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

MARA! .... Australia
(a) Llew's Blues 3'43
(b) jove 3'31
(Ruino Vino) [Rufus / Polygram]
Congratulations to Mara! for this week winning the ARIA for best World/Folk/Traditional release. I think it is a good decision this year, and a deserved win for a fine album and quality performance, rather than a sympathetic vote.

The MASTER MUSICIANS of JAJOUKA ....Morocco
Jajouka Black Eyes 5'17
(Jajouka Black Eyes) [Le coeur du monde]

Bachir ATTAR .... Morocco
Full Moon at the Window 5'58
(The Next Dream) [CMP]

Yusuf ISLAM ....UK
Early Life & Prophethood 13'14
(The Life of the Last Prophet) [Mountain of Light]
Although not entirely "music", I felt this was worth playing because of the high standard of production, with appropriate atmosphere and sound effects etc. Apart from basically being a good story, it is more importantly an accessible insight into the beginnings of Islam, even to a non-religious person like me. There is an interesting note on the cover that says "This recording contains sacred verses of the Qur'an; the listener is duly requested to treat them with respect". Well ... naturally.

Sima BINA ....Persia / Iran
Quatrains Part 1
(Siren Song) [ABC Music / EMI]

Rafat MISSO & Hossam RAMZY ....Egypt / UK
El Hanim - Her Ladyship 7'18
(Ahlamy) [ARC Music]
Ever heard a quarter-tone saxophone? This is a fabulous new release in the bellydance style from ARC. I love it when a talented person can effortlessly make an instrument do something it was never really designed to do.

Femi KUTI ....Nigeria
Wonder, wonder 6'03
(Femi KUTI) [Tabu]
Yes, this is the son of the celebrated and politically out-spoken Fela Kuti. The immediate thing to notice on this disc is the standard of musicianship.

Pierre AKENDENGUE ....Gabon
Ogula Kongondouma 4'47
(Silence) [Celluloid]

SALALA ....Madagascar
Lanitra Manga Manga 2'55
(Strictly Worldwide X 4) [Piranha]

PAN AFRICAN ORCHESTRA ....Ghana
Explorations of Ewe 6-8 rhythms 6'14
(Opus 1) [Real World]

Tuomani DIABATE ....Mali
Cheick Oumar Bah 5'52
(Djelika) [Hannibal]

Mansour SECK & Ousmane Hamady DIOP ....Senegal / Mauritania
Diewo 5'02
(N'Der Fouta Tooro Vol.2) [Stern's Africa]

Sali SIDIBE ....Mali
Djen Magni 5'00
(Women of Wassoulou Vol.1) [Stern's Africa]