New Reviews: June 17, 2004
Reviews by Matthew J. Forss
Leahy
In All Things
Narada World
Irish folk music maestros, Leahy, brings us their
latest release – In All Things. Traditional, but
original jigs, reels and tunes are characteristic
of Leahy. In All Things contains instrumentals
and vocal songs featuring the women of the group.
The three vocal tracks are catchy and closely
resemble the vocals of The Corrs and Ace Of Base.
Furthermore, superb instrumentation and vocal
harmonies signify a strong and successful
release for popular Celtic/Gaelic music fans,
as well as long-time fans.
Kelsang Chukie Tethong
Voice From Tara
Narada World
Tibetan vocalist, Kelsang Chukie Tethong, continues
in the preservation and performance of Tibet’s vocal
and musical traditions. Kelsang is accompanied by
piano, woodwinds and violin. Kelsang’s emotive;
but restrained vocal stylings bring relaxation
and tranquility to any listener. Voice From Tara
should be acquired by anyone interested in vocal
music from Tibet. A highly recommended album!
Miles Gurtu
Miles Gurtu
Shakti
Miles’ latest genre-defying album of musical ingenuity,
incorporates ambient and jazz infusions with a touch of
Indian percussion for good measure. Sporadic male/female
voicings are utilized on some of the tracks. However,
the downtempo-electronic elements with symphonic
string arrangements are trademark qualities of
the self-titled release. Miles is joined by
Trilok Gurtu on many of the tracks. Overall,
various percussion and cello, bass, guitar,
trumpet, keyboards and a plethora of samples
from all over the world are contained in a
jazzy, yet experimental release of
thought-provoking music.
Sergent Garcia
La Semilla Escondida
Shakti
The Latin rhythms of Sergent Garcia also incorporate
French vocals and Afro-Cuban jazz. Catchy tracks are
sung in French and Spanish. La Semilla Escondida is
not without reggae-influenced beats and instrumentation.
Instruments used include keyboard, guitar, bass, drums,
flute, sax, piano, violin and assorted percussion. All
in all, Sergent Garcia stands a notch above other
artists in the same genre. A highly infectious
album of musical pleasure!
Matthew J. Forss is currently a full-time student at
Lakeland College-Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He is majoring
in Biology and German Language/Culture. Since 1998, he
has collected numerous musical instruments and CDs from
around the world. Also in 1998, he wrote a paper on
Mongolian Ethnomusicology, entitled: How Does Music
Play An Important Role In The Life And Culture Of
Mongolia? Currently, he has collected over 100 CDs that
represent dozens of different countries. His general
interests include ethnomusicology journalism and
researching the traditional/contemporary ethnic music
of various cultures from around the world. His specific,
geographic areas of study include the traditional and
popular music from Central Eurasia (especially Mongolia,
Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.) In November of
2000, he accepted the position of writing world music CD
reviews for this site.
