Rolling Outernational Non-West Non-English (Some Exceptions) 2014 Thread Formerly Known as World

*shame-faced*

I've got a new monthly playlist column starting on the Guardian today, picking out non-mainstream tracks, albums and mixes from MENA countries.

Middle Eastern & North African playlist for April

It features Black Metal from Saudi, Electro Chaabi from Egypt, Harsh Noise from The Lebanon, Ishumar from Niger and Ambient from Iran.

Congrats! Lots of cool stuff to check out. Had been reading about Koudede,the Tuareg/Tamashek musician who passed away in late 2012 but I haven't yet checked out his songs on on Guitars From Agadez Vol. 7 EP, from Sublime Frequencies

This sounds potentialy awesome:

In Agadez, Niger, the amazing Sahel Sounds Blog have been involved in a very unique kickstarter project: to shoot an homage to the Prince film Purple Rain, starring Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar. Filming on the world’s first Tuareg language fiction film Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai (which translates as Rain the Color of Blue with a little Red in it) has wrapped so hopefully there will be more news soon.

I love some of the youtubes of Mdou Moctar I've seen. He's on that Music From Saharan Cellphones series that Sahell Music/Mississippi put out as well.

There's also this: http://www.discogs.com/Mdou-Moctar-Afelan/release/4733166
It's awesome. Love the cover photo as well.

xpost. I saw the kickstarter trailer. Looks awesome. (apparently there's no word for purple in Tuareg?)

Made In Medina was my first xpost Taha. Songlines Magazine's reviewer said when he heard it, he understood what Page and Plant were trying to do when they recorded with North African musicians, that this is the realization of that. Coming from the other side of the map, that is; it's not just Arabic Zep. Amazing also the assimilation of New Orleans jazz-funk-rock jam circuiteers Galactic, times producer-guitarist Steve Hillage of Gong. "Just call me Rai Cooder," sez Rachid. Later albums take it further, at times, but this is quite a vision.

robertchristgau.com provides a pretty good run-down of Taha's albums.

Taha's Diwan 2 is a fantastic album

The Smithsonian Folklife Festival free event in Washington DC this summer will be featuring music and crafts people from Kenya and China. The Fest folks have posted links with music.

http://www.festival.si.edu/2014/Kenya/music_playlist.aspx

Taha's Diwan 2 is a fantastic album

― willem, Wednesday, April 16, 2014

it is! doran, your article is great. i dig this mumdance's mahraganat mixtape.

Lots of stuff linked in this thread I still need to check out

saw baloji for the third time in the past year
catch him if he plays near you; dude is a helluva showman and an intellectual

Will keep my eye out for that Congolese guy.

Relatives visiting plus too much going on, means I'm missing these gigs this weekend:

Fri. 4-25-Willie Colon at the Palace (salsa)

Sat. 4-26- Mavado (reggae) at The Loft Ballroom

Jacky Gosee (Ethiopian) at Echostage

had never heard of Gosee till I saw a poster up for his gig, and found a postcard for it in my grocery store parking lot! A young up and coming Ethiopian. He's playing at a big 1500 person hall

There's a ton of SummerStage free shows that meet the description but I'm busy grinding on them now. Will post a list soon.
http://summerstage.donyc.com/Music

XXXP: Thanks Daniel! Just so you know, I've asked my friends Cairo Liberation Front to do a new chaabi mix for the next column mid May.

This bangs hard imo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIyIqo4qGXY

The whole Ana Tijoux album is a treat

And Karol Conka's Batuk Freak is streaming over here: http://www.rookiemag.com/2014/04/karol-conka-batuk-freak/

The lead single goes back to 2011, but it still sounds fresh; has the hunger of early Angel Haze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU3soPwOLDI

Ana's on a cut on the new Jorge Drexler album too. She's the go-to rapper for the pop/rock en Espanol crowd it seems

Saw her do a few cuts live recently on a bill with all English-language rappers and funksters. Impressive flow (even if I don't understand it)

Tijoux is dope and a good live show.

Mordy,

Do you know anything about Zvuloon Dub System, a Jewish Ethiopian Israeli reggae band?

A pr guy was just recommending them to me, but I haven't listened to 'em yet

Ha, that probably reads like some sort of parody/satire post, but its not

yeah, they're okay. i first heard about them when i did this interview:
http://blogs.forward.com/the-arty-semite/161916/reggaes-jewish-connection/

i checked them out at the time but haven't looked them up since. do they have a new album?

Their website says they're finishing a new album and that it will include guests like singer Mahmoud Ahmed. They're doing some gigs in Jamaica and in the US this summer

Life is getting in the way of me listening to various international releases and seeing acts live. Behind on watching Afrobeatz videos too, though I did see and like that Davido (from Nigeria) together with Mafikizola (South Africa) one.

Listened to a DC based Kenyan taraab music singer Anna M last night plus reggae crooner Tarrius Riley. Good stuff

Tarrus is the correct spelling. Listened to older cuts mostly, not his new album (that I have not heard yet)

What's new and exciting that you like (or old and exciting), folks?

Sidiki Diabaté & Toumani Diabaté - Sidiki & Toumani -- Toumani is always sublime on the kora, here, he and his son perform a nice set of duets. The interplay between the two is wonderful, even if not as fine as Toumani has done with Ali Farka.

can't stop listening to haiti direct comp

i've got this! i need to spend more time with it. are there any particularly interesting tracks, that i can use to find a way into the disc (they all seem v good, but i've kind of let it wash over me when i've listened to it so far).

If you're talking about Haiti Direct, try the track i linked above.

Haiti's Tabou Combo are usually impressive in the studio (I touted them upthread in discussions of this album too)

Free shows at SummerStage

Central Park, MN - Sat, June 7 - 7:00pm - TOQUINHO: Tribute to VINICIUS DE MORAES, DJ GASPAR MUNIZ
Central Park, MN - Sat, June 14 - 6:00pm - ROBERTO ROENA Y SU APOLLO SOUND, LA MECÃ NICA POPULAR, LITTLE LOUIE VEGA
Central Park, MN - Sun, June 15 - 6:00pm - BLACK COFFEE, DJ SPOKO
Central Park, MN - Sat, July 5 - 3:00pm - TEDDY AFRO, NOURA MINT SEYMALI, HAHU DANCE CREW
Central Park, MN - Sun, July 6 - 3:00pm - GLOBAL FAMILY DAY: OKEE DOKEE BROTHERS, HYBRID MOVEMENT COMPANY, SHAUN PARKER & COMPANY, ACROBUFFOS, NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE
Central Park, MN - Sat, July 12 - 3:00pm - BABASONICOS, JUANA MOLINA, LA SANTA CECILIA
Central Park, MN - Sat, July 19 - 7:00pm - LENINE & MARTIN FONDSE ORCHESTRA: THE BRIDGE, MAIRA FREITAS, DJ TUTU MORAES
Central Park, MN - Sun, July 20 - 3:00pm - CATALAN SOUNDS ON TOUR: MISHIMA, TXARANGO, DJ SETS BY HEADBIRDS
Central Park, MN - Sat, July 26 - 3:00pm - CHRONIXX & THE ZINCFENCE REDEMPTION, JUNIOR REID, THE RICE AND PEAS CREW

Central Park Summerstage got moved to Minnesota? Ha.

Impressive list as always

come get some!

I'm partic psyched about our ethiopian day, the LAMC show with Juana Molina, Lenine and Chronixx

very cool. curious about Toquinho: I have his Boca Da Noite from the 70s but have heard nothing else
seeing Chronixx for free on a July afternoon would be heavenly

psyched about our ethiopian day

Teddy Afro's Ethiopian reggae is nice. Saw him on a bill with Mahmoud Ahmed once. I don't know the Ethiopian Hahu Dance Crew but will check them out online. Not to be too annoying but Noura Mint Seymali is from Mauritania. She and her band are great--psychedelic, funky Sahel desert sound more in common with Malian Tuaregs, although they draw from everywhere musically.

speaking of ethiopian day, i like this new comp a lot:

http://www.jazzmanrecords.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/u/s/us04521.jpg

Just know Budos Band and Debos Band from that comp

whole thing is fantastic

Saw Noura at globalfest, can recommend.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2014/01/03/mauritanian-singer-noura-mint-seymali-on-her-band-playing-weddings-and-arab-idol/

My q & a with her

nice piece, i read that when it was booked!

Great to see so much love for Noura Mint Seymali! Her new album Tzenni is a really good listen.

The title track from it kicks off my new North African And Middle Eastern column for The Guardian published today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCEeaERMfNo

Only 1 song from T Diabete & son new album is available on Spotify US, for now. Others are grayed out

this is a great reissue from soundway:
http://www.soundwayrecords.com/product/sndwcd062-sierra-leone-in-1970s-usa

http://www.npr.org/2014/05/18/312187878/first-listen-seun-kuti-egypt-80-a-long-way-to-the-beginning?ft=1&f=1039

Tune into http://dublab.com now for North African selections from @JewishMorocco This is a journey into sound...