what’s new The Very Best, “Yoshua Alikuti” (Nairobi, Kenya), 2012 Any resemblance to this is purely intentional. Lil Wayne, “A Milli,” 2008 ***** Here’s a big shout-out to my son Alex, who just finished his last week of classes, graduates from Harvard next month, and introduced me to The Very Best in the first place.
Archive for the ‘Africa’ category
Friday, 4/27/12
04/27/2012Tuesday, 3/27/12
03/27/2012what’s new Let’s pick up where we left off—Mali. Amadou & Mariam (with Tunde Adibimpe & Kyp Malone [TV on the Radio]), “Wily Kataso,” 2012 More? Here. And here.
Wednesday, 3/21/12
03/20/2012career plans for the next life If none of the other things I’ve mentioned pan out (tap dancer, rubboard player, reggae bassist), I might take a stab at playing guitar in a Malian band. Salif Keita & Band, live, Germany (Leverkusener), 2010 Part 1 *** Part 2 *** Part 3 More? Here. And here. ********** lagniappe [...]
Wednesday, 3/14/12
03/14/2012what’s new Nneka, “Soul Is Heavy” (Soul Is Heavy, 2/12) More? Here. And here.
Thursday, 1/12/12
01/12/2012I don’t know what these folks call this stuff, but one thing I’m sure of: it ain’t “world music.” Sobanza Mimanisa (“Orchestra of Light”), “Kiwembo,” live Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), c. 2005 ********** lagniappe reading table The 100 Most Powerless New Yorkers Have you noticed that power lists, which have been spreading like the [...]
Thursday, 1/5/12
01/05/2012three takes Salif Keita (with Cesaria Evora, takes 1 & 2), “Yamore” Luciano remix, 2006 *** Original recording & video, 2002 *** Live, London, 2002 More? Here.
Tuesday, 12/27/11
12/26/2011more favorites from the past year Wild Flag, live, SXSW (Austin, Texas), 3/11 “Romance” (Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop) *** “Future Crimes” (IFC Crossroads House) Someday an all-female band will seem no more remarkable than an all-male one. (Originally posted 10/24/11.) ***** She’s going to be a big star someday. Nneka, live (Originally posted 2/15/11.)
Saturday, 12/3/11
12/03/2011three takes “N’teri” Habib Koité, live, c. 2007 ***** Regina Carter (violin), Yacouba Sissoko (kora), Will Holshouser (accordion) Live, radio broadcast (KPLU-FM), 2011 Kora, violin, accordion—even the names of these instruments sound good together. You have, in succession, words of two, three, and four syllables. Consonants repeat (k/c, r, n), as do vowels (o, a). The last [...]
Wednesday, 9/28/11
09/27/2011Charisma needs no translation. Mahmoud Ahmed & Badume’s Band, live, France (Festival de Sete), 2008 “Belomi Benna” *** “Atawurulegn Lela”
