The Whole Music Experience

World   Yungchen Lhamo & Anton Batagov Tayatha   Cantaloupe Music In 1998, I attended WOMAD USA and witnessed an entrancing performance by Tibetan vocalist Yungchen Lhamo on a small stage.   I witnessed a second performance by the vocalist, equally mesmerizing but on the main stage at WOMAD USA in 2001.   Although I acquired Lhamo’s recordings 2nd and 3rd), on the Real World label, I didn’t care for the musical production on the recordings which buried Lhamo’s vocals underneath high-end guitar washes and programming.   Lhamo has one of those voices that works best in an a cappella setting or lightly framed by a single musical instrument. Fortunately for us, the vocalist paired up with Russian classical pianist Anton Batagov on the recording, Tayatha where the musicians read each others' instincts.   Batagov’s piano though light on the keys possesses shades of virtuoso and waxes musical poetry.   The piano and vocals show up...

Jazz / World    Ray Sandoval   Próxima Parada Independent In an age of fusion food and music, Ray Sandoval, guitarist-composer records flamenco-tinged Latin jazz with folk-world elements also on his canvas.   His fifth outing, Próxima Parada even fits into the crossover new age category in the same vein of Strunz and Farah or Jesse Cook, if those musicians took the Cuban rustic route.   Actually, beyond the borders of genres, Sandoval composes and performs straight forward music with strong melodic hooks, and percussionist Satin Singh adds some tight Latin grooves.   The songs offer a warm relaxing vibe, while having enough vibrancy to not end up buried in audio wallpaper.   And if you need something livelier, listen to the track I Do . All the tunes were penned by Sandoval except a Latinized version of Thelonious Monk’s ‘ Round Midnight .   Most of the songs here would ignite a romantic evening, just listen to Sakura Sky ...