Coil - "Musick to Play in the Dark vol 1" {UK} [1999] (experimental,dark ambient) (@256)

From the opening pairing of "Are You Shivering?" and the gorgeously titled "Red Birds Will Fly Out of the East and Destroy Paris in a Night," it's apparent that Coil was making a return during 1999 that would prove to be as influential on the post-industrial scene as its 1984 debut, Scatology. The group never really went away in the ensuing period, of course, but had maintained a cult status underground for the better part of the '90s. The duo consistently produced stunning albums, but the recordings were often in scarce limited editions that usually reached only hardcore fans. The Musick to Play in the Dark CD and LP were available through mail order only, and featured the core duo of Peter Christopherson and John Balance joined by collaborator Thighpaulsandra. The CD is the first full-length album Coil released on its own Chalice label as a subscription only release. Later in 2000, the album was thankfully re-pressed by Word Serpent, assuring wider availability. The album is a masterpiece of the caliber of the classic '80s trilogy Scatology, Horse Rotovator, and Loves Secret Domain, which gave Coil the highest stature in the post-industrial music scene as one of the most inventive, original, and courageous groups of the genre. Musick to Play in the Dark is an utterly mesmerizing work, and is nothing short of brilliant. The album's scope takes in the music of the '90s, the bleak digital processing and glitch music (Oval, Coh, and Nurse With Wound all spring to mind), but here these often sterile sounds are married to a human warmth that is inimitable Coil — a sound that carries through the group's career as one of the most distinctive in the post-industrial canon. Along with the essential Coil '80s recordings, Musick to Play in the Dark cannot be recommended highly enough. It represents a chapter in British music that goes beyond the term industrial and into untapped realms of experimentation that place Coil, along with Current 93 and Nurse With Wound, among the '90s British groups more deserving of attention than their obscurity may ever permit. (from allmusic)

enjoy......

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Alice - "Arrêtez le Monde" {France} [1972] (Prog. Rock)

"Arrêtez le Monde" is the second album of the band. This album is, unhappily, extremely rare and not-republished... "All Ice" is in fact the english version of this second release. If you liked the first album, you'll like the second one. Shorter than the first one it's a nice album. Sound quality is amazingly good.

With:
Paul Semana : guitars, vocals
Luc Bertin : piano, moog, melotron, vocals
Doudou Weiss (who played in Magma): drums, percussions, vocals
Ian Jelfs : guitars, vocals - Alain Suzan : bass, guitars, flute, vocals
moog's programmation : Dominique Blanc-Francard

Tracklisting:

01/ Introduction
02/ Salina
03/ Arrêtez le Monde (part I)
04/ Byzance
05/ Il est
06/ Arrêtez le Monde (part II)
07/ Ouverture
08/ Le Roseau
09/ Quelqu'un qui t'aime
10/ Franky l'oiseau
11/ Le cercle

Track 7 - Le roseau:

Atoll - "L'océan" {France} [1989] (French prog. rock)

Atoll is a part of big groups in the French progressive landscape of the years ' 80. Initially taken out in 1989, " L'océan " is a very beautiful album of progressive pop / rock which deserves that we lend it an ear.

Led by the excellent guitarist Christian Beya, Atoll proposes very beautiful melodies, a high stamp of voice perched, and very interesting compositions.

Titles such as L'Océan", "Quelque Part" or "Coup de Coeur", if they've a little aged about sounds, they remain not less very delicious in the listening there. We can also find of very beautiful instrumental as "Sahara", splendidly interpreted in the classic guitar, or "Odyssée", more rock in the spirit, but always making the beautiful part for guitars.

We'll underline the excellent quality of the vocals, it is clear, just, well mixed. Tracks follow each other while showing the same degree of quality. The last song perfectly ends this album An excellent band, highly recommanded.

Tracklisting:

01/ L'océan
02/ Quelque Part
03/ Coup de Coeur
04/ Tu sais
05/ Sahara
06/ Odyssée
07/ Hymne à Laiah
08/ Métamorphose
09/ Lune noire
10/ L'amour n'a pas de drapeau

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Akido - "Akido" {USA} [1972] (afro psych)

somewhere it says: "... When I first listened to this album, I started out on side 2 by chance. And this is why I didn’t get past much of the rest of the album. The first song on side 2, titled Gone With Yesterday, is frickin’ awesome. A definite future mix-tape centerpiece, a song blended of afro-beat, reggae, folk, and 70s soul. Has a haunting guitar in the background which sounds Indian or Egyptian that just keeps improvising and then cuts to a solo after the first vocal verse. And then keeps going until you’re totally feelin’ it. The music is strangely happy and positive although the vocals say, “Yesterday, you gave me happiness, happiness, that’s all I need, to get me happy, but Today, my happiness is gone, with yesterday, with yesterday, ohhh everything, with yesterday.” And then the next song continues this mood theme and goes off into a terrific all instrumental afro-funk jazzy jam (Hippies, you’d like this).

And the rest of side two is just kick-ass. I can’t go wrong if I’m deciding what to throw on and I choose this side. I can listen to a fantastic single and then jam the rest of the way through the record, djembes and everything. Psychedelic Afro-funk! Which is so good and I go to flip the record, but, strangely, side 1 is dissapointing. Because I expect it to be better than side 2, cuz it’s side 1 of this awesome record.

But it’s more subdued, less exciting, and the first song completely stops the pulse of the record so far (if listened to from side 2 first). It’s like an introduction to who they are, with a lame slow drum intro and then some music to kind of show us what we’re about to hear. And then the songs sound choppy and mixed up. They can’t decide if they want to make more songs like, Yesterday, or jam out like they do so well. The first two songs with vocals suck, and then they start jamming for a song, which sounds sweet. And then the next song goes to a half jam/half Yesterday, which sucks again. And the last song of side 1 is a chant, and kinda sucks too.

So I think if this album was contructed better and the actual concept was re-evaluated the album would be a classic in 70s Afro-funk. As it stands, side 2 is so good that the album is definitely still worth checking out."

Awade..

Nadma - "Un Zingaro di Atlante Con Un Fiorea" {Italy} [1973] (experimental free jazz)

somewhere it says: "An eight-piece group formed by well trained musicians, some of which also had artistic experiences in other fields (Pardi and Vismara in contemporary art, Mosconi as photographer), along with a relevant musical background (Cristofolini had played with Don Cherry), N.A.D.M.A. (the name meaning Natural Arkestra de Maya Alta) from Milan tried to mix together oriental influenced music with jazz and western culture, not unlike Aktuala.
The result is a difficult album, with large use of horn and string instruments that won't probably meet the taste of traditional prog fans.

The band was only active between 1972 and 1973 and disappeared without trace as a group, while some of the members, such as Mosconi and Vismara, continued their music research as performers in contemporary art galleries."

DAbyA..

Oriental Wind - "Oriental Wind" {Turkey} [1972] (oriental jazz fusion)

"ORIENTAL WIND present their fiery brand of Turkish folk-beat with a savour of Africa. The dynamic ensemble is incisive as the group unfolds its magic folk melodies. The enchanting repertoire of lyrical swinging improvisations is heightened by the instrumental variety provided by the different saxophones, flutes, piano and all manner of drums and percussion. The tough flexibility of the 9/8 and 7/8 rythms against the drive of the bass and Okay's scintillating drums, gives the music a warm and rolling impetus. Their momentum is unstopable and such exotic instruments as berimbau, finger-piano, tavil and talking-drum enhance superbly the mysterious impact of the group.

Oriental Wind have performed for concerts and at major festivals in such cities as Athens, Amsterdam, Balver Höhle, Bangalore, Barcelona, Basel, Berlin, Bern, Bombay, Brussells, Calcutta, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Hannover, Hamburg, Helsinki, Istanbul, London, Luxemburg, Madras, Montreaux, Munich, Nimes, North Sea Festival, Oslo, Paris, Rotterdam, Stockholm and others." some more info here

Fidayda..

Kanguru - "Dreaming" {Australia} [70s] (indian fusion)

"Four mainly instrumental tracks are featured on this very rare Aussie album, the only known product from this band. From the artwork through to the music this looks and sounds like something produced by a bunch of hippies who worship an Indian guru, and it well might be. However on colder inspection it is possible that this was produced by a group of guys who made it with their tongues firmly implanted in their cheeks. Firstly it is released on Larrikin records, a small Aussie label better known for Aussie blues and country bush bands. Secondly, the band’s names are not typical of guru converts; Paul Gibson alias Sri Wombat and Guy Madigan alias Koalananda certainly don’t sound very South Asian to me. Thirdly it is reported to have been released in 1980, although sounding like it was recorded in the late 60 or early 70s. Fourthly, it seems more than a coincidence that Guru Guru released an album called Kanguru years earlier (also four long tracks). As we say in Australia, I think these guys are ‘taking the piss’.

Irrespective of how genuine the band actually are, this album is part meditative, part ambient and heavily Indian influenced. All in all an Aussie oddity. Full artwork included."

(After uploaded the album, i take a look for a review, and i noticed this album previously sent to MIdastouch-Aussie60-70s blog, so take this beautiful album as a re-up :) )

Invitation to dance..

Agata Morio - "Chikuonban" {Japan} [1970] (acid folk)

At the beginning of the 21st century, Agata Morio was writing a song dedicated to Inagaki Taruho, a writer whom he considers his father. It was to be an answer song to the novel It all Begins with Beautiful and Wise Ladies written by Inagaki Taruho, whose romantic view of men and women can be seen in quotes such as "The future of Mankind depends on the wisdom of intelligent women" and "Morals for men, careful personal grooming for women". That is how, in the Spring of 2001, Agata Morio came up with the unusual song "Sato Keiko Sensei wa zankoku na hito desu kedo (My teacher, Miss Sato, is cruel, isn't she?)" read more here

Kamisama nante iru no kai..

The 3rd And The Mortal - "In This Room" {Norway} [1997] (@192)

This Norwegian band has established themselves as one of the most convincing and creative within the atmospheric realm. Beautiful, tranquil and serene sounds can be heard on albums such as Tears Laid In Earth and Painting On Glass. However, In This Room is by far the group's most experimental and ambitious work. Waves of sonic bliss can still be heard, mostly in the album's highlight moments of "Harvest", "Sort Of Invisible" and the closing combo of "The Barge" and "Sleep". Yet there can also be found experiments into avant-garde art music.Ann-Mari Edvardsen sings hauntingly one moment and soothing the next, while the band goes from art/lounge rock to ambient soundscapes.

tracklist :

1. Stream (4:25)

2. Monody (3:47)

3. So pure (4:02)

4. The wooden lodge (2:37)

5. Sophisticated vampires (4:11)

6. Harvest (4:25)

7. Did you (4:48)

8. Myriad of peep-holes (4:49)

9. Sort of invisible (4:26)

10. A touch of... (4:53)

11. Hollow (5:16)

12. The barge (1:29)

13. Sleep (4:05)

Line-up :

- Rune Hoemsnes / drums, percussions, programming

- Bernt Rundberget / bass

- Ann-Mari Edvardsen / vocals, keyboards- Trond Engum / electric and acoustic guitars

- Geir Nilssen / electric and acoustic guitars, grand piano, keyboards

- Finn Olaf Holthe / guitar treatments, keyboards, tapes, loops

enjoy this album...

link in comments

V.A. - Welcome to the World of Demi Monde @320

tracklist :


01. Gongmaison - Flying Teacup
02. Normil Hawaiians - Eddie Wareing
03. Charles Daniel - Is This What You Want
04. Daevid Allen - Gaia
05. Oroonies - Wdjawiek Babka
06. Rabbit's Hat - Hippy Anthem
07. Amon Duul & Robert Calvert - Adrenalin Rush
08. Mother Gong - We Women
09. Mr. Quimby's Beard - Travelling
10. Ullulators - Feel It
11. Groundhogs - Ain't No Slaver
12. Tangle Edge - The Cryptic Empire
13. The Is - Sleeping
14. Dean Carter - Until The New Year





enjoy....





links in comments

Krzysztof Sadowski - "Three Thousand Points" {Poland} [1975] (Polish Jazz) (@192)

Polish Jazz No. 47

i couldnt find a review for this album...,

hope to find something for this in the next days and i hope to finish my post for "laboratorium - quasimodo" through the next week...

enjoy this album

link in comments

Laboratorium - "Quasimodo" {Poland} [1979] (Polish Jazz) (@192)

"A few years ago there appeared, in the series “Polish Jazz”, a record of the Laboratory band. On that occasion, while introducing the group and discussion their music, I ventured the opinion that the young Cracow musicians were the future of Polish jazz. Since the release of their “modern Pentathlon” this prediction has proved right. Today the Laboratory are not longer future but present time of jazz in Poland.The Laboratory are in many respects and unusual group indeed. Having for many years worked in the quietness of Cracow, while retaining the same line-up and without the temptation or treat of immediate success – they managed to overcome the threshold of art and that of popularity. As for art – they worked out their own, original jazz-rock idiom, adding to their tonal imagination, a liking for complicated rhythmic figurations, a tendency to extend and diversify the form, etc. As for their standing in society – they have become probably the most popular Polish jazz group.The Laboratory has been playing very much indeed, taking part in major festivals, making world concert tours, making recordings. And increasingly now – be it at the international Jazz Yatra Festival in Bombay, or in Quasimodo club in West Berlin, or in small hall at the student club somewhere in Poland – the jazz-lovers do recognize the very special sound of that Cracow group. The music which is so concentrated, carefully thought out, full of nuances and with all this very much alive, filled with individualities of five musicians who concealed their solo ambitions, as well their names, under the name of the Laboratory." (All text by Jan Poprawa from original line notes from the album's back cover, translation by L. Wewiorkowski)

Laboratorium - "Modern Pentathlon" {Poland} [1976] (Polish Jazz) (@192)

Rare jazz from the Polish scene of the 70s, one of the unsung hotbeds of modern rock jazz in the 20th Century. One of the most influential jazz-rock albums ever made behind the Iron Curtain. In spirit of Weather Report...

line up :

Janusz Grzywacz - leader, p, Fender p, Roland 2000 Synth.

Marek Stryszowski - vocal, alto sxophone, bass clarinetKrzyysztof Scieranski - bass guitar

Pawel Scieranski - electric and acoustic guitars

Mieczyslaw Gorka - drums, percussion

1. Modern Pentathlon (19:55)

2. Funky for Franka (4:43)

3. Crazy Shepherd (6:00)

4. ABZ (4:50)

5. Grzymaszka (2:20)

link in comments...

Carol Of Harvest - "Carol Of Harvest" {Germany} [1978] (Folk Rock) (@256)

One of the many German bands to release a single album on a private label and watch it grow into a collector's dream. Carol of Harvest played a dreamy blend of Progressive Rock and Folk with female vocals that might be compared with Mellow Candle and early Clannad mixed with Jane, Pentangle and Renaissance. The music has the added edge of long arrangements with Moog synth and acid guitar solos, and in reality has little to do with Krautrock.

Information on the band members is very hard to find, helping to shroud this hard to find album with an air of mystery. http://www.progarchives.com/Progressive_rock_discography_BAND.asp?band_id=2099

01. Put On Your Nightcap (16:02)

02. You And Me (2:31)

03. Somewhere At The End Of The Rainbow (6:26)

04. Treary Eyes (4:17)

05. Try A Little Bit (9:59)

06. River (2:36)

07. Sweet Heroin (7:04)

08. Brickstone (1:14)

Line-up/Musicians

- Beate Krause / vocals

- Axel Schmierer / guitars

- Jürgen Kolb / keyboards

- Heinz Reinschlüssel / bass

- Robert Högn / drums

01. Put On Your Nightcap ...

05. Try A Little Bit ...

Link for download "Carol Of Harvest" in comments ...

Tinariwen - Live Womad 2004 (Mali) @ 192

Tinariwen is a Tuareg group that performs in a Middle Eastern/African style similar to artists like Ali Farka Toure or Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. All of the musicians originating from the southern Sahara, the group's name, meaning "empty places," is a reflection of their lands of origin. The band formed in the rebel camps of Colonel Ghadaffi, as each of the musicians had been forced from their nomadic lifestyle into involuntary military service. Surrounded by a displaced nation of their peers, Tinariwen forged a new style of music, trading their traditional lutes and shepherd's flutes for electric guitars and drums. The style that resulted was dubbed Tishoumaren, "the music of the unemployed." Their music addressed issues such as political awakening, problems of exile, repression of their people, and demands of sovereignty. In a region with no postal or telephone system, their tapes soon became a grassroots voice of rebellion and a rallying point for a disenfranchised nation.
All Music Guide

This is a soundboard and is very good quality, but I could not find a better bit rate, so apologies.

I took the photo at Womadelaide from the same tour. Its shaky for one good reason, you cannot listen to Tinariwen live and remain still. It is hypnotic, rhythmic and above all the sound of 3 Fender guitars and one Fender Bass with singing, chanting underpinned by a single drum.

This is a very different show to the ones I saw here in Adelaide and very different again from their second last album "Amassakoul " This really is an essential purchase, this show only a taster.

None of the tracks are listed and I have not tried to identify them, that would be too much effort, so apologies in advance.

Enjoy!

Link in comments

Iasis- "Amalgama" {Greece} [1998] (Ethno-Fusion)

Iasis is an ethno-fusion band from greece and this is their second attempt.This record is moving on the treditional music from Balcans mixed with jazz and fusion.

Iasis are : Kostas Baltazanis - guitars, Petros Kourtis - percussion with George Palamiotis on bass

Special Guests :

Binka Ivanova Koteterova - voice,Galina Krasteva Durmuchliyska - voice,Nina Bojanova Petrova - voice,David Lynch - sax,flute,Socratis Sinopoulos - lyre,Dimitris Tsopanelis - vocals,Andreas Pappas - percussion,Vangelis Karypis - percussion

enjoy.....

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Via Lactea - "Via Lactea" {Mexico} [1979] (Soundscape)

Via Lactea was a duo with Carlos Alvarado and Miguel Angel Nava. After the firstrelease Nava split, and Carlos remains as the only member of Via Lactea supported by Jorge Reyes, Arturo Meza and other musicians. His music is more electronic/ambient with tons of keyboards and flutes/wind instruments. Definitely beautiful meditative music sometimes it resembles passages from Chac Mool (where Carlos, Jorge and Arturo played)




El Jardin De La Presencia Divi..

Revival -"Revival" (Iran) (1979) (prog rock)

Somewhere it says: "..it's 70's progrock with lots of guitars, flute with only slight Arabic folk influence. In general it's quiet music with wonderful flute/guitar communication. Closing track is more free jazz with additional sax. A work recommended to all collectors of 70's stuff, but not at all to neo-proggies.
Except for the last track the album is comparable in mediative mood / concept with the Yatha Siddra's Meditation Mass. The last track is more free jazz inspired, loosing it structure a bit at the end. Also two other tracks are more progressive with a free jazz fusion touch. Very good.."

History of the world..

Tetê e o Lírio Selvagem -"Tetê e o Lírio Selvagem" (Brasil) (1978) (hippie folk rock)

Well i am sorry, i couldnt find an english review for the band, nice hippie folk with a different female vocal, i think this is portuguese review for the band, it may be good for the readers if a portuguese speaking friend translate some parts or all from this review:

"Na verdade o nome original do conjunto era LuzAzul. Entretanto por motivos comerciais da gravadora resolveram mudar o nome. Não foi a única nem a mais importante mudança. Ainda éramos inexperientes e ávidos para realizar nossa primeiro disco , entrar no mercado fonográfico. Fizemos muitas concessões e o som original do grupo foi bastante adulterado, muito em função de se enquadrar no som da moda da época. Apesar de tudo ninguem conseguiu encobrir o que havia de mais importante naquele trabalho, os timbres perfeitamente casados dos irmãos. Acostumados a cantar entre si, não havia necessidade alguma de ensaio. A coisa fluia naturalmente e direcionava os arranjos do maestro Luiz Roberto de Oliveira. A grande novidade do trabalho era o repertório agreste, com cheiro de mato e toques psicodélicos, natural da região central do Brasil, um lugar pouco explorado e conhecido musicalmente. A apresentação do visual era bastante incomum. Com roupas de malha pintadas pelo artista plástico matogrossense João Sebastião, as cores e a exuberância da paisagem pantaneira já dava prenúncios de uma preocupação ecológica na formação cultural do nosso trabalho, muito tempo antes de sequer se ouvir a palavra ecologia
Mostram fundamentalmente a valorização dos sons da região, as alegrias, as belezas, os dizeres matogrossenses, e a preocupação pela destruição da mata e o equilíbrio com a natureza, atitude que lhes valeu as mais variadas definições por parte dos críticos especializados. Com "Tetê e Lírio Selvagem", já começa a falar-se do movimento musical matogrossense que na fusão de compositores, cantores, poetas, mostra uma força nova como exemplo da esperança humana, seja qual for sua região, e a cor da sua linguagem. (O Estado de Mato Grosso / Cuiabá, 21 de Março de 1979)"

thanks to progdog ;)

Quando Você Tá Por Perto..

Fragua - "Fragua" {Spain} [1979] (flamenco rock)

Unfortunately i couldnt find a good review/information for the album. I think this album can be called as flamenco prog. From the window i can see the snow now, and this album remind me nice summer nights :)

Andalucia Contesta..
Soy Ave De Paso..

VA - Bosporus Bridges {Turkey} [70s] (Psych Rock/Jazz comp.)

A wide selection of Turkish funk & jazz from 1968-1978. An interesting compilation released at 2005 as LP. Exclusively compiled by Lasarus (Maiden/Aerien/Stellar Voyage) & Roskow (Sonar Kollektiv/Jazzanova) This selection presented here in tracks by Erol Pekcan, Ferdi Oezbegen, Okay Temiz, Durul Gence, Mustafa Oekzent ve Orkestrasi, Emin Findikoglu with Nathan Davis, Erkin Koray,Fikret Kizilok, Aksu Orkestrasi and Erkut Tackin. Somewhere it says: "Named after the famous Istanbul suspension bridge, this extremely rare collection of heavyweight funk, jazz, psych and fusion brings together the finest exponents from 1970s Turkey, strongly influenced by American funk and jazz of the era, but uniquely offset by Eastern flavours." Some of the artists in this comp. are real miseries like Durul Gence & Tehlikeli Madde (with Fikret Kizilok)

Çeçen Kızı..

Gjallarhorn - Albums {Finland} (prog folk)

Gjallarhorn features world music that is firmly rooted in the Swedish folk music of Finland, as well as the Norwegian and the Swedish traditions. Its talented performers offer the listener a personal, punchy, and yet nuanced, sound-world which rings to the echoes of the ancient Scandinavian folk traditions.

Through their intense and witty interpretations, allied to an innovative combination of instruments, the group creates a fascinating landscape around their mythical medieval ballads, hymns and whirling minuets.

Gjallarhorn's dynamic and expressive arrangements of world music have brought the old Nordic tonalities to modern audiences within fields as diverse as jazz, rock and world music.

As one of the leading exports within the field of Nordic music, the group also frequently tours the international arena, appearing in leading world music festivals.

Gjallarhorn has been fêted in many countries. Honours received include the coveted French "LaMonde de la Musique CHOC" and "Trad Magazine Bravos!!!" awards.

thanks to Claude & Yann :)

Arkady Shilkloper - "Hornology" {Russia} [1998]

Born in Moscow, Russia, 17/10/56, Arkady began to study playing alto horn at age six and switched to French horn in 1967, aged eleven, when he entered the Moscow Military Music School (he stayed there until 1974). One of most unusual Russian musicians, Arkady plays French horn, flugelhorn, alphorn and many more wind instruments that are unusual. >From 1978 to 1985 he was a member of the orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre. With this world-famous orchestra and as a member of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra from 1985 to 1989, he undertook numerous worldwide concert tours.
Alongside with that he started playing traditional jazz with double-bass player Mikhail Karetnikov and avant-garde jazz in Three O project with saxophonist Sergei Letov and tuba player Arkady Kirichenko (1985-1990).
Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union Shilkloper has worked independently both as a solo performer and, since 1988, in a duo with piano player Misha Alperin (since 1991, with Alperin and Starostin in the Moscow Art Trio) and in other formations.
He played with Lionel Hampton, Elvin Jones, Lew Soloff and Herb Ellis. He also has worked with Pierre Favre, Louis Sclavis, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Jon Christensen, Bob Stewart.
Since 1997, he also plays in two Russian trios: one with St. Petersburg's best jazzmen - acoustic bassist Vladimir Volkov and piano player Andrei Kondakov and read more here

thanks to yarro :)

New Jerusalem way..

Kontrabando - "Cargo" {Greece} [2003] (Folk)

The ensemble says:
If we wanted to describe "CARGO" in a few words, we would say that it is the new Greek sound. It all began by a group of new musicians from Kavala (a beautiful city of North Greece) who love and also teache traditional music. From this group emerged four composers and three singers. The aroma of tradition is intense, both in the orchestration and in the musical paths in which many of the tracks move. But further to this, the sound is of today, direct, and most importantly, alive. In a succession of their songs and music, KONTRABANDO make us accomplices to their illegal transaction from our first hearing. The "CARGO" is simply the "cargo" of good music, which might not be "illegal", but it is certainly difficult to find. read more here

months before when i first meet with manelis, i requested a folky album from him from new scene of Greece. He sent this album to me, Till i have the album; i like to listen it with pleasure, so my thanks go to manelis :)

Prima Vista..

Opo - "Opo I & Opo II" {Netherlands} (75-77) (folk)

I couldnt find a review/info to copy/paste here. Nice Dutch folk. Some songs on the albums may make you feel like, you are at Shire/LOTR.


Si Bheag Si Mhor..
Ophelia's Lament..

Kapela ze Wsi Warszawa - "Wykorzenienie" {Poland} [2004] (folk)

According to the band's creative manifesto, it was formed as a response to mass culture and narrow-mindedness, "which in fact leads to [the] destruction of human dignity." [1] Indeed, after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the expansion of the European Union to most of the former Warsaw Pact countries, Poland's economy has grown dramatically, while at the same time ushering in investment by a number of multinational corporations, leading to concerns of globalism and loss of Poland's cultural identity.
Warsaw Village Band was intended to be a response to this trend by exploring Poland's musical traditions and making them relevant to its new capitalist economy. Member Wojciech Krzak has stated that "after the nightmare of Communism, we still have to fight for our identity, and we know that beauty and identity are still in our roots."[2] Krzak has further stated that the band are "trying to create a new cultural proposition for the youth in an alternative way to contemporary show-biz."[3] The band's very name appears to evoke what troubles Krzak about Poland's new capitalism: many large Polish cities do not have suburbs in the traditional sense, leading to unsettling transitions directly from city to field.[4] To this end, in their most recent release, Wykorzenienie (Uprooting), the band traveled throughout Poland to find and record older musicians who still played almost-forgotten styles of music, thereafter incorporating those melodies into new songs and expounding upon them.
The band also incorporate socially-conscious folk lyrics in their songs. The song "Kto się żeni" ("Who is Getting Married") on their second album, Wiosna Ludu (People's Spring), discusses a young country girl who refuses to be married off, opting instead to "sing, dance, and be free rather than being dependent on someone."[5]
Warsaw Village Band have appeared at several international music festivals, including the 2005 Roskilde Festival in Denmark, the 2004 Masala Festival in Hanover, Germany, and the 2000 International Ethnic Music Fest in Germany.
more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Village_Band

Mateusz..
Polka z Sieradzkiego..

Vlatko Stefanovski & Miroslav Tadic - "Treta Majka" {Macedonia} [1999]

Vlatko Stefanovski (1957 - ) is a virtuoso ethno-rock jazz fusion guitar player from the Republic of Macedonia.

Born in Prilep, he started playing guitar at the age of 13. Stefanovski was one of the founding members of Leb i sol with whom he recorded 13 albums between 1978 and 1991. He currently splits his time playing with his VS Trio, in an acoustic partnership with Miroslav Tadić or composing for film and theatre. He is the brother of dramatist Goran Stefanovski.

Stefanovski has played a wide variety of guitars, including a Gibson SG, a Fender Stratocaster - heavily modified with Schecter and Radulović parts, a Telecaster, a Radulović super-strat and a Pensa-Suhr super-strat. The influence of ethnic and folk music of Southeastern Europe and more specifically of the music of the Republic of Macedonia are recognizable in his occasional use of odd meters (5/4, 7/8) and non-traditional scales (e.g. the Phrygian dominant scale).

more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlatko_Stefanovski

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Zulya Kamalova - "Aloukie" {Tataristan} [1999]

Zulya' s second release Aloukie awarded World Music Album of the Year 2000 in Australia continues to enjoy high acclaim.Following the success of her debut album Journey of Voice in 1997 which has taken her touring nationwide and made her ABC Radio National favourite, in this yet another exciting creative project Zulya brought us the songs from her Tatar heritage. Critics said: "..There's a lot to enjoy here, and I suspect I'll be returning to it again and again", Simon Broughton, Songlines. "Some music seems as wise as the Earth itself… Majestic, beautiful, thank you", Rockin' Lachlan, Getout Magazine. In Aloukie Zulya centers vocally on the hauntingly beautiful Tatar singing style, she grew up around in the heart of Russia. It is a sound originating somewhere in between Eastern Europe and Far East, that musicologists call "a bridge between Mongolian and Hungarian music". Zulya presents the traditional songs and the original compositions in a unique cross-cultural interpretation, celebrating the musical diversity she has experienced in the years of living in Australia. She says "Having settled here I realised the importance of not only sharing one's culture but also creating a unique Australian culture." Featuring a host of talented musicians she has arranged the songs using instruments as varied as didgeridoo, tabla, kora, double bass, bassoon, talking drum, thumb piano, flugel horn and piano accordion among others. Aloukie means a soulful song, that invokes memories of home. Zulya's crystalline voice shares the richness and strength of her culture whilst making a distinct new Australian sound. All songs traditional, except 1, 6, 8, 10 by Zulya. All songs arranged by Zulya, Mal Webb and Martin Tucker, except 12 by Nino Tsitsishvili and Joseph Jordania. Recorded at Chez Mal Dipthong Studio, Melbourne, by Mal Webb. Mixed by Mal Webb and Siiri Metsar. Mastered by Martin Pullan at Edensound Mastering, Melbourne. Photography by Zulya, James Barker and Steven Wilkinson.

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Tugan Il..