Jaro Milko & The Cubalkanics: Cigarros Explosivos!
They need to either knock you dead with skill or else subvert the whole notion of skill.
Deanne Sole
Sibelius-Akatemian Folk Big Band: FBB
When the voices ring together it's a communality fantasia or HOA's magic joy-dream.
Ahmed: Dhaalu Raa
When he tenses up for hard rock, he sounds gawky, but relaxation turns him intense.
Various Artists: globalFEST Selector
None of the megafamous names are on here, but nobody's going to miss them.
Various Artists: The Rough Guide to Latin Rare Groove
Customer satisfaction almost universal on this one.
Anansy Cissé: Mali Overdrive
Execution is king here.
Ibibio Sound Machine: Ibibio Sound Machine
This is an album that came out of a language.
Yasmine Hamdan: Ya Nass
Her narrators miss their lovers, they're sad about them, they're filled with longing.
Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis: Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis
A good rapprochement, tender not timid.
Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate: Faya
Excitement and speed is OK, but the whole thing seems so hollow.
Calaita Flamenco Son: Calaita Flamenco Son
Pere and Sharp don't have the mutually attacking relationship that you hear in some flamenco partnerships.
Aziza Brahim: Soutak
Her parents were born in the Western Sahara, and the temptation will be to lump her in with the desert blues-rock bands that sprang from the same region.