World 2003 CD

British radio disc jockey Charlie Gillett has been a groundbreaker on his weekly programs, introducing listeners to plenty of new music from all over the globe. On the second of his annual compilations to be released in the U.S., there's plenty of meat, and lots of unfamiliar names -- many of whom deliver the goods. Some are familiar to world music mavens -- people like the late Joe Strummer, Manu Chao, fado singer Mariza, Hukwe Zawose, and the wonderful Orchestre Baobab. But many more are new, or at best, somewhat obscure. The Senegalese hip-hop of Daara J is the equal of anything in the States, while Dusminguet's Spanish neo-pop is unalloyed joy to the ears. Calexico might seem an odd choice, in among the rest, but their desert mood works well between Russia's Markscheider Kunst and Kenya's Nyota Ndogo. The wonderful oddity of the whole two-disc set, however, is a version of James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" by Guinean Sekouba Bambino, which sets the soul song over spare kora, with strings and backing vocals for a sublime mix of continents. About the only track that fails to delight comes from Temple of Sound, who seem to try too hard to be exotic. Beyond that, there's simply so much to discover, whether it's the accessible Iraqi sounds of Ilham Al Madfai or Slovakia's Sui Vesan, who comes across as a uniquely talented singer/songwriter. More than you can easily take in during one hearing, but a joy to listen to often. ~ Chris Nickson

Includes liner notes by Charlie Gillett.

2cds-Manu Chao,Lila Downes/ Calexico/Mariza/Orch.Baobob +

Liner Note Author: Charlie Gillett.

Arrangers: Hector Zazou; Lila Downs; Sevara Nazarkhan; Paul Cohen .Mojo (Publisher) (10/03, p.132) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...35 gems on offers, with Spain sounding like the place to be right now..."