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= REVIEWS
A MEDITERRANEAN ODYSSEY
A U D | oO by various artists
Reviewed by Richard Giles Producer: Dan Storper for Putumayo
World Music, USA, 1999 (45mins)
NEW ANCIENT STRINGS . Distributors: Australia—MRA
by Toumani Diabate & Ballake Sissoko Entertainment, tel (07) 3849 6020; USA—
Producer: Lucy Duran for Rykodisc, Putumayo Records, tel (212) 625 1400
France, 1999 (54mins) _ his magical record company has done it
Distributors: Aust—Festival, tel (02) 9955 again. Its dedication to world music has
8000; UK—Rykodisc, tel 0181 746 1234; manifested a Mediterranean musical feast.
USA—Rykodisc, tel (508) 744 7678 Luscious rhythms from Spain, Italy,
he kora is one of Africa's great musical Sardinia, Greece and France, with Gypsy,
instruments, and Toumani Diabate from —_fJamenco and Arab styles, pour out of the
Mali is regarded as one of the most brilliant = Gp Highlights are Tekameli Gypsy broth-
exponents of kora, He is joined by Ballake ers from the Pyrénées; Luis Delgado, with
Sissoko, also on kora, and together they ct€- traditional Moorish music; Lo'Jo, who blend
ate an extraordinarily fresh interpretation of Gypsy with North ‘African: and Novalia, an
classics from the Malian tradition. The Italian folk group who fuse electronic with
album was recorded in a single evening, A :
straight through with no retakes, and it truly meee &. accordion and darboukg (Arab
shows in the pure and brilliant intensity of . » S Sp .
flowing kora-playing. This is a classic of
great African music, well worth possessing. GENESIS OF THE GRAIL KINGS
by Adrian Wagner
REMEMBER SHAKTI—Live in Concert Producers: A. Wagner & L. Gardner for
Producer: John McLaughlin for PolyGram MediaQuest, UK, 1999 (S5mins)
Records, France 1999 (2CDs, 132mins) Available: Aust/NZ— NEXUS offices;
Distributor: AustNZ/UK/Europe/USA— UK—MediaQuest, tel 01239 710594,
Verve, PolyGram e-mail
o you remember Shakti, the great 1970s drian Wagner, descendant of composer
Eastern/Western musical combination £-ARichard Wagner, created a musical
of John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain, interpretation of Sir Laurence Gardner's
"Vikku" Vinayakram and others? My early Bloodline of the Holy Grail (NEXUS 5/03).
album collection included their classic Birds This time, while Gardner was writing his
of Fire. McLaughlin, Hussain and second book, Genesis of the Grail Kings,
Vinayakram, with Hariprasad Chaurasia Wagner and he collaborated step by step on
(bansuri master) and Uma Metha (tanpura), this new album. In early times, music was
were brought together by the Contemporary _ totally integrated in royal and religious cul-
Music Network for a UK tour in 1997, to tures. Wagner researched these ancient tun-
celebrate the 20th century achievements of ings and harmonics and included them on
Indian/western musical collaboration. Over | Genesis. Some aspects of that music were
two hours of superlative, cooperative, spiri- so powerful, they were banned by the
tual musical connections. Superb album. Church in the Middle Ages. We hear them
re-created on this album, along with the levi-
BIRTH OF A RIVER tation toning rituals used in construction by
by Paul Reisler and Bobby Read Tibetan monks and the Knights Templars.
Producers: Bobby Read & Paul Reisler for
EarthSea Records, USA, 1998 (46mins)
, USA, '€ =t
Distributor: USA—Platinum Distrib., tel TE N Es
1800 945 3059 x2262, fax (770) 663 1009 -
arthSea Records was established to pro- ay, oa T J 1 2
mote global music and the environment.
This latest release, Birth of a River, is an
exciting composition involving Paul Reisler XY a =
(guitars, dulcimer), Bobby Read (sax, flute,
clarinet), a range of artists from the Turtle
Island String Quartet (violin, cello, bass and
drums), and guest Krishna Das, a master of
southern Indian percussion. The album
traces the birth of a river from the mountains
to its final merging in the ocean. The
remarkable energetics of water are captured
on this special treat of an album.
REMEMBER SHAKTI—Live in Concert
Producer: John McLaughlin for PolyGram
Records, France 1999 (2CDs, 132mins)
Distributor: Aust/NZ/UK/Europe/USA—
Verve, PolyGram
o you remember Shakti, the great 1970s
Eastern/Western musical combination
of John McLaughlin, Zakir Hussain,
"Vikku" Vinayakram and others? My early
album collection included their classic Birds
of Fire. McLaughlin, Hussain and
Vinayakram, with Hariprasad Chaurasia
(bansuri master) and Uma Metha (tanpura),
were brought together by the Contemporary
Music Network for a UK tour in 1997, to
celebrate the 20th century achievements of
Indian/western musical collaboration. Over
two hours of superlative, cooperative, spiri-
tual musical connections. Superb album.
BIRTH OF A RIVER
by Paul Reisler and Bobby Read
Producers: Bobby Read & Paul Reisler for
EarthSea Records, USA, 1998 (46mins)
Distributor: USA—Platinum Distrib., tel
1800 945 3059 x2262, fax (770) 663 1009
arthSea Records was established to pro-
mote global music and the environment.
This latest release, Birth of a River, is an
exciting composition involving Paul Reisler
(guitars, dulcimer), Bobby Read (sax, flute,
clarinet), a range of artists from the Turtle
Island String Quartet (violin, cello, bass and
drums), and guest Krishna Das, a master of
southern Indian percussion. The album
traces the birth of a river from the mountains
to its final merging in the ocean. The
remarkable energetics of water are captured
on this special treat of an album.
NEXUS - 81
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 1999
/Nexus - 0605 - New Times Magazine/pages/0082/image.png)