African

Various Artists - Beginner's Guide To African Funk (2009) [3CD BoxSet] {Nascente}
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© 2009 Nascente / Demon Music | NSBOX056
Funk / Soul / World Music / African

When it comes to world music, there are two labels that do it better than anyone else for the common man, Rough Guides and Nascenté with their Beginner's Guide To… series. While other labels certainly do a fine job, these two companies have a way of producing their recordings to appeal to those who have or may have heard something and want to know more. This triple-disc set, Beginner's Guide to African Funk, is no exception. It is loaded with historically and culturally important recordings from across the continent and styles that, while all modern (from the late '70s forward), are rooted in much older folk traditions.

Various Artists - Classic African American Songsters (2014) {Smithsonian Folkways SFW40211}
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© 2014 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings | SFW40211
Blues / Folk / Jazz / Acoustic Blues / Country Blues / Country-Folk / Ragtime

The 2014 Smithsonian compilation, Classic African American Songsters from Smithsonian Folkways, brings together recordings culled from the museum's vast collection that showcase the stylistic diversity of artists who, though largely known for playing the blues, performed many other genres of music. These are songs that move through such wide-ranging styles as ragtime, country, Tin Pan Alley, and more. Included are songs by Big Bill Broonzy, Lead Belly, Mississippi John Hurt, Peg Leg Sam, and many others.

Trilok Gurtu's evolution from mere percussion wizard to innovative composer of global jazz fusion takes a quantum leap forward on this remarkable collection of African, Indian, American, and Asian music. Keeping his drum and tabla polyrhythms within the ensemble framework, save for some explosive solos on "Old African" and "Dinki Puriya," the Indian maestro focuses on making new sonic textures from cross-pollination. For example, "DJ Didgeridoo" blends the tones of the title instrument with Ravi Chary's sitar and soaring vocals from Zap Mama's Sabine Kabongo. "Big Brother" is an orchestral marvel of Indian and American strings and synthesizers topped by the magnificent voice of Mali's Oumou Sangare. Gurtu also reprises the song "You, Remember This" with his mother, the legendary singer Shobha Gurtu, and he teams up with vocalist Angelique Kidjo on two of the less adventurous tracks. The band, especially bassist Kai Eckhardt, provides robust, empathic support throughout.

Abdullah Ibrahim - African Dawn (1982) {Enja Records ENJ-4030 2 rel 1999}
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© 1982, 1999 Enja Records | ENJ-4030 2
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Post Bop / Piano Solo

On this solo piano set, Abdullah Ibrahim pays tributes to some of his musical heroes: Thelonious Monk ("'Round Midnight," "Just You, Just Me," "Blue Monk," and "For Monk"), John Coltrane ("For Coltrane"), and Billy Strayhorn ("A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing"), although surprisingly not Duke Ellington this time. But even on the direct tributes (which are sometimes a bit abstract), Ibrahim sounds very much like himself. The pianist, who also contributed five other colorful originals, displays his South African heritage and his optimistic view of the future in his unique brand of jazz. African Dawn is a fine example of his solo piano talents.