Gone Clear - MANGO
Artist: Manu Dibango
Radio Mali
Artist: Ali Farka Toure
Community Score: 10.00

Ali Farka Toure's Radio Mali features Malian radio appearances from 1970 to 1978, which were among the first performances to bring the West African guitarist/singer's work to the attention of his countrymen. Though it was available for a time as an import CD, Rykodisc's release of Radio Mali marks its debut as a domestically available title.... Read More

In Concert: Live at the University of Puerto Rico
Artist: Batacumbele

Batacumbele, an amazing outfit of musicians thoroughly steeped in Afro-Caribbean traditions and also fully conversant with the jazz idioms of the day, are a very important group in Puerto Rican history. The Latin jazz world is sometimes unappreciative of Puerto Rico's contributions to the world of Afro-Caribbean music, primarily looking to Cuba... Read More

Apartheid Is Nazism
Artist: Alpha Blondy
Community Score: 8.00

While it might be sacrilege in reggae circles to say that any artist could challenge Bob Marley's mastery of the genre, Alpha Blondy fires a dead-on shot literally heard around the world with Apartheid Is Nazism. Furthermore, this work proves that great reggae does not have to come from Jamaica. "Afriki" opens the album with a nod to Jamaica,... Read More

Arawe
Artist: Daniel Ponce

Ponce is a charismatic conga player as hot as any. There are six pieces here, five written by Ponce, played by mostly nine- to ten-piece bands with one quintet cut. Ponce gets help from notables Yomo Toro, Nicky Marrero, Steve Turre, Isidro Bobadilla, Lew Soloff, and Vernon Reid. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide Read More

Siroco
Artist: Paco de Lucía

At times, flamenco phenomenon De Lucia has branched out into jazz, bossa nova, and Cuban mixes. Here, however, he plays essentially solo compositions based on pure flamenco, though with a virtuosity and reach that belong in a concert hall rather than in the traditional settings. ~ John Storm Roberts, All Music Guide Read More

Saudades
Artist: Naná Vasconcelos

This 1979 recording is probably Afro-experimentalist Vasconcelos' finest. It presents his various facets -- berimbao playing, intricate overlain vocals, fine percussion, even gorgeous guitar -- simply and almost overwhelmingly. This is one of those performances that remind one to never let natural dogmatism get too out of hand. ~ John Storm... Read More

Dori Caymmi
Artist: Dori Caymmi

If you like Brasilian Serenata, you'll want this one too. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide Read More

Ali Farka Toure
Artist: Ali Farka Toure

Internationally feted at the age of 50, Ali Farka Toure's life was not always so easy. Up till the release of this, his first album, he was virtually unknown in West Africa and a non-entity in the world music community. Before this album bought him fame, if not fortune, Toure's life resembled Amos Tutuola's in Palm Wine Drunkard, a mixture of... Read More

Niafunké
Artist: Ali Farka Toure
Community Score: 10.00

Malian guitarist Ali Farka Toure's music has always managed global travel with ease and musical grace, shrinking the miles between Western Africa and the Mississippi Delta and seemingly visiting every city in between. Toure has received his share of accolades for blurring the lines between his contemporary/traditional fingerpicking style and... Read More