music of the world s part 1

coming around onto the home straight now of this exercise
of transcribing the 50 rhythms of the world according to songlines magazine
there's already been some interesting discoveries
styles, performers, albums and dvd's of some of the styles already covered
suspect there will be a bit more indulging coming with the ones remaining

salegy (madagascar) madagascar has a great diversity of music but the salegy is universally popular across the island with it's fast 6/8 beat, like many of the contemporary african dance rhythms it's made with a fusion of western instruments and local styles eusebe jaojoby is probably the most popular singer in madagascar and has been the king of salegy since the 70's his band features crooning sax and horns over rippling guitars
songlines recommends malagasy by jaojoby
esne notes this album rated to include one of the greatest dance bands in africa

salsa (cuba) salsa is a trunk-full of rhythms drawn from the afro-cuban traditions and particularly the fundamental son and it's derivatives - brassy guarachas, romantic boleros, guitar-based guajiras and the african percussive guaguancos which remain faithfully authentic, or fully mutated fifties mambo orchestras' arrangements were americanised by young latino new yorkers in the 70's famously for the fania label which became synonymous with salsa but geographical variations include peurto rico's laid back swing and colombia's tropical brightness

songlines recommends live at the red garter by the fania all stars (1968)
esne notes this recommendation was reissued in 2006 so may well be worth getting hold of

son (cuba)
son, grandfather of salsa, is cuba's national music a sensual couple dance, it's timbric blend of afro-cuban and spanish influences involves multiple layers of percussive polyrhythms held together by the key clave time line 1-2 1-2-3 sung verses develop into a second montuno section where the singer improvise lines answered by a band chorus

songlines recommends soul of a nation by sierra maestra
esne notes this outfit is well entrenched on the world music concert circuit

semba (angola) in angola, the word means 'navel' so you can guess the kind of sensuous dance step it describes angolans will proudly tell you that it's the beat that gave birth to brazilian samba and it's easy to hear how characterised by lilting but propulsive rhythms, percolating acoustic guitars fluid, upper-registered bass lines and hypnotic hand-held percussion it also has something in common with other musical styles from portugal's former colonies including the morna of cape verde

songlines recommends maorais by bonga
esne notes that bonga seems to be to semba what cesaria evora is to morna

and that brings up 38 of the 50 styles that are covered
...almost overwhelming