[tru blu]

Quote:

Listening to some Asian Rough Guide collections right now and they aren't of high quality in my opinion. Not soundwise but even more just musically. I am looking for something of the Soundway label stature but aimed at Asian music. Does anyone have some good recommendations?

 
FYI: There's a new Soundway compilation of Thai pop-funk: The Sound Of Siam: Leftfield Luk Thung, Jazz & Molam in Thailand, 1964-1975.
 

 

[moriez]

Tru(e) blu,
 
Found that out after my post. Really looking forward to that one. I sent them an e-mail if they are about to go around the world some more but no answer yet. Thanks for the heads-up though.

 

[Abu Som3a]

This playlist includes my favorite Arabic music. I am Egyptian:
http://grooveshark.com/#/playlist/Arabic+Music/50718089?src=5

 

[scompton]

This is an interesting blog by someone who scours West Africa for LPs  http://www.voodoofunk.blogspot.com/
 

 

[Br777]

from my collection - a few that were probably mentioned already
 
ozomatli
 
bela fleck and the flecktones - a group of virtuoso musicians
 
tabla beat science - eastern influence electronic music
 
angelique kidjo - albume oyaya - excellent afro cuban upbeat celebratory music
 
beats antique - eastern influence electronic type music
 
buena vista social club - very famous cuban band - excellent!
 
geoffrey gurrumul yunupingu - african musician
 
Richard Bona - world class african jazz bassist, toured with pat metheny and the likes
 
shakira's old stuff including mtv unplugged.. anything NOT in english
 
sinead o'connor's sean-nos nua album.. all irish folk songs, and in my opinion one hell of an album!
 
 
 

 

[jjinh]

In this genre I like:
- Exuma
- Ali Farka Touré

 

[moriez]

I'm going Iranian Seriously the ish-nish! Way appealing! Kourosh - Back From The Brink
 
A song like Dar Enteha. Play it here: http://boomkat.com/downloads/438204-kourosh-back-from-the-brink
 

 

[moouers]

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but Azam Ali and Vas are very good.

 

[RazorJack]

I'm surprised that Delerium hasn't been mentioned yet. Their 1997 album called Karma is an amazing mix of electronic/world/ambient music. Lovely female vocals and Gregorian chants and countless of ethnic world instruments.
Their 1994 album Semantic Spaces is also great.

 

[zzffnn]

I like the Putumayo World Music series of compilations (have and love lots of CDs from them). I heard about that Rough Guide series (e.g.,Rough Guide to Bhangra on Amazon) but have not made a purchase.
Would anyone please recommend some more compilation series (say 1-2 CDs for each country)?
I will digest through this thread when I have more time.

 

[scompton]

I have a couple of Rough Guides and I like them.  I also like the Nonesuch Explorer Series. 
 
The compilations from Soundways Records might also be something you like.
 
This is a great web site for West African music http://voodoofunk.blogspot.com/

 

[zzffnn]

^ Thanks a lot for your suggestions! I will surely check them out! I think I will try 2 of the Nonesuch Explorer CDs. The Bali CD and the Iran CD interest me the most currently.

 

[scompton]

I have a couple of the Bali CDs, Bali: Gamelan & Kecak and Bali: Golden Rain and they're great, especially Golden Rain.  I love gamalan, but it's not to everyone's taste.  I also have one of the African CDs, Ghana: Ancient Ceremonies: Songs & Dance Music, that I found at a thrift store for $1.  One of my best thrift store finds.

 

[zzffnn]

Thanks a lot scompton! Fortunately my MOG Premium has Bali: Gold Rain for download!
I also managed to find the following at MOG: Rough Guides of Sufi, Bhangra, Gypsy, West African Gold, Iran and Nonesuch Series of Africa and Indonesian. I am downloading all of them!
Just listened to the first 3 songs of Rough Guide to Sufi music. I like them! They seem more original and ethnic/"raw" than the Putumayo series.

 

[scompton]

Yeah, the Nonesuch recordings sound like anthropologists going out and making recordings before the music had too much western influence. Kind of like Alan Lomax in the US with folk music.