Rüdiger Oppermann "The Winding Road"
Oppermann is probably Germany's best known Celtic harp player. He has recorded an impressive list of albums and collaborated with known and lesser known international (world) artists. On this latest work you will find 155 minutes of music on 2 cd’s with a very well designed booklet. On the first CD you will find thirteen recently recorded compositions and on the second CD a collection of recordings from the past four years, both traditional and original. Backed by a big group of musicians from many corners of this world, Oppermann chooses the crossover world-rock-jazz sound. Uncomplicated compositions with a positive, bit mainstream, vibe. Easily he mixes Balkan, Celtic, Afro, rock, jazz, oriental, folk etc. into the typical Oppermann sound. Well played, well produced but after two cd’s of his music, the musical arrangements also get a bit predictable. Not that it matters, this is fine music and he makes world music accessible for the lesser experienced listener in a professional and convincing way.
Ablakimba is the third album by this young and dynamic Hungarian band. Playing East-European rooted music in a virtuoso way, this album will give you energy and a good mood. A central role in the group's music plays, as the name might suggest, the Cimbalom played by Unger Balázs. But his playing can only be of this high level because he is joined by six other fantastic musicians. Listen to the wonderful violin, the dynamic percussion, the deep sound of the bass or the strong vocals. All of this together, and much more, makes this a refreshing album full of modern sounding folk (rock) deeply rooted in the rich musical heritage of Hungary and beyond. An album to enjoy and to cherish for those days that you need a positive sound in combination with just solid, good music.
This album by the Dutch duo Accordion Melancholique (Jean Pierre Guiran & Cherie de Boer) is exactly what the title tells you. An accordion duo with fifteen original compositions by Guiran. They borrow from the many world-styles known for their accordion music. From France to Argentina and from bluesy to jazzy arrangements. Not all melancholic, but always played in an open minded way and suitable for a wide audience. For lovers of the more conventional accordion style, this might be interesting.
First album by the Breton DJ Miss Blue. Mixes of famous artists such as Alan Stivell and Les Sœers Goadeg. Mixed with a light mix of rhythm & bass and related styles. Miss Blue chooses to mix her music with not too heavy beats, which makes it very pleasant to listen to and danceable at the same time. I also think she managed to create the right mixture between the modern beats and the traditional sound. The album stays recognizable Breton and I think that is very important on a remix album. Very suitable for your world-party, but also for enjoying at home.
Banda Adriatica "Arriva la banda"
Third album by this Italian ensemble. Eleven new, original, compositions by the eight musicians supported by a fine bunch of guest musicians. On this new album they bring brass music influenced by (traditional) styles from the mediterranean and Balkan countries. In an energetic and well played style they play better than ever. This is their best balanced album until now, bringing all their quality and positive energy on the album. A nice one for all those who like melodic and brass-related music with a Southern-European smile.
Hundred years after the historical trip, singer-songwriter Jake Wilson recorded a wonderful album to tell the story in his own words. It was 1912, when a British team approached the South-Pole, hoping to be the first. When they got there they spotted a Norwegian flag, planted only a month earlier. All five members died on their way back. Wilson captured their story in five songs. Inspired by journals, letters and biographies he dedicated each song to one of the expedition members. It’s only Wilson and his guitar, he gently sings, and sometimes whispers, the small stories into my ears. Wilson managed to create an intimate album on which he forces the listener to follow the stories, knowing they all will end the same tragic way. A wonderful way to keep a heroic, historic story alive.
Noëmi Waysfeld & Blik "Kalyma"
Paris born singer Noëmi Waysfeld releases with Kalyma her first album. Backed by the Blik Trio on accordion, oud, guitar and contrabass and with David Krakauer and Sonia Wieder Atherton as special guests. Fourteen songs, a mixture of Russian Yiddish songs and Siberian prisoner songs. With her well trained, bit jazzy voice, she brings the repertoire in a warm and convincing way. Even the more dramatic songs get a nice kind of lightness, serious music without getting depressed. Are fully Waysfeld creates her own sound, mixing the Yiddish patterns with Balkan styled rhythms and the atmosphere of a classic French chanson. A strong debut on which she and the musicians show a lot of potential for future releases. Very nice indeed!
Tram des Balkans "Rubber man"
Ten years ago this French band was founded as a quartet, and by adding a drummer they became a quintet a few years later. The band plays original songs influenced by the sounds of the Eastern part of Europe. I’m often a bit skeptic with bands that advertise themselves as Balkan-influenced group. There is such an overkill in this genre at the moment and only a few really create something new or at least interesting enough to rise above the mainstream sounds. This band starts fantastically with De profundis, a well-played, energetic, modern sounding composition. The band is at its best in those songs where tradition is the main ingredient. The title song Rubber man shows that they know how to play some up-tempo Balkan brass. The more ballad kind of songs are still nice, but somehow these songs stay much more on the safe, mainstream, side. Nice album with sometimes fabulous music, but also with a side that to me personally is of lesser attraction.
Liv Næs is a new talent from the Faroe Islands, only a small group of islands that somehow has a big potential in music talents. She recorded a very special project on which she sings poems by her grandfathers which were written in the 1940’s. Put to music in a kind of light pop-jazz style. She is a wonderful singer with somehow this typical Faroe sound in her voice and way of singing that so many other female singers from this region have as well. On a few moments she really captures a mystical atmosphere, but mainly the album stays a bit too close to the mainstream pop sound. Well produced, well played but for me personally a bit too much on the safe mainstream side. The CD comes with an extra CD on which she tells about the project.
Sedaa is a Mongolian-Iranian band playing a mixture of both the Mongolian and Persian culture. Mainly original material played on several traditional instruments and mixed with a pop/rock sound. The band brings the typical sounds of their tradition in such a way that it’s suitable for a wide audience. I love Mongolian/Tuva styled music and happen to like Persian music as well. But often this is complicated music for people who are not used to the sounds and sometimes complex patterns in rhythm and melody. Sedaa takes the more accessible elements of the tradition and creates a modern sounding, open minded kind folk(rock/pop). By choosing a more mainstream approach they do a great job in spreading these wonderful traditional sounds.
Star FK Radium "Solitude Rotation"
Two years ago I reviewed this band’s album called Blue Siberia such an interesting debut album with well composed and inventive acoustic music. This new album Solitude rotation confuses me, is this the same band? Yes, I can hear it in the way they play, but the atmosphere is so different on this new CD. Where Blue Siberia stays in my comfort zone, Solitude rotation asks much more from me. The musicians play with melodies, rhythms and often take the less expected road. They play just a bit slower where a melody begs to be played fast and the other way around. They got more of these small twists that makes this album intriguing and irritating at the same time. Irritating not because of the music or musicians, but because they force me to let every presumption I have about how a melody should be played go. Irritating because they take me out of my comfort zone and force me to listen and follow what they’re doing without knowing where it will end. They confront me with my sometimes narrow minded view on music and for that they deserve a medal. Great, creative, innovating album with beautiful acoustic music. And thank you for the therapy session.
Almost six years after recording and more than five years after a small release on cassette, the Sunhair Records label reissues this registration of a concert. Recorded in an old Romanesque church, clarinet player Slawomir Golaszewski plays together with harmonium player Katarzyna Andrzeski and guitarist Gregorz Jedrzzejowski. It’s a composition in eight parts, ethnic ambient with inspiration from minimal music, dreamy jazz and traditional sounds from the east and beyond. A wonderful album that works hypnotizing and brings a mystical atmosphere into the living room. The melodies are carefully build up and subtle changes force the listener to concentrate and amaze about the simplicity and beauty of the music. A very special production with a fabulous sound.
Farmers Market "Slav to the Rhythm"
Norwegian band Farmers Market was founded in the nice town of Trondheim more than twenty years ago by members of the local conservatory. On this fifth album they bring a fresh bunch of compositions, both original and traditional tunes. The album starts with a mixture of jazz-rock and a bit seventies prog sound. Nice melodic rock that is followed by a Balkan styled rock tune with a funky beat, late seventies electric piano and great weeping clarinet. Followed by a more spacy influenced by Balkan traditions and sort like styles and knows how to effective mix this with both rock, jazz and prog-psych sounds. Nice album with a fresh sounding rock sound.
Fabio Tricomi & Faraz Entessari "Esfahan"
Bekir Şahin Baloğlu & Nurullah Kanik "Ferahnak"
Trio Mara "Kurdish Ethno meets Classical"
A bunch of world music albums for review, starting with Fabio Tricomi & Faraz Entessari and their album Esfahan. This duo on the traditional instruments Tar, Tombak, Dayere Zanghi and Barbat, play mainly traditional tracks from the Persian cultural heritage. The two musicians focus on the classical music of Bayat Esfahan, delicate acoustic music. The twenty three songs sound like one, long, intense and well played composition. It’s like they belong together and the duo goes fluently from one melody to the other, with wonderful string work, subtle percussion and a highly professional sound. An intriguing album with accessible Persian influenced music.
The second album in this review is by Bekir Şahin Baloğlu & Nurullan Kanik, again a duo, but this time from Turkey. On this album, called Ferahnak, they play compositions from the Turkish Ottoman classical tradition. On ud and ney, the intensity of the music is beautifully recorded. The typical sound of the Ney will either bewitch you or annoy you, it has this typical, slightly sharp, sound that brings a unique element to the music. It is in great contrast with the more earthy sound of the ud strings, a wonderful combination. Not an easy album at all and I can imagine for those who are new to this tradition this isn’t the first step to take. But give it time and you will find that this album grows and you slowly get to the essence of this duo’s music.
The third album comes from Turkey as well and is called Istanbul Tango, a compilation album in the Old world tangos series. Twenty two recordings from 1927 to 1953, ancient recordings with the Turkish tango sound. Because of the different used sources, not all tracks are of great quality and sometimes the music is even hard to discover in a wall of crackles and old recording sounds. But nevertheless an interesting document showing how Turkish musicians interpreted the beauty of the tango.
Lagash is a chamber music ensemble that focuses on music form the Maqam tradition. On this album called Unterwegs they play ‘new composed music from Mesopotamien’. Eight tracks with a mixture of tradition, a jazzy piano and a modern vibe. Interesting for those who like an accessible acquaintance with the traditional culture in combination with a jazzy pianist. A nice melodic album.
The Balacordes Duo is a Belgian duo on ud and violin and they bring original compositions. Violinist Wim Baeck plays his self-build violins and Tristan Driessens accompanies him on the strings of the ud. This results into a more than interesting mixture of sounds. Their compositions are influenced by traditions form many corners of Europe and with their delicate play, both musicians easily bewitch the listener. Interesting how they create a North/West- European sound with this nice ‘exotic’ twist created by the warm sound of the ud. A strong project by two great musicians and a great album to include in any acoustic folk collection.
The female Trio Mara releases a first live EP with six tracks. They bring together the Kurdish tradition and classical music on piano, violin and vocals. What intrigues me on this album is the difference in emotion of the piano on one side and the violin and vocals on the other side. As if piano and vocals sing about their sadness and the piano tells them that live isn’t that bad and has it’s beautiful sides. This combination works very well, I absolutely love the warm violin and find the vocals in a track like Lêylê xanê stunningly beautiful. These vocals show a sort like contrast, an emotional kind of sharpness mingles with whispering soft voices. These six songs have so many styles, so many emotions and are played at such a high level that I can’t wait to hear their first full length album.
Sheesham & Lotus & Son "1929"
Where others publish old recordings, so we can all hear how great music was seventy years ago, this Canadian trio just recorded them again and brought back the old days in a professional and great way. This is mono recorded American Old time music on banjo, kazoo, sousaphone, harmonica, violin, vocals and whistling. So all the right ingredients are there for an hour of cultural heritage. A well done album that really captured the atmosphere of those early days and show that this music is still interesting and how much the modern folk/country/Americana music is influenced the played styles.
Dance of Fire is the fourth album by the Poland based quartet Sarakina. On their previous album they played music inspired by Chopin, a wonderful album. On this new album you will find a Chopin track, but mainly original material. Nine tracks of fabulous Balkan influenced music, melodic, jazzy and occasionally with a good rock feeling. Again I’m impressed by the fine craftsmanship of the musicians. They paint beautiful landscapes with their instruments and have the gift of putting emotion in their play. This new album is a welcome addition to their discography and only proofs that this band belongs at the top of European roots music.
Daniel Kahn & the Painted Bird "Bad Old Songs"
Finding this album in my box of review albums made my heart beat a bit faster. Since I reviewed their former album Lost Causes I’m a big fan and I still play that album regularly. This new album brings together a nice collection of traditional, original, Degenhardt, Cohen and many other compositions. Starting with A Meydl from Berlin Kahn and Painted birds start a bit controversial, a bit messy and at first hearing a bit uncontrolled. It wakes you up and makes sure you pay full attention for the wonderful Kahn composition Love lays low. This bit American folky minded ballad is the a highlight on this album, wonderful banjo, superb vocals, perfect drums and this airy violin(?) sound completes the song. The album has a few of those pearls and it is the more quiet, ballad type of songs that work the best for me. Another nice album, but not as powerful and impressive as the Lost Causes CD. Some tracks sound familiar and are not as surprising as they used to be, but who cares, Daniel Kahn and Painted Birds are still at the top and there are not many bands that play at this level. This album might be the last push to a bigger, worldwide audience as this is music that will be liked by many lovers of good music. O yes, some Dutch concerts would be absolutely great!
Three years ago I reviewed the last album by this Canadian band, and looking back at the review I have to conclude that I didn’t give this band the attention it deserves. That album was a great one, but this new one is even better and shows that this sextet belongs to the best we have in this genre worldwide. Storytellers with instruments, that’s what they are. On a wide range of instruments including percussion, violin, piano, Wurlitzer, clarinet, saxophone to just name a few, they connect dozens of styles into a wonderful new sound. Played at a high level, perfectly in balance everything works on this album. Listen to the opening track 45.56 N 73.58 O -90 N, a fabulous start with a violin and clarinet chased by the drummer, but ending in peace and quiet. What follows is Coeur d’aiguille with a ‘Satie’ like piano and a dancing clarinet. The percussion is more subtle is this one, perfectly in combination with the instruments. A sudden break in the album is Marcel with a more outspoken, old-time folk atmosphere the band brings joy into the world, a jazzy piano, children passing by, this song changes all the time and get more intriguing and intriguing. One of the best albums of 2012, that’s for sure. A great creative trip into the musical genius of six wonderful musicians.
Lenka Lichtenberg & Roula Said "Bridges"
The Czech born, but Canadian resident Lenka Lichtenberg surprised me a few years ago with a beautiful album with Yiddish inspired music. This time she recorded a live album with Roula Said and together they sung nine traditional and original (Yiddish) songs. The album has a traditional vibe with slight jazz and rock elements. Two nice singers, a few great musicians and a fine result. I’m not as impressed about this production as I was with her previous output. The two voices of the singers are nice and at their best in solo pieces. In those parts where they sing together it still sounds like two separate voices and only on a few moments they create an extra dimension in their harmonies. Nevertheless an album that has a lot to offer and contains a few moments of fabulous instrumental and vocal work.
Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino "Pizzica Indiavolata"
Founded almost forty years ago, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, is one of the survivors of the golden age of the Italian folk revival from the seventies and early eighties. From the South of Italy, they bewitch for decades now their audience with fabulous dances and heart breaking ballads. With this new album called Pizzica Indiavolata this octet shows exactly why they are still alive after so many years, they play at a fabulous high level and this album is like a storm in my head, taking over my brains and heart. With typical influences from the (Southern) Italian traditions, but also with sounds and rhythms from other mediterranean regions and Africa, they create a kind of Italian folk 2.0 and again they are leading the way to the young generations of bands and musicians. All of this played at a constant high level with passion and craftsmanship, with feeling for tradition and modern times. One of the best Italian albums I added to my collections in a long time.
Christian Borlaug "Ruske Saras Mine"
Lise Lunde Brennhagen "Kjeringe I Snødrevet"
Feleboga med Salve Austenå "Snikkarvalsen"
Christian Borlaug is a Norwegian Hardanger fele player and with this record he focusses on the traditional solo music and the many ways you can play traditional pieces. Interesting that he plays on several Hardanger fele’s, all from different builders and from a different time. The difference can be heard, where one has a warm and earthy sound, another has a kind if thin, airy feeling and gives a totally different atmosphere to the music. Intriguing album for lovers of the instrument, a nice document this is.
Lise Lunde Brennhagen releases a solo album with a lesser known traditional Norwegian instrument, the Langeleik. A Norwegian type of cittern which I actually know from the Icelandic traditional music. On this solo album she plays tunes from the Valdres region and in a marvelous way she shows the beauty of an almost forgotten instrument which absolutely deserves to be heard. Brennhagen surprises me with a warm album and a repertoire in which she shows the many sides of the instrument. Its hypnotic nature and sparkling sound make it a pleasure to listen to. Brennhagen plays it with passion and craftsmanship and can be seen as the new ambassador of the instrument.
Finally a private release called Snikkarvalsen by the band Feleboga & Salve Austenå. These six years old recordings give you pure traditional Norwegian folk music from Southern Norway. The band is joined by an old master on the Hardanger fele and beside this violin type they play the guitar, bass, flute and harpeleik. Straight forward, uncomplicated traditional music. Kept simple and close to the traditional way of playing.
Uktadanka is the debut album of the Polish band Zgagafari. This septet plays acoustic (Polish) folk with additional non-Polish instruments such as the didgeridoo, konga etc. I love the fact that so many young Polish bands focus on their own musical heritage and slowly this country took over the leading role of Scandinavia in renewing and innovating folk music. Strangely enough this band puts the time a few years back. They interpret the tradition in the way bands did this about ten years ago when many many bands started to use the didgeridoo and created some kind of rural, primitive sound. I’m more than happy that this band uses the didgeridoo in a subtle way and not as one of the main instruments. This debut album is full of nice ideas, sometimes beautiful moments of music, but also sounds a bit messy, not always balanced and to me it sounds like the band couldn’t choose between being a traditional band or a modern folk band with innovating ideas. Now their music stays somewhere in the middle. Not bad at all, but somehow this album gives me the feeling it needs more time to develop an outspoken and own identity.
Chouval Brass "The jungle pub salsa"
A Belgian quintet with brass styled folk on accordion, percussion, brass instruments etc. In earlier reviews I already tell how many brass albums I get every year again and only a few really standout of the mainstream. This is a nice one, uncomplicated brass-rock with influences from many corners of the world. From Latin to Balkan grooves, from exotic sounds to Western-European folky melodies. They bring all of this together in a really nice jazzy-brass style that might be liked by many lovers of the genre.
Kostas Theodorou is a Greek musician/composer and worked with many big names in Greek music. This solo album he recorded together with his septet and several vocalists dates from 2010. Almost one hour of Greek free-world jazz. Theodorou takes influences from many Greek traditions and form beyond the country borders. He mixes this with jazz, classical and many other styles of music. This results in an album with many variations of styles, sometimes easy going and a bit dreamy and at other moments expressive and passionate. In general a well-produced album, with occasionally some fantastic music.