Archived Reviews D-F

Danny Barnes & Thee Old Codgers: Things I Done Wrong

Terminus

Former Bad Liver man Barnes is still doing everything he can to twist the bluegrass process, and a fine job he's making of it, too. His new, Northwest-based outfit, with violinist John Parry and bassist Keith Lowe, is a gleefully bizarre as they come. But it's not a novelty or a comedy record. The music is as serious as a heart attack, even if it doesn't' take itself, or life, too seriously. Some fabulous playing, with Barnes having come along by leaps and bounds. And how can you not like someone who includes a version of an old T. Rex song in with the originals, add then throws in a string section for good measure. More fun that three barrels of ferrets, and some great production by Wayne Horvitz.

Dervish: Midsummer's Night

Compass

There's nothing like sprightly Celtic music to brighten the spirits during the damp nights of fall. And Dervish certainly put a smile on the face right from the rollicking title cut that opens this set. Now on their fifth album, they've matured into one of Ireland's best traditionally-rooted bands, with fiddle player Tom Morrow and accordionist Shane Mitchell matching each other note for note, even on the trickiest passages. But it's not all jigs and reels - thanks to singer Cathy Jordan, they're more than capable of laying down gorgeous songs, such as "There Was A Maid In Her Father's Garden." There seems to be nothing they can't do superbly, and they continue to raise the quality bar for Irish musicianship.

Djelimady Tounkara: Sigui

Indigo

The leader of the Mali's legendary Super Rail Band is simply one of the world's most gifted guitar players, fluid and inventive in the extreme. He's shown many times that he can transform traditional music into modern gold, but this acoustic setting is a first for him. The intimacy (even though he's backed by a full band) is revelaing, highlight how subtle a player Tounkara can be, and the way the ideas spring, fully-formed, from his fingertips. There's not a wrong move or a dull moment on the disc, which sparkles from the very first note, and the accompanists are careful never to overpower - this is Tounkara;s time in the spotlight, one that's possibly overdue. A record of the year, that never disappoints.

Dhol Foundation: Big Drum:Small World

Shakti

Through thie leader, dhol drummer extraordinaire Johnny Kalsi, the Dhol Foundation have ties to both Afro Celt Sound system and the Bollywood Brass Band, and the three seem to share an ethic of keeping the roots of the music alive while making it fresh and vibrant. So the Dhol Foundation mix progframmed beats with massed drums, and plenty of electronic touches (with a very well-developed sense of melody). The Celtic hitns of "Iridian" offer a nod to ACSS, but elsewhere this is a band with its own sound. Yes, you can find the Asian Underground in there, but this is much more 'live' and made to be performed, as if someone had experienced an ultra-modern idea of a bhangra band with global spirit. Considering they've been around a while, this debut has been a long time coming - but it's well worth the wait.

Don Santiago Jiménez, Sr.: Viva Seguin

Arhoolie

The hits of Jiménez, the man largely responsible for bringing Tejano and Conjunto accordion into the mainstream (and also the father of Flaco and Santiago Jr.). Polkas, waltzes, songs, mazurkas - the who range of music from the Texas border is here, and performer in glorious fashion, with the support of the Valedores, whose guitar and bass work was stunning. While the instrumentals dominate, it's the vocals pieces that would help point to the wave of the future. Recorded between 1947-1951, this is the sound of a people and their identity, all wrapped up in the playing and singing of one man - he was that important.

Elle Osborne: Testimony

9th House

Some singers have a way with a song, and Osborne is one of them. She might sound like she's just tossing off her version of "Katy Cruel," but her vocalizing captures an essence the many male versions don't, a wistful look at a double standard. Very spare - many of the tracks are unaccompanied voice, or Osborne on fiddle, there's a real joy to it, even on the dark, historical track "The Testimony Of Patience Kershaw." Where she does draft in other musicians - a cello and second fiddle - they're low-key, and used subtly. In reality, this is punk music, as powerful in its fashion as Cordelia's Dad or the Clash, and Osborne's going to be a name to be reckoned with in the future.

Ely Guerra: Lotofire

Higher Octave

Released in 1999 in Mexico, but just finally finding U.S. release, this still sounds thoroughly contemporary, a suprise for all its electronic touches. Guerra is a songwriter whose influences are Brazilian, rather than Mexican, as she shows on the gentle "El Mar." And as a writer, she looks outside herself - "Vete," for example is about Mexican indigenous people, while "Yo No" demands respect for women. A couple of tracks flirt with alt-rock, but for the most part Andres Levin's production is edgy an inventive, like the dive into dub that closes "Profunidad"; it shouldn't work, but in a strange way, it makes sense.

Esma Redzepova Chaje Shukarije

Times Square

Produced by Frank London of the Klezmatics, this is Esma in stunning form, showing how regal her voice can be, and letting it range from a liquid lullaby to a strident ache. With a fabluous band behind her (including a clarinet player who's out of this world) she can do no wrong here, on some excellent material (virtually all of which she had a hand in writing). Her voice continues to get better and better, which is quite an achievement, and though her 'title' of "Queen of the Gypsies" might be a tiny exaggeration, she's certainly hard to beat.

Estopa: Estopa

BMG Latin

They've shifted more than a million units of this album in Spain, where the duo known as Estopa are huge alternative stars. That's interesting, because under the pop sheen, there's a flamenco heart beating which gives hope for the future of the country's popular music. Single "Tu Calorro" positively ripples, while David and José Muñoz have a wonderful, earthy rasp in their voices, lending an air of rough legitimacy to this. To be fair, some is too glitzy, and there are times when the arrangements are facile and glib, but you don't generally sell a million by pandering to people's intelligence. However, Estopa have a good base on which to build their musical future.

Everton Blender Visionary

Heartbeat

Consciousness seems to be reappearing the the Jamaican dancehall in a massive stylee. Blender, with his positive vibe, confronts it head on with this album, particularly "Slackness," a duet the Beenie Man. But the most curious (and entertaining) item has to be "Lovers' Holiday," seemingly a remake of the old Cliff Richard hit, "Summer Holiday," in full overs' rock regalia - the style is obviously back in vogue - which shows not only rock recycles its past. And although this is, for the most part, digital reggae, Blender keeps his Rasta roots intact. Tony Rebel and Anthony B also guest, and full marks to Blender for relating the true story of "Leonard Howell." Dancehall with a conscience, and a sign of the sea change in Jamaican music. The man continues to get better and better.

Fanfare Ciocarlia: Iag Bari

Piranha

Sounding at times like a ragged Sally Army brass band on speed, at others like the sublime Gypsy outfit they are, this fanfare style of music might be old, but in the hands of these guys it's reborn with all the attitude of punk and sometimes the subtlety of the greatest classical players you can imagine. While not quite as rural (i.e. raw) as their two earlier releases, it's still something that could only come from Central Europe, where centuries of culture have intermingled, and produced players who can toss of breakneck riffs without a moment's thought.

Fania: Sopi

Tinder

A wonderfully warm voiced debut from this Senegalese singer, who mixes her roots with Western instrumentation and sensibilities for a lovely record. The roots reggae of "Yegou" teams here with the venerable Horace Andy, but she really doesn't need props, while "Cer" offers subtle programming touches to widen the sound. She might not have a real musical focus yet, but it's going to be interesting to see where she goes.

Fermin Muguruza: Brigadistak Sound System

Piranha

It would be easy to define this album through its guests - people like Manu Chao, Mad Professor, and others - but that doesn't do Muguruza justice. From Black Uhuru-inflected reggae ("Urrun"), through strange mobile phone tones ("Maputxe") and beyond, including a cover of Toots and the Maytals' prison song "54-46," he creates a global vision of the oppressed, moving outside his native Basque area for this disc. The Clash and Mano Negra are frequently cired as his ancestors, and it's true; he was the ragged, anarchic punk spirit of both, filtered a little more through ska, perhaps, but with a grittiness and determination that's impossible not to love.

Frank London and Hasidic New Wave: From the Belly of Abraham

Knitting Factory

It's an interesting idea, pairing the adventurous jazz of Hasidic New Wave with Senegal's Yakar Rhythms. The best part is the way it works. The band's downtown sensibility mixes astonishingly well with African drummers - in large part because everyone listens. There are no leaders of followers, simply musicians feeding each other, pushing each other. The star, if there is one, is guitarist David Fiuczynski, whose work recalls David Torn and James Blood Ulmer, but who's very definitely his own man. But everyone is superb - Greg Wall becomes a tower of sound on saxes, and drummer Aaran Alexander messhes so well with the Africans that the rhythm section takes on a huge power. Formidale and challenging, but very, very satisfying.

Frog Holler: Idiots

Record Cellar

Pennsylvania might not seem like the most fertile musical spot in America, but Frog Holler have been mining its feel and history for a little while now, with songwriter and singer Darren Schlappich finding inspiration in everyday life. It's true Americana, driving along with a beer in its hand, looking at the landmarks he's known all his life, and genuinely loving them. For all the praise Whiskeytown's Ryan Adamas gets, when Schlappich gets serious, he's the equal of anyone around, and Frog Holler have developed into a band to hold their own against everyone in alt-country - "Adams Hotel Road" is a perfect little gem, for example, memorable and evocative, but devoid of sentimentality, while the loving portrait of "Stray" is nothing less than glorious. Why they're not famous is a mystery, but they deserve to be - and it's a wake-up call that superb writing can get sadly ignored. If you believed alt-country began and ended with the big names of the genre, do yourself a favor and look more deeply.

Archived Reviews D-F

Danny Barnes & Thee Old Codgers: Things I Done Wrong

Dervish: Midsummer's Night

Djelimady Tounkara: Sigui

Dhol Foundation: Big Drum:Small World

Don Santiago Jiménez, Sr.: Viva Seguin

Elle Osborne: Testimony

Ely Guerra: Lotofire

Esma Redzepova Chaje Shukarije

Estopa: Estopa

Everton Blender Visionary

Fanfare Ciocarlia: Iag Bari

Fania: Sopi

Fermin Muguruza: Brigadistak Sound System

Frank London and Hasidic New Wave: From the Belly of Abraham

Frog Holler: Idiots

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