Amazing Music of the World.

[sphinxsix]

I listen to practically every genre of music. Jazz, blues, rock, classical.. But world music is a very special part of my collection, probably because of its (I think the right word will be) 'earthly' quality it usually has. At the same time I'm convinced there are many artists from different parts of the world I haven't discovered yet.

 

Please feel free to list your 'desert island' world music recordings regardless of genre (reggae, ethno-jazz, just about anything that has ethnic roots or just such an element).

 

Here is my personal shortlist :

 

 

Bob Marley - just about anything, especially 'Survival' and 'Uprising'

 

[video=youtube;-nR2vsnH4Is]

 

Ravi Shankar - obviously!

 

 

Mari Boine - a Norwegian vocalist exploring Sami culture - especially 'Eallin', 'Eight Seasons' and 'Live in London' bootleg.

 

 

Elina Duni - an Albanian vocalist recording for ECM

 

 

Anouar Brahem - a fantastic oud player (also ECM)

 

[sphinxsix]

Ali Farka Toure (from Mali) especially - 'Talking Timbuktu' (with Ry Cooder)

 

[video=youtube;NyRLXfyMF-Y]

 

Buena Vista Social Club with Ry Cooder (and obviously the movie!)

 

 

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - a qawwali (ecstatic Sufi music) master.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2K_2MQij9Q

 

Hadouk Trio - ethno jazz from France.

 

 

Charles Lloyd - 'Sangam' - a great album from a jazz veteran!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzPxcg0SQMQ

[sphinxsix]

Kayhan Kalhour - master of classical Kurdish and Iranian traditional music (thank you christopher3393!) - I recommend his album 'Hawniyaz' (the first one I've just heard but surely not the last one)

 

[video=youtube;m0oFdxBMs-0]

 

Goran Bregovic - great soundtraacks for Kustorica's movies.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj8UvhVqBbU

 

Yat-Kha - throat singing from Tuva.

 

 

Fela Kuti - classic afrobeat from Nigeria.

 

 

The Jolly Boys - 'Great Expectation' - punk and new wave classics performed by 70+ years old mento musicians from Jamaica

 

 

 

 

I hope we will have some fun and some musical discoveries!

[sphinxsix]

@ christopher3393

Faiz Ali Faiz sounds (and moves) like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's incarnation.. I like it!

[sphinxsix]

I'm not a lot into world music, but a clear +1 on Anouar Brahem and Elina Duni. Both very audiophile as well!

Well.. it's ECM. One of those labels that even in 16bit sound ..not bad at all.

[sphinxsix]

Both Brahem and Dubai have several high res albums as well.

I'm as aware of that fact as my hard drives on which they are stored

Dubai.? You meant Duni, I believe.

[sphinxsix]

Oldie but goodie:

 

Buena Vista Social Club | HDtracks - The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29543[/ATTACH]

I know I've posted too many Youtube videos so it's easy to skip something.. I couldn't forget about this one! A fantastic classic!

[sphinxsix]

@ christopher3393

 

I agree - a fantastic musician! The duo with Niladri Kumar is absolutely stunning!

I've not heard of Tabla Beat Science - will have to check them out.

 

And BTW - I'm also glad you've mentioned Bill Laswell who both created and recorded lots of interesting ethno stuff. For example his cooperation with Manu Dibango on 'Electric Africa' (feat. H. Hancock) for me is an interesting example of fusing African folk with funk and very modern (as for 1985.. remember Hancock's 'Future Shock'.?) sound.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwzulQkHTs4

[sphinxsix]

@ Musicophile

If you like 'Buena Vista' you should check Eliades Ochoa 'Sublime Ilusión'.

IMO in some regards even more interesting than 'BVSC' (maybe not so diverse stylistically though) !

 

 

[sphinxsix]

@ Iain Wow.. I'll be frank - I didn't expect this one.!

And I like unexpected !

[sphinxsix]

Another fantastic ethno-jazz album:

 

[sphinxsix]

@ semente Like father like son - Vieux Farka Touré

 

[sphinxsix]

@ christopher3393 A real virtuoso! Amazing!

 

Tamikrest ..

 

 

[sphinxsix]

@ christopher3393

Thank you for your Chinese folk music tips - I'm not very familiar with music of this region. Your avatar is quite different from the previous ones..

 

@ semente

The Indian vocal pieces you posted are simply amazing! And I don't know any of the artists. As for your travels - fantastic (been thinking about going to India in recent years, never been there)

 

As for me I can enjoy both well done modern ethno fusion and more traditional folk.

 

I haven't decided in 100% yet but it's going probably to be my 'Album of the Evening' tonight (first listen, 24bit)

 

[sphinxsix]

@ semente

I'm quite into klezmer but I admit mainly in modern or jazz-fusion form. I recommend strongly John Zorn and his label (Tzadik) recordings. For example:

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

Wow, avant garde klezmer! Who knew?

 

My kind of 'klezmer' music.. Out of more than 150 Zorn's albums I know (he created much more stuff : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Zorn_discography ) I'd probably rate more than 50% as my 5 stars recordings, for me he's one of the most important contemporary jazz (and not only) musicians and composers.

 

A couple more Tzadik diversity examples:

 

3

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

Just when you thought I had finished with Alpha Blondy...

I admit I did.. I'm pretty sure you are familiar with this albino Jamaican (bass and unorthodox production by Bill Laswell):

 

[sphinxsix]

+1

 

 

 

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing!

Happy to hear it! And I'm very interested in your country's rich musical and spiritual tradition. Keep on posting!

[sphinxsix]

Moving on to Europe, with a bit Polish traditional music with a psychedelic (but acoustic) twist:

SaveSave

Jamaican reggae band Twinkle Brothers with Polish highlanders Trebunie Tutki fusing the two musical traditions

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjWLlgjDFjc

[sphinxsix]

Thanks, but fusion is definitely not my thing.

 

Kapela Ze Wsi Warszawa is quite far musically from the original 'roots' Polish folk

 

Trebunie Tutki (but without Twinkle Brothers of course) are in fact much closer to it

[sphinxsix]

I'll investigate Trebunie Tutki then.

 

Cheers,

Ricardo

Hope you'll enjoy it! Just for comparison (the traditional song about sadness connected with the dying of tradition of Polish highlanders in the modern times) :

 

 

[sphinxsix]

Introducing Kuchipudi to the thread ]

I became quite interested in watching dance in recent years. Mainly modern dance but not only. Thanks!

 

I couldn't find the fragment from 'Live at the Quick' official DVD which I highly recommend but check this out - these guys are having lots of fun! And Ondar Kongar-ol knows what throat singing is about.

 

[video=youtube;FXPR-n9_OM8]

 

@ semente Glad to hear that, mate!

[sphinxsix]

This lady has a series of tutorial videos on overtone singing:

I admit I tried to do it and I was succesful (to let's say some degree ). I recommend trying it - it's lots of fun. Thx for the link, will check out her lessons! BTW I'd like to hear an overtone choir one day! This should sound amazing! Somebody heard such recordings.?

[sphinxsix]

My favourite throat singers are Huun Huur Tu but they're not a choir:

 

The most popular band of that kind I believe. That's right - they are not a choir..

 

BTW how is it possible noone has mentioned them before.?

 

 

 

@semente

 

I prefer them in more 'ethnic' form

[sphinxsix]

@semente Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares reminds me always of Bulgarian girls doing backing vocals during Goran Bregovic's concert (BTW he was accompanied by the most unbelievable brass section I've ever heard live!)

 

[video=youtube;-RDjX6Hjb3c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RDjX6Hjb3c

 

@christopher3393 I never quite got into Tibetan music even after hearing it live many times. I know however that many free jazz musicians were inspired by it! I often wondered whether Peter Brotzmann's - Machine Gun wasn't example of such inspiration (probably my personal association..)