world music

With great sadness we announce you the passing of one of the greatest musicians ever, the Bengali Indian sarod master, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, aged 87. He was one of the last remnants of an age of true musicianship, virtue and wisdom.

One of the best african music albums we missed last year was Famoro Dioubate’s Dununya. Like Toumani Diabate, he’s also part of the Griot people, the storytellers of the Mande Empire, unlike him he’s from Guinea and plays the balafon, the ancient xylophone.

Today we’ll be joining the Malian kora master Toumani Diabate for a concert in Istanbul. A bit late to inform but still if you see this one and you want to hear some sacred African music, you have to make it to CRR @ 20:00. Also featured is Malian diva Oumou Sangaré who’ll be releasing her new album Seya on Nonesuch soon.

Starting the week today is a 6 piece African music selection that I’ve been distilling in the last few days, 2 songs off Strut’s Nigeria 70’s compilation and songs from Tony Allen’s upcoming album, Mamou Sidibe, Starband No.1 de Dakar, Occidental Brothers etc.

The last two centuries in the world has seen a rise of nationalism and conflicts, an imposed war between different cultures, different religions, the east and the west, modernity and tradition. The memories of different cultures and ethnicities living together in relative peace has faded out and it seems like a surreal fantasy. Thankfully it hasn’t been totally destroyed and there are some Honest Jon’s around to prove it.

Brought to our attention by our digger friend Koray K. aka Grup Ses this recording by the late Don Cherry is spectacular in many ways. Recorded in 1969 and originally released on Sonet“Live in Ankara” displays the free jazz mammoth’s adventures in the Turkish capital Ankara, which surprisingly is a barren place for anything musical, let alone jazz. No wonder it was recorded in the US Embassy!

Starting up with a OOP 1956 release munched off Loronix with only piano and drums and all original compositions and ending with a classic by the Luiz Bonfá from the soundtrack of Black Orpheus / Orfeu Negro from 1959.

Finally we dug deep in our mailbox to reveal the cream of the crop we got sent in the last months, prepare for the nujazz, electronica, indie and world music attack in 2009.
+ Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, + Xylos, + The Whitest Boy Alive
+ The Jazzinvaders, + Laura Vane & The Vipertones
+ The Bran Flakes, + Mascot Fight