Now here's a whole bunch of albums that you can list for yourselves - anything by the Diabate family.
Have any of them ever made a duff album?
I've not found one yet...
Have any of them ever made a duff album?
I've not found one yet...
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Some might say that Toumani's collaborations with Bjork were ill-advised. I wouldn't be among them. Have seen him live, have a few cds, and have got to know more about the others comparatively recently. I still have a lot of learning to do there tbh and I'm looking forward to it.
I continue to think your idea of having a family tree for the dynasty is a corker. Not sure though how we would move it from the drawing board unless someone already has one. Lucy/SOAS?Comment
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NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert
One of the vids that Global posted when introducing Pokey last week was from NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert, and mighty fine it is too:
I hadn't seen any of these before but I've watched a couple more from this series since - really well produced and nicely intimate I think:
Here's Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, an old favourite of McG:
...and here's Josh Ritter - really good I thought:
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Thanks John for these. Enjoyed them all. My pick would be "Living Stone" by McGrooger's group! More generally, they have an uncontrived groove which is good for mood.
I see where PF are coming from stylistically and find that rather admirable but I'm not sure that I will become a big fan.
Ritter is notable for being a rare songwriter of these times who feels that protest is relevant. He does that subtly and I seem to recall that the excellent "Girl in The War" was also one of Andy's favourites. I thought the first song in your clip was the strongest and liked the WW III lyric. His guitar playing is very pleasant but I would like to hear a bit more light and shade in his voice.
I did have a quick look back at his Wikipedia entry and it makes for interesting reading. He originally learnt to play music on a lute and was set to go into neuroscience. He changed his major at college though to "American History Through Narrative Folk Music" and then, following a spell in Scotland, he was "spotted" by Glen Hansard, no less, and this helped him to a musical career.
Those NPR recordings are very tastefully presented. The backdrop is appropriate and the filming seems especially clear. I think they have a good design team there. The music pages of their website are terrific - black and white with splashes of colour; nice neat boxes and lists too. Altogether it is far more fitting than all of the gimmickry we get given here. ABC, Australia do something similar but not nearly as well, with the white and powder blue layout and less crisp lines that seem to be so popular internationally.Comment
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Lat, you're certainly right about 'Girl in the War' - I bought the record on the strength of Andy playing the track - wonderful song. And you probably hit the nail on the head about the lack of light and shade in his voice and that's why although I really enjoy his songs he stays a bit on the surface. A good example is 'Snow is Gone', a great track from that really fine record 'Hello Starling' - his music is extremely acceptable to lots of folk - all my family enjoy his stuff without being overwhelmed by it, and maybe it is his voice, as you say, being a bit too one toned.Originally posted by Lateralthinking1 View Post
'Historical Conquests' is always in the car and the WWIII song comes from that CD. There's plenty really good songs on it but it doesn't quite make it as a really great record - maybe it's the voice, as you suggest.Comment
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Just read this this morning, a review in The New Yorker.Originally posted by Paul Sherratt View Post
An unusually measured and meaningful article, I thought; so unlike the illiterate music hackery normally offered to us, especially in the UK press. It almost tempted me to buy CDs again.Comment
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Not sure how good this is yet, but it is certainly free, which has some merit.
Rather than issuing CD's, froots magazine is now making their usual free tracks available via download as mp3's.
Intructions are on this page:
http://www.frootsmag.com/reports/froots36/
As many of these artists are trying to further their careers (many of them do not have a UK distributor) I have no qualms about sharing this link - the more who listen the better.Comment
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In a similar way to the Diabate's, you can rarely go wrong with a Traoré. Here's Boubacar's latest... (note to Boubacar - why not make a family album with young Rokia? - just a thought)
subtle Malian guitarComment
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Afrodiaspora
I think this may legitimately fit here.... Susana Baca has a new album out called Afrodiaspora.
Peru’s president elect Ollanta Humala has also named Susana Baca as his new Minister of Culture. With this initiative, he follows a similar path to Brazil’s former president, Lula da Silva, who named Gilberto Gil Brazil’s Minister of Culture - subject of a previous thread on the old boards.
Perhaps a note to young Cameron may be in order? what has Jeremy Hunt ever done for culture?
Oh yes, Susana Baca will continue to promote her new album...priorities eh?
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Interesting. I saw Susana Baca some years ago in a surprise appearance at Glastonbury. Me and about 30 others at what was then the Jazz World stage. Have to say that I didn't know who she was until that time. I found her to be a very charming and intimate performer, even in that situation.
Having also been on stage briefly with Luis Godoy - you've heard me mentioned this several times before! - there is probably a quiz here. How many musicians can we find who have been Ministers for Culture? I won't be contributing unfortunately as I don't know of any other than Godoy and the ones you have mentioned!
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Johnny boy might not be that keen
A tribute album to John Martyn. Not convinced it totally qualifies for the word 'good', posted for others comment and because I predict at least one LJ presenter will be playing at least one track.Comment
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I suspect you know something, Global.
I mean, our late at night presenters could never be described as predictable !
PS.
On a mildly prejudiced note, the line-up for the double cd is quite scary, imo.Comment
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This looks very interesting. Like John Martyn a lot. My immediate thought was that it would be a disaster. An artist with such a distinctive vocal style that any cover versions just had to be pale imitations. The article though suggests that some real thought has gone into it. An imaginatively wide range of people and in many cases a feeling that those chosen could be spot on.
Phil Collins - two words that would generally lead to mad agonized screaming - look better in the context of Martyn. No one in his right mind would suggest that their collaborations were anything other than great. The inclusion of Judy Tzuke is very interesting. "Dawn" was just an evocative record and, well, after all these years her contribution intrigues. I could almost convince myself on seeing her inclusion that vocally she was the female JM, not that I had ever thought like that before.
The David Gray one is likely to work and Hansard and Irglova (not Inglova!) are bound to have produced something of quality. Not sure so much about the idea of Robert Smith, Skye Edwards, Paolo Nutini, Clarence Fountain, Snow Patrol etc but we will have to wait and see.
I thought for a moment that we had Van Morrison and Steve Winwood on the cd which would have been absolutely right but then I saw that it was what the writer would have liked to have heard. Me too.Comment
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.....I didn't know where to post this so it is going here. All of its components by rights should lead to a lot of screaming and a race for the door. It has every old rock-folk-jazz cliche known to man. And yet it is done with such a purity, integrity and care that I find it fresh and nicely nuanced. I've heard far better things in 2011 but it ain't at all bad and strangely it draws me in:
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I notice in today's Graun a fine review of Tinariwen's latest
Thought I'd say here that I've been rather enjoying their Tamikrest Cousins' latest. Here's an example:
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