If you’re a fan of swinging 1920’s style French jazz, then you’ll certainly enjoy Caravan Palace. They describe themselves as an electro-swing group and they hail from Paris, France. The band’s influences include Django Reinhardt, Cab Calloway, Lionel Hampton, and Daft Punk. Their self-titled album debuted in 2008 and was very well received. Get ready to do some major league toe tapping!
Youssou N’Dour. He’s called the Lion of Africa. After listening to him for about ten seconds you realize why. He embodies what African vocals are all about. You’ve probably heard Ladysmith Black Mambaza, Miriam Makeba, and other fantastic African voices. Youssou is right up there with them with his distinctive, powerful voice.
Anyway, Youssou is from Dakar, Senegal and inherited his musicality from his mother who was a Griot (oral historian). He learned to sing as a child and formed the group Super E'toile de Dakar as a twenty-year old. He’s gone on to travel the world with this group and has recorded with everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Peter Gabriel, Sting and Tracy Chapman. He also owns a popular nightclub in Dakar. Long live the king!
If you enjoyed the music of the late 60s, but are totally sick of listening to “classic rock, “here’s a group you may find refreshing. Avi Buffalo was founded by Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg (small wonder he uses the moniker Avi Buffalo, eh?) when he was in high school in Long Beach. He put a band together with fellow classmates and eventually got signed by the renowned label Sub Pop. They released their first album this spring. Their music smacks of Buffalo Springfield (coincidence?) and a bit of the Byrds. It’s low-fi psychedelica with catchy melodies. I have to admit, Avi’s voice gets on my nerve at times, but overall, I find this group charming. Think 60s folk-rock with excellent guitar work. I just missed the opportunity to see them live and I could kick myself. I doubt they’ll become a household name, but I think they’ll develop a loyal following. Count me among those numbers.
P.S. This band is so new, I couldn't find any really good live performances of them. Search youtube in a couple months.
For a tiny island with a small population, Iceland sure has produced some remarkable groups/musicians. Bjork, Sigur Ros, and now Olafur Arnalds. “Olu who?” you might be inclined to say. Well, he’s a very young composer, who’s released two remarkable CDs. This twenty-something's music is hard to describe. Imagine that on my blog! It blends a bit of Eric Satie, jazz, George Winston, and you can sense he's definitely influenced by fellow countrymen Sigur Ros. It’s very meditative and introspective. He also engages the help of the Icelandic string quartet, Amiina. Give a listen to the future of classical music.
P.S. My apologies to all my Scandinavian fans out about the lack of correct accent marks—I’m just not sure how to wrangle that.
And neither did I, until a couple days ago. Thanks to the CBC, I’ve been introduced to a number of excellent groups from our neighbors to the north (or to the south, from here in Detroit). And here’s another one. Jacksoul. This group was founded by Haydain Neale in Toronto, in the mid-1990s. The band produces a catchy blend of R&B, jazz, soul, and just great music. But the real focal point is Neale’s voice. And, what a voice. Unfortunately, Neale was involved in a serious car accident in 2007 and was in a coma for several months. He made a miraculous recovery, only to die of lung cancer two years later. But I’m glad his music will live on. Now, at least you know a little bit about Jacksoul, and Haydain Neale.
The quartet Real Estate formed in 2008 and has been hailed as one of the best bands in New Jersey. “Faint praise be damned”, as the Bard of Avon so succinctly put it. Their unique brand of surfy lo-fi pop sound is perfect cruising music. It’s catchy and toe-tapping in a slow-mo sort of way. They're sort of a Manuel Galban goes American rock. To date they only have a self-titled cd which was released in 2009. Hang ten, Dudes!
As most of you know, I tend to post new, relatively obscure bands and musicians. This week, I’m going to make an exception. I recently heard an interview with Natalie Merchant discussing her latest recording and I was very impressed. Natalie was the driving force behind 10,000 Maniacs and has had a successful solo career since the group broke up in 1995. However, she hasn’t released anything in seven years, and her latest, Leave Your Sleep is a dandy.
She sets poems, rhymes, and lullabies to music, with great success. The words are taken from the likes of Ogden Nash, e.e. cummings, Robert Graves, and traditional English and American sources. The instrumentation is a diverse musical odyssey, ranging from The Wynton Marsalis Orchestra and Klezmer, to Appalachian folk and Celtic music. And leading it all is the rich, mature voice of Natalie herself. It’s a two-disc set well worth waiting for.
P.S. If you like what you hear, do a search for Natalie Merchant Leave Your Sleep on youtube. There are many songs including a 30 minute concert of featuring music from the cd.
My main focus is on films that I feel have gone under the radar and deserve more recognition. They include both mainstream and indie films streaming on services like Netflix, Hoopla, and Kanopy. I’ll also review noteworthy new theatrical releases as well. If you have any suggestions, feel free to email me at: dominmark@yahoo.com.
