World Tour Show 14

Over in Europe about fifty radio presenters and producers who are into world music vote every month for their favorite albums. And their selections make for a fascinating mix of the best music from five continents. So Show 14 (aired 4/27/2011) plays the top ten from the World Music Workshop of the European Broadcasting Union.

Where better to start than with some Dutch Klezmer music: the Amsterdam Klezmer band with "Desert Banjo" off their new album Katla - music that wouldn't be out of place in a woody Allen movie. Check out their website: The Amsterdam Klezmer Band


At #9 "something completely different" - the first of several albums with a Colombian flavor.  The sound of Afro-Colombia is a musical journey in itself - a compilation featuring the maestros of the country's Pacific and Carribean coasts and the urban sound of a new generation. The album is called Afritanga: The Sound of Afrocolombia, a play on Africa and fritanga - a mixed grill dish. Exemplified by the fusion served up by Will "Quantic" Holland, with dub and reggae flavors and Latin and African ingredients. The track is "Cumbia Sobre El Mar." Get a taste here: Quantic : Cumbia Sobre El Mar


Mercedes Peon is a Spanish phenom, famous for her Sinead O'Connor looks and multi-instrument talents. She is from Galicia in Spain's north-west and uses traditional instruments (like the Galician bagpipe) in a contemporary setting. Her latest album Sos has taken Spain by storm. And her sampling is ethereally evident in the track "Sao Paulo." For more of Mercedes Peon: Mercedes Peon official website  


At #7, an outstanding collaboration between the prince of contemporary Tropicalismo, Vinicius Cantuária, and American guitarist Bill Frisell. Bossa nova 'nova' meets one of the great omnivores of modern music, as someone clever described it. A BBC review of their album Lagrimas Mexicanas describes it this way: "Frisell’s teasing tremolos glisten over spirals of processed sound before an abrupt reprise of the sunny opening chords, the effect of which is as bizarrely beautiful as it is beautifully bizarre." Cool album cover too. Here's the title track: Vinicius Cantuaria & Bill Frisell ; Lagrimas Mexicanas 

Another change of direction for the #6 in the European pop-pickers' chart. A haunting collaboration between the Kronos Quartet and Finnish duo, accordion adventurer Kimmo Pohjonen and sampling guru Samuli Kosminen. The album is Uniko and it's truly a multi-national enterprise - produced by Iceland's Valgeir Sigurosson, (known for his collaborations with Bjork), and recorded at Avatar Studios in New York. It's not exactly a new album, but who's counting? Here's the world premiere (live from Helsinki in 2004) of the track featured on the show: "Avara." Great to soak in the bath to... Kronos Quartet & Friends : Avara

And it's back to Colombia (sort of) for #5, a new release from Jacob Edgar's enterprising Cumbancha label. Bruno "Sergent" Garcia is a latter-day Manu Chao, a Franco-Spanish troubador whose music has been described as "salsamuffin." Garcia is a Franco-Spanish rapper whose new album Una y Otra Vez is a Latin-reggae fusion to Colombia but throws in some Balkan brass and Vallenata accordion for good measure. The track on the show: "Mi Son Mi Friend" Bruno "Sergent" Garcia : Mi Son Mi Friend 

Hats off to the fabulous Soundway label for a lovingly compiled album of Colombian classics on Cartagena! (Check out the Soundway site for a trove of musical goodies: Soundway Records A golden age of Colombian cumbia spiced with salsa compiled by Robert Gyemant with the help of that man again - Will Holland. My pick from a parade of riches: a rare track from Los Seven del Swing (can't argue with a name like that): "Celoso." And no, it's not on YouTube - but the album is available on iTunes.



Into the top three and a few hundred miles north of Colombia, Aurelio Martinez is a politician and guitarist from Honduras. And he's produced one of my favorite albums in a long time, Laru Beya, with just a little help from Senegalese demi-god Youssou N'Dour and those veterans of the Afro-Cuban scene Orchestra Baobob. The result is an album that takes in the languor of Honduras' steamy coast and politically-charged tracks like Yurumei, where Garifuna percussion and strong female backing vocalists make for a strirring lament about the days of slavery. This guy can sing: Aurelio Martinez: Laru Beya

At #2 one of my all-time favorites - Boubacar Traoré from Mali - a country that produces more than its fair share of brilliant musicians. I was lucky enough to catch him on a rare appearance in Atlanta a few years ago. He's been around longer than his country has been independent. In fact, soon after colonial rule ended he was a national celebrity thanks to his "Mali Twist." He's back with his first album in six years - Mali Denhou, and it's a joy. Traore's soulful voice is complimented by the outstanding harmonica of Vincent Bucher. Blues riffs with west African soul from the Lusafrica label. Boubacar Traore : Minuit


And so to #1, and appropriately it's the ultimate in fusion. Iness Mezel has a French-Italian mother and an Algerian father and was brought up both sides of the Mediterranean. She came to the attention of guitarist and producer Justin Adams - who has worked with Tinariwen and Robert Plant. he provides many of the instruments on this album, entitled Beyond the Trance. Mezel provides the dynamic vocals and the striking personality on an album that dips into many styles, from jazz to R & B and blues. The track on the show is Amazone and the album is on the classy French label Wrasse. 
 

Tune into the show at WMLB 1690AM in Atlanta, or online at www.wmlb.com. Every Wednesday @ 7pm ET.