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& REVIEWS U Ss I C EASTERN MEDITATION: Music M from Bali to Tibet Reviewed by Richard Giles by Pravana O SHAKUNTALA! SLP/Elemental Music, 2009 (60mins) . Distributors: Australia—Brumby, tel by Debashish Bhattacharya ; >. Riverboat Records/World Music (03) 97613535; www pravanamusic 3 A .com. Network, UK, 2009 (67mins) imon Lewis, or Pravana, is an Distributors: Australia—The Planet Sotpeticnced Australian musician Company, tel (02) 9283 8250; UK— who has a strong connection with the World Music Network, tel (0)20 7498 ocean. He's been to the shores and 5252, www.worldmusic.net mountains of many South East Asian ebashish Bhattacharya, born in countries. Influenced by sounds from Kolkata, India, became musically Bali to Tibet and from the mountains skilled at a young age. His parents to the rivers and plains of Asia, he's were traditional Indian vocalists, and put together a collection of relaxing gave him a full-size Hawaiian lap- and enchanting music to help heal steel guitar at three. His originality your spirit or uplift your mind. This is as a musician has since earned him a wonderful, luxurious album that world acclaim. Bhattacharya invented features harmonium, didgeridoo, his own slide guitars used on his keyboards and percussion. albums, including Mahima with Bob Brozman and Calcutta Slide-Guitar 3. A | GHETTO BLASTERS beautiful interpretation of the by Mahala Rai Banda traditional Indian love masterpiece. Asphalt Tango Records GmbH Germany, 2009 (46mins) AE seek SWAT TO Distributors: Australia—Fuse Music, tel FROBEAT REVIVAL (02) 9699 7555; Germany—Asphalt by various artists World Music Network, UK, 2009 Tango, wwwaasphalt-tango.de omanian super gypsy/pop group (2CDs, 123mins) Mahala Rai Banda comprises a Distributors: Australia—The Planet combination of the most gifted Company, tel (02) 9283 8250; UK— musicians from the two great musical www.worldmusic.net villages of Clejani and Zece Prajini. musical style from Nigeria known The group Taraf de Haidouks (see as Afrobeat, developed by two review in 17/01) also hails from there. vocalists and musicians Fela Kutiand The best way to describe them is half- Tony Allen in the 1960s-1970s, came rascal, half-genius. If you love the to be the dominant African dance crazy sound of fast hot brass, this groove in the region. Combining music will have you dancing till dawn. R'n'B, funk, gospel, highlife and jazz, These are gypsy sounds with groove. it's a rousing dance sound. This album charts the resurgence and spread of the music since the 1990s. Spiritual elements and social commentary run through the lyrics of Afrobeat. This collection includes Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble, Kokolo, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Dele Sosimi, Antibalas and The Superpowers. The album comes with a bonus CD of music from the New York Afrobeat scene, with band Kokolo playing Latin, Brazilian and funk styles. A top compilation of Afro-sounds. THE ROUGH GUIDE TO AFROBEAT REVIVAL by various artists World Music Network, UK, 2009 (2CDs, 123mins) Distributors: Australia—The Planet Company, tel (02) 9283 8250; UK— www.worldmusic.net musical style from Nigeria known as Afrobeat, developed by two vocalists and musicians Fela Kuti and Tony Allen in the 1960s-1970s, came to be the dominant African dance groove in the region. Combining R'n'B, funk, gospel, highlife and jazz, it's a rousing dance sound. This album charts the resurgence and spread of the music since the 1990s. Spiritual elements and social commentary run through the lyrics of Afrobeat. This collection includes Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble, Kokolo, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Dele Sosimi, Antibalas and The Superpowers. The album comes with a bonus CD of music from the New York Afrobeat scene, with band Kokolo playing Latin, Brazilian and funk styles. A top compilation of Afro-sounds. NEXUS ¢ 77 FEBRUARY - MARCH 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com