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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
 

 
 
ben aylon xalama

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
 

 

 
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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
 

 
 
filastine spotlight

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
 

 

 
lost in china

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
 

 
 
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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
 

 

 
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‘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
 

 
 
shulamit for you

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
 

 

 
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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
 

 
 
rafiki jazz har dam sahara

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
 

 

 
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She’s Got Hand

Born in Vietnam, now residing in the U.S., VAN-ANH VANESSA VO employs her country's traditional instruments in compelling fashion on her new album, THREE-MOUNTAIN PASS.
by David McGee
 

 
 
Monoswezi Shanu

Monoswezi: Experimentation is The Order of The Day

Shanu quite simply means “Five” in the Shona language of Zimbabwe, home to MONOSWEZI's lead vocalist and mbira player HOPE MASIKE. This, their fifth album, is the most adventurous to date from the lineup representing four n...
by David McGee