The Whole Music Experience

World and folkloric recordings make up the bulk of CDs I reviewed in 2012.  Because of that, I came up with two top 10 lists for World Music.  You'll find the other list on World Music Central later this month, http://worldmusicentral.org For the purpose of this list, World Music includes Americana and Native American along with Latin American, African, and European recordings (excluding jazz and classical).   This list is not in any specific order. 1. Antonio Zambujo, Quinto, World Village (Portugal) 2. Le Vent Du Nord, Tromper Le Temps, Borealis Records (Canada) 3, Radmilla Cody with Herman Cody, Songs for the People, Canyon (Navajo/US) 4. Lo'Jo, Cinema el Mundo, World Village (France) 5. Hijos de Agueybana, Agua del Sol, Tumi Music (Puerto Rico) 6. The Mountain Music Project, A Musical Odyssey from Appalachia to Himalaya, Independent release (US/Nepal) 7. Good Lovelies, Let The Rain Fall, Warner Music Group (Canada) 8. The Toure-Raichel Collective, T

Rodrigo Romaní As Arpas de Breogán Folmusica Oddly, Galician harpist Rodrigo Romaní new album As Arpas de Breogán (The Breogán Harps) arrived in my mailbox right after I completed a section in my book Whole Music on harps.   I knew that harps played a role in traditional and most likely classical music of Galicia (Spain), but I believe this is the first harp recording I’m hearing from Northwest Spain.   While Galicia has Celtic influences, the bagpipes, frame drums, and other instruments differ from Celtic instruments of the British Isles.   Galicians also have their own styles of Celtic music with distinguishing features. The press notes tell the story of how the harp was introduced to Galician folk and popular music.   Rodrigo Romaní and lute-maker Ramon Casal introduced the harp to the University of Vigo in 1996.   Romaní who plays the roles of producer, composer, educator, conductor and broadcaster has built a solid reputation throughout Spain and with in

Techung Songs from Tibet Arc Music (2006) My first encounter with Tibetan music occurred when I attended a concert featuring Tibetan Buddhist choir in 1994.   My friends and I were exploring various “new age” spiritualities and felt curious about the Tibetan Buddhist monks and the Dalia Lama.   In 1998, I saw Yungchen Lhamo perform Tibetan songs a cappella at WOMAD USA and then I saw her perform at WOMAD again in 2001.   Then in 2006, I saw performances by former Tibetan Buddhist monk-turned musical performer Nawang Khechog.   I also interviewed Lhamo and Khechog during those times.   Now, I’m introduced to a new performer to my ears, Techung, who resides in San Francisco and performs mostly secular folkloric songs with traditional Tibetan instruments, Damnyen (a long-necked lute) and Piwang (spiked fiddle). I doubt I would have found this material on a Nawang Khechog recording which leans towards more spiritual aspects of living or on Yungchen Lhamo’s recording

Thai Elephant Orchestra Dave Soldier & Richard Lair Mulatta Records (2000) Thai Elephant Orchestra Dave Soldier & Richard Lair Elephonic Rhapsodies Mulatta Records (2003)     Thai Elephant Orchestra Dave Soldier & Richard Lair Water Music Mulatta Records (2010) Never in my wildest imagination did I ever expect to review CDs by elephant musicians.   True elephants play music differently than humans, but when we consider that they are limited to a trunk and their front feet, the music they do make seems extraordinary.   Little did I know ten years ago, living in Seattle and testing recordings out on squirrels and crows that musicians with a scientific bent in New York were actually playing music with birds and elephants.   While there are likely animal advocates who will think that human musicians encroach upon the non-human’s space for ego gratification, I would disagree.   The musical interaction and interludes between humans and animals o