but shoudl have…
Why is it that so many talented songwriters and musicians have escaped my notice over the years? On our satellite TV service we get something called LINK TV, which has a “world music” program, and in the last couple of months I’ve discovered a few artists I can’t believe I never knew about. Tell me I’m not living with my head in a hole, or perhaps with a hole in my head. Here are three:
Paul Brady:
http://www.paulbrady.com/
Dar Williams:
http://www.darwilliams.com/
And an amazing guitarist:
Ali Farka Toure:
http://africanmusic.org/artists/alifarka.html
You all have any great sognwriters you think I ought to know about? 
Here’s one.
Maybe you know and maybe you won’t like it. Kind of that whole songwriter thing. Does it all at home on Pro Tools…
http://www.buddyandjulie.com/
Be sure and check out his guitar collection HERE
http://www.buddyandjulie.com/maple.html
wow, tom, you subscribe to a satellite service?.. i’m twenty-nine and my television hasn’t been turned on for weeks… 
…
isaac
Best artist I’ve never heard or heard of is…
…
hmmmm…
OH, Ali Tank, you know what I mean…
idover, there is a lot of good stuff on TV, and a lot of crap, just as there is a lot of crap on the web, and a lot of good stuff. Ditto newspapers, journals, magazines, books, and movies. 
| Quote (TomS @ Aug. 26 2005,18:33) |
| And an amazing guitarist: Ali Farka Toure: http://africanmusic.org/artists/alifarka.html |
If you like Ali Farka Toure, you might like some other singer/songwriter and groups from Mali, which happens to be one of my favourite music countries.
Tinariwen is a Touareg group with electric guitars, bass, percussion and singers. Hypnotic, groove-based music. They’re great live, I can tell - the concert in Helsinki last tuesday was the second time I’ve seen them perform. Recommended album: Amassakoul (2004).
Habib Koité and Bamada is another great live band. Koité is a talented songwriter and great guitarist, that uses the “thin” and “artificial” sounding piezo output of an electric-acoustic as a trademark sound. Recommended albums: Baro or the live double cd Fôly!.
Rokia Traore is another great songwriter and performer I’ve had pleasure to see live. Socially concious lyrics, as can be expected from a lady songwriter in a poor country.
Recommended album: Bowmboï (2005).
Other great songwriters from Mali: Boubacar Traore, Oumou Sangare, Lobi Traore (“The Bambara Bluesman”).
I highly recommend getting a short wave radio, and listening to BBC World Service.
Back, many many years ago, I was installing a new studio at Bush House, and didn’t have any choice but to listen to it.
The wealth of world music I heard was awesome. There was one piece that I managed to get hold of a copy of the tape (but have since lost); Arabic music, but with lots of synths and electric guitars, really hypnotic.
And there was another type that floored me too, a vocal music from some eastern/slavic area with lots of semitone harmonies. Just absolute dissonance on first hearing, but then after you got into it, it was totally compelling.
Ali
| Quote (Guest @ Aug. 27 2005,21:15) |
| And there was another type that floored me too, a vocal music from some eastern/slavic area with lots of semitone harmonies. Just absolute dissonance on first hearing, but then after you got into it, it was totally compelling. |
Ali,
sounds like that might be Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares - Bulgarian Radio and TV Choir that almost had hits in late 80's. Great music.
For the Arabic stuff, you might like to check out Algerian raï music artists like Khaled, Cheb Mami and Cheickha Rimitti (about 75 year old lady who has made an great album with Flea on the bass - can't find the name for the album right now).
And yes, Junoon from Pakistan, whose music has been called "sufi rock". Haven't heard their latest albums, but the earlier ones are very much worth the trouble. Great band live, too.
Great suggestions guys, keep em coming. 
Hi Tom
Thanks for introducing me to some new music and for starting this thread, its a good one. I really enjoyed the stuff you posted.
Ted
| Quote (Mwah @ Aug. 28 2005,04:15) |
| And yes, Junoon from Pakistan, whose music has been called “sufi rock”. Haven’t heard their latest albums, but the earlier ones are very much worth the trouble. Great band live, too. |
I’ll second that. Junoon played live here in Dubai. Good band.
Tom, one Band you should definitely check out are a Celtic, Christian Band called Iona ( not to be confused with a US Band of the same name) They are superb instrumentalists, the girl lead singer has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard. When I saw them live on several occasions in the UK, I have seldom been so inspired by a live gig, If you can get one Album by them, get Journey Into the Morn. The more recent ones are a little too prog rock for my taste.
Cheers,
Ian
Iona Homepage
Eyup!
Additional vote for Iona.
Get them down yer lugholes.
Steve
Cool. I’ll segue Dar Williams’ “The Christians and the Pagans” into some Iona stuff on my mp3 player.
C’mon guys, gimme some more, this is great, I shoulda asked you all a long time ago.
Tom - Paul Brady is one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time. Did you hear Spirits Colliding? I’ve followed his career for +20 years. I used to be really into traditional Irish music & played a bunch of it.
| Quote (Mr Soul @ Aug. 28 2005,23:14) |
| Tom - Paul Brady is one of my favorite singer/songwriters of all time. Did you hear Spirits Colliding? I've followed his career for +20 years. I used to be really into traditional Irish music & played a bunch of it. |
Not yet, but tell me what I should listen to first.
<!–QuoteBegin>
| Quote |
| Not yet, but tell me what I should listen to first. |
I didn’t like his very early contemporary albums but they got better over time. Spirit’s Colliding is excellent. He also wrote a bunch of songs that Bonnie Riatt made hits.
I would suggest “Nobody Knows: The Best of Paul Brady (1970’s - 1990’s)”.
A killer album is that one he did with Andy Irvine back in the 70’s. It’s traditional Irish stuff but with great instrumentation & taste. The album is still recognized as one of the best from this period. I still have the LP but I’m not sure if it was re-released or not?
A killer song is ‘The Lakes Of Pontchartrain’ and has some significance today obviously.
His web site has lots of info on it -
Paul Brady.
Thanks, Mike!