March Radar

Toumani Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra - Boulevard de L'Independence' (World Circuit)
The kora master's new album promises a lot. If its as good as the one track included with the Songlines magazine then this should be a wonderful meditative album.
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Panama! -- Latin, Calypso & Funk On The Isthmus 1965-75 (Soundway)
Miles Cleret at it again. Impressive groove oriented re-issue label. This time focussing on the latin funk groove of Panama.
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Congos and Friends - Fisherman Style (BAF)
Steve Barrow and the team at Blood and Fire team up Jamaican vocalists old and new to voice over the seminal Lee Perry produced Congos track Fisherman.
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Quantic presents The World's Rarest Funk 45s (Jazzman)
Rare as hens' teeth funk 45s put together by Brighton's man of many talents Will Holland.
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Brian Eno/David Byrne - My Life in the Bush with Ghosts Remaster
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On heavy rotation during February and with a big thumbs up are the following:
1. Hugh Masekela - The Chisa Years 1965-1975 Rare and Unreleased (BBE)...Lots of tracks with vocals by Letta Mbulu and concentrating on the late sixties and early seventies period when Masekela was producing very funky african tinged fusion.
2. The Flaming Lips - At War with the Mystics (WEA)...Well not quite up there with Yoshimi or the Soft Bulletin but a very strong album with some great tracks. A band well worth seeing live and for making you feel alive
3. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis - The Proposition OST...An interview with Cave was published in the Guardian. Looks like he's changed his haircut to do the PR. A bleak but warm soundscape.
4. K'naan - The Dusty Foot Philosopher...A return to the daisy age of Hip Hop. Think De la Soul circa 3ft high and rising and the Digable Planets, only this time the guy has grown up on the streets of Mogadishu and then been translocated to Canada. Check it out.
5. Richard Hawley - Coles Corner...great northern singer-songwriter. Sent to me by a fellow music enthusiast I was taken aback by his unique vocal styling and strong lyrics.
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A big disappointment for me has been Corinne Bailey Rae's debut album which just doesn't bear up on repeated listening. A few great tracks but the hype has been too much. Also getting the thumbs down is the new Sergio Mendes project Timeless, involving the Black Eyed Peas amongst others.
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Compilations produced:
Soweto Calling - South African Jazz
Afro Funk Express
African Twist - Early African Rock and Roll
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Finally
If you want to read one book on the history and development of South African music you could do a lot worse than getting a copy of Gwen Ansell's book Soweto Blues. Just add Muff Anderson's Music in the Mix, David Caplan's In Township Tonight and Rob Allingham's chapter in the Rough Guide to World Music and you won't need any more reference books on South African music....anyway its promopted me to go back to South African jazz and dust off some early Dollar Brand, Johnny Dyani and Blues notes...

Until next time LISTEN