Vibrant music from the Havana quarter, Buena Vista. A Buena Vista continues the celebration of the rich son and bolero Cuban music traditions. Luis Frank presents - A Buena Vista: Barrio de la Habana Label: Narada World The music of the Buena Vista district of Havana has seen a tremendous resurgence in the last few years, thanks to Ry Cooder and Juan de Marcos Gonzalez. The Cuban son now enjoys the level of popularity it once enjoyed in Europe, the United States, and around the world int he 1930's, 40's and 50's. Continuing this great tradition, the great, young Cuban son singer, Luis Frank invited a group of uniquely talented musicians of various generations to pay homage to the Buena Vista neighborhood and the work of the great Juan de Marcos Gonzalea. Among the accomplished musicians who contributed to creating this spicy, authentically flavored mix are the old masters of Cuban music Pio Leyva, Manual "Puntillita" Licea and Rudy Calzado. The project also featured brilliant tres player Jose "Maracaibo" Castaneda, who has enormously enhanced the reputation of Cuban music, as well as Juan de Marcos Gonzales, the man whose project set in motion the global renaissance of Cuban son music, and several other excellent musicians. The whole purpose of this album is to perpetuate the tradion - the older generations singing and playing next to youngsters, all members of the same big family of soneros. These recording embody both the past and the present. They stand for musical coninuity, an opening up to the world, reconciliation among Cubans, the fusion of old and new, the blazing of new trails, and an acknowledgement of the greatness of Cuban son music. They emerged from five glorious days spent together by a great family of soneros. Back to top This website: Copyright © 2001 Studio Q Int'l Inc / Urban Mozaik Magazine. All rights reserved. This website/publication, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher or the previous publisher of original republished materials.
				"One of the most imaginative and inspirational percussionists I have ever had the joy of performing with" - James McNally (Afro Celt Sound System) Dhol Foundation - Big Drum Small World Label: Shakti Records The Dhol Foundation~breaks out big time with their debut release BIG DRUM SMALL WORLD on Shakti Records. Led by master drummer Johnny Kalsi, the Dhol Foundation creates an intense mix of rhythm and sound via Bhangra, dance, and electronica - feeding the energy of the urban clubs with their own Punjabi spirit. Starring centerstage of their unique sound is the loud, thunderous-dhol drum- a large double-ended North Indian drum first used in the 16th century. Completely self-taught, Johnny Kalsi has been playing the dhol for sixteen years. Early on, he joined the most popular Bhangra band of the time called Alaap. As his profile grew, so did the inquires as to whether or not he was teaching ~e dhol. Inevitably, this led Johnny to create The Dhol Foundation- the largest dhol institute in Britain. With its first class taking place in a- community hall in Slough in 1991, the Dhol Foundation has grown to a total of twelve classes throughout the UK with nearly 200 students already on the register. After performing on the Bhangra circuit for nine years, Johnny ventured off to join such groups asTransglobal Underground (playing on their 1998 REJOICE REJOICE) as well as appear with Asian Dub Foundation, The Bollywood Brass Band, DCS, Nitin Sawnhey, Kula Shaker, FunDaMental, Natacha, Atlas and currently the Afro Celt Sound System. On BIG DRUM SMALL WORLD, Johnny assembles a host of sounds to accompany the dhol. Ttabla, violin, electric guitar, shakers, and keys among others travel the world rhythm landscape. UK/Egyptian chateuse, Natacha Atlas lends her silky vocals to two tracks along with vocalists Vijay Prakaxh, Shin DCS, and JK. Back to top			A Mesmerizing Journey Through The Lyrical, Acoustic Music of Africa. Various Artists - African Odyssey Label: Putamayo World Music Putumayo returns to Africa with African Odyssey, an entrancing expedition through the beautiful acoustic music of this diverse continent. From the haunting melodies of Mali to the Iyrical Portuguese-influenced songs of Guinea-Bissau, African Odyssey is a voyage of discovery. It uncovers a nurnber of artists whose music has never been heard outside of their borders as well as voices who are just beginning to be featured on the international stage. Meditative and reflective, yet overflowing with soul and spirit, the music on African Odyssey is a mesmerizing journey through this rich and varied region. African Odyssey features previously unreleased tracks by discoveries Doctor King'esi (Kenya) and Adama Yalomba (Mali), as well as songs by'Manecas Costa (Guinea-Bissau), Oliver Mtukwdz-i (-Z-imbabwe), and Au-ra--Ms-imang.(South Af-rica) -Ehat are-only available i-n their local rnarkets. African Odyssey also features tracks by Seydu (Sierra Leone), Les Go de Koteba (Ivory Coast), Augusto Cego (Cape Verde), Bidinte (Guinea-Bissau), and Putumayo's own recording artist Habib Koite (Mali) with a song from his recently released Putumayo album Baro. If one traveled from Al-Ghiran Point in Tunisia, the northernmost spot on the African continent, to Cape Agulhas in South Africa, the southernmost, they would observe an astonishing geographical and cultural diversity. The second largest continent after Asia, Africa is home to over 50 countries, 1,000 languages and 3,000 tribes. Africa is now widely recognized as the birthplace of the human species and archeological evidence reveals that humans and their hominid ancestors have inhabited the continent for over four million years. The music of Africa is recognized worldwide for its compiex rhythms and upbeat dance styles. The predominant image of African music is that of drumming and percussion, and indeed much of the rhythmic elements of contemporary popular music throughout the Western world have roots in the rhythms of Africa. Africa is also a tremendous s-ource of beautiful, melodic music with a slower, more introspective flavor. For African Odyssey Putumayo has selected 10 beautiful songs from 7 different countries that reveal a melodic side of African music that is often overlooked. African Odyssey reveals another side to this immensely musical continent. Back to top