Our friends over atPutumayo really have gone out of the way to make me chill out with some sensuous slow samba, soothing bossa nova and jazz from Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador and beyond. Putumayo’s Brazilian Café is an enchanting addition to its Café series. Brazilian Café brings together a captivating selection of samba, bossa nova and jazz by Brazilian stars and up-and-coming talents. In the early 1960s, legendary Brazilian composers Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes hung out in an Ipanema beachside café where they would often see a beautiful neighborhood girl, Helô Pinheiro, walk by. She became the inspiration for one of the most popular songs of all time, “Girl From Ipanema.” The global bossa nova boom can be traced to that moment of musical inspiration at a Brazilian café and most of the artists on this CD drew inspiration from Jobim, de Moraes and other songwriters who followed. With this release, Putumayo continues to demonstrate the strong connection between food and music. In addition to collections such as Music from the Wine Lands and Music from the Coffee Lands, more than 15 of the label’s CDs include recipes. Brazilian Café features recipes for cafezinho, a Brazilian coffee drink, and pavê de cafê, a popular Brazilian coffee dessert. Putumayo’s previous Café collections, Italian Café, French Café and Café Cubano, have sold one million copies.

The Radiators are not only going to be here this Sunday, but they have a new album out as well: “The Lost Southlake Sessions”.

1. Have A Little Mercy
2. Everything Gets In The Way
3. Solid Ground
4. Devil’s Dream
5. Blowin’ Smoke
6. Fires Of Love
7. Honey From The Bee
8. Love Ain’t Love
9. Soul Deep
10. Hurtin’ For it
11. Good As Gone
12. Freeway
13. River run
14. I Want To Go Where The Green Arrow Goes

I should have a copy to spin very soon and I look so forward to the whole enchilada…the show on Sunday and the new tunes, especially notice the title of track #14.

Assembley of Dust has a new release and man my first few listens must have come exactly when I was looking for this sound.

Ukulele Master and friend of the program, Jake Shimabukuro has his first live album released on Hitchhike Records. There are several moments during one of Jake’s live shows to be amazed by what sound can be made with a four stringed instrument, but imagine it being captured and sifted through by the artist after several performances were recorded and the best of the best (as seen through Jake’s eyes) were put on the first full-length CD since 2006′ “Gently Weeps”. The 17 song album include 12 originals ( 4 of which are brand new) and 5 covers (including an incredible version of J.S. Bach’s “Two Part Invention No.4 in D Minor” and a unique interpretation of Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller”. Not only does this release capture the innovation behind the sound that Jake can create musically but the playfulness and joy that accompanies the art with the artist….Checkout “Jake Shimabukuro LIVE” for more of what I mean.

Maybe it was because on of my favorite people in the world when I was younger, grandpa was a truck driver, maybe not….I have always dug certain country sounds and let me tell you Dale Watson has exactly what I search for. On Hyena Records, the Truckin’ Sessions Vol. 2 is a tribute to the truck driving men (even a truck drivin’ queen) and pays great homage to those who commandeer the mighty 18-wheeler rig as a way of live. His soulful baritone voice tells you to listen and it means it…..his songwriting is so sharp I listen and feel like I am aboard the rig myself. Some of the tales carry on with wit and others take loneliness & sadness and gives them a face atop the body of these mystical characters on America’s highways. I often wonder about the tales of the road that grandpa NEVER told me about….

Dale Watson will be in my area here in WI, but keep a look out for when/if he is playing out near you
06-12 | Chicago, IL | Martyr’s
06-13 | Middleton, WI | Club Tavern (2PM set)
06-13 | Janesville, WI | Bass Creek Golf Course @ The Big Red Open (8PM set)
08-09 | Green Bay, WI | Oneida Casino
08-10 | Green Bay, WI | Oneida Casino
08-11 | Green Bay, WI | Oneida Casino
08-12 | Green Bay, WI | Oneida Casino
08-13 | Green Bay, WI | Oneida Casino
08-14 | Green Bay, WI | Oneida Casino
08-15 | Green Bay, WI | Oneida Casino

The newest release from our friends at Putumayo features artists inspired by the jazz influenced songs that can be heard as soundtracks in many cafes and bar scenes in Rome, Milan and other Italian cities in the 50′s. This album has a focus on the contemporary singer-songwriters who have taken the sounds of those cafes & bars and changed them slightly to reflect the times, the global differences since the 50′s and the forward moving land that is Italy. There are tangos, sambas and rich gypsy rhythms combined in this collection, which is a sequel of sorts, and the songs selected remind us of the carefree energy and optimism of Italy’s postwar years. It is always difficult to recommend tracks for you to check out and I will be spinning songs off of Italia soon for your sampling pleasure, but some of my immediate favorites are: Il Mare Mi Salva by Rossomalpelo, Il Vaaggio by Gianmaria Testa and Iquique by Rocco De Rosa. Think the Spirit of la dolce with contemporary flair.

The new release by Tower of Power (Great American Soulbook) ~the groups 20th release and the first studio album in five years is something different for them, they played some old tunes by lifelong favorites. Both Saxophonist Stephen “Doc” Kupka and Second Tenor Sax player Emilio Castillo (both co-founders of the band) were resistant to the idea of doing songs other than their own, but realized about a third of the way through the project that it was working to their satisfaction. In addition to Emilio producing most of the tracks, legendary Frank Zappa keyboardist George Duke took the helm on three songs. There are many highlights to this album, none of which I could tell you that are better than others until you ear it up for yourself, but the guest artists are a tribute to the band really embracing the idea of working on tunes that inspired them~they include: Sir Tom Jones, Sam Moore, Joss Stone and Huey Lewis. The track “Star Time” (Tribute to James Brown) is a personal standout for me both as a music listener and a music sharer, it is one that really hits it for me. The album is release on the groups own Tower of Power Records label and will be available at live shows, off it’s web site, and all your favorite digital forms of media. Come now, it’s Tower of Power doing some of the great soul and R -n- B tunes heard by ears all over the world…..it’s IS as good as it sounds.

Check out this free download of the track “Wait til you See” from the album Can We Go Back Where We Began? THE KARL WALTERS JR TRIO is a jazz and jam tinted reflection of the wild experimentation that is modern Brooklyn music. Led by composer and trombonist Westbrook Johnson, and anchored by Keegan Schelling on bass and Matt Ferry on drums, the Trio walks, flaunts, and occasionally destroys the line between the composed and the improvised. With influences ranging from the high, bluesy wails of Louis Armstrong, to the stark, sharp cubistic rhythms of Incubus, to the savory and sweet melody lines of Antonio Carlos Jobim, the KWJ Trio embraces the styles of several musical traditions while adding their own unique voice to the beautiful cacophony of contemporary sound. By way of their tight, improvisational communication, The Karl Walters Jr Trio brings Johnson’s dynamic and varied compositions to life, ensuring an exciting listen for fans of all genres.

Just as the colors in the mandala stretch wide into togetherness, this album takes sounds from a nation filled with many dialects and traditions and creates a oneness with them.

Anyone who has been following along with greenarrowradio knows that the Malian Blues and American rock-N-roll are things this host really enjoy. Even if they don’t appear during a set list for a short while, they are being listened to. So whenever Toubab Krewe are in town you know I’ll be there. This time around they presented their blend of West African influences and kicking homegrown in North Carolina rock-N-roll at the Majestic Theater and they brought it along with a brand new live album out on Upstream Records. “Live at the Orange Peel” really captures the live performance as I have seen it on a several stages and I was just as impressed with the new album as I was with the live show. The live show provides several opportunities to lose yourself in sounds that are foreign and familiar simultaneously, which really causes some interesting body movements to the danceable grooves. The guys rock by the way. When the great American rock-N-roll kicks in it usually is at a steady beat of sound propulsion really pumping a crowd up…..My recommendation is to go out and catch them live and if they aren’t nearby…have no fears…the new live album is waiting to come home with you.

Now here is a collection I would have loved to have been a part of listening to & tracking down the proper fits for. Putumayo presents, African Reggae, a collection of powerful and vibrant traditional and modern sounds from African musicians in part to pay homage to Bob Marley. His impact on the music of Africa is undeniable..and the theme of unity sung of loudly with hope for liberation and thus influenced each artist on this collection. From Ba Cissoko with Tiken Jah Fakoly and Mo’ Kalamity & the Wizards to One Love Family and Majek Fashek, the Jamaican influence on African music shows that spirit of connective unity betwenn cultures that make a musician like Bob Marley so memorable, and allows for others to build off that familiar rhythm and chants and continue in that ONE LOVE. A portion of the proceeds from this album will be donated to HOPEHIV in support of their efforts to strengthen the capacity of African children who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.

The Microscopic Septet has put out a new release on Cuneiform Records entitled Lobster Leaps In. The album has eleven previously unrecorded songs that certainly must have put smiles on the faces in the audiences during the Micros’ first dozen year run (1980-1992) on NYC’s club stages. Think about the line up….Four Saxes plus rhythm section ensemble, swinging out some danceable and witty tunes from free form to rumbas and ragtime.

Check out my previous conversation with founding member of the Microscopic Septet, Mr Phillip Johnston here.

2008 Cuneiform

Putumayo delivers a package of soulful jazz and blues to liven up the holiday season. “A Jazz & Blues Christmas” offers a memorable array of classic holiday songs by jazz and blues legends known to many and perhaps some lesser-known artists to some. B.B. King opens the album with “Christmas Celebration,” a rollicking, up-tempo tune cheerfully punctuated with bursts of brass from an energetic horn section. Ray Charles tells the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to a soulful beat. Ramsey Lewis plays “Here Comes Santa Claus,” simulating the ring of sleigh bells on the upper registers of his keyboard. And, young Canadian chanteuse Emilie-Claire Barlow offers a new take on the old holiday favorite “Santa Baby.” While I am not known to celebrate such events, this album is certainly worth checking out for the sounds that I would prefer to hear splattered on my radio during this season….’Tis the season for soulful stocking stuffers….

Known for his galaxy creating percussion work in Medeski Martin & Wood, Billy Martin is more than the music he creates. There is a soulful path to his avant sound exploits, there are reasons he ends up where he begins musically. This video is one of those special treats you sometimes (often) don’t get to be a part of-Vongole Films presents a rare live solo performance of Billy’s known in words as: COCONUTS FEEDING BIRDS. While the name itself conjures up odd images and the guessing of what sounds can represent this title—it becomes a thrill to watch, not just hear the avant thought expressed with rhythm and beats-and while you might not have been there originally, it is captured and caged for constant research and further experimental enjoyments–released on Billy’s Amulet Records-this is a live recording from The Heinen Theater HCC Central College Department of the Fine Arts. There are many reasons I would reccomend this video, but I want you to find out your very own likings, but for me the discussion of the master class experience, the chosen instruments, and the accompanying soundtrack to the photographic slideshow were all worth the first time view-thru!

www.amuletrecords.com
www.vongolefilms.com
Running time: 74 minutes

Our friends at Putumayo are at it again, and this time they are bringing some Muppets along. With the release of Sesame Street Playground, a CD/DVD set featuring songs and music videos from Sesame Street productions around the world. This new release represents a shared mission of Putumayo Kids and Sesame Workshop: to reach children worldwide and help children learn about and respect other cultures. Sesame Street Playground is the first globally distributed Sesame Workshop audio CD. Sesame Street Playground is an exciting world music adventure for kids, with each song and video produced in its country of origin. Thirteen songs from Brazil, France, China, India, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, Palestine, Russia, South Africa and Tanzania complement two from the U.S. flagship production. Listeners can sing along to favorite songs such as “Rubber Ducky” in Chinese, (I played this on the show to mass appeal) while viewers will experience new sounds, characters and styles of music from other cultures by watching videos such as “Galli Galli Sim Sim,” the show opening from the India series. The kid in all of us would be disappointed not to get a chance to check this one out.

Also, On previous collections, Putumayo has explored upbeat Arabic pop and dance music (Arabic Groove and North African Groove) and laid-back Arabic electronica (Sahara Lounge). With Acoustic Arabia, we turn our attention to the subtler, more organic music of the Arabic world which has been inspired by the region’s traditional music. This is the music I tend to lean toward during moments of reflection and contemplation. With their stripped-down arrangements and softer, more introspective quality, the songs on Acoustic Arabia highlight the fundamental beauty of the music of the Arabic world. This collection features an intriguing roster of artists, including several international stars and exciting new discoveries. Each musician has a fascinating life story that brings added depth to their music. Take your soul on a ride with this release.

This album coincides with Quebec City’s 400th anniversary and is a fine celebration of the rich musical diversity in this fascinating French Canadian Province. As I have spun tracks off this album, I often get calls asking what artist I am spinning…I believe that the music of this region is far less known by the outside than most would expect. This wonderful collection allows us all a look and listen inside the beautifully preserved colonial architecture within Quebec City rich with an appreciation of all styles of music which is no more obvious than with the large number of music festivals taking place there throughout the year. Certainly the fine folks at Putumayo spend diligent hours seeking out just the right mixture of variety from a melting pot of culture and sound. And I hope to share some of it with you.

As I have been moving into my new home, I have had the pleasure of accompanying the move with some fine Cuban guajiras, trovas, sones and boleros, which have captured me in a moment. A space I needed to find. Café Cubano is a captivating collection that will transport listeners to the charming cafes of this musically-rich Caribbean island. If you have never visited the Caribbean, the sounds here will delight you and your travel plans of the future. This album features a selection of exceptional performers who have incorporated Cuba’s diverse musical traditions and distinctive styles into their music. Several of the songs feature influences from the “nueva trova” movement, in which lyrical poetry is joined with Pan-American folk traditions. Others remain true to the sultry guajiras, romantic boleros and traditional sones which were the underpinning of the renowned Buena Vista Social Club recordings. Cuban music traces its roots back to the melodies of Europe and the rhythms of Africa, and the inspiring blend that resulted from years of interaction between these diverse cultures. Putumayo has provided me (and hopefully many others) with a sound retreat to take me away from the move and start to really MOVE it.

How appropriate are titles to albums, songs, bands…..sometimes they are just perfect. In this case for my tastes, I think the hammer hit that snail square. Tommy Emmanuel c.g.p. has a new live album out today called “Center Stage” and that is the live setting feel gives the listen who has never seen him perform a look, well listen anyways, into the treat it truly is. Released on Favored Nations, this Live 2 CD set (with a DVD coming mid summer) is as intimate as a recording can be, and is a great blend of some new tracks and some fan favotires for previous FN releases. The four new tracks are introduced as: “Ruby’s Eyes”, “Jolly Swagman”, “Lenny Bro”, and “Papa George” (inspired by the legendary Sir George Harrison. This summer there will be a DVD released mixed in 5.1 Dolby Digital sound & filmed in that eye-grabbing High Definition. Both the CD and the DVD contain extra performances of Tommy’s that were not originally part of the “Sierra Center Stage” PBS television program.

A Must Have. “Center Stage” 2008 Favored Nations

And the first guests to invite would be the fine folks at Putumayo. They have assembled together many great artists stretching from the Ivory Coast to South Africa. The album also celebrates the 15th anniversary of Putumayo and the work of its founder Dan Storper was strolling through Golden Gate Park when he was transfixed by the uplifting sounds of the African group Kotoja. This experience inspired Dan to launch Putumayo World Music as a platform to introduce people to the joyous international sounds that moved him on that day. This album takes me to Mr. Storper’s Golden Gate Park moment and transcends it into my living room…allowing full comfort in surroundings and sounds….and allows me to get away while staying home. There is no way to stop yourself from feeling alive when the African Party is on!! African Party features the inspirational band Kotoja & Oliver Mtukudzi, who released several popular albums on the Putumayo label. And a personal favorite of mine is the final cut: Mulemba Xangola by Bonga from Angola….seeing him once in a live setting helps me to remember that there is magic in this world.

Cover Art:Nicola Heindl/Putumayo 2008