Feeling the need for a change of scenery and unable to take a vacation, treat your ears to a globe trotting musical experience with these 20 tracks from Crammed Discs called 20 Ways to Float through Walls.
It starts with Apollo Nove and his mellow Brazilian grooves. Heard about the Festival au Desert, the Tuareg band Tartit deliver their take of the blues from the sand dunes.
One of my real favorites is Taraf de Haidouks from Romania with accordions and violins stirring up the rhythm. Listen to their Concert at Carnegie Hall on NPR for a real taste.
Better known, the sensuous Cibelle in a bossa tinged duet with Devendra Banhart recorded in London.
Another rootsy and danceable track is Usti, Usti Baba from Kocani Orkestar (Macedonia)…Horns and Clarinet dominate. One of their songs made it to the soundtrack of Borat.
Not to neglect the rhythms of Africa, the Kasai All Stars from Congo (pictured here).
On the jazzy side, get a big band feel with Flat Earth Society and ‘Psychoscout’.
My last pick is Think of One (Belgium). The intro of ‘Disciplinador’ would not have been out of place on a Kid Creole tune, the song then segues into very Brazilian accents.
Enjoy the trip!
Recent exotic musical flavors: Camembert & Sushi…No Cheesy Music…Paris-Tokyo