Top of the World

After volumes concentrating on West Africa and Congolese dance music, the third release in the splendid Golden Afrique series turns its attention to southern Africa, with 34 tracks of prime ëjive, jit, jazz and other musical styles from the republics of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambiaí. Presented in the usual Network format of two discs contained within a long digipack (horrible phrase) with a highly informative 20-page booklet and evocative photos, this set is near perfect. The 34 tracks span 60 years of recording, from the original 1939 version of ëMbubeí (better known as ëWimowehí or ëThe Lion Sleeps Tonightí) by Solomon Linda and his Original Evening Birds to Brenda Fassieís kwaito-influenced ëSumíbulalaí from 1998, the only post-apartheid recording included.
Most of the best-known names are here, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the Mahotella Queens, Mahlathini, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela from South Africa, and Oliver Mtukudzi, the Four Brothers and Dolly RathebÈ from Zimbabwe. But to anyone already familiar with the main landmarks of southern African music, it is the unknown rarities that make this collection special: the roots-rocking South African township jive of Mparanyana and the Cannibals (imagine calling a band that today!); the urgent, cascading Zimbabwean guitars of the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band (an early but little heard home for Thomas Mapfumo); Zambiaís sublimely mellifluous Masasu Band and the same countryís whistling wonder, Smokey Haangala. This has to be one of the compilations of the year. And whatís great is that the series can just go on and on, for the well is almost bottomless.
Nigel Williamson

Rachid Taha likes to remind his audiences of the similarities between North African music and Western rockíníroll. Two years ago, the French-based Algerian rocker paid homage to the late Joe Strummer with his celebrated ëRock El Casbahí. And how does he follow that? Simple. He goes back to his roots.
Eight years ago he released the first Diwan album, explaining that this was his ëversion of John Lennonís RockíníRoll albumí ñ like Lennon he wanted ëto sing the songs that influence [him] and pay homage to [his] cultureí. Now comes Diwan 2, with the rhythmic, classy production work again handled by his long-term colleague Steve Hillage, who makes use of anything from sweeping strings to the traditional gasba reed flute. The songs range from compositions by Blaoui Houari, a major star in Algeria back in the 50s, to those made famous by Dahmane El Harrachi, the man responsible for Tahaís hit ëYa Rayahí. Then thereís the sturdy French ballad ë…coute-Moi, Camaradeí by Mohamed Mazouni, which Taha unearthed in his parentsí attic. He is in great voice throughout, whether handling slinky ballads or the more declamatory pieces, but the two finest tracks are ëJosephineí and ëAh Mon Amourí, on which his urgent, gutsy vocals are driven on by reed flutes and rattling hand drums. They sound like classic country rai songs, but they were written by Rachid Taha and Steve Hillage themselves.
Robin Denselow

Oki is a man on a mission. A Bob Marley-loving, forward-looking traditionalist from Hokkaido island (that of the indigenous Ainu people of Japan), he has taken to roaming the world, performing, collaborating, and educating. Singing in the Ainu language, using the emotive chords of the five-string tonkori as a foundation, he paints psychedelic patterns with samples, live vocals and other instruments including guitars, flute, drums and melodica. Dub Ainu Deluxe is a wonderfully indulgent stonerís album, a mix of reggae-leaning rhythms and swirling, whirling sound effects that ebb and flow like ocean currents. On ëUtarií, the sweet vocals of guest singer Fania become a foil for the guttural bass of Emi Toko, while the sound of childrenís voices and the whimsy of the melodica give ëDub Arrowí an upbeat, celebratory feel. Paradoxically, itís ëtraditionalí tracks such as ëSannupista Dubí that, deftly arranged, sound the most experimental; a shimmering portal into a parallel universe where things loop, double back and whiz through the air.
Oki and KÌla, a progressive/traditional Irish music outfit, forged an immediate connection when they met on stage during KÌlaís 2004 tour of Japan, where their unlikely pairing making for a fascinating mix. Featuring eight tracks written in Irish, Ainu and English, and recorded in just ten days, KÌla & Oki is proof of this rapport (particularly that of Oki and frontman RÛn·n ” Snodaigh), and also of how apparently disparate musical cultures can relate to each other in ways both innovative and ancient. Depending on the track, Okiís eastern rhythms and dub obsessions lend an earthy feel to the often flighty and furious playing of the Irish ensemble (on fiddle, banjo, mandolin and other traditional instruments), while the multitalented KÌla sprinkle their energy and humour throughout. Any musical tensions are embraced and resolved as new avenues are explored and established. A very fine meeting of musical minds.
Jane Cornwell

In the photo on the back of the CD, Siminica? looks like a bank manager, in his suit and tie ñ he allows himself a more flamboyant bow-tie on the cover. Listening to these sad songs, however, itís hard to tell whether the smooth, haunting voice belongs to a man or a woman. Dona Dumitru Siminica? (born in 1926, died in the late 80s) was a man with a rare voice that sang muzica la?uta?reasca? (Gypsy blues) in the cafes and garden suburbs of Bucharest. His androgynous, crooning falsetto is typical of this style of music, but in songs such as ëCine are Fata Mareí and ëAfare e intunericí he takes the art to sublime heights. His soft, sorrowful vocals and his trance-like songs cast a spell in listeners in the 60s and can do so again today.
The instrumental accompaniment is delicate and transparent, with lyrical violin, soulful accordion and the filigree rhythmic underpinning of cimbalom (dulcimer). At one time the Siminica? family lived in the same yard as the Gore Brothers (who featured on the last Asphalt Tango release of Romica Puceanu) and so had access to some of the best la?uta?ri musicians. On this CD time seems to stop as Siminica? sings his slow, love songs interspersed with faster instrumental numbers. Henry Ernst of Asphalt Tango has found treasure in the Electrecord archives with this Bygone Age series, and only fuller translations of the lyrics could improve it.
Simon Broughton

Few artists are as idiosyncratic as Dino Saluzzi and his albums rarely have obvious antecedents. But Juan Condori refers in style and emotional content to the 1974 Astor Piazzolla and Gerry Mulligan collaboration Summit (aka ReuniÛn Cumbre). Itís not merely that Saluzzi cedes plenty of aural space to his brother Felix, on tenor and soprano saxophones. (Felixís son, Matias, plays electric and double bass and Dinoís son, JosÈ Maria, is on guitars.) This is a very warm, approachable album both in texture and in its rhythms.
Tango is more than an idea or a pulse; it is the framework on which the songs are hung. Listen, for instance to ëMilonga de mis amoresí, which has the lively bop of a dance tune. The opening track, ëLa Vuelta de Pedro Orillasí, is a gorgeous blast of swooning bandoneÛn (squeezebox). Even the slower tracks, more typical of Saluzzi, are heartfelt. Saluzzi describes the album as a collection of memories. But memory here is a concrete force, not the abstract, quasi-political category of the Argentinian left. Songs evoke the images of their titles: ëLas Cosas Amadasí (Beloved Things), ëLos Saucesí (The Willows), ëA Juan, Mi Madreí (To Juana, my Mother).
There has always been conflict ñ or at least tension ñ in Saluzziís compositions. It stems from his reverence for a certain kind of humanity and an ancient, rural way of life that is ñ by virtue of his vocation ñ beyond his grasp. But on Juan Condori, the dialogue is harmonious and the mood lyrical. Tango, the product of immigrant alienation and nostalgia, here turns in on itself, easing the soul of the exiled musician-intellectual.
Chris Moss

A Waterson: Carthy album is always more than a selection of songs and tunes. Norma Waterson, Martin Carthy, their daughter Eliza and collaborator Tim van Eyken will explore and celebrate one particular aspect of vernacular culture. Their last CD gathered songs of violent acts committed by boastful miscreants who came to a bad end. It was a wonderful catalogue of wickedness and an exploration of social transgression and the nature of the outsider. Holy Heathens is even better and is concerned with ritual and celebration.
It begins with a rousing New Year carol with the refrain ëResidue sing Residueí ñ the significance of which remains a mystery. The full-throated singing of ëDiademí and ëGlorylandí are spine-tingling ñ hats off to The Devilís Interval, the trio of young singers who augment the band here. But this is by no means a Christmas ñ or a Christian ñ album. Thereís a lovely ëJack Frostí song written by Mike Waterson, some wassails (ëThe Jacobstowe Wassailí is delicious), a song for St George and a May Song. The playing is excellent: Martinís guitar is driving yet subtle, particularly on ëJack Frostí; Elizaís fiddle playing wildly marvellous; and Timís box playing suitably rumbustious. There are also highly enjoyable brass arrangements. But the singing is the greatest delight. Norma has always been the most generous of singers, always making a gift of what she performs, and itís a quality that has rubbed off on everyone involved.
Julian May

You have to hand it to Smithsonian Folkways: they continually produce amazing recordings of modern bands playing traditional music. The vitality of Arpex, young musicians in their 20s and early 30s playing the vibrant music of the ëhot landsí of Michoac·n is tangible, and youíd swear it was recorded in situ rather than in some Californian studio. The high-pitched voices of the Valdovina brothers are totally compelling as they sing sentimental ranchera songs with titles like ëThe Little Fighting-Cockí and ëThe Lame-Legged Womaní. They deliver tongue-twisting lyrics with aplomb over cascades of rapidly plucked harp, zippy melodies from a couple of violins and roots riffs from a pair of local vihuela and jarana guitars.
The band play popular Mexican song forms like sones, jarabes and huapangos, with wonderful upbeat solos from Miguel ëEl Polloí Moraís great 37-stringed, five foot tall wooden harp, its luscious bottom bass notes providing the quintessential sound, its cedar-wood sound-box doubling for drumming and hand slaps. From their base in northern Californiaís San JoaquÌn Valley, Arpex create unadulterated good-time music that makes you imagine youíre sitting in a town square drinking a beer without a care in the world, while listening to the local life stories encapsulated in these terrific songs.
Jan Fairley

When two musicians of the calibre of L Subramaniam (on violin) and Rais Khan (sitar) join forces you are more or less guaranteed that the performance will be worth listening to. Aside from the interest generated by the juxtaposition of two traditions, the Carnatic (or South Indian) style of Subramaniam and the Hindustani (North Indian) of Khan, itís a fine performance in its own right. Recorded at a concert in Bangalore ñ a fitting location as it has long been one of the few places in India where both the northern and southern traditions have flourished ñ this is a performance of ëRaga Kirwanií, a raga originating in the south but adopted into Hindustani music. For listeners unfamiliar with either style, this disc is a crash course in the stylistic differences between the two. The two performers trade fragments of material with the other, but imbue them with elements of their own tradition, creating a unity of sorts.
The complement of accompanying musicians includes the great percussionist K Sekar on tavil, a double-headed barrel-shaped drum that is not often heard in contexts other than accompanying the South Indian nagasvaram (long oboe). Mention should also be made of the liner notes by Martin Clayton, which are full and informative. The only slight quibble is that, at 39 minutes, the disc is a little short. But it is nevertheless highly recommended for the excellent musicianship on display.
Maria Lord

Even in the under-25 age bracket, todayís Scottish folk scene seethes with a prodigious number of excellent young musicians, from which it takes something really extra special to stand out ñ most of all on the fiddle, still the most popular choice of instrument. That Shona Mooney, Radio Scotlandís Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2006, has what it takes is abundantly demonstrated on her debut CD ñ not only in terms of talent and technique but also in artistic ambition.
The albumís title carries a wealth of folkloric resonance, betokening both the wild pansy traditionally prescribed for the heartbroken, and a Victorian symbol conveying a loverís constancy of thought. Flowers form one elegant thematic strand within Heartsease, while the other main connective element is Mooneyís evident fascination with the landscape and lore of her native Scottish Borders. Having graduated first-class among the inaugural intake of Newcastle Universityís Folk and Traditional Music degree, she sources tunes from both north and south of the border, while her own compositions derive inspiration from a winningly magpie-minded range of subjects, both human and pastoral.
Mooney is also a truly terrific player, marrying traditional fidelity with contemporary flair, and a beautifully rounded tone with ultra-sensitive phrasing. Featuring top-notch accompaniment on guitar, melodeon, harmonium, piano, bass and drums, the arrangements here cover the full spectrum: from stripped-down simplicity to far-out electronic experimentalism, taking in several splendidly rocked-up workouts along the way.
Sue Wilson

Anyone who has seen Mariza live will know that she is an extraordinarily charismatic performer, which is why she has already been the subject of an in-concert DVD recorded at Londonís Union Chapel in 2003, and also of Simon Broughtonís forthcoming TV documentary, Mariza and the Story of Fado. Recorded in 2005 at a concert in the gardens of Lisbonís BelÈm tower, her first live CD is an entirely logical career move. But let us put aside her striking looks and the thrilling diva-like drama of her presence in that film and concentrate instead on the Mariza sound.
For what has been far less remarked upon than her radiant personality and inherent theatricality is the sheer quality of her voice. If her early concerts sometimes betrayed a certain shrillness, particularly in the upper register, there is not a trace of it here. Backed by the Sinfonietta de Lisboa conducted by Brazilís Jaques Morelenbaum, she is in total command of both her voice and her material, drawn from all three of her studio albums. Unsurprisingly, the selection has a natural bias in favour of the most recent, the Morelenbaum-arranged Transparente, but it is the songs from her first two releases that illustrate best her phenomenal development. Assisted by some wonderfully subtle orchestral re-arrangements, she brings both an emotional depth and a technical perfection to songs such as ëCavaleiro Mongeí, ëPrimaveraí and ë” Gente Da Minha Terraí that makes the originals sound like mere demos. Her modesty is one of her most appealing traits and she will probably go to her grave insisting she will never be as good as Am·lia Rodrigues. But Concerto em Lisboa proves sheís already up there.
In addition to the Concerto em Lisboa CD, thereís a DVD of the same concert and a deluxe edition of the CD and DVD combined, with three intimate Mariza performances at Tasca de Chico, one of Lisbonís best fado tavernas, filmed for the BBC documentary.
Nigel Williamson