ARTIST ... Origin
Title  Duration
(Album) [Label]

GROUP TE MAEVA .... Tahiti
Otea Drum Dance 3'55
(Spirit of Polynesia) [Saydisc]
Not a protest, but a celebration.
O Sacred one
From above, from below
From the land, from the sea
Tahiti the Great!
So it's time to reset the 20,000 year egg-timer at Muruoa, and hope it never hatches. Another disappointing week in the history of the human species. Just as well the world is filled with fabulous music to keep us smiling.

FINIS AFRICÆ .... Spain
(a) Hassell, the Ant-eater 2'03
(b) Rain Men 3'45
(Amazonia) [Sin-fin]
In the cover notes, the main artist Juan A. ARTECHE tells an interesting tale of encountering the famous trumpetist emerging from the Amazon jungle, having "tamed" this curious creature.

Forrest FANG .... China / USA
The Bridge of Chüan Chou
(a) Crossing the river 6'23
(b) Falling Stone 4'25
(c) An offering of wood 6'00
(Folklore) [Cuneiform]
Described to me as similar to the methodology of Peter Gabriel's "Passion", but from a Chinese angle, this new disc is very exotic and quite rewarding. Every time I look at the cover I chuckle at the sight of a small charicatured ox, underscored by the words "Ominous Thud Productions".

Omar Faruk TEKBILEK .... Turkey / USA
Caspian Winds 4'33
(Whirling) [Celestial Harmonies]
Although he has noted this as an original composition, this piece obviously draws on an Azeri love song from Azerbaijan called "Girdin Yarnin Bahcesine", revived by Talip Ozkan on the superb Axiom disc "The Dark Fire".

Bilge & Alperhan BABACAN .... Turkey / Australia
Yastadir Ey Deli Gonul Yastadir (Sorrow) 4'49
(Music Deli - In The Can) [Larrikin]
A very talented brother-sister team. Having come to Australia as children, they learnt their Turkish music here. And why not. A very diverse compilation album of all Australian performances of many traditional music genres.

RADIO TARIFA .... Spain
(a) La Canal 4'38
(b) Rumba Argelina 3'27
(Rumba Argelina) [Sin-fin]
A delicious mixture of Spanish music with gallons of Moorish influence. Fabulous.

Hossam RAMZY .... Egypt / UK
Yahliw 8'16
(The Best of Farid Al Atrash) [ARC]
There are superb performances within this Egyptian orchestra, and as great as he is, I fail to understand why Hossam Ramzy has exclusive top billing.

SABAH .... Lebanon
Ouayme Dob Tiabe 5'27
(Sabah) [Voice of Lebanon]

Javier PAXARIÑO .... Spain
Nafi 4'55
(Pangea) [Sin-fin]
Half the disc from this flautist is nauseatingly nice, and the rest is quite interesting, especially the subtle harmonic clashes.

??? .... Greece
Capo Ligo Ligo 3'00
(Rembetiko Trayoudi) [Lyra]
I found this Rembetiko compilation recently, and cannot pass on much about it, because sadly I cannot read Greek. I do know that this song is from Crete.

Ali Farka TOURE .... Mali
Bakoytereye 5'00
(ali Farka Toure) [World Circuit]
I heard from someone who met him in Mali, that he will include Australia in his world tour. Expect him early/mid next year.

Boubacar TRAORE .... Mali
Adieu Pierrette 5'11
(Kar Kar) [Stern's Africa]