Category Archives: Music

James Hill’s On the Other Hand and A Flying Leap

James Hill is a ukulele player. “Plunk, a-plunk-a-plunk … ” that’s what you’re thinking isn’t it? James Hill is 23 years old. He graduated from the University of British Columbia’s School of Music, where he studied violin and viola. He … Continue reading

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Sivan Perwer’s Min bêriya te kiriye

In A Thousand Sighs, A Thousand Revolts, Christiane Bird refers to Sivan Perwer as ‘the most popular of all Kurdish singers.’ Later in the same book, she relates a story about him that she heard from a group of Kurdish … Continue reading

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Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue

Well. This is a bit daunting. Where to start. Erm … Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue is not only the most popular jazz album in history (recorded and released in 1959, it’s still selling some 5,000 copies every week. In … Continue reading

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Calexico’s World Drifts In: Live at the Barbican London

It’s such a pleasure when a concert DVD is done right, and this one is an excellent example of the potential of this medium. Of course, it helps when it involves one of your favorite bands. Calexico is one of … Continue reading

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The Kathryn Tickell Band’s Air Dancing

In a far distant past (1986) I saw the then very young Kathryn Tickell charm an audience at Sidmouth Folk Festival with her Northumbrian pipes and her fiddle. She was named as one of the bright hopes for the future … Continue reading

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Jim Moray’s Sweet England

Lenora Rose contributed this review. I had just managed to wheedle the editor into letting me review this CD a day or two before the BBC Radio 2 2004 Folk Award Winners were announced — and Jim Moray collected both … Continue reading

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Jolie Holland’s Escondida

Jolie Holland’s Escondida is an immensely satisfying follow-up to her 2003 debut, a CD full of demo recordings called Catalpa. Holland has roots in Louisiana and Texas, is a founding member of Vancouver, Canada’s Be Good Tanyas, and now is … Continue reading

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Various artists’ Goodbye Babylon

Crossroads. Everybody knows the story about Robert Johnson at the crossroads, selling his soul to the Devil in exchange for the ability to play guitar like a fiend. But the real crossroads in American music is gospel. Gospel music is … Continue reading

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Telyneg’s Nadolig Yng Nghymru | Christmas In Wales

Huw Collingbourne contributed this review. The interweaving harp rhythms on the opening track, ‘Clychau’s Nadolig (Christmas Bells)’ set the mood for this Christmas entertainment from the Welsh group Telyneg. Nadolig Yng Nghymru is a Christmas miscellany of music, poetry and … Continue reading

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Various artists’ Where Will You Be Christmas Day?

“Christmas is the bright crown of the year, it is a religious festival but it also marks the year’s end and is a time for fun and feasting as well as for worship and prayer. It is not one short … Continue reading

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