M. Arnold: Symphony No. 6, Philharmonic Concerto, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness Suite & Beckus the Dandipratt
Vernon Handley & London Philharmonic Orchestra

Release Date: January 01, 2000
Total Songs: 11
Genre: Classical
Price: By Song Only
Copyright YYYY LPO

Serart

Serart Deluxe Edition

The Serart album, featuring Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Serj Tankian, was originally released in 2003. Now it is back in a deluxe 2-disc version featuring additional tracks and a DVD. The album brings together two highly creative musicians. Tuncboyaciyan is one of the busiest musicians in world music. He has worked as sideman for numerous top jazz musicians. Tuncboyaciyan has also collaborated with Flamenco luminary Gerardo Núñez, Turkish singer Sezen Aksu, Turkish multi-instrumentalist Omar Faruk Tekbilek and Greek singer Eleftheria Arvanitaki. Serj Tankian is the vocalist and keyboardist of rock band System of a Down.

 

When Arto Tuncboyaciyan and Serj Tankian joined their creative forces they came up with a series of remarkable musical explorations that incorporate elements of percussive and global music, jazz improvisation, the energy of rock, electronica, zaniness and sound exploration. The two bonus tracks are remixes by Bill Laswell and the lead singer of Mindless Self Indulgence, Jimmy Urine.

The DVD is a 14 minute video titled "Sun Angle Calculator" that blends visual psychedelia with a bold mix of Serart music.

Serart brings together the creative forces of two leading multi-instrumentalists who break musical boundaries effortlessly.

Buy the album:

• In North America: Serart
• In Europe: Serart

 

Two extraordinary world music artists from North-Africa (the Maghreb), Algerian-born Idir and Morocco's Najat Aatabou, will share a bill in "A Night in the Maghreb," a concert on July 18 at Avery Fisher Hall that will introduce the world-renowned pop performers to an American audience for the first time. Both artists have Imazighen (Berber) roots which have influenced their musical style and expression. Paris-based Idir-born in the Kabylia region of Algeria-has been at the forefront of socially and politically relevant French-Algerian music since the 1970s. Najat Aatabou is a powerful vocal artist, one of the few, female Chaabi singers performing today, whose music merges Imazighen and Arab influences, and carries a strong feminist message that draws wide audiences at home and abroad.
 

The non-Arab Imazighen, whose language is Tamzight, are the oldest-known inhabitants of North Africa, going back at least 3,000 years. Readily adopting Islam from the Arabs who swept through their region in the 7th century, they resisted political domination for the next 200 years, but were eventually defeated and over the centuries were, with a few important exceptions, marginalized under successive Greek, Roman, Arab, Turkish and French rule. Under colonial rule, they and the Arab populations of their respective countries were pitted against each other as a political and social tool of the French. Between the two world wars, steady numbers of Imazighen from Algeria, emigrated to France. Imazighen played a pivotal role in the fight for Algerian independence, but following independence, and to the present day, continue a struggle against inequality in the political process.

Born Hamid Cheriet in 1949 in a mountain village in the Kabylia region of Algeria, Idir's career was launched in 1973 when he went on a radio show replacing a well-known singer, to perform the song he had written for her, "A vava inouva ("My Little Father"). Inspired by Kabylian folk music, the song was a huge hit across the Maghreb and with Algerians in France and is still one of the most-recognized tunes in those places today. It has been translated in seven languages. Idir, who emigrated to France in 1975 writes, and sings, mainly in Tamzight (sometimes French) and his signature sound is the Kabylian flute and darbuka.

Though his output has been modest (with a ten-year period away from songwriting/singing), his influence has been wide-spread among contemporary pop, rock, world/fusion musicians in the Maghreb, the Middle-East and France. The influence has been both musical-a pure vocal style, distinctive interpretations of traditional Imazighen melodies and original material-and extra-musical-outspoken championing of the rights of his people in the context of a call for human rights. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of world music and one of the artists who helped bring urban rai-which evolved from Arab Bedouin folk music-to prominence as a "world" sound. In recent years, he has toured frequently in Europe and the Middle East, often playing concerts in support of humanitarian causes. In his latest, hugely-successful recording, La France des Coleurs, (2007) Idir performs duets with well-known young urban rap and R&B artists from France and popular artists from North Africa.

Najat Aatabou was born in the Atlas Mountain village of Khmisset in Morocco in 1960 and lives in Casablanca. She is one of the few female Chaabi singers performing today, with a huge following among the world-wide North-African diaspora, for whom she is the "Queen of Chaabi." A powerful vocal stylist she is also noted for her singular onstage moves based on jedba, a ritual trance state. Najat, who grew up listening to raï, draws on both Arab and Imazighen musical styles, with subjects ranging from love and adultery, to songs with pointed political and feminist messages.

While studying law at university she sang for small, mostly private gatherings. At one of these, someone secretly recorded her and the song was an instant hit on the radio. Although it caused an estrangement from her family, she decided to pursue a musical career. Her first international hit was "J'en ai marre" ("I've had enough") expressing frustration at the limitations and restrictions placed on women in her culture. Najat composes in her native language, a dialect of Tamzight, but translates her songs, and sings them, in Arabic and French.

To date, she has released more than 25 albums, both with modern orchestral backing, and with spare accompaniment from the bendir (frame drum) and lotar (a traditional, plucked string instrument). A recording is scheduled for European release in 2009. A sample of one of her most popular songs, "Just Tell Me the Truth," was used by The Chemical Brothers in 2005 in their million-plus copy hit single, "Calvanize."

Idir (U.S. Debut)
Najat Aatabou (U.S. Debut)
2 hours and 10 minutes, one intermission
July 18 at 8:00
Avery Fisher Hall, Broadway and 64th Street
Tickets: $30, 40, 50

Najat Aatabou - Photo credit: Abdullah Koc-Keyphotographics

Beata Söderberg

Bailata (World Village, 2008)

Swedish Classical music cellist Beata Söderberg fell in love with tango while she was living in New York. In the United States she began to collaborate with New York-based tango musicians. Beata Söderberg's interests included traditional tango, the music of legendary tango innovator Astor Piazzolla's and Tango Nuevo, which represents new forms of tango. Soon, Söderberg started writing music and recording albums. Bailata is her latest recording, which showcases a richly melodic form of instrumental tango where the cello plays the leading role.

Bailata was recorded in 2007 at the renowned Ion Studios in Buenos Aires. Söderberg uses a quintet format. The musicians who participated in the recording include: Cristian Zárate on piano, Roberto Tormo on bass, Horacio Romo on bandoneon, José Luis Colzani on percussion and guest guitarist César Angeleri.

With Bailata virtuoso musician Beata Söderberg and her band JusTango extract the beauty of the cello and bandoneón to create memorable tango images.

Buy the album:

• In North America: Bailata. Other titles available: Beso
• In Europe: Bailata

 

The 12th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival is less than two weeks away. The 2009 edition, held July 10 to 12 in Sarawak Cultural Village (Sarawak, Malaysia), has programmed once more an extraordinary line-up of global talent. This year's program includes well-known bands such as the Saint Nicholas Orchestra from Poland, Poum Tchack (France), Dazkarieh (Portugal), Inti-Illimani (Chile), Jouhiorkesteri (Finland), Moana  & The Tribe (New Zealand), Muzsikás (Hungary), Noreummachi (Korea), Sekaa Jaya Jenggala (Indonesia), Red Chamber (Canada/China), Zawose Family Africa (Tanzania), Oudaden (Morocco), Jeff and Vida band (USA). They will be joined by some of the finest Malaysian bands like AkashA, Asika, Kinabalu Merdu Sound and Lan-e Tuyang.

Ticket sales are going well. "Ticket sale have been brisk and we expect a good turn out for the 3-day event," said Ben Jimbau, festival Chairman. Tickets to the Rainforest World Music Festival 2009 are still available at the Visitors Information Centre (VIC) in Kuching. The VIC, located at the Sarawak Tourism Complex (the Old Courthouse) at Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg in Kuching, is open from 8am to 6pm on Monday to Friday and 9am to 3pm on weekends and public holiday.

Local festival followers are encouraged to purchase their tickets at the VIC especially the three-day pass which will only be available until June 26. The three-day pass is priced at RM250 each for adult and RM100 each for a child between three and 12 years old.

After June 26, only daily passes will be available. The daily pass is priced at RM90 each for adult and RM45 each for a child between three and 12 years old.

During the actual festival dates from July 10 to 12, the tickets sold at the gate will be sold at RM100 for one -day pass (adult) and a child one-day pass is RM55 each.

More at: www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com

Photo: Dazkarieh

Gambian musician Juldeh Camara and British rock guitarist Justin Adams will be touring north America to support the release of their new album titled Tell No Lies (Real World Records, 2009).

07/10/2009, Fri
Montreal, Quebec
Montreal Jazz Festival
# For tickets visit the website or contact Ticketpro, www.ticketpro.ca / 1.866.908.9090.

07/11/2009, Sat
London, ON
Sunfest
Victoria Park
# Festival dates: July 11-12. The festival is a ticketed event, but admission is free; donations accepted and encouraged. See website for ticket info.

07/16/2009, Thu
Chicago, IL
Millenium Park
Show: 6:30 pm
# Opening for Najat Aatabou, world renowned performer of traditional Arabic and indigenous music, and known for her work with the Moroccan women's movement.

07/17/2009, Fri
Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Folk Festival
# Festival dates: July 17-19. For ticket info and schedule, visit website or call 604.602.9798.

07/21/2009, Tue
New York City, NY
Lincoln Center Festival
Tix: $20-30, Show: 8 pm
# Ph: 212.875.5456

07/22/2009, Wed
Seattle, WA
Jazz Alley
2033 6th Avenue
Tix: $22.50,
# To make a reservation, visit website or call 206.441.9729.

07/24/2009, Fri
Calgary, AB
Calgary Folk Festival
Prince's Island Park
# Festival dates: July 24-26. Visit website for ticket information. Early Bird ticket sales begin May 14.

Read the album review Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara Tell No Lies

Buy the recording or MP3 download:

• In North America: Tell No Lies. Other recordings available: Soul Science
• In Europe: Tell No Lies. Other recordings available: Soul Science
   

WOMEX 09 announced today the first list of artists selected to showcase in Copenhagen this Fall. "We are extremely happy to announce the first WOMEX 09 Showcases," said a press release. "We will be releasing the artist's names in three sittings, but would like to send you some of the first who are already confirmed."

"We'd like to thank the seven Samurai for the hard and dedicated work they have put into this year's selection from over 760 proposals."

Samurai (judge in WOMEX lingo) Michael Orlove, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, says: "I am very satisfied with what we ended up with. The programming is incredibly varied with some real discoveries for WOMEX attendees."

Once again WOMEX used an online tool for the showcase proposal submissions - http://www.sonicbids.com. It gave the WOMEX Jury enough
time to go through all artists' proposals and draw up a personal list of favorites before the actual jury meeting - which still lasted for three days (and nights).

"I think it would be a disaster if we were waiting until the [jury] weekend to start listening to all of these submissions... we would need a week. Sonicbids is a much more efficient way of going through the submissions to advance plan for the jury meeting. I don't see an easier way around it", summarizes Samurai Michael Orlove.

Here are the first showcases who have confirmed:

- Brigada Retro Mishto (Romania)
- Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole (USA)
- Deba (Mayotte/France)
- Dulsori (South Korea)
- Kayhan Kalhor and Brooklyn Rider (Iran/USA)
- Kouyaté-Neerman (Mali/France)
- Mamer (China)
- Oreka TX (Spain)
- SpokFrevo Orquestra (Brazil)
- Watcha Clan (France/Algeria)

- DJ: Maga Bo (Brazil)

Photo: Mamer

Oumou Sangaré, one of West Africa’s most admired and outspoken artists, will perform a free concert at Millennium Park in Chicago on July 2. Oumou Sangaré returns to Chicago with songs from her new album Seya (Joy), which reaffirms her position as one of Africa's great female vocalists.

 This singer from Southern Mali’s Wassulu area was one of the first female artists in West Africa to openly deal with social problems through her song lyrics. Since rocketing to superstardom in 1989, Sangaré has retained her place as one of West Africa’s most admired and outspoken artists.

The concert is part of Music Without Borders, which features traditional folk and pop artists from around the globe. The series consists of 8 free concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. Music Without Borders is part of the City of Chicago’s ongoing celebration of world music.

Thursday, July 2, 8 – 9:30 PM; Free admission

Buy the album:

• In North America: Seya

For more information, call 312.742.1168 or visit www.millenniumpark.org.

Photo by Ed Alcock

The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival completes its summer score with the premiere of the Urban Village Monday Night Music Series, July 13 through Aug. 17. The diverse line-up of musical performances, found typically in larger metropolitan locations such as New York and Los Angeles, graces the shores of Lake Tahoe with musicians from around the globe bringing their talent to the Sand Harbor stage. The weekly series covers a wide range of styles from Afro-Cuban to Broadway and provides audiences with soul-stirring rhythms and energetic beats complementing the starry, Lake Tahoe skies.

The six-week Urban Village Monday Night Music Series takes place at the Festival’s Sand Harbor location with performances by:

 • July 13 – Reno Philharmonic, Broadway on the Beach with Broadway star Hugh Panero: The Reno Philharmonic takes audiences through the Best of Broadway accompanied by special guest Panero, led by Nevada Opera conductor Michael Borowitz. Recognized for his tremendous vocal talent and charisma, Panero has appeared in numerous Broadway productions including “Phantom of the Opera.”
 • July 20 – Ricardo Lemvo, Afro-Cuban World Music: Congo-born Lemvo blends traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms with pan-African styles resulting in an innovative sound that has been described by the Los Angeles Times as “seamless and infectious.”
 • July 27 – Babbo, Jazz Ensemble: Babbo, a newly formed Los Angeles Jazz ensemble that has worked with John Mayer, Celia Cruz, Keb Mo' and Macy Gray, produces an eclectic mix of rich and vibrant sounds.
 • Aug. 3 – Sugaray, Blues: Texas-born blues artist Sugaray brings to the stage his wondrously huge voice, charm and character developed as a child singing gospel. A natural storyteller, Sugaray has performed with notable artists such as James Gadson, Joe Luis Walker, Kal David and Slash of “Guns N Roses” fame.
 • Aug. 10 – Omar Alexander, Latin Funk: Returning artist Alexander first worked with the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival in 2008 composing and performing the original score for the musical CAMBIO. A new generation U.S. Latin music singer, songwriter, composer and musician, Alexander marries smart, alt-Latin sensibility with no-nonsense booty-shaking funk.
 • Aug. 17 – Karen Briggs, Soulchestra: World-renowned violinist Karen Briggs worked with musician Yanni for 15 years, staring in the 1994 performance “Yanni-Live at the Acropolis.” Briggs presents an assortment of musical styles during her ‘Soulchestra’ performance that blends classical, contemporary, world, soul and R&B sounds.
 
 “We anticipate that the combination of live music set against the magnificent Lake Tahoe backdrop will be a sure crowd-pleaser,” Catherine Atack, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, said. “The Urban Village Monday Night Music Series beautifully complements our Shakespeare performances throughout the week and provides another reason for guests to come to our venue…maybe for the first time. The Urban Village series is a continued effort by the Festival to deliver our audiences alternative world-class entertainment options.”
 
 Tickets for the Urban Village Monday Night Music Series start at $22 and are available online at www.UrbanVillageMusic.com or by calling 800-74-SHOWS (800-747-4697). All Festival performances begin at 7:30 p.m., with gates open at 5:30 p.m. Special music series ticketing packages are available for all seating levels including the Moonlight Madness package designed for premium and reserved seating tiers and the Sunsets & Starry Night package for lower and upper gallery audiences. Packages provide reduced fees and a free ticket for one of the Shakespeare plays with purchase.
 
 The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival provides audiences a unique combination of a majestic outdoor location along the shore of Lake Tahoe, gourmet food and drink services by Shakespeare’s Kitchen and performances seven nights a week. This season, July 11 – Aug. 23, Shakespeare’s dramatic comedy, Measure for Measure, a provocative play of political intrigue and moral responsibility with the perennial favorite, alternates with Much Ado About Nothing, the sparkling romantic comedy of wit and banter, fools and tricksters.
 
 Information about the 2009 Festival season, membership, volunteer opportunities and sponsorships are available online at www.LakeTahoeShakespeare.com or by calling 800-74-SHOWS (800-747-4697).
 
 The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established for the cultural benefit and enjoyment of all residents and visitors to Lake Tahoe and Reno. Annually drawing more than 30,000 attendees from across the country to the specially built Warren Edward Trepp Stage along the north shore of Lake Tahoe, the Festival is an advocate for producing the finest cultural events in the region. The Festival’s community outreach includes an annual educational program, InterACT, designed to educate future generations on the importance of the arts, theater and music and the D.G. Menchetti Young Shakespeare Program, a free series of performances produced specifically for the younger audience presented free of charge during the summer throughout Lake Tahoe and Northern Nevada.

Sister Fa is Senegal's Queen of hip-hop. But getting to the top wasn't an easy road - for a woman to break through in an almost exclusively male field within a male-dominated society, it was a long, hard journey. Struggle breeds compassion, and Sister Fa uses her international album debut "Sarabah - Tales from the Flipside of Paradise" to speak out against the injustices rampant in her native country. Warm, groovy and unmistakably African, her raps, in Wolof, Manding, Jola and French, roll elegantly over beats as well as traditional sounds (kora and djembe), delivering tracks far removed from rap clichés, and more influenced by 80s Old School hip-hop than current Western forms of hip-hop.

From the very beginning of her career, Sister Fa has dedicated herself to fight the wide-spread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in her country: "It's an operation that can kill - I've seen dead babies with my own eyes. We need to fight against this practice at all costs and get rid of it forever. But it is quite a complex problem. It's a practice that has been around for some 3000 years - I myself am a victim." It is a major taboo for a Senegal woman to raise her voice against this tradition, one which usually only foreign celebrities openly condemn, but during her "Education without Mutilation" tour in 2008, funded by Germany's cultural institution, the Goethe Institute, Sister Fa took her fight to the front lines: the Senegal cities and villages where FGM is most firmly established, hoping to sensitize the population of her homeland.
 
 For Sister Fa hip-hop is about raising awareness and denouncing the wrongs of life: "When you're a musician, you're an ambassador - you are here to defend and help people, not just to make music for money." FGM isn't the only issue she addresses on "Sarabah": there is the real story of a young girl in an arranged marriage ("Bou Souba Si Ngone"), AIDS messages aimed at women ("Life Am"), songs dealing with the plight of Senegal soldiers ("Soldat") and the hard-working lives of women in Senegal's countryside ("Milyamba"). "Hip Hop Yaw La Fal" is about the power of hip-hop, while in "Selebou Yoon" Sister Fa argues that hip-hop is in harmony with Islam. The latter was featured on the "Many Lessons - Hip Hop Islam West Africa" compilation (Piranha Musik, 2008).

Rainforest World Music Festival organizers assured international world music fans that there are no special travel requirements. "For those travelling from outside Sarawak, please note that there is no travel restriction into Sarawak and Malaysia at this present time despite of the travel advisories on the Influenza A(H1N1), " said Ben Jimbau, festival Chairman. "For the latest update on the situation, the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, http://www.moh.gov.my/MohPortal/index.jsp, provides comprehensive updates on the current situation. We, on our part, will continue to update you all on the latest situation, should there be any."

The 2009 edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival, , held July 10 to 12 in Sarawak Cultural Village (Sarawak, Malaysia), includes well-known bands such as the Saint Nicholas Orchestra from Poland, Poum Tchack (France), Dazkarieh (Portugal), Inti-Illimani (Chile), Jouhiorkesteri (Finland), Moana & The Tribe (New Zealand), Muzsikás (Hungary), Noreummachi (Korea), Sekaa Jaya Jenggala (Indonesia), Red Chamber (Canada/China), Zawose Family Africa (Tanzania), Oudaden (Morocco), Jeff and Vida band (USA). They will be joined by some of the finest Malaysian bands like AkashA, Asika, Kinabalu Merdu Sound and Lan-e Tuyang.
 
 More at: www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com

Photo: Jouhiorkesteri

Last night I drank too much beer and danced on a beach to live Canadian-German rock and yéyé 45s at the Glaz’art Plage. What a great place. It was said that it didn’t feel or look like Paris, what with these youth in interesting outfits – Parisians generally don’t do costumes – cheering on a [...]

AOI Presents: Impossible: Mission
De La Soul

Release Date: October 24, 2006
Total Songs: 20
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Price: By Song Only
Copyright 2006 Traffic Entertainment Group

Behind the Mask
Fleetwood Mac

Release Date: December 31, 1989
Total Songs: 13
Genre: Rock
Price: By Song Only
Copyright 1990 Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Breathe
Faith Hill

Release Date: November 08, 1999
Total Songs: 13
Genre: Pop
Price: By Song Only
Copyright 1999 Warner Bros. Records Inc. for the U.S. and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the U.S.

Mob Mentality
Dropkick Murphys & The Business

Release Date: June 19, 2000
Total Songs: 12
Genre: Alternative
Price: By Song Only
Copyright 2006 Taang! Records

Cuarteto Característico / A 2000
Rodrigo

Release Date: January 01, 1999
Total Songs: 11
Genre: Latin
Price: By Song Only
Copyright 1999 Magenta

Everyday Man
Gary Chapman

Release Date: December 31, 1987
Total Songs: 10
Genre: Christian & Gospel
Price: By Song Only
Copyright 1987 Reunion Records

Essential Masters
Quincy Jones

Release Date: June 01, 2009
Total Songs: 21
Genre: Jazz
Price: By Song Only
Copyright 2009 Goldenlane Records

George Harrison (Remastered)
George Harrison

Release Date: February 23, 2004
Total Songs: 11
Genre: Pop
Price: By Song Only
Copyright Digital Remaster (P) 2004 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Umlaut Corp under exclusive licence to EMI Records Ltd