Category Archives: Reviews

CD Review: Alex Garcia’s Afromantra – riding “the different American sounds in an effortless way.”

AfroMantra QTP B&W 2Artist: Alex Garcia’s Afromantra
Title: This Side of Mestizaje
Label: self produced
Genre: Latin jazz

Review by Dawoud Kringle

In New York City, in the autumn of 1997, a Chilean – Cuban drummer and composer Alejandro “Alex” Garcia formed a group he called Afromantra. Using the rhythms of North and Latin America as a foundation, they built their jazz inspired compositions and explorations with elements from several Latin traditions. They’ve performed throughout the bets venues in NYC (a sample: Izzy Bar, Studio 54, Nell’s, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Jazz Gallery, etc.) as well as festivals throughout the US. They’ve also been immortalized in the book Caliente, Una Historia del Jazz Latino” by Luc Delannoy.

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Double-7-inch with an additional 3″-mini-CD review: Shoukichi Kina/Pascal Plantinga..The music here is unique, and invites the listener into a place wherein a proud people strive to hold their place in the modern world

3489Artist: Shoukichi Kina / Pascal Plantinga
Title: Washinnayo
Label: Ata Tak Rec (Germany)
Genre: Okinawa electronica

CD Review by Dawoud Kringle

When Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi (DooBeeDoo’s editor, publisher, and founder) handed me some CDs to review, one of them was an elaborate, ornate folder containing two vinyl 45s and a mini CD. It definitely stood out from the usual CD packaging that one sees. But, as we all know, packaging is not everything.

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CD Review: The Tiptons Saxophone Quartet & Drums – the driving force of horn splendor created by this historic all-women sax quartet!

TLCcover-front1webArtist: The Tiptons Saxophone Quartet & Drums
Title: Tiny Lower Case
Label: Spoot Music
Genre: genres from micro-big band, gospel, bluegrass, and Balkan to whimsical jazz and nocturnal funk

Review by Dawoud Kringle

What happens when you draw inspiration from micro-big band, gospel, bluegrass, Balkan, whimsical jazz, nocturnal funk, New Orleans “second – line,” Afro-Cuban, Balkan, Klezmer and beyond? The Tiptons Saxophone Quartet & Drums! Hailing from New York, Seattle, and Eau Claire, the band has been composing and performing their music in the US and Europe since their beginnings in 1993.

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CD Review: Ou… a joyful, multidimensional romp through the Mediterranean and the Americas that will make you want to think and dance at the same time

Ou CD coverArtist: Ou
Title: Pisces Crisis
Label: Spoot Music
Genre: nu jazz/Balkan/nu folk/progessive rock

Review by Matt Cole

Pisces Crisis is an eclectic and energetic effort from Italian band Ou, produced by Amy Denio, known for her work in Kultur Shock and The Tiptons Sax Quartet. The band consists of three from Sardinia: Martina Fadda on lead vocals; Ersilia Prosperi on trumpet, flugelhorn, and ukulele; Sabrina Coda on alto and soprano sax; and Romans Luca Venitucci on various keyboards; Claudio Mosconi on bass, and Cristiano de Fabritiis on drums and percussion; all of the instrumentalists contribute backing vocals. Producer Denio contributes vocals and alto sax on several tracks as well; her wide vocal range and musical creativity fit right in with the band.

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CD Review: SEHRANG – Ancient Storytelling Reborn In The 21st Century And Creating An Intimate Experience

Sehrang CD Artist: SEHRANG
Title: Dar Lahze
Label: self published
Genre: nu Iranian music/jazz

Review by Dawoud Kringle

Despite the image the news would have us believe, Iran is a treasure trove of beauty and tradition. The flow of great music and art from the Persian people never seems to exhaust itself. The marvellous thing is that the artistic community of Iran is not content to rest on its considerable laurels; there is always new and innovative ideas contributing to the centuries of tradition. SEHRANG (a Farsi word meaning tri-olored), the Vienna based trio of Golnar Shahyar (vocals), Mahan Mirarab (guitar) and Shayan Fathi (drums and percussion) proved this with their CD Dar Lahze. Using elements of traditional and modern Persian music, and original lyrics and classical poetry, SEHRANG creates an intimate experience.

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