Download new releases nr. 17 – 2015

Xango Music
local music from all over the world
Office:
Singelstraat 1, 3513 BL Utrecht, NL
www.xmd.nl - [email protected] - +31 6 50 999 123
Warehouse:
Berenkoog 53 C, 1822 BN, Alkmaar (NL)
e: [email protected] t: +31 (0)72 - 567 3030
NEW RELEASES NR. 17 – 2015
Thomas Mapfumo: Lion Songs – Essential Tracks in the Making of Zimbabwe
CHIMU 201502 / 0888295245418 / label: Chimurenga Music / format: CD / Zimbabwe – Chimurenga
Thomas Mapfumo, the Lion of Zimbabwe, stands beside Fela Kuti, Youssou N’Dour and Franco as one of
Africa’s greatest and most consequential composer/bandleaders. For over 40 years, he has merged ancient
African traditions – especially that of the sacred metal-pronged Shona mbira – into the currents of
international music, from rock to reggae and rap. Mapfumo’s artfully barbed lyrics have targeted the racist
regime of Ian Smith and the corrupt one of Robert Mugabe with equal resolve and courage. That’s the
essence of chimurenga – the music of struggle: past, present and future.
This album is the audio companion to the book ‘Lion Songs: Thomas Mapfumo and the Music that Made
Zimbabwe’ by Banning Eyre. These songs, recorded between 1973 and 2010, tell the story in unforgettable
performances by the man and his extraordinary musicians, including unreleased tracks. Mapfumo himself provides context in
excerpts from interviews with Eyre over a span of 30 years. Listen to Pamuromo Chete (It’s Only Talk)!
Please note: in our last mailing appeared a wrong barcode. Below the correct barcode!
Thomas Mapfumo & the Black Unlimited: Danger Zone
CHIMU 201501 / 0888295250153 / label: Chimurenga Music / format: CD/ Zimbabwe–Chimurenga
‘Danger Zone’, the new and explosive offering by Thomas Mapfumo is not only historic but comprehensive art
that is set to move the human race forward. It is a fusion of traditional and new tunes consolidating Chimurenga
music as an authoritative voice on current affairs, being Zimbabwean voice for the oppressed, marginalized both
within and outside national frontiers. In his usual show of complexity in addressing the socio-economic and
political pitfalls, Mapfumo calls for an end to war and its exigencies, calling for global peace and co-existence as the drivers for
global development. Listen to this song.
Arifa & Voices from the East: Arifa & Voices from the East
BUDA 860278 / 3341348602783 / label: Buda Musique / format: CD / Various
After two critically acclaimed albums Arifa wanted to explore new musical territory, which resulted in the
cooperation of these female ‘Voices from the East’: gadulka-player Vanya Valkova from Bulgaria,
kemancheh-player Niusha Barimani from Iran and erhu-player Meng Xiao Xu from China. In their own
countries these artists rank among the best and most famous artists in their field. Not only are they true
masters on their string instruments, the three of them all have a beautiful voice, which takes the project one
level higher. The willingness and ability of all musicians to step out of their comfort zone of their own tradition
and to open their ears and minds to the music, is what makes this project an extraordinary experience.
Recorded live at the Bimhuis, Amsterdam. Watch this wonderful live performance.
George Dalaras: Mikis Theodorakis – “Kratisa To Zoi Mou”
EMGR 7462572 / 0602547462572 / label: Minos EMI / format: 2-CD / Greece – Popular
Dalaras performed in March 2014 at the concert hall of Athens, showcasing the most important poetic works
by famous Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. This concert, starring also Eleonora Zouganelli, Miltos
Pashalidis en the Youth Choir of Nea Smyrna, was recorded and released on 2 cd’s. The two cd’s contain 40
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songs that celebrate decades of musical pieces and the 90 birthday of Theodorakis this year. A unique
piece where the geniuses of both artists, George Dalaras as a singer and Mikis Theodorakis as a composer,
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come together. Concerts to celebrate Theodorakis’s 90 birthday, performed by George Dalaras and Maria
Farantouri: 29 September, De Roma (Antwerp), 12 October Nieuwe Luxor (Rotterdam).
Vivalda Dula: Africa
DBACS 1 / 0888295255622 / label: DBACS / format: CD / Angola – Popular
Born and raised in Angola's capital of Luanda, Vivalda Dula is a singer, songwriter and percussionist who
uses her passion for the arts and traditional Angolan culture to grace the world music stage. A soulful singer
and songwriter to the likes of Angelique Kidjo, this Angolan ''Queen of Drum'' is not new to the entertainment
world. As a young child she was influenced by her great grand father Dia Lobilo, a master instrumentalist of
the Madimba (African Xylophone) and the Kisanji (Thumb Piano), and by her aunt Maria de Lurdes a dancer,
singer and actress. Her latest album ‘Africa’ is a call to Africans and the world to continue to support the
cradle continent. Vivalda sings about the concept of Gaia, the earth a living system, and Onile, a mythological
concept representing the basis of all life. Vivalda sings in Kimbundu, Portuguese and English, and she is
backed by amazing artists from all over the world. Check out the title track.
Xango Music Distribution Release #17 – 2015
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Marco Toro presents Zambo Jazz: Mariali
TR 462015 / 0889211769605 / label: Toro Records / format: CD / Netherlands - Latin Jazz
Marco Toro is a very talented drummer, percussionist, and composer, born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1969.
Marco got his first drum kit on his ninth birthday and from then on he never stopped drumming and learning
all about its possibilities and intricacies as well as experimenting with other percussion instruments. After
eight records with his salsa Toro Ensemble, percussionist and composer Marco Toro initiated a new project
called Zambo Jazz, more intimate with a latin jazz feel, performed with the best musicians. Listen to this
preview.
The Secret Trio: The Three of Us
KA 673 / 8691834011144 / label: Kalan / format: CD / Turkey – Various
With ‘The Three of Us’, their second CD, The Secret Trio continues to redefine and expand the traditional
roles of their instruments with their unique arrangements of original, Middle-Eastern folk, and western
classical music. As a rare bonus , they welcome the guest appearances of iconic artists Sezen Aksu and
Erkan Ogur. The Secret Trio are: Tamer Pinarbasi (kanun), Ara Dinkjian (oud) and Ismail Lumanovski
(clarinet). Here’s one of the compositions.
Quartet Diminished: Station One
HER 77 / 6260521700788 / label: Hermes Records / format: CD / Iran – Jazz
Formed by Ehsan Sadigh in early 2013, Quartet Diminished aims to create musical moments based on its
member’s individual or collaborating ideas, which range from ethnic folk to completely original compositions.
The quartet strives to the creation of soundscapes that reflects their contemporary view towards music and
promenades from the 70’s psychedelic music to native folk dances, from 20th century’s avant-garde to
contemporary jazz, from entirely defined compositions to completely improvised moments. Concert October
15 in Rasa, Utrecht. Or try this soundbite.
Shahram Gholami, Pejman Hadadi, Rajeeb Chakraborti: One Day
HER 72 / 6260521700757 / label: Hermes Records / format: CD / Iran/India – Modern Classical
‘My first encounter with Rajeeb’s touching music goes back to 2010 while we both played as guest artists with
the Dastan Ensemblein Tehran. My dear musician friend, Pejman Hadadi suggested to use this opportunity and
jam together. This recording is a token from that very day...’ (Shahram Gholami). Gholami on barbat (lute),
Hadadi on tombak and frame drum, Chakraborti on sarod.
La Squadra: In scio ton – Trallalero, polyphonie de Genes
BUDA 4746521 / 0602547465214 / label: Buda / format: CD / Italy – Polyphonia
Trallalero is a form of traditional polyphonic song performed a cappella by men gathered in ensembles named
‘squadre’(teams). Orginally from Napels it became popular in Genua in the 1920s and 1930s. ‘In scio ton’ is
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La Squadra’s 5 album, which is the result of 2 years of work. Alongside pieces of traditional style, it presents
fragments of experimentations that show how the trallalero “magic fomula” can usually integrate a bit of
everything from all modern musical styles. Hear the joy of the singers here.
Mugar: Mugar
BUDA 4734799 / 0602547347992 / label: Buda / format: 2-CD / France – Celtic/Berber
Mugar was originally a Celtic – Berber stage show first performed in 1996, for the “Printemps Celte” Festival
at Grande Halle de la Villette, Paris. It was conceived around/by three flautists, Nasredine Dalil, Youenn Le
Berre and Michel Sikiotakis, who worked on making Celtic and Berber (their original cultures) music meet.
Traditional repertoires and original compositions, borrowings and exchanges, encounters and fusions, all
make for an atypical show which turns differences into a renewed source of creation, beautifully blending
tradition and modernity. Success was immediate and what was to be a one-off show toured in France and
abroad. Two Cds were released, in 1998 (‘Kabily-Touseg’) and in 2005 (‘Penn ar Pled’), which are now being
reissued by Buda Musique in a 2 CD-pack. Listen to a track.
Royal Court Gamelan: Java – Gamelan Music
SA 141272 / 3700089412721 / label: Air Mail Music / format: CD / Indonesia – Gamelan
The Royal Court Gamelan orchestra of Yogyakarta (or Gamelan Kraton Yogyakarta), is composed of 21
experienced musicians and singers, who aim to pass on to future generations a renewed and enriched cultural
heritage. Here we discover music of the royal courts (kraton) and pieces that accompany the traditional shadowpuppet theatre, wayang kulit. An authentic and elegant testimony to this unique music!
EXPECTED
October 16:
Sevval Sam: Toprak Kokusu
KA 685 / 8691834011267 / label: Kalan / format: CD / Turkey – Popular
With ‘Toprak Kokusu’, meaning ‘Scent of the earth’, Sevval Sam brings together the various styles she
interpreted on her various previous albums: arabesque, tango, Black Sea folk songs and Turkish classical
music. It was not an accident that she choose Kalan music to release her album, a company that is famous
for its diverse releases: Armenian, Kurdish, Turkish, Azerbaijani etc. The 18 songs on the album move freely
from the Balkans, the Black Sea, Central Anatolia, the Aegean region up until the Caucasus, stressing the fact that more than 40
peoples live in Anatolia. Language may be different, songs about love and pain are universal. Check it out here.
Xango Music Distribution Release #17 – 2015
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October 23:
Laraaji: Ambient 3: Day of Radiance (Produced by Brian Eno)
GBCD 27 / 4030433602720 / label: Glitterbeat / format: CD / USA - Ambient
Laraaji: Ambient 3: Day of Radiance (Produced by Brian Eno)
GBLP 27 / 4030433602713 / label: Glitterbeat / format: LP+CD / USA - Ambient
Originally released in 1980 as part of Brian Enos's legendary Ambient series (Ambient 1-4) the album is an
exciting synthesis of resonating zither textures, interlocking, hammered rhythms and 3-D sound treatments
(courtesy of Eno). “Day of Radiance” pushed open many doors at once, ambient music being only one of them. Though there are
certainly aspects of the album that find sonic common ground with other Eno-related “ambient” projects (the tracks “Meditation #1
& “Meditation #2” in particular) the album is not easily boxed into a singular genre. “Day of Radiance” also mines the ethereal
spiritualism of late 70’s New Age music (of which Laraaji is considered a pioneer), the harmonic and rhythmic repetitions of
American classical minimalism (Terry Riley & Steve Reich) and traditional global sounds from India and Java (particularly
gamelan music). And while Laraaji never explicitly embraced the “Fourth World” theories of fellow visionary and Eno collaborator
Jon Hassell, “Day of Radiance” echoes a kindred exploratory exoticism. The album has been re-mastered and includes a
lengthy interview with Laraaji. The LP is pressed on 180gm vinyl and is packaged in a gatefold sleeve. Listen to this track.
REVIEWS
fRoots
#388 October 2015
Article:
Karyna Gomes: Mindjer
GET 214
Go Danish – interview with Erling Olsen
Xaos: Xaos
PGR 1
Review:
Maria Simoglou Ensemble: Minore Manes
BUDA 860277
Cimbaliband: Moldva
FA 3652
V/A: Spillemand! Musik fra Carl Nielsens Barndom
GO 715
NRC Handelsblad
Bixiga 70: III
Review:
Gangbé Brass Band: Go Slow to Lagos
BUDA 4734804
Bixiga 70: III
GBCD 26/GBLP 26
La Belle Image: Pachamama Cora
S 66433
Lamia Bedioui: Athamra
LBM 2015
Cuncordu e Tenore de Orosei: Novaera
BUDA 4737042
Arrifa: Voices from the East – Live at the Bimhuis
BUDA 860278
Jazzism
Antimufa: New Ways of Argentinian Music
Noura Mint Seymali: Tzenni
Terakaft: Alone
September 2015
GBCD 26/GBLP 26
Songlines
#111 Oct/Nov 2015
Article:
Arifa: Voices from the East – Live at the Bimhuis
BUDA 860278
Namvula: Shiwezwa
NMRCD 1
World Music Charts Europe
Cimbaliband: Moldva
Stelios Petrakis Quartet: Avgi
#5 September 2015
PATAGON 1
GBCD 16/GBLP 16
OH 28
September 2015
FA 3652
BUDA 860265
LIVE
Nils Fischer & Timbazo
2 October
Bimhuis – Amsterdam
14 October
De Lindenberg – Nijmegen
17 October
Chassé – Breda
23 October
De Doelen – Rotterdam
31 October
Vogelverschrikker Festival - Valkenswaard
George Dalaras & Maria Farantouri
12 October
Nieuwe Luxor - Rotterdam
Samba Toure
2 October
3 October
6 October
Khaira Arby
6 November
Grounds – Rotterdam
uKanDanz
11 December
Rasa – Utrecht
Namvula
11 December
Korzo – Den Haag
Espace Senghor - Brussels
Rasa - Utrecht
Paradiso – Amsterdam
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
8 October
Bird – Rotterdam
9 October
30 CC - Leuven
Laraaij:
7 October
Quartet Diminished
15 October
Rasa – Utrecht
OT 301 – Amsterdam
Xango Music Distribution Release #17 – 2015
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