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2 Various Artists !Saoco! Vol. 2: Bomba, Plena And The Roots Of Salsa In Puerto Rico 1955–1967 (Vampisoul Vampi CD 152). From the Ammex, Ansonia, Gema, Magda, Remo and Seeco catalogues, this Puerto Rican retrospective presents legendary Cortijo y Su Combo with singer Ismael Rivera, Ramito, Joe Cotto, Kito Vélez y Sus Estrellas, Chuito (El de Bayamón), Mon Rivera, Moncho Leña y Los Ases del Ritmo, and more, with engagingly illustrated Spanish and English-language notes.
www.vampisoul.com
2 Eva Alkula & Tomoya Nakai Sillalla (Camus CAMUS-0005). Finnish concert-kantele and Japanese 25-string koto, a blend of plucked steel and bending tetron strings with touches of five-string Ainu kantele-equivalent tonkori; reflective, sometimes sweepingly melodic, occasionally more energetic or spiky, in own compositions, one Japanese trad and John Cage’s Dream.
www.tomoyanakai.com
The albums – good (2), adequate (1) and bad (@) – which didn’t get the full-length treatment, contributed individually by a selection of our various reviewers cowering under the cloak of collective anonymity.
2 Various Artists Île Maurice: Musiques Oubliées (Takamba TAKA 1319). Wonderful lilting, simply accompanied sega songs from veterans Marclaine Antoine and Patrick Antoine, plus lively fiddle-led string band dance tunes from Louis L’Intelligent. Utterly charming music preserved at the brink, and superbly packaged and bi-lingually annotat- ed in a typical Takamba hardback 168 page book Digipak. And a DVD too! We are blessed.
www.runmuzik.fr
2 The Bad Shepherds Mud, Blood & Beer (Monsoon MONMUCD006). Ade Edmondson’s trio hardly need to prove they’re not a novel- ty act any more, with another typically well- picked mixture of classic post-punk songs played straight in an Irish-ish folk style. Hid- den qualities uncovered as usual. Perhaps fewer surprises only because we know the winning formula so well.
www.thebadshepherds.com
1The Teacups One For The Pot (Haystack TEA001). Young Newcastle-folk-degree four- some (Alex Cumming, Kate Locksley, Rosie Calvert, Will Finn) deliver traditional songs in capable and thoughtful a cappella arrange- ments optimising individuals’ vocal qualities. They clearly relish the unbridled joy of com- munal singing, even if occasionally careful sometimes wins over risk-taking.
www.haystackrecords.co.uk
1 Various Artists Beyond Rembetika – The Music and Dance of the Region of Epirus Recordings 1919-1958 (JSP 77166). Way beyond Rembetika actually; 91 vintage recordings of the folk clarinet; all genuine vintage stuff, and fine if you like it, but over 90 examples will push most folk’s limits a tad. Usual JSP production values.
www.jsprecords.com
2 Pat Thomas Beefsteak Blues (Wolf 120.935 CD). Another delightfully quirky set of Mississippi style blues from the son of Delta legend James ‘Son’ Thomas. Many of the songs are over-familiar but Pat delivers them in such a personalised manner that they sound quite fresh. His basic guitar work pro- vides a simple frame for his captivating high- toned, part whispered, vocals. A true individ- ual well worth checking out.
www.wolfrec.com
1Compay Segundo Guantanamera (Rhino/Warner Music Spain 2564642895). From the great Cuban sonero’s final years (1996–2004), 20 tracks recorded mostly after- his Buena Vista Social Club ‘rediscovery’, fea- turing his own well-known compositions and classics from the Cuban, Mexican and Argen- tine
songbooks.www.warnermusic.es
@ Jarek Adamów Fall In Mountains (Folken Music 05). While soloist Adamów’s engagement with the old Polish itinerant bards is laudable, he disengages the listener by opening with a six-minute clarinet impro- visation over an annoying mid-pitch hurdy- gurdy drone sounding like a buzz in the cir- cuitry, followed by twelve more minutes of the same drone under an unvarying three- note recitative ballad vocal.
www.myspace.com/folkenmusic
2 Duncan Lyall Infinite Reflections (Red Deer Records RDRCD 1301). Bassist for Treach- erous Orchestra and Kate Rusby and now composer with an instrumental suite commis- sioned for Celtic Connections. Fiddles, box, whistles, keyboards and percussion from Scotland’s best and abundant traditional influences produce a fascinating aural jour- ney which rewards repeated listening.
www.duncanlyall.com
2 Various Artists The Ultimate Guide To Spanish Folk (ARC EUCD 2450). Not “ulti- mate” of course, but a stimulating eighteen- track set of non-obvious choices of wide- ranging contemporary approaches to tradi- tional musics from across Spain, with strong tracks from artists less known abroad than the also-included likes of Mercedes Peón, Ana Alcaide, Doa, Eliseo Parra. Plenty to inspire further exploration – the sign of a good sam- pler.
www.arcmusic.co.uk
2 Josephine Foster I’m A Dreamer (Fire Records FIRECD284). Foster’s unmistakable croon slithers across these darkly uplifting song which somehow evoke Gene Autry, Nico and Robert Crumb, without sounding like any of them. Aided by a sparingly deployed crack- squadron of Nashville’s finest, with pianist Micah Hulscher outstanding. Investigate!
www.josephinefoster.info/
Josephine Foster
2 Fabian Holland Fabian Holland (Rooksmere RRCD110). Singer-songwriter- guitarist with tremendous command of fin- gers and fretboard and a natural vocal tech- nique informed by long-time exposure to, and serious consideration of, the blues mas- ters. Stripped-bare, uncontrived and com- pellingly subtle, with intense conciseness of expression, this wunderkind-from-nowhere’s debut audibly justifies the hype.
www.fabianholland.com
1Andi Butler Six Songs (Own label, no cat no). Five self-penned songs and one trad (The Water Is Wide) on which the singer eschews the familiar tune in favour of one pretty much the same as all the others here. Pleas- antly sparse guitar, violin and cello, and dex- trous bodhran from Aimée Leonard.
www.andibutler.co.uk
1Various Artists The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Brazil (World Music Network RGNET1290CD). The artists’ names tell all: Tom Zé, Laranja Freak, Baby Do Brasil, The Gentlemen, Mauricio Maestro (with Nana Vasconcelos and Kay Lyra), Liverpool, Marconi Notaro, Mini Box Lunar… complemented with a bonus CD by néo-psicodélico phenom Jupiter Maça. www.worldmusic.nte
2 Lurrie Bell Blues In My Soul (Delmark DE-829). Chicago blues guitarist/vocalist Lur- rie Bell (son of harmonica player Carey Bell) definitely has blues in is soul as his latest CD amply proves. Making the most of his limited vocal range, Lurrie scores with un-showy gui- tar work on a set of no-nonsense straight-up blues backed by his working band and with either a three-piece horn section or harmoni- ca player Matthew Skoller guesting on vari- ous selections.
www.delmark.com
1Johnny Cash Songs Of Our Soil/Hymns by Johnny Cash (HooDoo 263446). Reissue of two late 1950s Columbia albums by Cash well done with added tracks. Passing of time shows it to be less interesting than his Ameri- can series with Rick Rubin.
www.hoodoo-records.com
2 Various Artists Putumayo Presents: Women Of Brazil (Putumayo P330–SL). With so many throw-away compilations, this finely- sequenced mix presents a new generation of gifted singers to listen for, including Miriam Aïda, Mart’nalia, Maguinha, Mart’nalia, Aline Morales and Clara Moreno.
www.putumayo.com
1John Allan Cameron Here Comes (Own label JAC1968). First album from influential Canadian folk singer and TV entertainer, recorded in 1968 long before Cape Breton music really came to international notice. Carefully remastered with a 28-page booklet, but sadly the trademark twelve-string accom- panied singing sounds really dated.
www.johnallancameron.com
1Niou Bardophones Sages Comme Des Fous (Budamusique 860 236). Just when you thought that it was safe to go out again! The most extreme of free jazz returns, though this time with French bagpipes and bass saxo- phones.
www.budamusique.com
@ Stefan Grasse Callanish – Modern Folk Fantasies (Xolo CD 1028). Classical style gui- tarist and RSAMD graduate plays music by contemporary Scottish composers Edward McGuire (from Whistlebinkies) and John Maxwell Geddes. Little melody, and often accompanied by unstructured flute noodling, any resemblance to folk music is pretty much a fantasy.
www.discovery-records.com
2 Jerry Moore Life Is A Constant Jour- ney Home (ESP-Disk ESP1061). Exquisite slice of jazzy late ’60s folk-soul consciousness, from long-overlooked singer, preacher and civil rights activist. Six fine originals and a stunning The Ballad Of Birmingham, Dudley Randall’s chilling Klan account. Michael Kiwanuka fans, step this way
www.discovery-records.com
Photo: M Borthwick
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