• 
  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 >>

Radio Tarifa's fourth album is an inspired selection of 12 live tracks, all but one recorded in Toronto, Canada in 2002. This band has explored the modes, rhythms and melodies of Spanish and North African music like no other. A fascination with the history and cultural aftermath of Moorish Spain (7th-15th centuries) is central to this music, hence Radio Tarifa's inclusion in two of Afropop Worldwide's three "Musical Legacy of Al-Andalus" programs in 2004. But it is noteworthy that these musicians make no attempt to recreate or retrace history. Rather they take existing music, poetry and reality as their starting point, and create pieces that honor and playfully riff on the past.

Take the giddy opener, "Jota Beréber," a Castilian folk song that gallops to a 12/8 Berber rhythm, and works in long, satisfying oud and flute solos. "Elli Yeddi Haq Ennas" draws on 1960s chaabi from Algeria with the group's charismatic vocalist Benjamin Escoriza singing gruffly, soulfully, about the tragic life of the alcoholic. Two songs brilliantly contrast different aspects of Jorge Gomez's guitar work. On "Tangos del Agujero," he delivers spare, passionate flamenco with the band pared down to percussion, flute and bass. On "Bulirías Turcas," he kicks out fiery electric guitar work. A bulerías is among the most driving and festive flamenco forms, and this one, driven by bass and percussion and topped with fits of breathy flute by Vincent Molino, and wild guitar work by Gomez, makes for the most exciting track on the album.

But there are no weak tracks here. From "La Mosca (The Fly)" a naughty traditional song from Granada played with Berber folk instruments, to "Canción Sefardi," a beautiful, slowly unfolding piece that sets an old man's memory of his father to a 16th century Sephardic Jewish melody, Radio Tarifa's creations bend time, space, and culture with masterful confidence and depth.

"Nina" is a cool, waltzing love song to a Moorish queen. "El Mandil de Carolina" features oud and crumphorn with dark tonality and fierce rhythm distantly reminiscent of Balkan music. Elsewhere, there are hints of Latin American style and sensibility. "Ronda de Sanabria," a romantic, Castilian folk ballad, musters the moody weight and power of a dirge. Every song is a surprise on this the richest and best Radio Tarifa recording to date.

Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org