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Reviews

Review of Interesting Times

Interesting Times

Basco

Go Danish Folk Music

Rating: ★★★★

‘There is no escaping it. We live in the sort of times that will be referred to by historians as...

Reviewed by Kevin Bourke in issue: October/2017

Review of Mezana Dounia

Mezana Dounia

Massa Dembele

Izniz Records

Rating: ★★★★

Massa Dembele is a jeli (griot) from Burkina Faso who plays the kamalengoni. It's a bridged harp-lute not dissimilar to...

Reviewed by Jim Hickson in issue: October/2017

Review of Saigon Supersound, 1965-75 Volume 1

Saigon Supersound, 1965-75 Volume 1

VARIOUS ARTISTS

INFRACom!

Rating: ★★★★

Five years after Sublime Frequencies' release Saigon Rock and Soul – Vietnamese Classic Tracks 1968-1974 (reviewed in #85), here is...

Reviewed by Barley Norton in issue: October/2017

Review of Allo, Balthazar?!

Allo, Balthazar?!

Eric Bouvelle & Romane

Frémeaux & Associés

Rating: ★★★

Ah, now this is a delight! The pairing of leading Gypsy jazz guitarist Romane and celebrated accordion player Eric Bouvelle...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: October/2017

Review of Stargazer

Stargazer

Ensemble Ériu

Diatribe Records

Rating: ★★★★

Inspired by the expressionist paintings of Jack Butler Yeats (brother of the poet WB Yeats), Stargazer positions Ensemble Ériu as...

Reviewed by Michael Quinn in issue: October/2017

Review of Independence Ska and the Far East Sound

Independence Ska and the Far East Sound

Skatalites

Soul Jazz Records

Rating: ★★★★★

The Skatalites' brief original existence from 1963 to 1965 surely marks them out as one of the most influential bands...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: October/2017

Review of Caribbean in America 1915-1962

Caribbean in America 1915-1962

VARIOUS ARTISTS

Frémeaux et Associés

Rating: ★★★★

No niche is too specialist for France's Frémeaux label. This release contains a whopping 66 tracks. But then again, American...

Reviewed by Chris Moss in issue: October/2017

Review of Golden Boy

Golden Boy

Watermelon Slim

Dixiefrog Records

Rating: ★★★★

Watermelon Slim is a singer, guitarist and songwriter from Oklahoma. He's lived a varied life, including serving in the Vietnam...

Reviewed by Garth Cartwright in issue: October/2017

Review of In Flow

In Flow

Jack Talty

Raelach Records

Rating: ★★★★

Irish concertina master Jack Talty here presents his first solo album, a well-considered collection of tunes. Jigs, reels, hornpipes and...

Reviewed by Tom Newell in issue: October/2017

Review of Ryan Young

Ryan Young

Ryan Young

Ryan Young

Rating: ★★★

This hotly tipped, er, young Scottish fiddler has won, and been nominated for a plethora of folk and fiddling awards....

Reviewed by Matthew Milton in issue: October/2017

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