This is the Other World Music section of Rainlore's World of Music, covering all types of world music not already encompassed by existing categories on this site.
In order to secure its future as an ongoing project, and indeed resume regular activity such as new reviews, Rainlore's World of Music urgently needs to raise substantial funds through some kind of sponsorship or similar. (Please also see The Future of Rainlore's World of Music on the About page, and the News entry for 2008/11/09 on the Home page.)
It has regrettably become impossible to keep Rainlore's World of Music going on a purely spare-time basis. The amount of work involved is simply too overwhelming. At the rate that for example CDs kept arriving for review and gigs were covered during 2004, there was enough work to keep two people busy on a full-time basis!
Of course, I wish to preserve the non-commercial and not for profit nature of Rainlore's World of Music, but without some kind of sponsorship the site simply cannot continue in any meaningful active way. Despite not having had any updates for about four years until its re-launch in October 2008, Rainlore's World of Music remains a popular site. The reviews and artists' profiles have always achieved excellent visibility in search results, and have also been referenced widely. There are also many new features I would like to add to Rainlore's World of Music, such as a Gig calendar to replace the old one
and a Features section that should have been added during 2004 already, plus more.
Sadly, without some form of sponsorship none of this will be possible and the site will at some point soon become purely archival.
If you think you might be able to help in any way, please get in touch through the sponsorship form. |
News
2010/03/07
The 2008/09 version of this page has now been archived.
Finally, it has come to our attention that there appear to be a few minor problems with our web forms, specifically with radio buttons and check boxes, with some browsers. This is continuing to be checked out, but as everything seems to work just fine in Internet Explorer, it seems likely that the problem lies with the other browsers in that they may not have fully implemented this aspect of forms. In which case there appears little that can be done about it other than to suggest you temporarily switch to Internet Explorer in order to use our forms, if you are affected. Flash based forms might be another option longer term.
Rainlore's World of Music
© 2010 Rainlore's World of Music/Rainlore. All rights reserved.
2010/02/28
A further review of a sensational Nicolas Meier album to close the month. On Vivaldi - Four Seasons, guitar genius Meier is multi-tracked on acoustic, electric and synth guitars as the Modern Guitar Orchestra. Consisting of the whole of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons with the addition of Meier originals in the form of a brief intro and three pieces forming an epilogue which also feature two solos by special guest, veteran jazz guitar ace John Etheridge, this album represents an excursion into the classical/Baroque realm by the versatile Meier. A very tasty sample track accompanying the review gives you a flavour of this exciting album.
Rainlore's World of Music
© 2010 Rainlore's World of Music/Rainlore. All rights reserved.
2010/02/15
Three reviews of albums hot off the presses this month are of particular interest to any world music aficionado. Jazz flute and Latin / Afro-Cuban jazz giant Mark Weinstein's latest release, Timbasa, is his hottest to date and could set anything alight! This is Latin jazz / Afro-Cuban jazz at its very finest, with an incredible percussion ensemble led by the percussion warlock Pedrito Martinez, and a sensational new rising star of Latin jazz piano in Axel Tosca Laugart who has to be heard to be believed. Indeed, Weinstein's album Timbasa just has to be heard to be believed - it's incredible! To help you, there's a fabulous sample track with the review, the Miles Davis classic Milestones. A killer of an album! Even if you just like to groove, this is a must!
The other two albums reviewed are two eagerly awaited releases from jazz guitar wizard Nicolas Meier, also out this month. The Nicolas Meier Trios' Breeze features two trios, one acoustic, the other electric. Providing a superb showcase for Meier's guitars, this 'unplugged' album is almost outrageously thrilling and addictive. The Electric Trio in addition to Meier features drum genius Asaf Sirkis, who needs no introduction, and also bassist and harmonica player extraordinaire Pat Bettison, both also members of the Meier Group. The Acoustic Trio features the percussion of Spanish born Demi Garcia (of among others The Alec Dankworth Quintet) and from the world of soul, bassist Paolo Minervini. If you plan on buying only one jazz guitar album this year, Breeze should be the one! To help you decide, the title track provides a gobsmackin'ly delicious sample track on the review page. Meier's very personal brand of here mainly jazz, flamenco and Latin fusion is irresistable.
The second Meier album is the Meier Group's Journey, a fantastical journey through a soundscape created by Nicolas Meier's very personal brand of Turkish-informed and flamenco and Latin influenced fusion, is likewise not to be missed. Meier as ever is bursting with ideas and his great strengths as writer and leader, in addition to player, shine. Meier Group co-conspirators are legendary reed supremo Gilad Atzmon, here on clarinet, soprano and alto sax, and supreme maestro of the traps Asaf Sirkis, along with Patrick Bettison on bass and his surperb harmonica and classsy Uruguyan pianist Jose Reinoso. A 'supergroup' indeed, with three leaders of such calibre as Meier, Atzmon and Sirkis coming together. Journey is a dream of an album full of strong, imaginative themes and inventive improvising. To make your mouth drool, there's a taster sample track in the form of the title track of Journey with the review.
A further review of another Nicolas Meier album is already lined up for the next update.
Rainlore's World of Music
© 2010 Rainlore's World of Music/Rainlore. All rights reserved.
2010/01/31
Long overdue perhaps, but better late than never, are reviews of one of the very finest of today's maestros of the accordion, Romano Viazzani's albums from 2007. A trio of outstanding solo accordion releases, they could and indeed ought to be treated as a boxed set but work equally well on their own. Piazzolla - Ángel Suite / Bobiç - Liturgical Suite, Encore, and Viazzani takes Stok cover a huge gamut of styles and genres, form Baroque, contemporary classical, via Argentine Tango and Italian dance classics to contemporary music and rock/pop. A veritable gourmet feast for any music lover, and especially for the accordion connoisseur. There's bound to be something for any world music lover here. Tasty sample tracks accompanying each review (if you don't have Flash Player 8 or later set up yet, now's the time!) should wet any appetite to crave more. To buy, just go to the ZZ Music label's web site. (This small Indie label seems to specialise entirely in accordion - something long needed.) Of course, Romano Viazzani will already be familiar on this site, at any rate to jazz lovers, through his long association with the great Gilad Atzmon's extended Orient House Ensemble. The present recordings are accordion at its most glorious. More, please!
Rainlore's World of Music
© 2010 Rainlore's World of Music/Rainlore. All rights reserved.
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Reviews
Reviews are one of the major features of this site. Generally, reviews feature CD albums, but they will by no means be limited to CD releases. Previews and live performances, and even the odd demo, will also be covered as and when opportunities present themselves. Also, reviews are not necessarily of the latest releases
only, rather, I aim to generally cover the best of what's around and that will often include reviews of older releases. Also, there is an index listing all CD reviews available on Rainlore's World of Music, which includes reviews of music from other genres, for example Jewish music, steel pan music, classical, in fact just about anything, and
another one listing all live music
reviews.
Reviews added 2010/02/28:
Nicolas Meier - Modern Guitar Orchestra : Vivaldi - Four Seasons (2010/02/16)
Reviews added 2010/02/15:
Nicolas Meier : Journey (2010/02/14)
Nicolas Meier Trios : Breeze (2010/02/14)
Mark Weinstein : Timbasa (2010/02/14)
Reviews added 2010/01/31:
Romano Viazzani : Encore (2010/01/28)
Romano Viazzani : Piazzolla - Ángel Suite, Bobiç - Liturgical Suite (2010/01/28)
Romano Viazzani : Viazzani takes Stok (2010/01/28)
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