As I’ve been covering Cape Verdean music for the past few weeks, my record bag has been filling up with a ton of new releases. Here is the first batch for your review.
We start with Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa with Michael Nyman‘s lovely piano music for the film The Piano. After that, we listen to a duet between young fado sensation Carminho and Brazilian superstar Milton Nascimento. Local star Aloe Blacc follows with a cut from his new album Lift your Spirit, then a remix from Zara McFarlane. Nicola Conte has a new one on the Italian label Schema, then one from Hollie Cook‘s new album (she’s the daughter of Paul Cook, the Sex Pistols drummer). Early Ali Farka Toure is next, originally from the World Circuit album Radio Mali, now part of a 2-CD set on Rough Guides.
Veteran Puerto Rican musician Bobby Sanabria leads the big Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra in a live set, then we hear an Anglo-Ghanian collective called Yaaba Funk.
We close with two 1970s classics from South East Asia, some Isan music from Northern Thailand, then a cover of “House of the Rising Sun” done Cambodian style.
It’s an eclectic grab bag of musical styles. I hope you enjoy it.
Rhythm Planet Playlist: 5/9/14
- Michael Nyman / The Piano / The Piano Music of Michael Nyman / Decca
- Ferro GaitaCarminho Feat. Milton Nascimento / Cais / Alma / Mund
- Aloe Blacc / Here Today / Lift Your Spirit / Interscope
- Zara McFarlane / Open Heart (Alex Session Remix) / Open Heart / Brownswood
- Nicola Conte / Uhuru / Free Souls / Schema
- Hollie Cook / Win Or Lose / Twice / Mr. Bongo
- Ali Farka Toure / Yer Maili Gakoyoyo / The Rough Guide to African Blues / Rough Guides
- Manhattan School Of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz / Let There Be Swing / Que Viva Harlem / Jazzheads
- Yaaba Funk / Ghana A-Z / My Vote Dey Count / Stern’s
- Angkanang Kunchai / Yak Si Glap Isan / Sounds of Siam Vol. 2 / Soundway
- Sin Sisamouth / The Sun Is Setting aka The House Of The Rising Sun / The Rough Guide to Psychedelic Cambodia / Rough Guides
