The Whole Music Experience

 Songs from Terre Rouge  Hailing from Prince Edward Island and the Magdalene Islands (off Quebec's coast), twin sisters Pastelle and Emmanuelle LeBlanc along with Pascal Miousse, better known as Vishtèn cook up a musical stew of Acadian, Cajun, Quebecois, and Celtic influences that get the feet tapping. The three muli-instrumentalists perform double, triple, and even quadruple duty on their latest album, Terre Rouge named after the red earth of Canada's Maritime islands. The album features love songs with surprisingly happy conclusions, as well as, stories about blizzards, comical tales, and homages to the islands. Album release date is July 10, 2015 in the US.   Whole Music Experience: When and how did Vishtèn form? I read that Pascal is from Magdalen Islands and you’re from Prince Edward Island? (Your trio is the second band I’ve heard from PEI--Gadelle was the first). Pastelle LeBlanc: Emmanuelle (LeBlanc), and I founded Vishtèn in 2000 with a fiddler ...

World   Toninho Ferragutti O Sorriso da manu   Borandá When I think of South American accordion music, my thoughts usually gravitate towards Argentine tango and the late Astor Piazzolla.   However, many wonderful South American folkloric music centers on the accordion brought to Latin America originally by Italian and German immigrants.   Brazil certainly has its share of folkloric traditions in which the accordion plays a key role.   Brazilian accordionist Toninho Ferragutti and his quartet (accordion, clarinet, percussion, and bass) team of with a chamber ensemble of strings and piano as they explore forró and choro dance songs along with an abstract version of flamenco on the recording O Sorriso da manu. Delightfully playful and contemplative in turns, listen to Flamenta with its lively castanets and the titular track with its klezmer-style clarinet.   When I listen to this recording, I’m reminded more of Finnish accordionist an...

Native American / World   Tony Duncan Native Son   Canyon Records I had one of those days where I feel wound up and it doesn’t help that I have been consuming raw chocolate.   So listening to Apache/Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara flutist Tony Duncan’s third album with Canyon Records and I believe his second solo album, Native Son , comes as a relaxing godsend.   When you listen to numerous Native American flute recordings you begin to identify subtle and not so subtle differences and signatures of the many gifted flutists.   Some Native American flutists possess playfulness while others lean heavily into the ethereal realm and others provoke healing tears to flow.   Duncan combines all of those qualities in his playing, which if it was a wine, we would also call it full bodied and robust--not bad for a young musician. I survived a stressful summer in 2011 in part listening to Estan-Bah (acoustic guitar, Native American flute, Native American...

World/ Classical   Mario Adnet Villa Lobos   Borandá I had heard of Heitor Villa Lobos for many years while reviewing classical music, but I had not listened to any music by this Brazilian composer until the arrival of Mario Adnet’s Villa Lobos --a beautiful collection of vernacular classical and Brazilian popular songs performed by some of Brazil's finest musical talent.   While I’m not going to delve into history or give you biographical information of Villa Lobos, I encourage you to look up this fascinating early 20th century composer after listening to this stunning recording. As an homage to Villa Lobos, Adnet teams up with a Brazilian orchestra (Orqestra de Cordas), Edu Lobo, Milton Nascimento, Mônica Salmaso, Muiza Adnet, Paula Santoro, Yamandu Costa and members of the Adnet family. The result is upbeat performances such as Mazurka Choro and the opening track, A Menina Das Nuvens as well as, dreamy pieces, Tristorosa (sung by Mario Adnet ...

W orld /Folkloric Zadashe Intangible Pearls   Ancient Polyphony from the Republic of Georgia Electric Cowbell Records Traditional and sacred music from the Republic of Georgia carries with it a rich history of wine making, migration and exile, as well as, its connection to the Russian Orthodox Church.   The songs possess complex polyphonic harmonies that similar to the polyphonic vocal music from Sardinia (Italy) and Corsica (France), blow people’s minds or at least cause its listeners to experience deep emotions while listening to these songs.   The arrangements on Zadeshe’s Intangible Pearls feature mixed-gender vo ices singing traditional work, friendship, religious, feasting, wine making, and battle songs. However, the musicians treat their listeners to choral a cappella songs as well as, providing instrumental accompaniment on the traditional lutes, harp, drum and accordion.   And while those instruments add a certain charm to th...