world music

Discovering musicians like Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya is an unutterable bliss. I remember the excitement of hearing Kadri Gopalnath for the first time, saxophones in Indian classical music! Lap slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya is even more satisfying (if that’s even possible), because slide guitar tops the greatest instruments list for me as well.

Bassist and vocalist Bibi Tanga has recently formed a new band and is getting a lot of attention, thanks to his p-funky bass grooves and acid jazz vibes, with nods to Curtis Mayfield, Roy Ayers, and the afro-funk tradition of Keziah Jones. Don’t forget, this saturday at GHETTO!

There are some new additions to our blogroll and a few touches to the design after I realized how much it sucked. I’ll be editing it more until I can get Boran to help me with a brand new redesign. Awesome Tapes from Africa, Excavated Shellac, Another Night on Earth, Disco Delicious, Lamaraba, Lagniappe amazing stuff!

Kouyate brings modern influences as well as Western inspiration to “I Speak Fula”, the debut release of Next Ambiance, an imprint of Sub Pop! Guest appearances by Toumani Diabaté and guitarist Vieux Farka Touré and vocals by Amy Sacko.

Best of 2009 selected by yours truly. Including Real Estate, In the Country, Bill Callahan, Ducktails, Steve Lehman, Celer, Ahleuchatistas, King Midas Sound, Om, Black Cobra, Vijay Iyer Trio etc.

Making a best of list has been considerably harder for 2009. Here are our mentions in random order. Fedayi Pacha, Bibio, Wye Oak, Liechtenstein, BLK JKS, Crystal Antlers, Proudpilot, Yagya, The XX, OPN..

.. Imagine the exuberance when our friends from World Circuit announced the posthumous sequel to Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté’s collaboration and sent us the single, Kala Djula.

L’Attirail takes Balkan folk & klezmer into new & cinematic territories with their 2007 album Kara Deniz, and continues to do so on their recently released “Wilderness”. And it’s exactly their progressive tone and soundtrackist mentality that sets them apart from traditional Eastern European folklore/ klezmer bands.