The nine piece Norwegian jazz-rock-experimental behemoth that is Jaga Jazzist return to the fray with their stunning new album, “One Armed Bandit”. All galloping rhythms, and grandiloquent reach, main man Lars Horntveth describes the new sound, tongue-a-little-in-cheek, as “Wagner meets Fela Kuti!” Certainly we find it harder to imagine a better soundtrack being written for…

Back in the 90s, before gentrification and digital downloads killed record shops, the Stern’s record shop in New York City was a favored destination and hangout for world music fans. With its deep selection of imported rare African and Latin records and CDs, along with a friendly and expert staff Sterns felt like the real…

Nonesuch Records releases the label debut of North Carolina–based string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops on February 23, 2010. Produced by critically acclaimed recording artist and songwriter Joe Henry (Allen Toussaint, Elvis Costello, Solomon Burke), Genuine Negro Jig features string band interpretations of Blu Cantrell’s beat-box driven R&B single “Hit ‘Em Up Style” and Tom…

It was 1984 when “Stop Making Sense”, the Talking Heads seminal Jonathan Demme-directed concert documentary turned heads. A groundbreaking concert film which showcased the wacky exploits of the seminal bunch of art school dropouts turned arty new wavers known as the Talking Heads. In honor of its fifteenth anniversary, the landmark film was digitally re-mixed…

In Iran it is considered a violation of Muslim law while in the streets of Dakar, Senegal music pulses in the streets and defines the culture. Two excellent reports of how cultures embrace or oppress musical expression. Report From Iran: By Robert Fisk This article was originally published in the Independent. I heard them in…

“Into The Wind” by Guzheng performer/composer Bei Bei He and Ubiquity producer Shawn Lee marries a unique blend of ancient tradition with studio trickery. This uplifting, genre-bending sound clash, recalls the afro centric harping of Dorothy Ashby and hypnotic spiritual jazz of Alice Coltrane. With Lee adding equal doses of hip hop, electric jazz, and…

Los, Amigos, Invisibles, free, music, Commercial It was 1997 when I met and interviewed a fresh-faced group of Venezuelanos, just in from Caracas and embarking on their first US performance at New York City’s SOB nightclub. The group had agreed to a photoshot for my magazine, ROAM, before the show and we all met in…

One of the most influential underground music producers and DJs of the past decade has called it quits. Here’s his letter: The End It’s over. I can’t go into the personal reasons, but of course will leave you some explanation as to how I got here. It feels a bit like walking away from a…

Build An Ark’s releases third album: “LOVE Part 1”. 13 tracks of beautiful folk jazz featuring amongst others Carlos Nino, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Dwight Trible plus special guests Phil Ranelin (one of the founders of Tribe) and Michael White (Impulse). Build An Ark return with their third album ‘LOVE Part 1’, and their growth – both…