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Review of Canzuni

Canzuni

Massimo Ferrante

Felmay

Rating: ★★★

Canzuni is a fine assortment of southern Italian folk songs. Calabria-born but a long-time resident of Naples, Ferrante is a...

Reviewed by Ciro De Rosa in issue: June/2022

Review of Roots of OK Jazz: Congo Classics 1955-56

Roots of OK Jazz: Congo Classics 1955-56

OK Jazz

Crammed Discs CRAW 67

Rating: ★★★★

This is a reissue of a collection originally released in 1993 as part of the excellent ‘Zaire Classics’ series. Since...

Reviewed by Martin Sinnock in issue: October/2010

Review of Toubab Soul

Toubab Soul

Alma Afrobeat Ensemble

Amphora Records

Rating: ★★★

As this solid debut testifies, Alma Afrobeat Ensemble is one of the tighter collectives in the genre. Fela Kuti’s template...

Reviewed by Jane Cornwell in issue: March/2011

Review of The Importance of Being Espetacular

The Importance of Being Espetacular

Thiago França Presents A Espetacular Charanga Do França

Mais Um

Rating: ★★★★

The avant-garde saxophonist, samba revivalist and Metá Metá co-founder Thiago França has been running the Carnaval charanga band A Espetacular...

Reviewed by David Katz in issue: November/2021

Review of El Alimento

El Alimento

Cimafunk

Terapia Productions

Rating: ★★★★

Medical student turned padrino del funk, Cimafunk has been one of the hottest names in Cuban music since releasing his...

Reviewed by Russ Slater in issue: December/2021

Review of El Aleph/Electroacustica

El Aleph/Electroacustica

Leandro Ragusa

Leandro Ragusa

Rating: ★★

About 20 years ago – as a new cultural nationalism swept through Argentina – tango became cool again, emerging from...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: December/2021

Review of Ups and Downs

Ups and Downs

Zoox

Zoox Records

Rating: ★★★

Zoox are Linda Game, Jo May and Becky Menday, who play a range of esoteric instruments including djembé, congas, balafon,...

Reviewed by Tim Cumming in issue: Nov/Dec/2011

Review of Maiteí America: Harps of Paraguay

Maiteí America: Harps of Paraguay

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Top of the World

Smithsonian Folkways SFWCD40548

Rating: ★★★★

Most of the music here consists of harps and nothing else. Yet this album is a little beauty. Twenty of...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: Apr/May/2010

Review of De Ayer Para Siempre

De Ayer Para Siempre

Mariachi Los Camperos

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Rating: ★★★

Don't put this on first thing in the morning (like I did), especially if you're nursing, say, a tequila hangover...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: December/2019

Review of 16 Rayos

16 Rayos

Orquesta Akokán

Daptone Records

Rating: ★★★

The word ‘mambo’ conjures up shimmying couples almost losing themselves to crazed percussion. But the dance craze was, in fact,...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: December/2021

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