Sweet Sweet Jamaica Gilzene and The Blue Light Mento Band WORLD VILLAGE | WV479037 | CD | 794881933426
Formed in the rural backwater of Trelawney in 1986, the Blue Light Mento Band is one of the best-kept secrets of Jamaican popular music.
Prime exponents of mento, a distinctly Jamaican form of traditional music today enriched with upbeat ska elements, the group recorded this their debut album at the legendary Harry J studio where Bob Marley laid down his immortal tracks. Listeners may already be familiar with songs on Sweet Sweet Jamaica such as ‘Wings of a Dove’ once covered by Marley, and ‘Brown Girl In The Ring’ famously transformed into a disco number by Boney M. With this new album, the Blue Light Mento Band is poised and ready to bring mento into the greater public consciousness overseas.
Jaadu Magic Faiz Ali Faiz (vocals), Titi Robin (guitar) ACCORDS CROISES | AC130 | CD | 794881937028
"I used to dream of a world in which composers, performers and producers could make music without being constrained by the bottlenecks of genre and market forces. French guitarist Titi Robin has made an album as if that fantasy were true ... the result is rich and moving, a tale with the depth of a novel and the narrative drive of a folk legend." – The Guardian. 'Probably the best known French composer/musician in the crossover world music style' (Folkworld), Titi Robin has had a recent success with his critically acclaimed Kali Sultana. Now, he continues to explore his deep affinity with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music through endless encounters with Rom and Sinti people, carrying little luggage but immense dreams. Oud, bouzouki and guitar meld with infectious rhythms and Faiz Ali Faiz's virtuosic qawwali vocals on this remarkable album for fans of Les Triaboliques, Le Trio Joubran, and the sensuous music of India and the Middle East.
Ruby - Classical Egyptian Belly Dance Hossam Ramzy, Ossama El Hendy ARC | EUCD2242 | CD | 5019396224223
'Egypt's Ambassador of Rhythm' features on Shakira's new album She Wolf, his hip-shaking contribution described as "a dancefloor scorcher by way of Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir'"! The great percussionist has previously worked with Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, as well as having released over twenty best-selling classical Egyptian belly dance CDs. "I was asked by many dancers around the world to create an album of similar style and quality", says Hossam. "The compositions should be around five minutes in length but still capture the spirit of the classical Egyptian dance style of the 1970s and 80s in Cairo, as well as bring it all into the 21st century. Not an easy task, but here we have it."
I Can See The Gates of Heaven Marta Sebestyen (vocals) WORLD VILLAGE | WV450009 | CD | 794881933822
Marta Sebestyen achieved international success with her haunting contribution to the soundtrack of Oscar-winning film The English Patient, and has since worked with Peter Gabriel and The Muzsikas. Praised as a 'truly remarkable singer' (The Rough Guide to World Music), her ethereal vocals imbue this deeply moving album of Hungarian chant and secular songs with a rare grace and serenity.
The Best of DJ Ravin DJ Ravin, Carolos Campos and Ravin, Claude Challe, Jacob Desvarieux, Kas, Aura, Blank and Jones, Nikolaj Grandjean, Ryuku Underground, Eden, Cantoma, Cornucopia, Bliass, Ustad Sultan Khan NAÏVE | AP902 | CD2 | 3298490911020
From calm and serenity to dance-fuelled exuberance, DJ Ravin is a master of moods, the guru behind Buddha Bar, Nirvana Lounge (with Claude Challe) and other superb dance, chillout and world fusion albums. Born on Mauritius Island, Ravin moved to France as a teenager, where his interest in dance music and club culture took hold. And to the clubs he brings music fit for a temple. This 2-CD retrospective disc offers the best of his distinctive style for fans of Claude Challe's Six Senses, Cafe del Mar, and other chillout series.
I Love Christmas Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Mahalia Jackson, Dean Martin, Glen Campbell, and more! I LOVE | IL322 | CD3 | 8712155115868
60 all-time Christmas favourites from the masters of sentimental Yuletide song.
A Family Christmas Various Artists PUTUMAYO | PUT295 | CD | 790248029528
Light up the season with festive Christmas songs for the whole family! Hits include Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Is Zat You Santa Claus? and fresh takes on holiday classics: Winter Wonderland, Frosty the Snowman and Let It Snow.
A Jazz and Blues Christmas Various Artists PUTUMAYO | PUT285 | CD | 790248028521
Putumayo delivers the perfect package of soulful jazz and blues to liven up the holiday season. A Jazz & Blues Christmas offers a memorable array of classic holiday songs by jazz and blues legends and lesser-known artists, featuring B.B. King and Ray Charles.
Christmas Around The World Various Artists PUTUMAYO | PUT218 | CD | 790248021829
Putumayo gives the holiday season an international flavor with Christmas Around the World, a collection of familiar Christmas songs performed by artists from all over the globe. From a Cuban rendition of Joy to the World to a flamenco version of White Christmas, Christmas Around the World adds a unique twist to the classic carols that enliven the holidays.
New Orleans Christmas Various Artists PUTUMAYO | PUT256 | CD | 790248025629
Deck the halls with blues, jazz and swing holiday classics from the Big Easy! Putumayo has captured the unique and vibrant voice of this city with a collection of holiday favourites from Big Al Carson, The Dukes of Dixieland and other great artists for which the Crescent City is famous.
El Gaucho Christoph H. Müller, Eduardo Makaroff (Gotan Project), Melingo, Beytelmann NAÏVE/MAÑANA | MM425011 | CD + CD-ROM | 3760114250117
Available in December
The ‘brave and exotic experiment’ (All Music Guide) of the Gotan Project continues with a thrilling new release from its two founding members.
Sumptuous Latin lounge meets bold tango and brooding guitar on an album inspired by the romance and myth of the gauchos: cowboys and ranchmen of the Pampas.
Sung by the legendary Daniel Melingo and interspersed with live field recordings from dusty rodeos, the music ventures further afield from the Gotan Project’s beloved tango to Milonga, Zamba and other gutsy rhythms that speak of a timeless – always festive – rural Argentina.This beautifully packaged disc includes a bonus CD-ROM with footage from the film El Gaucho, plus a pop-up scene of wranglers and horsemen in action that unfolds before your eyes as the cardboard case is opened! A must for Gotan Project fans.
Sube Azul Sofia Rei Koutsovitis (vocals) WORLD VILLAGE | WV498035 | CD | 8427592001277
Available in December
Sube Azul is a fully formed synthesis, reflecting Sofia’s immersion in modern and progressive jazz while responding to the pull of ancestry and the appeal of organic, pan-musical connections.
A native of Buenos Aires, Sofia brings to bear the folkloric traditions of Argentina and its regional neighbors (Peru, Colombia, Uruguay), tying together diverse influences in a program full of complexity, melody and romance.
Throughout 12 beautifully conceived tracks, we find Sofia conjuring a melodic purity that haunts even as it uplifts.
The songs speak of heartbreak, individuality, special characters in Sofia’s life, the challenges of life abroad. There are tributes to Argentina’s copleras (female folkloric singers), and comments on what Sofia terms ‘the end of the utopia of the upcoming Latin American revolution.’ And yet even as Sube Azul spans the continents, it transcends its origins and gathers force as a self-contained narrative, more than the sum of its parts.
A Family Christmas Johhny Bregar, Martin Sexton, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Deana Carter, Kate Rusby, The Christmas Jug Band PUT295 | CD | 790248029528
Santa Claus is Coming To Town, Holly Jolly Christmas, Is Zat You Santa Claus, Let It Snow, Winter Wonderland, Sleigh Ride, Jolly Old St Nick, Frost The Snowman
Few things evoke more holiday spirit than festive Christmas songs. On A Family Christmas, Putumayo offers a collection of yuletide favourites by a fascinating array of artists that every family is sure to enjoy while trimming the tree or sharing a holiday dinner.
A CD collection featuring a captivating mix of songs by contemporary artists from across Spain, showcasing the country’s diverse yet accessible music styles. The modern music of Spain is a fascinating blend of old and new, reflecting centuries of tradition, diverse regional cultures and international influences. España spotlights a broad cross-section of music, from Spain’s best-known genre, flamenco, to Barcelona’s mestizo (mixed) movement, which incorporates fusions of pop, rock, jazz, reggae, rumba, flamenco and more. The featured songs were selected from hundreds of albums collected during several scouting trips to Spain by Putumayo’s A&R team. España also features the work of renowned photographer Peter Adams and a recipe by famed Basque chef Eva Arguinaño. A portion of Putumayo’s proceeds will be donated to Intermón Oxfam, the Spanish branch of Oxfam International, which supports the empowerment of fair trade artisans and farmers worldwide.
Jazz with a global twist! Jazz Around The World presents original songs and standards performed by musicians from 10 countries: New Zealand, Mali, Canada, Cuba, Cameroon, Mexico and more. Putumayo’s third jazz collection follows the bestsellers Women of Jazz (PUT284) and Latin Jazz (PUT265). The ‘Around the World’ series has sold over 1 million CDs worldwide.
Music, food and good times just seem to go together. Putumayo Kids celebrates the joys of eating with a brand new globe-trotting CD from their award winning children’s Playground series. Picnic Playground serves up a colourful basket full of tasty musical treats, a veritable feast of international songs from Australia, Cuba, Denmark, France and more. Ranging from bowls of cherries to milk and cookies, these fun, upbeat songs will help get kids moving and dancing to the rhythms.
Sensuous samba, bossa nova and jazz from Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador and beyond.
Brazilian Café contains a captivating selection of music by Brazilian stars and upcoming artists, featuring Djavan, Marcio Farco, Tereas Cristina and Grupo Semente, Carlinhos Cor das Aguas, Ceumar, Toco Katia B. Rosa Passos, Alexandre Leao, and Ana Costa with Oswaldo Cavalo.
An irresistible combination of coffee, cream, big band swing, and jazz for a laid-back afternoon. Featuring some of the biggest names in jazz including Ella Fitzgerald with ‘Black Coffee’, Stephane Grappelli with ‘You’re The Cream In My Coffee’ and Nat King Cole with ‘The Frim Fram Sauce’.
dvd
Jimmy Smith Live in ’69 – Jazz Icons Series 4 Jimmy Smith (jazz organ) JAZZ ICONS | 2119018 | DVD | 747313901852
An incredible 90-minute Jimmy Smith concert from 1969 filmed in Paris. Working in a trio format (including longtime guitarist Eddie McFadden), Jimmy shows why he is still the uncontested king of the jazz organ.
Highlights include blues jams 'Got My Mojo Workin’' and 'Sonnymoon For Two,' the classic ballads 'Alfie' and 'Satin Doll' as well as a mesmerising 23-minute version of Jimmy Smith’s showcase number 'The Sermon.' Jazz Icons series 4 is now available at lower prices than ever before! Other titles include Anita O’Day, Woody Herman, Art Blakey and more.
