It's nice to be back. Random musings:
1)
Lila Downs
She is quite simply the most expressive and versatile vocalist right now. Her albums are on top of my list (well, I still haven't got her first); each album circle around a theme:
Tree of Life is her own interpretation on Meso-American mythology;
Border (my fav) tells the often harrowing stories of Mexican imigrants to the States;
Una Sangre is a celebration on the collective identity of Meso- and South-American people.
But unfortunately, Downs is perhaps best appreciated on CD -- I've seen her live and I was rather disappointed.
2)
Irina Mikhailova
I'm glad she is still active. I have only her first album
Russian Twilight: you'll want this album just for the voice alone, and the top-class production (it is an HDCD to boot). Musically it is a mixed-heritage mixed-bag, and some of the longer pieces doesn't carry out too well, I'm aftaid.
3) Modern Bossa Nova music
I like Bebel Gilberto, nice lazy afternoon music. But there are other choices out there: my favorite is Paula Morelenbaum with her crystal-clear voice. She performs as a duo with her husband, Cellist Jacque Morelenbaum.
Perhaps the easiest to find is their collaboration with Ryuichi Sakamoto,
Casa. Also worth looking for is the album
Quarteto Jobim-Morelenbaum
4) Buena Vista Social Club and sundry.
I saw Omara Portundo last October and it was a memorable concert. Although, perhaps because of age, she had to retire backstage rather often. She seemed genuinely moved by the warm reception from the audience.
I have no complains with BVSC in general, but their popularity did somehow eclipse practitioners of different Cuban styles. There are already enough brassy, jazzy Cuban music on the market; perhaps one should start looking elsewere:
I have recommended this bargin-price 5CD set,
Oriente De Cuba, on head-fi before, and people said they liked it. It is quite a different sound: less brass, more acoustic guitars; less exuberant, more intimacy. This set should now be reasonably easy to find.
For those who prefer the BVSC type of sound, an earlier double-CD set,
Estrellas De Areito, is not to be missed.
5) Celtic music with a electronic/ambient twist
There must have been a lot of these in my collection, but right now I can't think of one that had me jumping with joy. On top of my mind is perhaps
The Bard and the Warrior by Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning -- beautifully wrought original melodies in an evocative atmosphere.
6) Others:
I see you guys dig female vocals, and one that I haven't seen mentioned is
Virginia Rodrigues from Brazil. Her beautfully sweet voice is the seemingly impossible combination of lightness and solidarity. Although she had a new album out in 2003, I prefer her previous, incredibly classy album
Nos.
Wonderful review
here.
Also,
Marta Sebestyen from Hungary should be fairy famous, having been featured on the second album by Deep Forest. She is however best heard on her works with the group Muzsikas, especially
The Bartok Album and
Morning Star
) and I have both. It's a tough call between this one and their Live one.
Linear Mode
