VA The Rough Guide To

From the 19th century African music gatherings in Congo Square to the birth of jazz and its offshoots, New Orleans is one of America's most important music cities, and with the Rough Guide to the Music of New Orleans collection, listeners get a well-rounded taste of the Crescent City's musical gumbo. The collection touches on traditional jazz torchbearers (Dr. Michael White), classic R&B (Jessie Hill, Earl King), down-home funk (the Meters), Mardi Gras-ready brass players (Kermit Ruffins, Hot 8 Brass Band), global-influenced groovers (Los Hombres Calientes), and artists on the rise (Papa Grows Funk). While it's impossible to capture the full spectrum of New Orleans music on a single disc – women artists are underrepresented, and the NOLA hip-hop scene that's emerged since the 1990s is skipped entirely – this Rough Guide is a spirited introduction, and as a bonus is accompanied by a second disc featuring emerging heavy funk purveyors Dumpstaphunk.

From the five-hundred-year old musical history of the Sufi Fakirs of Bengal to the virtuoso musicianship of Calcutta’s guitar master Debashish Bhattacharya and Carnatic violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, this Rough Guide explores India’s ancient musical traditions and acoustic roots.

From the beating heart of the capital city Bamako to the rich musical soils of Niafunk , Mali has become synonymous with the raw desert blues sound. Featuring the likes of the legendary Tuareg band Tartit as well as Songhai bluesman Samba Toure (protege of the legendary Ali Farka Toure), this Rough Guide also includes tracks by other unsung heroes, all of whom share the same goal of preserving a culture under serious threat. There are tracks from artists who speak out about the huge social issues present in Malian society. It follows on from the success of other Malian albums in the Rough Guide range

This Rough Guide avoids digs down, presenting home-grown Americana that is happening right now. Award winning rock writer and musician Sylvie Simmons handpicked the tracks on this album to showcase the genre's best twenty-first century takes on the themes of old country.

From the guitar artistry of jazz-fusion legend John McLaughlin to Skandi-jazz innovators the Karl Strømme Quintet, this Rough Guide showcases some of today’s pioneering artists who share the same goal of pushing the boundaries of jazz with truly remarkable results.

The Chinese province of Yunnan has long been a treasure trove for ethnomusicologists, however its totally unique musical heritage has largely remained a mystery to the wider world. This Rough Guide uncovers both the ancient and the innovative sounds from this magical land.