• 
  KG Omulo: Ayah Ye!: Moving Train
  
  A synergy of funk, rock, reggae and traditional African sounds from this inventive, young singer/songwriter.
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  Various Artists: Chief Boima Presents: Lone Stars - Hipco and Gbema
  
  
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  Mamadou Diabaté: Courage
  
  Mamadou Diabate, the kora master, takes a fresh look at Mali instrumental music with his new CD Courage.
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  Various Artists: The Kankobela of the Batonga, Vol. 2
  
  Mysterious melodies from a disappearing thumb piano tradition of Southern Africa.
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  Kiran Ahluwalia: Aam Zameen: Common Ground
  
  Indo-Canadian Songwriter Combines Folk Poetry with African Rock, Jazz and more
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  M.anifest: Immigrant Chronicles: Coming to America
  
  
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  Sona Jobarteh: FASIYA
  
  West African female kora virtuoso releases an album full of grace, warmth, and passion.
• 
  Sia Tolno: My Life
  
  Kissi singer releases a strong second album full of pop-infused star power over songs of strife and triumph.
• 
  Zieti: Zemelewa
  
  Eclectic blend of Afro-infused pop out of Cote d'Ivoire.
• 
  Guelewar: Halleli N Dakarou
  
  Re-released and remastered live CD from this 80's experimental Senegambian outfit.
• 
  Tinariwen: Tassili
  
  Touareg desert legends return with an offering that is meandering, sorrowful and proud.
• 
  Los Rakas: Chancletas y Camisetas Bordada
  
  Oakland/Panamanian rappers -call it "Panabay"-- return with good results.
• 
  Cheikh Lo: Jamm
  
  The unique Senegalese singer and multi-instrumentalist crafts an eclectically excellent record.
• 
  David Rudder: Random Notes
  
  Calypsonian David Rudder returns with an album that covers various styles with excellent results.

All Reviews >>

This is exactly the album Cesaria Evora needed to make. Her Grammy-award-nominated 1999 release, Café Atlantico, summed up her masterful take on soulful Cape Verdean song forms--notably the melancholy morna and playful coladeira--and hinted at new ground: collaboration. Here, the 60-year old "barefoot diva" harmonizes sensationally with Brazilian superstar Caetano Veloso ("Tiempo y Silencio"), engages in romantic Portuguese call-and-response with Bonnie Raitt ("Crepescular Solidao"), and eases into an elegant Cuban mode backed by Orquesta Aragon, who have been pumping out classy dance music since the Buena Vista Social Clubbers were young. Cuban jazz pianist Chucho Valdes also makes an appearance, and virtually all of these 15 tracks benefit from a tastefully arranged string section that adds lush grandeur to Evora's folksy sound without denaturing it.

After years of success, Evora can call on the best composers in her genre, and the result is one intricate, memorable melody after another. "Sabor De Pecado" weaves melodic eloquence unexpectedly through a light and lively coladeira. "Fada" plays like a cross between the friendliest of Brazilian pop and a gospel choir in full celebration with a hook that won't let go. Throughout, Evora is in splendid voice, her relaxed, smoky delivery as strong and winning as we've ever heard it. For once in the much-tampered-with realm of high-level world music singers, a team of producers, guest artists, composers and the singer's own band have worked together to produce something coherent and consistently great--without a doubt the strongest Evora release to date.
Contributed by Banning Eyre