• 
  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 >>

After film maker Andrucha Waddington finished making his 1996 documentary on Gilberto Gil, Tempo Rei, he recruited Gil to compose and perform music for a drama about a northeastern woman who juggles three husbands in a single household. Gil calls her simply a woman with "a lot of passions." He was happy to take on the challenge of creating a soundtrack because the film touched on one of his own passions, the music of Luis Gonzaga. Gil adapts a number of compositions and trademark songs performed by the legendary singer of foro and baião--northeastern Brazilian party music. Often he reads the songs simply, as Gonzaga would, with lively hand percussion, triangle, accordion and guitar, as on the regional favorite, "Asa Branca" and its festive cousin, "A Volta da Asa Branca."

This folksy, playful set is a welcome addition to Gil's diverse catalogue. Though he composed just two new songs for the project, his personal mark is evident on every track. It takes an artists with Gil's cool to tame a frantic foro like the opener, "Óia eu aqui de novo," with such a velvet touch. Slow and pretty, "Esperando" was composed by a young accordionist from Bahia, and Gil's version has become a hit in Brazil. Gil's funky side gets no play here, and though there are some ballads, and moments where he slips in a few so-called "post bossa nova chords," we also get little of the evocative, jazzy harmonies that infuse Gil's mature compositions. Still, there's no doubting Gil's affection and feel for Gonzaga's repertoire, with its rural beer hall ambiance. He pours his heart into a handful of slower numbers, like "Juazeiro," clearly a favorite. But most of these fourteen tracks kick up the dust in a rowdy celebration of the late Gonzaga.

Contributed by Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org