• 
  KG Omulo: Ayah Ye!: Moving Train
  
  A synergy of funk, rock, reggae and traditional African sounds from this inventive, young singer/songwriter.
• 
  Various Artists: Chief Boima Presents: Lone Stars - Hipco and Gbema
  
  
• 
  Mamadou Diabaté: Courage
  
  Mamadou Diabate, the kora master, takes a fresh look at Mali instrumental music with his new CD Courage.
• 
  Various Artists: The Kankobela of the Batonga, Vol. 2
  
  Mysterious melodies from a disappearing thumb piano tradition of Southern Africa.
• 
  Kiran Ahluwalia: Aam Zameen: Common Ground
  
  Indo-Canadian Songwriter Combines Folk Poetry with African Rock, Jazz and more
• 
  M.anifest: Immigrant Chronicles: Coming to America
  
  
• 
  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 >>

As 2003--The Year of the Blues--draws to a close, one of the most satisfying artistic project of this bluesy annum hits the streets. Corey Harris's musical visits to Mississippi and Mali are already known thanks to Martin Scorsese's film, "Feel Like Going Home." Here we get the musical encounters themselves, unmediated by images, explanation, or any fancy production. Whether it's settling into down home electric blues with Sam Carr and Bobby Rush, sliding into an njarka (fiddle) jam and sharing blues classics with Ali Farka Toure in Niafounke, or lighting into a deep fife-and-drum groove with 12-year-old Shardé Thomas--granddaughter of the late cultural treasure Otha Thomas--the music here is immediate and irresistible.

For those interested in the African roots of the blues, this release adds to an emerging genre of recent releases. By jamming so casually with musicians in these two locations, Harris gets at deep truths without a lot of fuss. The way Souleyman Kane digs into blues grooves on calabash--"Catfish Blues" and "44 Blues" especially--is a revelation. And Ali Farka has no trouble at all negotiating Skip James' "Special Rider Blues" on njarka. In these spontaneous sessions, Harris manages to hit on familiar blues touchstones, like "Big Road Blues," while throwing in French lyrics, a Tuareg song, and a couple of original compositions. Best of all, he makes it all fit like peas in a pod.

Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org