka Touré, but they are unique and stand apart. This is potent music of the 'desert blues' variety, and highly recommended.
Dancing in the Light - Lakshmi Shankar
$18.99
(cdRoots# hm-wv468049)
Within the classical music traditions of North and South India, the human voice is the most repsected instrument. Conversely, the mark of a master instrumentalist is the ability to evoke the power, suppleness and nuance of a great singer. And within the pantheon of great South Asian vocalists, few names kindle such intense admiration and reverence as that of singer Lakshmi Shankar. Lakshmi Shankar has a special affinity for the Hindu devotional songs called bhajans. The emotional core of this recital is Lakshmi's exquisite evocations of love (be it earthly or divine) and its darker twin: the torment of being separated from one's beloved. On this recording - co-produced by Michael Brook - she sets traditional poems (including two by Mirabai) to her own improvised melodies, accompanied by Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri on tabla, Pandit Ramesh Mishra on sarangi, and Suniti Bergman on tanpura.
Mali Blue - Lobi Traore
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-maliblue)
A collection of tracks from Bambara singer Lobi Traoré's previous recordings, 14 tracks includes on live recording.
Festival in the Desert: the film (DVD) - Various Artists
$23.99
(cdRoots# hm-festdes-dvd)
Lionel Brouet's documentary about the 2003 Festival in the Desert tells the story of the event, and does so in a uniquely compelling and atmospheric way. Bonus features include an interview with event organizer Issa Dicko about the Touaregs and a photo gallery. Live performance footage and interviews with participating artists offer a magical journey seen through the eyes of those who attended the festival. This 52-minute documentary on DVD is in French with English subtitles.
Ce soir là - Lo'Jo
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-lojo-soir)
Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, North African, West African, English, Gypsy, Caribbean, and of course French influences are the raw materials for this amazing French ensemble. These diverse origins are united seamlessly by the gravelly voice of lead singer Denis Pean, the synchronized tones of singing sisters Nadia and Yamina, and the legacy of the band’s quirky origins as street performers. This is Lo’Jo’s first live CD and features 17 tracks, including some unreleased songs. Also includes a bonus a CD-Rom video (playable on Mac or PC) which features Lo’Jo performing the song 'Tangito' along with the acrobatic rope duo Les Sélène.
Amassakoul - Tinariwen
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-tinar2)
The second release by this much-heralded Malian-Tamashek ensemble once again redefines 'desert blues'
Piel de aceituna - Mariana Montalvo
$14.99
(cdRoots# hm-piel)
Mariana Montalvo has been living in France since the days of Pinochet but connection to her roots has remained strong. Her music provides fresh interpretations of the traditional music of Chile in the tradition of legendary Latin American singers such as Victor Jara, Violetta Para and Mercedes Sosa. Montalvo's original compositions feature stong melodies and instrumentation including the charango, quena (pan-pipes), and trombone, which reflects the influence of Andean brass bands on Montalvo's arrangements. The mix of traditional and modern styles provides support for her adaptations of Chilean poems.
Fôly! - Habib Koité and Bamada
$special order-19.99
(cdRoots# hm-koite-foly)
Foly! – Live Around the World' features live recordings made during 2001 and 2002 by Koite and his band. The 18 on this specially-priced double album. Hailed as the 'African Eric Clapton,' Koité's music combines Malian tradition with Western influences, proving that one does not have to forsake the past in order to grow, and that the modern world, for all of its benefits, needs to keep its links to the folklore, mythology and history of the people in order for it to retain its soul. 2 CD set.
Bari - Ojos de Brujo
$15.99
(cdRoots# hm-ojos)
From the moment it starts, there's no doubt that this is an album of now. Energetic, assertive and joyful, it does what you want a record to do: it changes the mood and makes life seem full of possibilities. Reaching back to flamenco and rumba, grabbing handfuls of hip hop, dub and modern-sounding drum licks and bass lines (but not drum-and-bass!), the group makes forward-looking music that could definitely have been made only in Spain and probably only in Barcelona.' - Charlie Gillett, BBC
Sweet Liberty - Susan McKeown
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-mckeown)
A collection of all-traditional songs, albeit often non-tradtional approaches, from the Irish singer-songwriter in collaboration with a wide spectrum of musicians, from Ensemble Tartit, a group of Tuareg musicians from Northern Mali, to Mariachi Real de Mexico to Flook, as well as sparse, traditional reditions of little known traditional songs.
Luna Park - Kila
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-kila-luna)
The Irish band that breaks the rules is back for their 9th recording.
Hawa Hawa - Shujaat Husain Khan
$16.98
(cdRoots# hm-hawa)
Sitarist Shujaat Husain Khan is considered one of the great North Indian classical musicians of his generation. His style, known as gayaki ang, is imitative of the subtleties of the human voice. Shujaat is also known for his exceptional voice. The tracks on Hawa Hawa are mostly love songs and melodies remembered from his childhood. It is the simple beauty of these songs that makes this recording special. While Shujaat's life has been largely dedicated to the great classical tradition of North India, his heart lies in these simple melodies. Through this music, Shujaat states to the world, 'these are the sounds of my roots.'
Bembeya - Bembeya Jazz
$17.99
(cdRoots# hm-bembeya)
A brilliant new recording from one of western Africa's most important bands.
Drop the Debt - Various Artists
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-debt)
Sixteen titles, a hundred musicians, fourteen nationalities, one message. For Drop The Debt, a group world renowned musicians has come together to raise awareness of a humanitarian crisis. Each of the tracks here has been either written especially for this album or selected due to its relevance to the topic. Artists include Teofilo Chantre and Cesaria Evora, Chico Cesar, El Hadj N’Diaye , Massilia Sound System, Sally Nyolo, Lokua Kanza, Oliver Mtukudzi, Soledad Bravo... more.
Cap a Cel - Marina Rossell
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-rossell-cap)
Rossell is rediscovering the great old songs of Catalan and reinterpreting them with a unique vision, a deep respect of the old ways and one foot solidly in the future. Accompanied by a small acoustic ensemble, she sings these songs with a freshness and vitality that is subtle, charming and occasionally disarming.
Noor Jahan - Ustad Shagan
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-shagan)
One of the master singers from Lahore, Pakistan, Ustad Gulam Hassan Shagan and his ensemble present classical songs and music.
From Paris with Love - Skatalites
$16.99
(cdRoots# hm-skatalites)
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