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Putumayo Presents: Christmas Around the World [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 10/07/2003)
 

Putumayo Presents: Christmas Around the ...

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Putumayo Presents: Christmas Around the World [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 10/07/2003)
"Putumayo Presents: Christmas Around the World [Digipak]" (10/07/2003) Rock & Pop Various Artists, PutumayoAdapter: L.D. Rios. Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Arrangers: Don Crary; Pepe Castillo; Steve Schuch. 2000's World Christmas was certainly one of the most entertaining and enlightening collections of Christmas carols in quite a while, so the similar theme of Putumayo's Christmas Around the World is no surprise. The problem is, the label's latest Yuletide set can't figure out whether it's a sequel or a reissue. The two albums share four songs, including tracks from Pepe Castillo, Steve Schuch, and Michael Doucet. Additionally, Cuba L.A.'s "Deck the Hall" comes from the band's 2000 effort, Navidad Cubana. While the track list is puzzling, Around the World is still a spectacular set. From Martinique comes banjoist Kali, who performs the silent standard "Douce Nuit"; meanwhile, Clifford Sylvain's New York Twoubadou turns in "Joyeux No?l," a song in the upbeat Haitian troubadour style that fairly bursts with delightful energy. And though Schuch and his Night Heron Consort arrange the English carol "Here We Come A-Wassailing" in a beautiful Celtic style, with accents of penny whistle and bodhran, it's not going to be anything you haven't heard if you bought World Christmas. If Putumayo has proved anything in its near ten-year existence, it's that the world is a big place. This makes the label's lackluster effort in searching out new material for Christmas Around the World a bit disappointing. Recommended for listeners new to the label, but Putumayo veterans might do well to spin this in a CD carousel with the imprint's previous Christmas compilations. [Christmas Around the World's accompanying booklet includes informative artist biographies and detailed song histories, as well as pronunciation keys where appropriate.] ~ Johnny Loftus

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Putumayo Presents: French Caf? by Various Artists (CD - 11/11/2003)
 

Putumayo Presents: French Caf? by Variou...

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Putumayo Presents: French Caf? by Various Artists (CD - 11/11/2003)
"Putumayo Presents: French Caf?" (11/11/2003) International Various Artists, PutumayoLiner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Photographers: Claude Delorme; Jacques Aubert; Stan Wiezniak; George Gunnell; Antoine Le Grand ; Mephisto. Translator: Karine LalŠch?re. Putumayo's first geographically based CD after their tenth anniversary celebrations, French Caf? covers the narrow concept of caf? music in an admirable manner, including a number of styles that have made their way through the Parisian caf? systems and/or are inspired by the work of previous artists among the caf? elite. Some of the classic performers from the Parisian scene are presented here, from the old Georges Brassens recordings, to a sultry little number from Brigitte Bardot, to the chanson innovator Serge Gainsbourg. Some of the more contemporary innovators on the market also appear here in force, from the jazzy Paris Combo, to the kicked-up string jazz of Sans?v?rino, to the smoother, half-dance music of Enzo Enzo. The album on the whole has a careful little bounce to it that's inherent in much of French contemporary music. It forces the listener to tap their feet, but not quite hard enough to force any dancing. It's this careful line that the music walks throughout the album. Vocals are expressive, but not so much that they scream emotion. It's all implied, but rarely given explicitly, and the music echoes this concept. There are certainly some omissions to be had here (Edith Piaf being perhaps the most notable), but on the whole Putumayo did a fine job in compiling the major styles and figures of the field. The album might be a little thin for those who are already devotees of the caf? atmosphere, but it makes for a fine introduction. ~ Adam Greenberg

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Putumayo Presents: Latin Lounge [Digipak] [9/6]
 

Putumayo Presents: Latin Lounge [Digipak...

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Putumayo Presents: Latin Lounge [Digipak] [9/6]
"Putumayo Presents: Latin Lounge [Digipak]" (09/06/2005) R&B Various Artists, PutumayoPerformers include: Alacran, Amparanoia, Luiz De Aquino, Federico Aubele, Adriana Castelazo, Charanga Cakewalk, Andres Linetzky, Ernesto Romeo, Wagner Pa, Brazuca Matraca, Roberto Poveda, Sidestepper and Si Se. Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Translators: Julien Massardier; Jorge Maldonado. The downtempo side of fusion between traditional Latin forms and electronica. The mixes are surprisingly good throughout, with styles taken from everywhere from Spain to Argentina to Texas and thrown together with electronic beats and grooves. The album opens up with Alacran, an Italian outfit specializing in electronic tango ? la Gotan Project. Son is taken on by Roberto Poveda with only slight modification, but enough to evoke the samba at times. There's proper chillout from Bebe, Cuban-British dub from Sidestepper, and a mix of flamenco and more from Amparanoia. More tango fusion and then a bit of nostalgia from rising star Charange Cakewalk. Perhaps the oddest bit here is an appearance by Deepak Chopra in a full-on bout of Indian-exotica-via-Mexico with aid from Adriana Castelazo. The mix is coherent and holds a constant sway without the schizophrenic breaks that are so common with cross-cultural albums. A charming album that belongs in league with Putumayo's other lounge-focused albums as perfect backing music to any given evening. ~ Adam Greenberg

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Putumayo Kids Presents: Caribbean Playground by Various Artists (CD - 07/27/2004)
 

Putumayo Kids Presents: Caribbean Playgr...

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Putumayo Kids Presents: Caribbean Playground by Various Artists (CD - 07/27/2004)
"Putumayo Kids Presents: Caribbean Playground" (07/27/2004) International Various Artists, PutumayoPerformers include: Desmond Dekker, Kali, Keith Frank & the Solieau Zydeco Band, Jose Gonzalez, Lo Le Lo Lay, Luc Lenadry, Conjunto Flores, Marlene Dorcena. Recording information: 07/27/2004. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Translators: Karine Wong; Jorge Maldonado. Arrangers: Frederick Paul; Marlene Dorcena; Didier Likeng. Part of the World Playground series on the new sublabel Putumayo Kids, Caribbean Playground takes a nice little romp through the Caribbean, making stops at most of the major islands and including a bit from elsewhere. The course of the album bounces around from location to location, but since this is a kids' album, it keeps a light sound. To summarize, this is much more Bob Marley than Peter Tosh. Taj Mahal starts the journey with his Hula Blues band, followed by Desmond Dekker showing off some ska on the classic "Jamaica Farewell." Kali plays the banjo over a little bit of mixed Martiniquean music, and Keith Frank covers "Three Little Birds" -- in zydeco (here's an interesting twist on a sound if there ever was one). Frenchman Karl Zero enlists the remaining Wailers to help out on "Coconut Woman," and Marlene Dorcena represents a bit of light Haitian song. Making the first trip to Trinidad, Asheba shows off some soca groove, mixing in folktales of Anancy that have made the way from Africa -- the requisite cultural storytelling for a kids' album. Puerto Rican expatriate Jose Gonzalez shows off some bomba, another Haitian act plays a bit of the resurrected twoubadou, and Tongan reggae fanatics MissionIriez take on some transcontinental reggae. Finishing off the album are Luc Leandry's zouk and another round of soca from Trinidad. The sound can be a bit juvenile and repetitive for adults from time to time, but then again, adults aren't the audience for this one. That said, the artists are almost without exception standouts in their fields, and the music is of high quality as a result. As such, the album makes a nice groove for anyone, regardless of age. ~ Adam Greenberg

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African Playground by Various Artists (CD - 02/25/2003)
 

African Playground by Various Artists (C...

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African Playground by Various Artists (CD - 02/25/2003)
"African Playground" (02/25/2003) International Various Artists, PutumayoCompilation producers: Jacob Edgar, Emi Gittleman, Lisa Lee, John McQueeny. Includes a 27 page booklet with liner notes by Jacob Edgar. Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. If Putumayo wasn't marketing African Playground as a compilation of children's music, some non-African listeners would have no idea that the material is aimed at kids (or is at least kid-friendly). They would know that African Playground is a good to excellent collection of African pop, but they wouldn't associate the songs with kids because it lacks the sophomoric qualities one associates with American children's music; the material sounds playful and lighthearted, but it doesn't sound sophomoric. Much of the children's music that comes from the United States is unlistenable if you're over the age of 12; it tends to talk down to kids and underestimates their intelligence. But that isn't the case on this Afro-pop CD, which could be described as "children's music with a brain." The term African pop can mean a wide variety of things; in the case of African Playground, African pop is pop music from black Africa -- and that includes West Africa and Central Africa as well as Southern Africa. The compilation doesn't get into the Middle Eastern-sounding pop of Egypt, Libya, Algeria, or Morocco, which are all part of Arabic North Africa. Instead, the material comes from countries that range from Senegal (Vieux Diop's "Sing LO-LO") and the Congo (Mose Se 'Fan Fan''s "Hello Hello") to South Africa (the Mahotella Queens' "Mbube" and Bakithi Kumalo's "Sangoma"). Some of the lyrics are in English, although most of them are in various African languages. Again, African Playground is child-friendly without sounding childish, and world music enthusiasts who are 30, 40, or 50 will find it to be a substantial, intelligent collection of modern, western-influenced Afro-pop. ~ Alex Henderson

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Putumayo Presents: Afro-Latin Party [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 03/22/2005)
 

Putumayo Presents: Afro-Latin Party [Dig...

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Putumayo Presents: Afro-Latin Party [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 03/22/2005)
"Putumayo Presents: Afro-Latin Party [Digipak]" (03/22/2005) International Various Artists, PutumayoPerformers include: Africando, Chico Alvarez, Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, Ska Cubano, Pepe & The Bottle Blondes. Personnel: Medoune Diallo, Nicholas Menheim (vocals). Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Photographers: Chico Alvarez; Ronald Rubinel. Translator: Julien Massardier. Putumayo Presents: Afro-Latin Party might give the idea of frantic, sweaty rhythms, and mambos and salsas at hyperspeed. Instead, this collection focuses more on the genre called son, with some low-key salsa and rumba thrown in for good measure. Africando, the superstar band made up of West African and Latin musicians, claims most of the honors, with three out of ten tracks, highlighting the transatlantic connection and the supreme sense of musicianship. The biggest surprise, however, is Cubismo, who might be from Croatia, but who create a very convincing Cuban sound on "Morenita." Ska Cubano bring a slight touch of ska to the proceedings on the campy "Babalu," while Ronald Rubinel's Salsa Kolor bring Caribbean color from Martinique. In other words, Cuban music doesn't just belong in Cuba any more, and Latin music can't be restricted to the Americas (although this compilation does mostly draw from there). It's all good, well-played stuff, and might get people dancing. But ultimately it seems that tracks have been chosen for functionality within the idea of the compilation rather than their own outstanding qualities (which is possibly fair enough), and end up slightly anonymous. ~ Chris Nickson

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Putumayo Presents: North African Groove [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 05/24/2005)
 

Putumayo Presents: North African Groove ...

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Putumayo Presents: North African Groove [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 05/24/2005)
"Putumayo Presents: North African Groove [Digipak]" (05/24/2005) International Various Artists, PutumayoPerformers include: Cheb Mami, Khaled, Amr Diab, Faudel, Amina, Sameera Saeed, Mohamed Mounir, Cheb Jilani, Hamid Baroudi, Rhany, Jomed, Eastenders feat. Shady Sheha. Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Photographers: Olivier Gachen; Nathalie Mourot; Philippe Bordas. Translators: Julien Massardier; Jorge Maldonado. Putumayo has put together a collection of polished North African pop music here that will appeal to fans of worldbeat with an ear for exotic African and Middle Eastern fusions and an eye on the dancefloor. Algeria has one of the most active and accessible music scenes in the region and it's no surprise that the small nation is well represented here. Jomed is an Alegrian/Cuban duo that blends elements of both traditions on "Montuno Noreno," which is musically closer to a Cuban son but is sung in Arabic. Another Latin-North African fusion can be heard on "Un Mot de Toi" from Tunisia's Rhany, who traveled to Cuba to create his own brand of Arabic salsa music. Faudel is a French-Algerian whose take on rai is far removed from its simple drums and vocals beginnings with apparent European pop influences. Cheb Mami is one of the best-known rai artists and he too has incorporated a some Western touches on "Viens Habibi," although his delivery still retains the classic rai swagger, as does Libyan Cheb Jilani on the more traditional but funky "Bahebbak," proving that rai is much more than a strictly Algerian phenomenon and has become now part of the greater fabric of Middle Eastern pop. From Morocco comes Samira Saeid (also spelled Said) with a slick club-friendly Middle Eastern groove that, if in English, wouldn't be out of place among the ruling pop divas of the airwaves. With an approach that favors polished dance beats and blurred cultural boundaries, North African Groove is a good disc for anyone looking to make the world at large a little more approachable. ~ Wade Kergan

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Putumayo Presents: Music from the Chocolate Lands [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 11/09/2004)
 

Putumayo Presents: Music from the Chocol...

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Putumayo Presents: Music from the Chocolate Lands [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 11/09/2004)
"Putumayo Presents: Music from the Chocolate Lands [Digipak]" (11/09/2004) International Various Artists, PutumayoPerformers include: Susheela Raman, Ozomatili, Beehova Obas, Adrian Martinez, Andy Palacio. Liner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. Illustrator: Nicola Heindl. Photographers: Dennis Gottlieb; Stijn Pieters; Michel DeBock; Jack Vartoogian. Translators: Julien Massardier; Jorge Maldonado. Arranger: Susheela Raman. Following up on the success of Music From the Coffee Lands and Music From the Tea Lands, Putumayo is taking the opportunity to showcase music from the production countries of another caffeinated substance. Because chocolate is a widespread crop at this point, the compilers took carte blanche to cast an overly wide net. Selections hail from Africa and the Caribbean (where it's grown), Europe (where it was made into a treat), and the U.S. (where it's eaten?). The music itself ranges similarly, from the British Indipop of Susheela Raman to the Brazilian guitar of Marcantonio, Cuban trumpet work to Swiss/Guinean fusion. Given the obvious caffeine link, the album is surprisingly relaxed (more a function of the nations involved than the caffeine, admittedly), but it remains at a high quality, thanks to the inclusion of many artists already well known, with a good deal of experience and ability. Certainly worth trying out as a wide-span world music album. ~ Adam Greenberg

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Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Groove by Various Artists (CD - 09/09/2003)
 

Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Groove by V...

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Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Groove by Various Artists (CD - 09/09/2003)
"Putumayo Presents: Brazilian Groove" (09/09/2003) International Various Artists, PutumayoLiner Note Author: Jacob Edgar. This is a collection of sounds from the new school of Brazilian musical thought. The roots of the music are still in the samba and bossa nova that have made Brazil a powerhouse in the music world, but now the remixers and DJs have made their way onto the scene with admirable strength. Light songs can be complemented by heavy beats and bossa novas supplemented by a wealth of electronics. This music carefully foots the line between retro and contemporary -- and does so quite well -- through stylistic changes, if not always instrumental ones. The great "Mas Que Nada" is perhaps the prime example of this new fusion, as the classic is updated only lightly in the instrumental department (with the addition of a samba whistle and friction drum), but an additional vocalist is added to spice up the mix a bit with some scatting and sound effects from time to time. Many other tracks echo the same conceptual changes. While synthesizers and electric guitars run rampant, they stay firmly in the background, making changes to the sound, but only in an almost unnoticed manner. The album has high and low points along its course, but, on the whole, does an excellent job of finding and combining the good parts of both classic Brazilian samba, bossa nova, MPB, and the contemporary music scene, and cutting away the bad from both. For fans of Brazilian music, this album demands at least one listen. ~ Adam Greenberg

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Putumayo Presents: World Groove [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 08/24/2004)
 

Putumayo Presents: World Groove [Digipak...

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Putumayo Presents: World Groove [Digipak] by Various Artists (CD - 08/24/2004)
"Putumayo Presents: World Groove [Digipak]" (08/24/2004) R&B Various Artists, PutumayoInitial pressings include a bonus disc. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Deciding not to pigeonhole themselves with any single culture to work from as a base, the folks at Putumayo this time have put out an album of groove music from a sector no smaller than the world itself. Despite this original statement though, the focus of the music lies in Europe and Africa, with some small bits of disruption. The phenomenon of dance music has its core in Europe, so it's not terribly surprising that they'd be at the forefront of the world groove (aka world-tronica, aka ethno-trance) movement, as well as purely European dance music that features heavily here. The album opens up with the French DJs Rouge Rouge and a surprisingly catchy bounce. Turk Mustafa Sandal has a remix straight from mid- to late- '90s American R&B, and some very nice electro-pop from a German group leads into another French DJ collective, closing the first European pass with a surprisingly effective Cuban hook. Starting a tour of Africa, the current master of fusing the old and new, Issa Bagayogo, combines synths, koras, and ngonis on a hit from his Timbuktu album. Zap Mama bridges the gap between continents culturally, adding a deep thump under the usual vocal prowess, and a hip-hop hit from Cheb Mami's Dellali album follows, moving the focus north a bit. Finishing up the African pass is South African Brenda Fassie, remixed into some dub-like dance. Moving out of the main spheres a bit at the end, there's a piece of electro-son from Edesio, and a piece from the Middle East by Lebanese Ragheb Alama. Included with the disc is a stray Egyptian/Indian video from the Travel the World With Putumayo DVD, as well as a full album-length sampler taking from the full lines of groove and lounge CDs on Putumayo. Given the incredible beats and dance music on the primary disc, and some extra bonuses, this disc ranks highly among world dance releases for the year. ~ Adam Greenberg

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