Bwiti Rite
December 6, 2011
The Bwiti Rite is a spiritual practice of the forest-dwelling Babongo and Mitsogo people of Gabon, where it is counted as one of the three official religions, and the Fang people of Gabon and Cameroon.
The music features the harpe sacrée of Papé Nziengui
Bwiti music of the Fang people here (also on spotify)
Orchestre Kiam
December 3, 2011
As I’ve been lazy about maintaining this blog, I’m going to post slaying tunes that pop up whenever my playlist is on shuffle.
Here’s a scorcher from the Congolese supergroup, Orchestre Kiam, downloaded from the best music blog ever, Global Groove.
Breton-Rom Music
October 20, 2011
Wow, it’s been a while since the last post.
I’ve been getting back into some of my roots a bit, listening to modal Breton music and coming to the realization that not all of it makes you want to slit your wrists. The Bretons can be tough and insular, but being a maritime people, there is also a multi-cultural strain that runs deep (by force if not by choice what with Russians, Americans, Africans and Asians camping in Brest during World War I and Germans in World War II).
This, coupled with hybrid world music albums becoming en vogue over the past 20 years, has led to the likes of some interesting collaborations including the Breton-Malian music “N’Diale” (see my previous post). From the same label comes Erik Marchand‘s Breton-Romanian mash-ups with several different tarafs.
These two tracks are from the album “Dor” with the Taraf de Caransebes.
Toniou Hir Da Filie Dragomir – Erik Marchand/Taraf de Caransebes (Dor)
Minipost: Orchestre Régional de Mopti
July 12, 2011
I can’t get enough of the entrancing pentatonic grooves of Malian Bambara music. Mopti is a funky, crazy yet laid-back, dirty crossroads city on the Niger (I spent a couple of days there) that and it is no surprise to me that its orchestres are the same.
Boro – Orchestre Régional de Mopti
Minipost: Legends of Benin
July 6, 2011
Whoa – a gargantuan amount of music has recently been dumped on my hard drive, so many posts coming up.
Here’re a couple of tracks off the smokin’ Analog Africa comp, Legends of Benin…
Honton soukpo gnon – Antoine Dougbé
La musica en verite – Gnonnas Pedro; Dadjes
Minipost: Romanian Lăutar Toni Iordache
June 23, 2011
A quick post of some smoking Romanian gypsy music from the inimitable cimbalom genius,Toni Iordache (thanks to Michael Ward-Bergeman for this).
Love the chord progression on this tune…
Cantec de ascultare si Breaza (Featuring Costel Vasilescu) – Toni Iordache
Here’s a low-fi video clip to get a sense of his virtuosity:
The stunning Breton – Malian music of “N’Diale”
May 23, 2011
Once again it is thanks to my friends in dear old Blighty, Malachy O’Neill and David Flower that I made this discovery, which I can safely say is the best new album I’ve heard in a long time. One could argue that it’s the fact I’m half-Breton and massively into Malian music that these recordings resonate me with in some bizarre, primeval way, but honestly folks, this is plain and simply magical music.
Jacky Molard, one of the leaders of the Breton music scene for the past 20-30 years, put together his quartet with the Foune Diarra trio and has in doing so accomplished quite a feat – he’s rendered Breton music listenable 
Ahem…sorry…not all Breton music is bad, but a lot of it can be very dire, repetitive, and whiny. Small nuance to be made – Molard and his group don’t actually play straight up Breton traditional music, but enjoy improvising and mixing it with other styles, which is what led them to the Foune Diarra trio in the first place.
Virtuosic musicianship, complex 6 over 4 rhythms, singing that sounds at once Malian and Breton (as if Breton sailor songs were being sung in Bambara!), and beautiful production quality all make for a hybrid music album that feels totally organic, uncontrived, and full of energy. You can’t smell the Nick Golds and other world music producers behind the scenes making things happen artificially (even if they are there) as was the case with Afrocubism.
This is the direction more and more folk/world/traditional/jazz musicians should be taking – marrying different ancient musical languages and creating something equally ancient sounding yet radically new. If I could make an album like this at some point before I die, my soul will rest in utter contentment!
Here is a video of the making of the project:
Track 1 off the album:
Kelemagny – Jacky Molard Quartet & Foune Diarra Trio “N’Diale”
Track 7:
Makaribana – Jacky Molard Quartet & Foune Diarra Trio “N’Diale”
My ole buddy Jorge sent this one my way while I was on the road a couple of weeks ago. Perfect timing too since I was bedridden in Bristol with a cold while my bandmates were out having fun. I watched this entire documentary about the Seattle funk and soul scene of the 60s and 70s when it was up on Pitchfork TV. Here’s the trailer:
The music (which can be purchased here) is bursting with vibrant energy, the analog recording quality so alive and warm, and the film is a great window into a powerful and influential musical scene that has all but been buried away by grunge and its subsequent spinoffs.
Here’s track one:
Bold Soul Sister, Bold Soul Brother – Black On White Affair
iGracias Jorge!
Minipost: Don tre Pa-Yam ‘Rabbit’
March 23, 2011
One more post from the mind-blowing collection that is the Secret Museum of Mankind, vols. 1-5. A track off volume 5 – music from Siam, now known as Thailand.
Plaing Si’am Gai Nyo – Don-Tre Pa-Yam ‘Rabbit’ (Siam)
I think the instrument is the remarkably modern-sounding (minimalism and electronica spring to mind when listening to this stuff) reed-based mouth organ, khene, played here:
Minipost: St. Paddy’s Day
March 17, 2011
An Irish diddy, followed by a Breton droney number for good Celtic measure, to wish y’all a Happy St Patrick’s Day.
Both tracks are from the phenomenal treasure trove that is the Secret Museum of Mankind 5-volume series, edited by Pat Conte. This is to my ears the best compilation of world/folk/ethnic music out there.
Tory Island Reel – William Mullaley, Ireland
Jabadao de Quimper – Les Frères Sciallour, France
