Brief Reviews: A-C

Aco Bocina: Aco Bocina

Ponderosa

Excellent guitar and mandolin player with a pan-Romany touch, fluent from Flamenco to the Balkans, sparring with guests Fanfare Ciocarlia. However, at times the nuevo touches spoil this by making it ordinary, especially on "East West" and "Split My Love." Other than that, this is excellent, with plenty of daring textures and ideas.

Airto Moreira: Life After That

Narada World

Heavy on the percussion, as it should be with one of Brazil's top percussionists, this takes a roller coaster ride between percussive tracks and softer sambas, both satisfying in their own way. The result, however, is not as cohesive as Moreira's last outing, three years ago.

Amalia: In Foreign Lands Since My Childhood

Arhoolie

Amalia was a Greek immigrant to the US who defied convention to sing her traditional music, and these recordings from the '20s and '40s (she didn't record during the '30s) highlight her wonderful voice, as well as the way she kept Greek music alive in the New World. Incredibly passionate and powerful, she was a major force, and it's easy to understand why from these tracks.

Asha Bhosle: Love Supreme

Times Square

A new album of ghazals and a collection of favourite Bollywood duets make up this double album. and even if it doesn't greatly differ from Asha as you've heard her before, it shows that she's still one of the queens, even after all these years. Curiously, the duets are more satisfying than the new material.

Aterciopelados: Gozo Poderoso

BMG

Colombia's leading lights are at it again. But where they once seemed sharp and looking ahead, this has about as much of an edge as a dull butter knife. It's the Eurythmics singing in Spanish, but lacking the fire and wit and Annie Lennox's voice. The songs aren't even especially memorable.

Babar Luck: Care In The Community

Rebel Music

Part Billy Bragg, part Spike Milligan, but always utterly himself, Luck is a maverick, a Pakistani Cockney with a different worldview, lots of compassion, and buckets full of punk attitude. Is he great? You bet. Can he go places in today's musical climate? Let's seriously hope so.

Barrio Chino: Mediterra Nostra

Tinder

Pan-Mediterranean music for those with middle of the road tastes. Very few chances taken, all the edges nice and neat - an ideal dessert for those who think the Gypsy Kings represent the height of world music.

Blues King Pins : B.B. King, Elmore James, Fats Domino, Ike Turner, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins

Right Stuff

Six volumes (all available separately) by some seminal bluesmen (and Domino's set shows where his heart lay), while Ike Turner was responsible, indirectly, for a wealth of music in the late '40s and '50s. Maybe not all absolute classic material, but still more than worthwhile.

Bunny Wailer: Crucial! Roots Classics

Bunny Wailer - Retrospective

RAS

Reissue of two compilations that together give you the essential Bunny Wailer. And essential he is, as a member of the Wailers for well over a decade, then a powerful, conscious solo reggae artist. He's stayed close to his roots and his conscience, one of the most undersung, but important, roots artists from Jamaica.

Celia Mara: Bastardista

Austro Mechana

It's a Brazilian club sound, but executed with plenty of emotion and style, and imagination in the arrangements. Mara is an excellent singer and writer, with a powerful presence. On the basis of this, there could be great things ahead.

Chatham Country Line: Chatham County Line

Bonfire

Yes, they can play fine, the material is quite adequate, but somehow this never clocks. In part it's the production, which has no depth, but also there's simply so spark - it never completely comes alive. Maybe next time.

Chris Hoban: Equatorial

Cassipuna

Reamrakbly accomplished singer-songwriter who seems equally at home in pop and the more adventurous (like the traveled title track with its Latin inspiration). Not just clever lyrically, but also genuinely moving, and some accomplished guitar work, although the production is somewhat dry - a little more depth to the voice next time, please! Someone really needs to sit up and notice this guy.

Clinton Fearon and Boogie Brown Band: Soon Come

Kool Yu Foot

An anthology covering the last 10 years in the career of the former Gladiators member, now fronting his own band in Seattle. Some quality roots reggae that harks back to the golden age of the '70s, without ever being slavish or overtly retro. He still has a glorious voice, and the two new tracks show he's still got every bit of talent.

Cubanismo - Mucho Gusto!: The Very Best Of

Hannibal

I suppose it's probably time for a best of this outfit that's helped Cuban music keep it's post-Buena Vista popularity. Certainly they have the excellent tracks, but the two new ones aired here - Marley's "Could You Be Loved" and a very anemic version of "Get Up, Stand Up" - make you think they should have stuck to previously released material only.