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Elly Roberts reviews
Putumayo World Music
- Released: March 2008
- Rating: 10/10
One hell of a cool album! I love it.
Putumayos clever world music policy has done it once again hit my musicbutton. When I drive down to Spain this summer, thisll be part of my holidaysoundtrack for summer 2008; such is the feel-good factor.
Ok, so youll need to a multi-linguist to understand the lyrics, but it shouldntprevent you from enjoying this exquisite collection by some of Europes finestmusicians, producers and DJs. Euro Groove is oooooozing in sophisticationand style, exemplified by the opening song Destins et Desirs liftedfrom Tootya (2007) by Lebanese saxophonist and jazz composer Toufic Farroukh.After the opening strings and lazy drum beat it soon gets into its easy-goingstride with Jeanne Addeds smokey and sensual vocals, in French, putting theicing on the cake. Midway there are shades of Farroukhs middle-eastern roots.
The loungy jazz overtones of German duo Bettina Mischke and Roland Grosch aka Jazzamor,provide the perfect segue on Nuit Magique, sung again in French. ItalianWorld Music ensemble Fiamma Fumana (fire mist) is well known for fusing Italianfolk with electronica. Here the quintets Check In combines trad folk sensibilitieswith contemporary RnB, bringing sparkling results.
Six-piece !Dela Dap began in 2002 headed by Prague producer Stani Vana who was raisedin the Slovak mountains. Though not a Roma as such, Le Shin still possessesa gypsy-like quality which he absorbed from the region, propelled by a violinlayered over a smooth and funky groove, which this collection is all about.Madrid based quartet Guateque All Stars Superwhirly is lifted from theirself-titled 2002 album. They use a rotation of lead vocalists. This time thetrack is fronted by Shiva who adds a touch of sensuality. Berlin duo IngaHumpe and Tommi Eckart are veterans on the German alternative pop scene.
Madchen Mit Plan (Girl with a plan) was originally released on In Wirklichin 2002. It tells the tale of a chance meeting between two lonely people, andits one of the standout tracks here. Formed in Yorkshire, Chumbawamba have beentogether for over two decades, scoring a massive hit with Tubthumping in1997.
The excellent Jacobs Ladder is an example of their departure from anthemicpop, veering more towards world music, tinged with Celtic flavours. Smootherlounge stylings remerge via the cool and sophisticated Florentine trio MysticDiversions E Pa-Pa, featuring sultry singer/songwriter/ actress Pati Palma,singing in French.
Continuing the French theme, brothers Mouss and Hakim Amokrane hail from Toulouse,with their song Mina reflecting the oppression of women, by people whofollow fundamentalist beliefs.
File under: Very cool.
Weblink:putuyamo.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Destins et Desirs Toufic Farroukh feat. Jeanne Added (France/Lebanon)
2. Nuit Magigue Jazzamor (Germany)
3. Check In Fiamma Fumana (Italy)
4. Le Shin – !DelaDap ( Czech Rep / Hungary /Austria)
5. Cette Fille Martial (France)
6. Superwhirly Guateque All Stars feat. Shiva (Spain)
7. Madchen Mit Plan 2raumwohnung (Germany)
8. Jacobs Ladder Chumbawamba (England)
9. E Pa-Pa Mystic Diversions (Italy)
10. Mina Mouss et Hakim (France)
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.