FEATURE WORLDBEAT ALBUMS 

NEW SPINS FROM world.beats

 Zukie Joseph – It's About Time Fa Real (Utopia Records)  Zukie Joseph’s south coast reggae is rooted in the heart of the Caribbean. He went to high school in the city where most tourists catch their first glimpse of Jamaica, the scenic hub of Montego Bay. It was there that Junior Allen, who later adopted the nickname Zukie, performed with the island’s leading sound systems after he graduated. He came to Canada in 1989 and just one year later, was establishing himself as a driving force in Vancouver’s reggae scene.  He’s just released a new album called ‘It’s About Time Fe Real’, which makes this a great time to introduce you Zukie Joseph. Zukie Joseph brings dread with cred to Canadian reggae. Not only has he been a key player in many of Vancouver’s most successful reggae crews, he’s stayed tight with Jamaica’s most influential artists like Kirk Davis and his brother, the illustrious Beenie Man. Zukie claims to write a song almost every day! It’s a gift which he has no control over. He simply wants to share it with the rest of the world. His new album, ‘It’s About Time Fe Real” combines classic roots and dancehall with a hip urban vibe.

 

The John Popper Project– The John Popper Project feat. DJ Logic (Relix)  For more than twenty years, John Popper has lent his soulful voice and dynamic harmonica playing to the deep grooves of Blues Traveler. But, some of the songs he’s written just didn’t fit into that classic Blues Traveler sound. They became the inspiration for the John Popper Project, a new musical collaboration featuring turntablist, DJ Logic. This quartet digs even deeper into the worlds of funk, jazz, global and Latin beats. He’s been called ‘the Eric Clapton of the harmonica. Popper has taken the expressive playing and singing style which made the music of Blues Traveler so distinctive, and placed it in an entirely new context. With his fellow explorers, Popper is finding musical chemistry between his own organic roots and the digital beats of DJ Logic, taking in elements of New Orleans jazz and Brazilian samba along the way. Check out Louisiana Sky, one of the album's standout tracks dedicated to post-Katrina New Orleans. By the way, john Popper’s latest project got him arrested. His SUV was clocked at a hundred and eleven miles per hour near Spokane, Washington! When state troopers stopped him, they found a cache of thirteen firearms stowed throughout the vehicle. He told the attending officers he ‘collects’ weapons.

 

The Real McKenzies – 10,000 Shots (Fat Wreck Chords)  The Real McKenzies are a ferocious Vancouver band who ‘play pedal-to-the –metal’ Scotch Rock. Their only soft spot is for the sound of the highland pipes and the poetry of Robbie Burns. Often found on tour in Europe (especially Austria and the Czech Republic). The McKenzies tear up the stage with sweat and beer-soaked fury. Fearless leader, Paul McKenzie claims the idea came to him in an epiphany one day when he heard the music of Scottish folk sing, Andy Stewart coming from one room and the Sex Pistols coming from another.  Whether it’s truth or legend, The Real McKenzies are the real deal; a high octane, highland punk band from Vancouver who have been ripping it up for more than fourteen years now. But, as Paul is also fond of saying, “You don’t make a top shelf bottle of Scotch overnight. 10,000 Shots is their best yet. Have a listen to Smokin' Bowl, a Robbie Burns ode to oatmeal. Aye!

 

Amon Tobin – Foley Room (Ninja Tune)  Since the mid-90’s, a Brazilian ex-pat living in the UK has been pioneering the sampler as a musical instrument. Amon Tobin has created a virtual world where obscure musical elements come together over beats of bossa, batucada and jungle. Now, he’s taken on the challenge of creating an album completely from ‘found sounds’ … the rhythms of machinery and the noises of nature. Amon Tobin's new album isn’t so much about world music as it is about making music from the sounds of the world. On the companion DVD, the camera follows Amon as he records the random noises of machines, nature and animals … out in the field, as well as in a special chamber used by the film and recording industry, designed specifically for the purpose, called a ‘Foley Room’. Watch as sound becomes music through imagination and check out Amon's Urban Groove showcase in surround sound at the Commodore Ballroom during Vancouver's Jazz Festival.

 

Uzume Taiko - Undula (Zoo May Records)  Few instruments can match the sheer power of Japan’s mighty taiko drums. But, a Vancouver ensemble has tamed these monsters through their revolutionary arrangements. ‘Undula’, the new album by Uzume Taiko blends the pulse of the taiko with a world of sounds; from the highland bagpipes to didgeridoo! And, on stage, Uzume combines drumming with performance art, thrilling audiences with their aggressive choreography. Taiko literally means ‘big drum’ and at any taiko performance it’s the big drums that steal the show. The bigger, the better! Since 1988, Uzume has been tempering the taiko’s mighty thunder with the melody of other instruments. They’ve also incorporated elements of movement and theatre into their very physical performances. The big drums may still be the centre of attention but with the Uzume Taiko Ensemble, they’re just part of an even bigger spectacle. Guitarist Dave Corman, flutist, Alcvin Ramos and piper Michael O'Neill had brilliant harmony to Uzume's undulations on Undula.

 

Pacha Massive – All Good Things (Nacional)  The global music press is buzzing about Pacha Massive, a duo from the Bronx who know the value of one golden opportunity. They made their live debut in 2003, opening for Colombia’s Aterciopelados at Madison Square Gardens. Their first album has been highly anticipated ever since. The partnership joins the talents of Colombian bassist, Maya Martinez and Dominican, DJ Nova. On their new album, ‘All Good Things’, the rhythms of their heritage like cumbia and ballenato, palo and bachata underscore a pulse of stylish urban beats. As Maya Martinez proudly exclaims, “I am Colombian, and when you hear the CD you can tell because this fact is in every song." Mixed by Alejandro Rosso of the platinum-selling Mexican Band, Plastilina Mosh, it's a feast of dub tricks and chill beats. DJ Nova is a completely self-taught musician and programmer. He cites Leonardo da Vinci, Ben Franklin and Bruce Lee as being major influences on his work methods.

Eugene Ripper – Crackle (RIP 101) A country’s folk traditions ultimately become its contribution to world music. World beat begins when those traditions meet modern sensibilities. Even Canadian folk music hasn’t been immune to the effects of creative innovation. Since 1985, Eugene Ripper has been building a reputation as an ‘anti-folk’ hero, challenging the conventions of acoustic, roots music with a punk attitude.  After moving around the country, developing a new music scene dubbed ‘The Fast Folk Underground’, he returned to Vancouver for one of his legendary live solo performances and to debut of a new four song EP. One of his few previous albums, Faster Than You Think features a tortoise on the cover. It's a clever reference that may just shed some light on his own strategy for success … slow but steady wins the race. Eugene Ripper is passionate about acoustic roots music but he’s also not afraid to spike it up a bit with some punk attitude and rock energy. Through his Fast Folk Underground events, he’s also been inspiring other singer/songwriters to break through folk’s timid exterior. And, by tinkering with those folk music traditions, he just might be pioneering a new kind of Canadian contribution to World Beat. Crackle is a small set but it's killer without the filler.   

 

Joel Kroeker – Closer To The Flame (True North)  Joel Kroeker is a Canadian songwriter who has drawn a great deal of inspiration from the world around him. After earning a Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology, Joel began traveling extensively. He says he wrote his new album, ‘Closer To The Flame’, “on a hundred thousand mile journey that began fifteen years ago.” The new songs reflect on the outer turmoil he saw while visiting the Middle East and his own search for inner peace. Joel's journeyed around much of the globe, seeking out fresh inspiration and absorbing musical influence along the way. Closer To The Flame is his second album and it alludes to that elusive inner peace that people have been searching for throughout history. The first single projects Canada's unique duality of Anglo and Francophone cultures. It's a bilingual duet with Quebecois pop singer Dany Bedar. His next single took him to Japan for a run through the streets of Tokyo. The video for Against Myself was shot over nine days in Tokyo and its surroundings. Closer To The Flame brings Joel Kroeker one step closer to the acclaim he deserves for bringing depth to popular music.

 

 

Vieux Farka Toure – Vieux Farka Toure (World Village)  World music lost one of its icons on March 6^th, 2006. Malian blues guitarist Ali Farka Toure won international acclaim for his signature playing style. And, he was celebrated as a local hero, even being appointed mayor in his home town. What was less commonly known, however, was that he had a son who was secretly planning to follow in his father’s footsteps.Vieux Farka Toure’s debut album pays musical homage to the memory of his father with a familiar, entrancing guitar sound. It even contains the last studio recording Ali Farka Toure would ever make. But, his son is also eager to update the traditional grooves, adding splashes of reggae and rock to some of the tracks.Vieux says, “No one can replicate what someone else has done. I’m following my father’s path but that path leads into new areas.” This is the next chapter in the continuing legacy of Malian blues guitar. When Ali Farka Toure was elected mayor in his home town of Niafunke, one of his key election promises was to help fight the spread of malaria. Now, ten percent of the sale of Vieux Farka Toure’s new album will go to a UNICEF organization dedicated to this cause.

 

Pistolera – Siempre hay Salida (Independent) Sandra Velasquez may have found the perfect name to capture a sense of her Mexican roots and the female predominance in her band. She says she chose to call the group ‘Pistolera’, Spanish for ‘Trigger Woman’ “because she wanted something strong and feminine.” Velasquez is one of three women in this New York-based quartet who attack traditional ranchera grooves with a rock attitude. The first single from Pistolera’s debut album, ‘There Is Always A Way Out’ takes aim at an issue that close to her heart, having grown up in San Diego as the daughter of a renowned immigration attorney. ‘Cazador’ or ‘Hunter’ protests the Minuteman Project, which sends civilians out to patrol the US/Mexican border with binoculars and cell phones, hunting down undocumented workers.Much of the video for that trackk was cut with footage from one of the immigration marches in New York last year. Pistolera, by the way, was also a DC Comics supervillian; a beautiful but deadly sharp shooter who was out to gun down Batman and his friends.

 

Dal Vog – Indian Groove (Indian Groove Records) Fans of the bhangra beat will be happy to know that Dal Hothi is back on the dhol. The two headed drum, which has evolved from Punjabi folk instrument into the driving rhythm behind some of the world’s most exciting house music, is back in the hands of one of Vancouver’s most adventurous South Asian artists. With his new album, Indian Groove, Dal picks up where his previous band, Dal Dil Vog left off, exploring more avenues of expression for the dhol; from pop to rock to club vibes. Many of today’s Indian artists are introducing western elements to their folkloric music in order to popularize it with next generation South Asians. Dal Hothi AKA Dilvog is taking things one step further. He’s using the infectious rhythm of the dhol to add spice to western pop, rock and club sounds, inviting everyone around the world to get into the Indian Groove. As he says at his website, “Music has the ability to bring cultures, races and religions together.”

 

Black 47 – The Story So Far (Gadfly Records) The story of Ireland has been told through countless songs, passed lovingly from generation to generation. But, nobody had really tried to capture the Irish immigrant experience in music … until Black 47 came along. Affectionately known as New York’s House Band, their crazy mix of pipes, punk and free- form jazz is motivated by the clever songwriting of Larry Kirwan, the founding member of Black 47. Larry is also a playwright and author whose songs recount his personal experiences as a struggling musician coming to America. A new DVD documents ‘The Story So Far’, all the way back to their humble beginnings in Paddy Reilly’s Pub, New York’s underground home to Irish music, The DVD is packed with gritty footage and the odd polished gem, like a perfect slice of vintage 1992 MTV. Funky Ceili tells a timeless story that echos with every immigrant experience to the new world.

 

The Sound Of Rio: Brasileirinho – A film by Mika Kaurismaki (Milan) A new breed of Brazilian musicians is putting a fresh face on choro. It’s a popular music style that sprung up in the heart of Rio during the nineteenth century. Finnish director, Mika Kaurismaki has documented how this original Brazilian urban music continues to develop today, expressing the country’s diverse cultural identity. In Portuguese, choro literally means ‘to weep’. But this original urban groove of Rio de Janeiro is more of a joyful expression of Brazilian vitality. The ‘cry’ of choro refers to the wail of the music’s solo instrument, like the flute or clarinet.

Brasileirinho looks at the history of choro with an eye to the new generation of artists who are reinterpreting this classic music, which has similar roots to Argentine tango. It's an interesting composition which showcases the music being created by many different ensembles of players and dancers in many modern settings …both indoors and outside in the postcard settings of Rio. Bonus material includes a behind the camera look at the production.