Jorge Ben - África Brasil (1976)

This 1976 album is undoubtedly one of the greatest classics of Brazilian popular music, with Jorge Ben mixing funky samba, Afro-Brazilian beats, and crunching guitars to create one of the most fascinating sounds ever recorded in Brazil.

The album kicks off with the raw, energetic "Ponta de Lança Africano," and from there on it never slows down, but continues to pile up one fiery, funky gem after the other. The samba soul and samba funk scenes of the '70s in Brazil produced many great artists and many great recordings, fully comparable with the best soul and funk music recorded in the U.S. during the same period. Jorge Ben was the most prominent figure of this scene and "África Brasil" is probably the most famous of his '70s recordings. For any person who is interested in the music of Jorge Ben, or indeed Brazilian funk in general, there is no better sample of it than "África Brasil".

Tracklist:

A1	Ponta De Lança Africano (Umbabarauma)	3:58
A2	Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu	3:04
A3	O Filósofo	3:30
A4	Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro	3:53
A5	O Plebeu	3:18
A6	Taj Mahal	3:10
B1	Xica Da Silva	4:00
B2	A História De Jorge	3:53
B3	Camisa 10 Da Gávea	4:18
B4	Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado	4:43
B5	África Brasil (Zumbi)	3:48

Jorge Ben - África Brasil (1976)
(320 kbps, cover art included)             

VA - Klangdenkmal für die Opfer des Holocaust - A Monument in Sound for the Victims of the Holocaust (2004)

Today we remember the anti-Jewish pogrom in Nazi Germany and Austria on 9 to 10 November1938, also known as "Novemberpogrome", "Reichskristallnacht", "Reichspogromnacht" or "Pogromnacht" in German.

Twenty six variations on a subject that one finds difficult to put into words. The incomprehensibility and the magnitude of the Holocaust can perhaps be described in facts, dates and figures - but the suffering of the victims, the regret about what happened, the consequence is especially difficult to "grasp" in terms of one´s owen life. Perhaps this is the reason for music as music is "the ability to communicate where speech has ended" (R. M. Rilke) and gives us the possivility of combining emotions and reason without a verbal setting, to allow grief and hope to flow into each other and in this manner to remember the victims in a very special way.

The "Monument in Sound for the Vicitms of the Holocaust" has been "built" by 27 composers who belong to the "Deutsche Komponistenverband" (German Association of Composers). The project was initiated in 1999 following a unanimous resolution passed by the associations´s state branch in Berlin. Composers from a variety of generations and artistic origins are involved and the starting point was the theme of a song by Coco Schumann. He was persecuted as the son of a Jewish mother and deported to the concentration camps Theresienstadt, Auschwitz and Dachau - he survived these camps and still performs on stage to this very day.

The theme of his compositon was arranged for a string quartet setting and sent to all the project´s participants in alphabetical order, one after another. Each artist then had the possibility, whilst taking the opening theme into consideration, to take up from his predecessor in terms of compostion or to carry on independatly ins or her own way. As such, after two years work, an astonishingly homogeneous musical piece of contemporary history came into being, contrary to all doubts, created by artist from a variety of musical fields - from jazz, avant garde and serious music. A musical work in which past and present flow into a spiritual entirety, as the sum of the involved composers´ personal and subjecitve experiences, each being treated in their own individual artistic manner.


VA - Klangdenkmal für die Opfer des Holocaust (2004)
(256 kbps, cover art included)

Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - African Dub All-Mighty - Chapter 3

The third (and most impressive) of four volumes of dub mixes from the studio of producer Joe Gibbs, "African Dub, Chapter 3" finds engineer Errol Thompson getting a bit more adventurous than he had on the earlier installments. More of these dub versions keep shreds and snatches of the original vocal tracks in the mix, which is almost always a plus in a dub context - little snippets of disembodied vocals float through the otherworldly musical atmosphere, lending a sometimes spooky human element to the sound and often casting new and refracted light on the meaning of the original lyrics.

And on this volume, Thompson seems to be taking a few cues from his competitor Lee "Scratch" Perry, throwing such extramusical elements as water sounds (on "Freedom Call") and ringing telephones (on "Jubilation Dub") into the mix along with the usual gossamer shreds of guitar, horn, and keyboard. Highly recommended.               


Tracklist:

Chapter Three
Rema Dub
Tribesman Rockers
Freedom Call
Jubilation Dub
The Entebbe Affair
Angolian Chant
Zion Gate
Jungle Dub
Dub Three

Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - African Dub All-Mighty - Chapter 3
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Nico - Desertshore (1970)

While Nico was the member of the Velvet Underground who had had the least experience in music prior to joining the group (while she had recorded a pop single in England, she'd never been a member of a working band before Andy Warhol introduced her to the Velvets), she was also the one who strayed farthest from traditional rock & roll after her brief tenure with the band, and by the time she recorded "Desertshore", her work had little (if anything) to do with traditional Western pop.

John Cale, who produced and arranged "Desertshore", once described the music as having more to do with 20th century classical music than anything else, and while that may be going a bit far to make a point, even compared to the avant-rock frenzy of the Velvet Underground's early material, "Desertshore" is challenging stuff. Nico's dour Teutonic monotone is a compelling but hardly welcoming vocal presence, and the songs, centered around the steady drone of her harmonium, are often grim meditations on fate that are crafted and performed with inarguable skill and intelligence, but are also a bit samey, and the album's downbeat tone gets to be rough sledding by the end of side two. Cale's arrangements are superb throughout, and "My Only Child," "Afraid," and "The Falconer" are quite beautiful in their own ascetic way, but like the bulk of Nico's repertoire, "Desertshore" is an album practically designed to polarize its listeners; you'll either embrace it's darkness or give up on it before the end of side one. Then again, given the thoroughly uncompromising nature of her career as a musician, that's probably just what Nico had in mind. 

Tracklist:

Janitor Of Lunacy	4:01
The Falconer	5:39
My Only Child	3:27
Le Petit Chevalier	1:12
Abschied	3:02
Afraid	3:27
Mütterlein	4:38
All That Is My Own	3:54

Nico - Desertshore (1970)
(320 kbps, cover art included)             

Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Secrets (1978)

Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson made a lot of incredible music together and "Secrets" is no exception. Soul and Jazz come together with the brilliance that is Gil Scott-Heron's mind and the result is truly inspiring. This 1978 album from the poet/musician, an album that continues the journey started on the 1977 album, "Bridges".

"Angel Dust" warns of the dangers of drug abuse. "Show Bizness" is a hilarious look at the perils of the music business ('they'll take care of everything for only 95%'), whilst "Madison Avenue" talks of the over commercialization of western society ("buying is all that's asked of you..."). "Better Days Ahead" and "Prayer For Everybody" see Gil in a more optimistic light hoping for a better future.

Gil Scott Heron was rapping and telling it like it is long before hip hop even thought about running its course. This album was a good example of Gil's finest works.

Tracklist:
1. Angel Dust
2. Madison Avenue
3. Cane
4. Third World Revolution
5. Better Days Ahead
6. 3 Miles Down
7. Angola Louisiana
8. Show Bizness
9. A Prayer For Everybody To Be Free


Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Secrets
(192 kbps, front cover included)

Sun Ra - Dancing Shadows

"Dancing Shadows" is a mid-'80s German bootleg disc gathering material that had been recorded some two decades earlier for the ESP-Disk indie label. It should also be noted that the same eight sides can be found as both "Nothing Is" (1970) and the somewhat erroneous "Heliocentric Worlds, Vol. 3" (1966). In terms of the contents, the cuts were documented at various stops on the Arkestra's 1966 spring tour of state universities of New York. The instrumental free jazz improvisations surrounding the more discernible melodies from Ra (piano/clavioline) and company serve as the primary impetus for this collection.

From out of the free-for-all introduction "Dancing Shadows," Ra's keyboards are incisive and direct as he rides the band into a swinging and inventive jam sporting the same brand of advanced arrangements and tricky time signatures that are associated with the likes of Pharoah Sanders and Thelonious Monk. Longtime Arkestra stalwarts Marshall Allen (alto sax/flute/piccolo/oboe), John Gilmore (tenor sax), and Pat Patrick (baritone sax/flute) entwine their Eastern-influenced interjections and effuse interaction over the solid rhythm section of Ronnie Boykins (bass/tuba), Clifford Jarvis (drums), Carl Nimrod [aka Carl S. Malone/Nimrod Hunt] (sun horn/gong), and James Jacson (flute/log drums).

While no traditional drum kit performers are credited, they are evident throughout. Sandwiched between "Dancing Shadows" and "Exotic Forest" is the spoken or (perhaps more accurately) chanted chorus of "the second stop is Jupiter." Keen-eared enthusiasts might recall this extract, which hails from "Rocket #9." There is an entrancing and almost intoxicating quality to "Exotic Forest." Allen's oboe solo is bound to some equally heady percussive expressions. This release can be recommended for this track alone, as it exemplifies the unquestionable beauty that the Arkestra created from seeming sonic chaos. After "Sun Ra and His Band from Outer Space" - a brief piano solo interlude - the final extended piece is "Shadow World." Here, Patrick's opening solo is met head-on with a hard-hitting and edgy assault from Allen on oboe. This eventually leads into a full Arkestra meltdown prior to Ra's "Theme of the Stargazers" and a final chorus of "Next Stop Mars" - another spoken/sung chant. The audio quality of this specific incarnation is less than favorable when compared to either of the previously mentioned releases "Nothing Is" or "Heliocentric Worlds, Vol. 3" - both of which are available on CD. All manner of free jazz fans are encouraged to locate "Dancing Shadows", as it provides an unabashed glimpse into what makes this era of the Arkestra so highly lauded among listeners.               

Tracklist:

1. Dancing Shadows / Imagination / Exotic Forest (20:15)

2. Sun Ra And His Band From Outer Space / Shadow World / Theme Of The Stargazers / Outer Spaceways Incorporated / Next Stop Mars (17:54)



Sun Ra - Dancing Shadows
(192 kbps, cover art included)

Dinah Washington - Dinah Jams (1954)

Recorded at the start of Dinah Washington's climb to fame, 1954's "Dinah Jams" was taped live in front of a studio audience in Los Angeles.

While Washington is in top form throughout, effortlessly working her powerful, blues-based voice on both ballads and swingers, the cast of star soloists almost steals the show. In addition to drummer Max Roach, trumpeter Clifford Brown, and other members of Brown and Roach's band at the time - tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow - trumpeters Maynard Ferguson and Clark Terry, alto saxophonist Herb Geller, and pianist Junior Mance also contribute to the session.

Along with extended jams like "Lover Come Back to Me," "You Go to My Head," and "I'll Remember April" - all including a round of solos - there are shorter ballad numbers such as "There Is No Greater Love" and "No More," the last of which features excellent muted, obbligato work by Brown.

And even though she's in the midst of these stellar soloists, Washington expertly works her supple voice throughout to remain the star attraction, even matching the insane, high-note solo blasts trumpeter Ferguson expectedly delivers. A fine disc. Newcomers, though, should start with more accessible and more vocal-centered Washington titles like "The Swingin' Miss D" or "The Fats Waller Songbook", both of which feature top arrangements by Quincy Jones.


Dinah Washington - Dinah Jams (1954) 
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Inti-Illimani - La Nueva Cancion Chilena (1973)

Originally posted four years ago:

Last night I had the chance to experience a concert by the wonderful group Inti-Illimani Classico from Chile.

September 11, 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of the military coup by General Pinochet against the democratically elected President Salvador Allende. The group dedicated their concert to the rememberance of these events.

Inti-Illimani is an instrumental and vocal Latin American folk music ensemble from Chile. The group was formed in 1967 by a group of university students and it acquired widespread popularity in Chile for their song Venceremos (We shall win!) which became the anthem of the Popular Unity government of Salvador Allende. At the moment of the September 11, 1973 Chilean coup they were on tour in Europe and were unable to return to their country where their music was proscribed by the ruling military junta.
Having heard of the numerous extra-judicial killings of many fellow artists by Chile's army, they took up residence in Italy, resulting in "the longest tour in history" for Inti-Illimani as they lived in de facto exile. They continued their efforts supporting Chilean democracy internationally; magnitizdat copies of their work continued to be widely distributed in Chile. In September 1988, days after they were no longer banned from Chile, they began touring Chile again. They helped organize the voting down of the referendum that would have re-elected Pinochet. Recently, they were actually supported by Chile as representatives of Chilean culture.

In Europe their music took on a multifarious character, incorporating elements of European baroque and other traditional music forms to their rich and colourful Latin American rhythms - creating a distinctive fusion of modern world music. They are perhaps the best internationally known members of the nueva canción movement.

"La Nueva Canción Chilena" (New Chilean Song) is the musical voice of a social/political movement that lived in Chile in the 1960s and early 70s. Musically, it revived the sounds of native Andean music and blended them with American folk and popular music. Politically, the movement championed labor organization, land reform, anti-racism, and anti-imperialism. It supported the Vietnamese in their struggle against the U.S. Pinochet and the Fascist military junta seized power in Chile on Sept. 11, 1973. The New Chilean Song movement (along with most leftist political and social organizations) was destroyed, and its leaders murdered or exiled. The CIA and other U.S. agencies were heavily involved in installing Pinochet and keeping him in power.

Inti-Illimani - La Nueva Cancion Chilena (1973)
(192 kbps, cover art included)

Lonnie Smith - Move Your Hand

Lonnie Smith (born July 3, 1942), styled Dr. Lonnie Smith, is an American jazz Hammond B3 organist.

"Move Your Hand" was recorded live at Club Harlem in Atlantic City on August 9, 1969. Organist Lonnie Smith led a small combo - featuring guitarist Larry McGee, tenor saxist Rudy Jones, bari saxist Ronnie Cuber, and drummer Sylvester Goshay - through a set that alternated originals with two pop covers, the Coasters' "Charlie Brown" and Donovan's "Sunshine Superman."

Throughout, the band works a relaxed, bluesy, and, above all, funky rhythm; they abandon improvisation and melody for a steady groove, so much that the hooks of the two pop hits aren't recognizable until a few minutes into the track. No one player stands out, but "Move Your Hand" is thoroughly enjoyable, primarily because the group never lets their momentum sag throughout the session. Though the sound of the record might be somewhat dated, the essential funk of the album remains vital.                

Tracklist:

1. "Charlie Brown" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 8:26
2. "Layin' in the Cut" - 10:11
3. "Move Your Hand" - 9:01
4. "Sunshine Superman" (Donovan Leitch) - 10:16
5. "Dancin' in an Easy Groove" - 11:56

Lonnie Smith - Move Your Hand
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Mikis Theodorakis - Epitafios (1964)

Michael “Mikis” Theodorakis (born 29 July 1925) is a Greek songwriter and composer who has written over 1000 songs. He scored for the films Zorba the Greek (1964), Z (1969), and Serpico (1973). He composed the “Mauthausen Trilogy” also known as “The Ballad of Mauthausen”, which has been described as the “most beautiful musical work ever written about the Holocaust” and possibly his best work. He is viewed as Greece’s best-known living composer. He was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize.

Politically, he is associated with the left because of his long-standing ties to the Communist Party of Greece. He was an MP for the KKE from 1981 to 1990. Nevertheless, in 1989 he ran as an independent candidate within the centre-right New Democracy party, in order for the country to emerge from the political crisis that had been created due to the numerous scandals of the government of Andreas Papandreou,[9] and helped establish a large coalition between conservatives, socialists and leftists. In 1990 he was elected to the parliament (as in 1964 and 1981), became a government minister under Constantine Mitsotakis, and fought against drugs and terrorism and for culture, education and better relations between Greece and Turkey. He continues to speak out in favor of left-liberal causes, Greek–Turkish–Cypriot relations, and against the War in Iraq. He has consistently opposed oppressive regimes and was a key voice against the 1967–1974 Greek junta, which imprisoned him.

He went to Athens in 1943, and became a member of a Reserve Unit of ELAS, and led a troop in the fight against the British and the Greek right in the Dekemvriana. During the Greek Civil War he was arrested, sent into exile on the island of Icaria and then deported to the island of Makronisos, where he was tortured and twice buried alive.
During the periods when he was not obliged to hide, not exiled or jailed, he studied from 1943 to 1950 at the Athens Conservatoire under Filoktitis Economidis. In 1950, he finished his studies and took his last two exams "with flying colours". He went to Crete, where he became the "head of the Chania Music School" and founded his first orchestra.  At this time he ended what he has called the first period of his musical writing.

In 1954 he travelled with his young wife Myrto Altinoglou to Paris where he entered the Conservatory and studied musical analysis under Olivier Messiaen and conducting under Eugene Bigot. His time in Paris, 1954–1959, was his second period of musical writing.

In 1960, Theodorakis returned to Greece and his roots in genuine Greek music: With his song cycle Epitaphios he started the third period of his composing and contributed to a cultural revolution in his country.

This album features the first recording of Epitaphios from August 1960 with Nana Mouskouri on vocals.

Tracklist:

Πού Πέταξε Τ' Αγόρι Μου
Χείλι Μου Μοσκομύριστο
Μέρα Μαγιού
Βασίλεψες Αστέρι Μου
Νάχα Τ' Αθάνατο Νερό
Στο Παραθύρι Στεκόσουν
Ήσουν Καλός Ήσουν Γλυκός
Γλυκέ Μου Εσύ
Βρέχει Στην Φτωχογειτονιά
Ένα Το Χελιδόνι
Οι Χαρταετοί

Mikis Theodorakis - Epitafios (1964)
(flac, cover art included)

Jowel Klezmorim - Unterwejgen

From the linernotes:
"Jowel Klezmorim reflects with great authenticity and stylistic accuracy the atmosphere of the music made by the Jews of central and eastern Europe.

Their album "Unterwejgen" gives palpable expression to the emotional life of a people accustomed to tears, whether of bitter sorrow or helpless mirth. The ensemble´s remarkable technical prowess enables them to penetrate deeply into the style of klezmer music and convey a sense of its essential spontaneity. Familiar and new melodies alike receive very colourful and original treatment."

Tracklist:

Schwartz Sirba
Freyt Aykh Yidelekh
Rebe Eimeiekh
Mazl Tov
Simchat Nigun
Papirosn
Unterwejgen
Falaffelpizz(a)
Far Dem Chosn Un Far Der Kale
Szol A Kakas Mar
Oj Mischpoche
Berditschever Bulgar
Eyner is Got
Is Gewejn
Oyfn Veg Shteyt A Boym
Sol Sayn Gelebt
A Yidishe Mame
 Schlof Majn Kind    

Jowel Klezmorim - Unterwejgen
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Dollar Brand - Anatomy Of A South African Village (1965)

Yesterday I had fortunately the chance to experience the wonderful music of Abdullah Ibrahim and Ekaya live on stage. So this is a good occassion for sharing some of his music.

The melodic sounds of South Africa are fused with the improvisation of jazz and the technical proficiency of classical music by South Africa-born pianist Dollar Brand or, as he's called himself since converting to Islam in 1968, Abdullah Ibrahim. Since attracting international acclaim as a member of the Jazz Epistles, one of South Africa's first jazz bands, Ibrahim has continued to explore new ground with his imaginative playing.

In the mid-1960's, Abdullah Ibrahim (then known as Dollar Brand) was an avant-garde pianist influenced by Thelonious Monk who was not yet displaying much of his South African heritage in his music. This album was recorded at the Montmartre Jazzhuis, Copenhagen, 30th January 1965.

Tracklist:

A1	Anatomy Of A South African Village	15:11
A2	Light Blue	6:56
B1	Tintiyana	4:31
B2	Honey	6:01
B3	'Round Midnight	6:30

Dollar Brand - Anatomy Of A South African Village (1965)
(320 kbps, cover art included)

The Red Army Choir - The Best Of - The Definitive Collection

The most prestigious vocal group in Russia, the Red Army Choir was renamed in 1978 after Boris Alexandrov, the troupe's director from 1946 until 1986. A large group featuring a male choir, mixed dance group, and orchestra, the Red Army Choir attracted international attention when it took first place at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1937.

Much of the group's repertoire, including such tunes as "We Are the Red Cavalry" and "Song of the Volga Boatmen," has passed into Russian folklore. In a review of the choir's self-titled 1994 album, recorded under the direction of conductor Victor Federov and released on the Naxos label, American Record Guide wrote "Naxos' sound is rich, full, vibrant, and spacious -- just like the choir itself."                

Even though I cannot speak Russian, the quality of this choral group is beyond excellent. Many of these pieces are extremely moving and stirring. Both the compositions and the performance are remarkable, above expectations.
The music is very emotive, these emotions can be shared beyond ideological questions. You can perceive a very intense feeling of comradeship and solidarity which is essential for all human beings. Also some of the exaggeration and grandiloquence that was characteristic of the Soviet regime can be found sometimes, but in this case it sounds sincere. The performance is very appropriate for this kind of music. It has nothing to do with the meaningless, empty and mechanical interpretation quite usual in military music.

The Red Army Choir - The Best Of - The Definitive Collection CD 1
The Red Army Choir - The Best Of - The Definitive Collection CD 2
(256 kbps, cover art included)

Lightnin' Hopkins‎ - Broken Hearted Blues

Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins has been called "the last of the Great Blues Singers" – a poetic, haunting and unforgettable country blues bard.

These are the 1950-52 recordings, produced and recorded by Bob Shad for  his "Sittin In With" and "Jax" labels.  A strong song selection with an excellent sound.













Tracklist:

1	Hello Central
2	Mary Contrary
3	Bald Headed Woman
4	One Kind Favor (See That My Grave Is Kept Clean)
5	I Wonder Why
6	Tap Dance Boogie
7	Down To The River
8	New Short-Haired Women
9	Broken Hearted Blues
10	New York Boogie
11	Long Way From Texas
12	Mad As I Can Be
13	I'm Beggin' You
14	Why Did You Get Mad At Me?
15	Home In The Woods
16	Praying Ground Blues
17	Back Home Boogie
18	My Heart To Weep
19	Everybody's Down On Me
20	New Worried Life Blues
21	I'll Never Forget The Day

Lightnin' Hopkins‎ - Broken Hearted Blues 
(320 kbps, cover art included)

Memphis Slim & Willie Dixon - In Paris - Baby Please Come Home!

Piano pumper Mephis Slim (1915 - 1988) and bass thumper Willie Dixon (1915 - 1992) were kindred spirits. Both men were commanding vocalists and brilliant songwriters who played key roles in shaping the Chicago blues sound of the 50s, though their roots were in an earlier era.

The tow blues men usually worked separately, but duting the late 50s and early 60s they frequently teamed up for recordings, club dates, and concerts, often in Europe.

This recording of a 1962 show in Paris is a vital document of that accosication. It's not a landmark event in either of the blues legends' distinguished recording careers, but it's a nice enough outing with a friendly, low-key tone. Slim recorded a lot of LPs in the early '60s, often as a solo pianist/vocalist, and this is frankly more lively than his norm for the era, if for nothing else than the fact that he's playing in a band. The Dixon-sung tracks are interesting inasmuch as he didn't record much during this period, though he's really adequate at best as a singer. When Slim sings, he sticks mostly to self-penned material; the Dixon-fronted cuts may stir some curiosity among blues fans due to the inclusion of some of Willie's more obscure compositions, like the novelty-tinged "African Hunch with a Boogie Beat."

Tracklist:

1	Rock And Rolling The House	4:28
2	Baby Please Come Home	2:16
3	How Make You Do Me Like You Do	4:59
4	The Way She Loves A Man	3:08
5	New Way To Love	5:30
6	Afican Hunch With A Boogie Beat	3:35
7	Shame Pretty Girls	3:24
8	Baby-Baby-Baby	3:04
9	Do De Do	2:41
10	Cold Blooded	5:37
11	Just You And I	2:55
12	Pigalle Love	3:59
13	All By Myself	1:44

Memphis Slim & Willie Dixon -  In Paris - Baby Please Come Home!
(192 kbps, cover art included)

Dakar Sound Volume 2 - Sorano Singers

It was in the 70s that Dakar-businessman Mass Diokhane, dealer in cars and radio-cassete players, got the idea to produce young talents of his nieghbourhood on a label called "Touba Auto K7". So he hired a technician and they started to record the new sound of booming Dakar.

After the huge success of Etoile 2000 Diokhane´s next idea was to record the Sorano Singers, who are the vocalists of the national ensemble. They practice and perform at the Sorano theatre in Dakar, which is still the breeding-place for new traditional talent. Diokhane taped the music almost without rehearsing, using just two microphones, as the various singers improvise their text on a well known tradtional melody.

The Sorano singers are presented here with a selection of songs from their individual cassettes, all released in the beginning of the eighties. Madiodio makes her entranceon this CD with a song called Xouda Doki. She is accompagnied by a mysterious group called SK7. The orther artists are backed up by non other than Super Etoile.

Dakar Sound Volume 2 - Sorano Singers
(192 kbps, ca. 64 MB)

VA - Dakar Sound Sampler Vol. 2

In Senegal, international capitalism meets traditional African commerce head on. The skyscrapers and colonial buildings of Dakar may be crumbling, but down by the Medina, the city´s original `native quarter´, they´re building vast ultra-modern banks, while, outside, stalls errupt from pavements heaving with hawkers and touts. And evreyone it seems, from the ragged beggars to the sleek-suited executives or the turbanned women in billowing robes and stiletto hells, is radiating pise and self possession - the same nonchalant swagger that underpins mbalax, the rhythm that has come to define Senegalese music.

A collection of classic West African pop music, "Dakar Sound Sampler Vol. 2" showcases some of the "Dakar Sound" label’s finest releases.

Tracklist:

 1. Bolero - Dexter Johnson

2. Mamu Wa Mpoy - African Fiesta

3. Seul - Superstar

4. Am Am - Royal Band

5. Kontar

6. Xouda Doki

7. Kolankoma - Sékou Bembya Diabaté

8. Darou Muxti

9. Tounka - Djanka Diabate,

10. Tama - Sekou Kouyate

11. Mkuki Myoni - Tondo

12. Kyere Wo Do

13. Dowaka

14. Liverpool

VA - Dakar Sound Sampler Vol. 2
(192 kbps, cover art included)

VA - Cajun Vol. 1 - Abbeville Breakdown 1929-1939

A collection of ancient recordings of Cajun music by musicians from the Abbeville area of Louisiana. These songs were all recorded between 1929 and 1939, and are split essentially into two groups. The Breaux Fréres (and brother-in-law Joseph Falcon) provide the earlier half of the works, with an early mastery of the basic Cajun lineup that would become standard -- accordion, fiddle, and guitar. Falcon proves himself a worthy accordionist, paving the way for much of the later music to come from the genre (and simultaneously standing as the first recorded Cajun accordion player). Cleoma Breaux Falcon (his wife) is an able guitarist, and the Breaux Fréres do well on fiddle and accordion, as needed.

The second half of the album is dominated by the Alley Boys of Abbeville, an accordion-less group of youngsters who recorded once for Vocalion and were recorded again on various compilations. The recording quality on the album is admittedly sub-par, and seemingly not remastered completely. Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable album for those looking for the roots of Cajun music, though the rare recordings of Amédé Ardoin would be recommended beforehand, as the branching point for both Cajun and Zydeco forms.    

Tracklist:

 1. Vas Y Carrément  - Amedee Breaux/Cleoma Breaux & Ophy Breaux

2. Poche-Town - Joe Falcon/Cleoma Breaux & Ophy Breaux

3. Prenez Courage (Take Courage) - Cleoma Breaux/Joe Falcon & Ophy Breaux

4. Quand Je Suit Partis Pour Le Texas - Cleoma Breaux/Joe Falcon & Ophy Breaux

5. Aimer Et Perdre (To Love And Lose) - Joe Falcon

6. Egan One Step - Breaux Feres

7. T' As Volé Mon Chapeau (You Have Stolen My Hat) - Breaux Feres

8. Home Sweet Home - Breaux Feres

9. Le One Step A Martin - Breaux Feres

10. La Valse Du Bayou Plaquemine - Breaux Feres

11. Abbeville Breakdown

12. Te A Pas Raison (You Have No Reason)

13. Se Toute Sain Comme Moi Ma Saine (I Wonder If You Feel The Way I Do)

14. Jolie Petite Fille (Pretty Little Girl)

15. Quel Espoire (What's The Use)

16. Moi Et Ma Belle (Me And My Pretty One)

17. Je Vous T' Aime Lessair Pleurer (I'll Never Let You Cry)

18. Es Ce Que Tu Pense Jamais A Moi (Do You Ever Think Of Me)

19. Tu Ma Quite Seul (Prisoner's Song)

20. Jolie Petite Blonde (Small Pretty Blonde)

21. Apres Jengles A Toi (Thinking Of You)

22. Te Bonne Pour Moi Estere (I Don't Care What You Used To Be)

VA - Cajun Vol. 1 - Abbeville Breakdown 1929-1939    
(192 kbps, cover art included)    

Lecuona Cuban Boys - Lecuona Cuban Boys (1965)

The Lecuona Cuban Boys was a popular Cuban orchestra which toured the world for over forty years.

The band was founded by Ernesto Lecuona, whose role was that of a patron-entrepreneur. He did not actually play with the band, but sometimes gave a piano recital before the band played. The core of the band was put together in 1931 as Orquesta Encanto; the band changed name early in 1934. On tour in Europe, in 1934, Lecuona returned to Cuba, and Armando Oréfiche took charge of the band in Europe. Ernesto gave them the gift of his name, which, at the time, was a property well worth having, and the right to use a number of his compositions.

The LCB was exceptionally strong in arrangements, compositions and instrumental quality (most of them could play two or three instruments). Their only weak spot was the lack of a really first-rate Cuban singer, but that was not so important as might seem because they played so often to non-Latin audiences. Some of their pick-up singers could sing in English, and many of their numbers were instrumentals. The band played the full range of Cuban popular music, but their speciality was the conga. Though it was perhaps Eliseo Grenet who first composed a conga in its ballroom dance style, it was certainly the LCB who took it round the world and made it famous. The LCB was therefore the first conjunto to use the conga drum regularly in its performances, and not Arsenio Rodríguez, as is often supposed.

The band initially organized itself as a collective, but in practice Armando Oréfiche (composer, arranger, pianist) was the leader. Other band members were Ernesto 'Jaruco' Vázquez (trumpeter, guitarist, composer, arranger); Adalberto 'Chiquito' Oréfiche (tenor sax and bongo); Agustin Bruguera (timbales, conga, voice); Gerardo Bruguera (tenor sax and clarinet); Jesús Bertomeu (trombone); Jorge Domínguez (alto sax, clarinet, violin); Daniel González (alto sax, clarinet, violin); Guillermo Hernández (guitar, tumba, guiro, maracas); Enrique López Rivero (trumpet) 1932 34; Alberto Rabagliati (voice) engaged 1934; later Fernando Díaz and Luis Escalante were engaged as replacement trumpeters. In 1947 Bob (Irv) Mesher joined the group after a brief stint with Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez and Pupi Campo. Irv took over the lead chair when Jaruco Vazquez left the band...

The band toured throughout the world: the USA, Latin America and Europe were the main tours. When World War II broke out, the band went to Latin America and continued their touring there. After WWII there was a dispute within the band, which ended in a split. Armando Oréfiche left with a few members, and started the Havana Cuban Boys; the rest stayed under the old name, based in New York until 1960. The Lecuona Cuban Boys continued to tour, and finally retired in 1975.

Tracklist:

Mama Inéz (Rumba)
La Cumbia Del Amor (Cumbia)
Solamente Una Vez (Bolero)
El Bodeguero (Merengue)
My Shawl (Bolero-Cha-Cha)
Rumba Mirinda
Organito De La Tarde (Mambo)
Caribia (Afro)
Anita (Cha-Cha)
Choce (Cumbia)
Lamento Borincano (Bolero)
Campanitas De Cristal (Porqué) (Cumbia)
Chivirico (Merengue)
La Comparsa (Cumbia)

Lecuona Cuban Boys - Lecuona Cuban Boys (1965)
(192 kbps, cover art included)

Mary Hopkins - Earth Song / Ocean Song (1971)

It was the British supermodel Twiggy who alerted Paul McCartney to the Welsh singer Mary Hopkin when Apple Records was looking for talent in 1968. The waifish soprano scored a huge worldwide smash with her first Apple single, the melancholy but rabble-rousing ballad "Those Were the Days," in late 1968; it actually knocked the Beatles' own "Hey Jude" out of the number one position in the U.K. Paul McCartney lent Hopkin a further hand by producing her first album and writing her second single, "Goodbye," which was also a hit. More comfortable with refined, precious ballads and folky pop than rock, Hopkin scored several more hit singles in the U.K., although she never entered the American Top 40 again. Her commercial success diminished as Apple's fortunes dwindled in the early '70s.    

More folk-oriented than her first effort, Mary Hopkin's lilting voice soothes the listener like hot tea with honey. Included in this set, which was produced by Tony Visconti, are her interpretations of Ralph McTell's "Streets of London," Cat Stevens' "The Wind," and Gallagher & Lyle's "International."    

Tracklist:
01 - International
02 - There's Got To Be More
03 - Silver Birch And Weeping Willow
04 - How Come The Sun
05 - Earth Song
06 - Martha
07 - Streets Of London
08 - The Wind
09 - Water, Paper And Clay
10 - Ocean Song

Mary Hopkins - Earth Song / Ocean Song (1971)         
(320 kbps, cover art included)

VA - Primer festival internacional de la canción popular (1973)

When the socialist politician Salvador Allende dramatically won Chile´s presidential election in 1970, a powerful cultural movement accompanied him to power. Folk singers emerged at the forefront, proving that music could help forge the birth of a new society. As the CIA actively funded opposition media against Allende during his campaign, the New Chilean Song Movement (Nueva Canción) rose to prominence, viscerally persuading voters with its music. Victor Jara, a central protagonist at the time, became an icon in Chile, Latin America, and beyond for his revolutionary lyrics and life. Inti-Illimani, Quilapayun, and other musicians contributed by singing before audiences of workers outside factories or campesinos in Chile´s rural countryside.

Primer festival internacional de la canción popular is a live album released on the DICAP label (Discoteca del Cantar Popular). It features artists from Chile (Isabel Parra, Tito Fernandez, Inti-Illimani, Quilapayun, Aparcoa, from Uruguay (Alfredo Zitarossa), from Argentina (Cesar Isella( and from Finland (Agit-Prop).


Tracklist:

A1	–Unknown Artist	Obertura
A2	–Aparcoa	Que Se Vayan Del Canal
A3	–Rolando Ojeda	Guantanamera
A4	–Marcelo	Dónde Está La Paz
A5	–Tito Fernández	Cuando Sea Grande
A6	–Alfredo Zitarrosa	Chamarrita De Los Milicos
B1	–Isabel Parra	En Esta Tierra Que Tanto Quiero
B2	–Inti-Illimani	Cueca De La CUT
B3	–Flora Margarita	A Un Ave
B4	–Agitprop	Paz, Amistad, Solidaridad
B5	–César Isella	Soneto 93
B6a	–Quilapayún	El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido
B6b	–Quilapayún	Las Ollitas

VA - Primer festival internacional de la canción popular (1973)
(256 kbps, cover art included)