Island Blues

[coll]: ISLAND BLUES
Network, 2002

VARIOUS – Excellent 2-disc comp of music from islands all over the world. Check ‘em all out!

Fo’s Picks:
Disc 1 – 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 15
Disc 2 – 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 18

DISC ONE:

01. 4:13 – Comoros: aching male vocal, sharp chorus, delicate guitar: about Rastafarianism
02. 3:11 – Comoros: heavy work-song rhythm, quick guitar, nice tricky fem vox, and droning chorus
03. 4:36 – Madagascar: relaxed, folksy guitar/harmonica, high male vox, trio chorus
04. 4:51 – Madagascar: lovely accordion & fem chorus w/ harmonica: steady, almost like a hymn
05. 6:15 – Madagascar: lightly rocking accordion & direct male vox, a little percussion in the back
06. 3:59 – Réunion: blues on an African guitar, smooth male vox, strong chorus… nice!
07. 3:10 – Réunion: a cappella solo male vox, in creole: plaintive, and rather haunting
08. 5:19 – Cape Verde: devastating fado-style ballad, gorgeous fem vox, weeping orchestra
09. 5:41 – Cape Verde: upbeat and folksy, great vocal arrangement and a little soulful sax, too
10. 5:02 – Cuba: light and pleasant guaracha: good vocal, playful trumpet, fine guitar solos
11. 3:31 – Cuba: nice son, strong Pío Leyva vocal… super-catchy middle section, great piano solo
12. 7:07 – Curaçao: midtempo, similar to Cuban but more tropical: smooth male vox, synth flute
13. 3:25 – Martinique: very bouncy midtempo, sort of a Caribbean Kurt Weill. Nice vox & sax solo
14. 4:02 – Guadeloupe: steady Carnival beat, but not frantic at all: a cautionary tale, good perc
15. 4:11 – Haiti: quick percussion and lilting accordion: fun male vocals; insistent beat
16. 3:55 – Jamaica: the old chestnut presented in its original form, airy and kind of cute

DISC TWO:

01. 1:59 – Flores (Indonesia): chanting by large male chorus; drones and surges
02. 6:43 – Java: here’s something new – pop gamelan! Low urban rhythm, xylophones, violin
03. 4:19 – Java: another like #2, but more melodic & complex; also adds a kacapi harp
04. 5:14 – Sumatra: very serious; breathy bamboo flute trades off with wailing fem vocal
05. 2:03 – Tonga: men’s polyphonic chorus, a cappella. Sounds like Polynesian doo-wop!
06. 3:18 – New Guinea: Awesome! Struck bamboo pipes (think Blue Man Group) and fem chorus
07. 2:16 – Tahiti: lighthearted, with jangly guitars, naïve harmonica, nice male vox
08. 2:43 – Tahiti: fast guitars, steady beat: strong lead fem vox, with male duo behind… fun!
09. 2:17 – Fiji: dripping guitars, sweet fem chorus. I want an umbrella in my drink!
10. 3:27 – Hawaii: an all-time classic slack key guitar record (from 1931); swings gently in ragtime
11. 4:21 – Crete: Greek bounce, moaning vocal, violin: grabs your attention, then speeds up
12. 3:30 – Crete: quick, mysterious music and gentle male vox; very nice
13. 7:01 – Crete: medley of uptempo folk dances for instrumental trio (lyre+lutes) – first rate playing
14. 3:58 – Corsica: slow but LOUD fem vocal quintet. Great polyphonic singing.
15. 4:10 – Sardinia: nasal male chorus + launeddas (three-pipe reed, played w/circular breathing)
16. 5:22 – Ireland: upbeat medley of reels by Altan; fine fiddling all around
17. 3:03 – Ireland: uillean pipe solo, slow but technically impressive
18. 4:20 – Outer Hebrides: slow and bluesy, rocks back & forth with lilting Celtic vocal

[Fo] - 11/21/02