o barquinho

<

One of the loveliest songs from the bossa nova era, in what has to be my favorite performance, by Elis
Regina and Toots Thielemans.

* Photo by David Whitman.

klang

I love the complex, looping sound of Daniel Humair’s playing on today’s track – not to mention his apparent use of kitchen utensils.
Casseroles/More Tuna, from Quatre fois Trois.

* Sculpture by David Fried.

a thousand times

I’m a day late with this post (the 17th being the proper day for all things Irish. Still, the music is (I think) worth the wait.

The artists: Susan McKeown and Tartit. The song: Oró Mhíle Grá (A Thousand Times My Love).

marfil

Piano Cubano – Peruchin’s Changüi Oriental.

* More on changüi here.

ballad

One of my favorite jazz singers, Jamie
Broumas, performing Moonlight in Vermont.

manoir de mes revês

A quiet, reflective solo by Django Reinhardt.

flores mais lindas

Gilberto Gil pays tribute to the women of his home state in Toda menina baiana.

tamburello

Italian master percussionist Carlo Rizzo’s version of a Tarantella, from his album Scherzo Orientale.

* Photo by Scatti di vita.

lord randall

Martin Carthy’s version of this ballad is both stark and compelling.

tanga

Taarab comes from the East African coast. It’s a heady combination of local and not-so-local (Arabic, Indian) influences, and first caught my ear via a recording issued by the Original Music label. Here are two cuts from that LP.

Juma Bhalo – Kem Kem

Yaseen Mohammed & Saada – Lala Mpenzi

* More info. here.