Show #40: New Eclectic Releases

This week, Rhythm Planet enjoys checking out some nice new albums. We start with Jacques Lesure, a talented jazz guitarist, very smooth and straight-ahead, and a guy I’d never heard about before. We continue with the smooth, sensual sounds of Brazilian singer Paula Santoro, then a nice cover of Junior Murvin reggae classic, “Police and Thieves” by Zara McFarlane.

Then comes some Jewish mambo, direct from Miami and the Catskills on a crazy new 2 CD set It’s a Scream How Levine Does the Rhumba, including a nice version of Hava Nageela from Celia Cruz.

The Shanghai Restoration Project dusts off some classic 1930s Shanghai jazz, when Shanghai was the Paris of the Orient. Grammy Award winner for best classical vocal and recorded sound, Dawn Upshaw and Maria Schneider‘s Winter Morning Walks comes next. What a beautiful album this is, and entirely funded by a kickstarter-type campaign, rare for a classical album. Kudos!

After that, two powerful and exotic numbers from Tunisian Dhafer Youssef, followed by top Afghan musicians live show from Kabul.

We wrap it up paying homage to the late Pete Seeger, who passed away this week at 94.

Enjoy this eclectic musical offering!!!

Rhythm Planet Playlist: 1/31/14

1. Jacques Lesure / Sonnymoon for Two / When She Smiles / WJ3 Records

2. Paula Santoro / Samburá de Peixe Miúdo / Mar Do Meu Mundo / Borando

3. Zara McFarlane / Police & Thieves / If You Knew Her / Brownswood

4. Irving Kaufman / Moe The Schmo Takes A Rhumba Lesson / It’s A Scream How Levine Does The Rhumba / Idelsohn Society

5. Celia Cruz / Hava Nageela / It’s A Scream How Levine Does The Rhumba / Idelsohn Society

6. The Shanghai Restoration Project / Waiting For You / The Classics / Undercover Culture

7. Dawn Upshaw & Maria Schneider / Walking By Flashlight / Winter Morning Walks / Artist Share

8. Dhafer Youssef / Sweet Blasphemy / Birds Requiem / Okeh

9. Usted Faroda / Zim Zim (Come Come) / Voices of Afghanistan / Dem Music

10. Pete Seeger / Where Have All The Flowers Gone? / If I Had A Hammer: Songs Of Hope & Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways

11. Pete Seeger / Turn, Turn, Turn / If I Had A Hammer: Songs Of Hope & Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways