De Paris, Tout pour l’amour

Anticipation is building in Europe for the breakout prospects of 22-year-old Parisian songstress Juliette Katz, who is being favorably compared to Adele, although her sultry, silky, soulful singing and intense romanticism recal...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Klezmer? Gypsies? Schubert? Yes!

Schubert's classic C Major Quintet re-invented by ZRI, a Hungarian klezmer band, in a revelatory performance following the group's acclaimed 2014 gypsy interpretations of Brahms's music
by David McGee
 

 

 

Equal Opportunity Vibe

Vintage Calypso is alive and well...in Berlin, where LORD MOUSE AND THE KALYPSO KATZ are packing 'em in with their swaying beats, hot horns and bold lyrics. Go Calypso is the group's new album, explained herein by Lord Mouse hi...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Realizing the ‘Dream’

On his new album, XALAM, Israel-born virtuoso drummer BEN AYLON teams with an all-star assemblage of West African musicians to cast the traditional music and instruments of Senegal and Mali in a fresh, contemporary setting.
by David McGee
 

 

 

The Past and the Future Power of West African Rock

Mali's BASSEKOU KOUYATÉ & NGONI BA reach electrifying heights on BA POWER, on which Kouyaté’ continues exploring 21st Century possibilities of the ancient ngnoi lute.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Found Sounds and A Cry of Conscience: Filastine Takes It To the Streets (Literally)

At the intersection of unabashed globalism and bass music, the wandering arts instigator FILASTINE takes dance music to its outer-national limits on £00T, incorporating and dismantling lush sounds from North Africa, Brazil, Ja...
by David McGee
 

 

 

Otherworldly and Of Their World

Coming of age throughout China: a new generation of artists who explore and sometimes confound local traditions. Many are heard for the first time outside their native land on LOST IN CHINA.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Enlightened Moodism

East meets East in a mesmerizing collaboration between Russian pianist-composter ANTON BATAGOV and Tibetan singer YUNGCHEN LHAMO on the haunting album TAYATHA. In our interview, this musical odd couple explains it all.
by David McGee
 

 

 

‘Almost Certainly Telepathic’

Do you believe in magic? South African guitar virtuoso GUY BUTTERY does, after an 'almost telepathic' session with MOHD. AMJAD KHAN and MUDASSIR KHAN, two master musicians from India, yielded the beautiful ONE MORNING IN GARGAON.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Light In Shadow

An interview with SHULAMITT OTTOLENGHI about the 10-year journey that produced her powerful new CD, FOR YOU THE SUN WILL SHINE: SONGS OF WOMEN OF THE SHOAH
by David McGee
 

 

 

A-Caroling They Go…

Everyone knows about 'A Child's Christmas in Wales,' thanks to Dylan Thomas's eloquence, but what exactly goes on in Wales at Christmas? Well, a lot of caroling, for one. This month's Border Crossings takes a look at "Christmas...
by David McGee
 

 
 

Expressing the Power and Beauty of Difference

A powerful commentary on migration, refugees and human rights, the multicultural RAFIKI JAZZ's third album, HAR DAM SAHARA, speaks eloquently to our time.
by David McGee