Orchestra Baobab are perhaps my favorite band from Africa ever. That’s saying something, as they rank higher to me than the ever-brilliant Fela Kuti or Tony Allen. This particular album blends traditional West African pop and local traditions with an Afro-Cuban vibe, jazz, and even a hint of psychedelic music.
Music
Matthew Pinto – Flatlands
There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot out there on composer Matthew Pinto, but this album is quite a solid release and will appeal to fans of minimal techno and headphone music. Music to trip to.
Holger Czukay / Die Angel & Zappi W. Diermaier – Gvoon: Version 1
As much as I loved the work of Can bassist Holger Czukay, there are a couple of his releases that I passed by. This one features die ANGEL, whom I have never heard of previously, and Faust drummer Zappi W. Diermaier. This sounds far less like Krautrock and more like Continue Reading
A Second Life for The Avant-Jazz of Leo Records
Today is a travel day, so there will be no posts, but it seems Bandcamp has a great article on Leo Records. Leo Feigin was the man responsible for introducing me to people like my old friend Roman Stolyar, Sergei Belichenko, and the work of Sergei Kuryokhin, who I ended Continue Reading
Various Artists – Los Angeles Rising
Though California has an utterly repellent governor whose incompetence seems boundless, the citizens, rich or poor, are resilient. In honor of the California spirit which has been bruised thanks to the horrible wildfires that destroyed parts of my former home, some fine artists have contributed tracks for this compilation of Continue Reading
Jeff Gburek & the Łazy Ozone Clan – Baltic Ozones
If you close your eyes and let the music of Jeff Gburek & the Łazy Ozone Clan sink deeply into your mind, you might feel like you are wading in the sea and letting the rhythm of the waves cover you. Track #3 was the one that won me over Continue Reading
Various Artists – Cult Cargo: Belize City Boil Up
Cult Cargo describe this incredible compilation of jazz, funk, salsa and other music far better than I could hope to: “The national dish of Belize is a diverse mixture of ingredients: pig’s tail, potatoes, plantains, bananas, boiled eggs, yams, and whole fish, thrown in a pot and stewed to perfection. Continue Reading
Claire Rousay – The Bloody Lady
As I wrap up my vacation in Los Angeles and prepare to head back home to Beijing, I thought I’d share the work of a Los Angeles-based composer who has intrigued me for a while now. Claire Rousay (stylized claire rousay) is a local composer who works in the electroacoustic Continue Reading
Brooklyn Rider – The Wanderer: Live From Paliesius, Lithuania
Brooklyn Rider are one of America’s best contemporary classical music quartets and they simply don’t receive the exposure they so richly deserve. In this album, the first six tracks are dedicated to modern composers like Osvaldo Golijov from Argentina and Gonzalo Grau, who hails from Venezuela. Both come from a Continue Reading
Soft Machine – Høvikodden 1971
Canterbury jazz-rock legends Soft Machine need little introduction, but this release might. This release comes from a Norwegian gig the band played, and though the master tapes aren’t absolutely pristine, the sound, for a live recording, is quite good. “Soft Machine’s two concerts at the Henie-Onstad Art Center near Oslo, Continue Reading