music of the world c part 2

i wasn't sure about this exercise when i started it a few weeks back
transcribing verbatim from a magazine article about music genres
but since undertaking it i have found increased enthusiasm and curioisty
about the very many different music styles in existence on our planet
choro is one that i had no awareness of or at least a name for
but now i want to dig deeper, hear more, see more
and ahem get to south america and hang out in some brazilian choro bars
but for now it's a much more achievable task
completing the c section from songlines magazine july/august 2006 (with thanks)

congolese rumba (democratic republic of congo or zaire)

the classic rumba sound of the 60's, 70's and 80's congolese big bands
was a combination of multiple interwoven guitars
sumptuous vocal harmonies
and soul revue style horn sections
the current rumba revival recreates the wonderful atmosphere
epitomised by franco's ok jazz, tabu ley rochereau and le grand kalle

songlines recommends congo life by kekele
esne notes that kekele is a group of 4 sharply dressed gentlemen looking the part

cumbia (colombia)

cantering basslines, lurching percussion, spiralling clarinets and punchy trombone choruses
that's colombian cumbia
the racing 2/4 rhythm of a bamboo guacharaca (scraper)
and rumbling , cone-shaped tambora drums
drives dancers into flirtatious moves
descended from the slaves in ports like cartagena
cumbia remained low-class and largely black until the early 20th century
and the 50's and 60's society big bands like
lucho bermudez's and los corraleros de majagual spread it nationally
today's salsa-influenced modernists co-exist with roots accordian groups
whose singers yodel like cowboys

songlines recommends rough guide to cumbia (various artists)
esne notes this is one of many rough guide compilations to be hunted down

cocek (macedonia)

the cocek of the balkans is a solo dance of turkish origin
sensual and sometimes bordering on the lewd set to a hypnotic syncopated rhythm
sinuous chromatic melodies and plenty of space for passionate improvisation
on the part of dancer and musician alike

songlines recommends the heat of blakan gypsy soul by ferus mustafov
esne notes he being the top clarinet/sax player from macedonia

csardas (hungary)

with a springy four-beat rhythm, the csardas is hungary's quintessential dance
and was one of the tools with which hungary forged its national revival in the 19th century
taking its name from csarda (inn) the dance was popularised by gypsy bands
and is still the staple repertoire of budapest dance houses today
with fiery fiddles and rhythmic sawing bass
it's a couple dance that starts slow and works up speed
often with a playful or erotic undercurrent

songlines recommends the bartok album by muzikas
esne notes that's the first 2 european styles so far - both gypsy based

and the count of styles covered so far - 14 - total to do - 50
seems the cd spend budget is about to be blown big time