Lovin' Feeling
The Fabulous Echoes
I have a soft spot for international covers and bands. The Fabulous Echoes are from Hong Kong and recorded several albums of covers as well as toured extensively in SEA. King of the Road is a standout, but all the tracks are great.
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Raga Rock
The Folkswingers Featuring Harihar Rao
The Folkswingers consist of two albums recorded in the margins between sessions of the Wrecking Crew. Glen Campbell, Tommy Tedesco and many others hatched a scheme and kept an orchestra over for an extra day and recorded some amazing covers with ripping sitar accompaniments from Harihar Rao - Fulbright Scholar and music professor at UCLA.
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The Music Of Capoeira
Mestre Acordeon
Folkways were a giant in cataloguing and exposing the world to music from every corner and every tradition they could get their hands on. I love many of the Folkways records I have, but a few are special like this one, Capoeira music, mostly berimbau and voice is a rare treat that is both great listening and fabulous artifact.
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Cult Music Of Cuba
Various
Another rare gem from the Folkways catalogue. This record opens with a plea to the intercessor Papa Legba and includes many folk songs as well as Yoruba & Santeria prayers.
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The Pygmies Of The Ituri Forest
Pygmies - Recorded By Colin M. Turnbull and Francis S. Chapman
One of the first rare Folkways records that entered my collection. The Elephant Hunting Song and Initiation Songs are standouts.
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Racional Vol. 1
Tim Maia
Legend of Brazilian music, Tim Maia. One of the three Racional albums, but you really can't go wrong with any of his releases!
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Milton + Esperanza
Milton Nascimento, Esperanza Spalding
The latest album from bass player and jazz ambassador Esperanza Spalding. Beautiful record with another Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento.
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Cumbias y Boogaloos
Tito Chicoma Y Su Orquesta
Get ready to boogaloo with Tito Chicoma y Su Orquesta! Mr. Trumpet Man is a bop!
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Super Disco Pirata - De Tepito Para El Mundo 1965-1980
Various
Analog Africa may be the best international label in the game right now. Every release is absolute FIRE and this is no exception. Wall to wall cumbia bangers and covers.
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No Food Without Taste If By Hunger
The Good Samaritans
From Analog Africa's dance series, this one will get your butt out of your chair and onto the dance floor. All of these releases are dance floor ready.
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Orchestre Abass (De Bassari Togo)
Orchestre Abass
More Analog Africa dancing fuel. Haka Dunia is one of my very favorite jams to throw into sets.
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Now I'm A Man
The Funkees
The second and final album from the Nigerian Afro-Rock band from the early 70s. Excellent grooves and fuzzed out guitars.
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Abrabo
Alhaji K. Frimpong
Highlife from one of the best singers to come out of Ghana. An essential highlife record that gets stuck in my head for days and days.
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Amala Ndeze Special
Eziomume Dance Band Of Nigeria
Highlife from Nigera in the early 90s! Low key dance grooves to get you out of your chair (there's at least one rip of this on youtube...).
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The Indestructible Beat Of Soweto
Various
Inspirational for Paul Simon and likely the album that led to Graceland. Many, many excellent tracks including a closer from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which was largely introduced to the world outside of South Africa by this album.
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Mandingo Griot Society
Mandingo Griot Society With Special Guest Don Cherry
Kora master Foday Musa Suso and collaborators essentially birthing the "World" music genre. Don Cherry guest stars on a few tracks.
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Al Oud
Hamza El Din
Master of the Oud and a treasure of African music, Hamza El Din has also worked with many 20th century composers to bring Nubian sounds to the rest of the world. This is a repress of his second album and an excellent introduction to his songwriting and Nubian music generally.
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الزمان صعيب = Al Zman Saib
Fadoul = Fadoul
Habibi Funk is one of the international labels I trust implicitly. Fadoul is the James Brown of Africa and this album will get your whole party up and dancing.
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Subhana = سبحان
Ahmed Ben Ali = Ahmed Ben Ali
Modern dub and reggae often feels like a pale imitation, but Libyan artis Ahmed Ben Ali brings new ideas and new cultures into a genre that can be very orthodox. Another banger from Habibi Funk.
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Guitar El Chark
Omar Khorshid
On the Sublime Frequencies label, this is a psychedelic trip through Anatolian rock and turkish folk music that can't be missed.
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Shahen-Shah
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party
Nusrat is a Qawwali singer from a family lineage stretching back nearly 600 years. Ecstatic and magical, great for closing out the night with some thoughtful, spiritual listening.
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