Artist: Dave Milligan
Title: Momento
Label: Big Bash Records
Genre: Scottish jazz
Digital Release date: August 28th, 2020
Review by Fiona Mactaggart
Review by Dawoud Kringle
Artist: Mehmet Polat
Title: The Promise
Label: Aftab Records
Genre: Turkish/Oriental music
In the past, I reviewed Turkish oud master Mehmet Polat’s, who lives in Amsterdam (Holland), releases Ask Your Heart, Next Spring and Quantum Leap. I had come to expect Polat to come up with something different and amazing each time he released new music. This is no easy feat for the oud; an instrument that expresses itself in a very specific way. I was curious to hear what new music Polat would come up with.
He does not disappoint.
Artist: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Title: Four Questions
Label: ZOHO Records
Genre: Latin jazz/Spoken word
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
One of the most important hallmarks of jazz is its focus on social consciousness. Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” Sonny Rollins’ “Freedom Suite,” Charles Mingus’ “Fables of Faubus,” Max Roach’s “We Insist! Freedom Now Suite,” John Coltrane’s “Alabama,” and many others all used jazz to address social injustice, and a call to action.
After releasing Four Questions, Arturo O’Farrill now stands side by side with these giants.
Artist: Vapor Vespers
Titele: One Act Sonix
Label: Bad Egg Records
Genre: “Triptastic Slam of Storytelling and Genre-Skipping Sounds” – Sal Cataldi
CD Review by Dawoud Kringle
What happens when Sal Cataldi (a New York City / Woodstock / Hudson Valley based multi-instrumentalist who’s known as Spaghetti Eastern Music; and member of MFM) joins forces with Mark Muro (Alaskan actor, poet & playwright)? The result is Vapor Vespers.
Artist: Sylvain Leroux & L’école Fula Flute
Title: TYABALA
Label: Mulatta Records
Genre: trad. West African Music/ Guinée
Buy here: https://ecolefulaflute.bandcamp.com/
Review by Dawoud Kringle
In 2013, MFM member Sylvain Leroux began working on an alternative arts education initiative with the students of the Centre Tyabala, in Conakry. This was an experimental education project based on the “chromatic tambin” patented modification of the traditional Guinean Fula flute. After six years, the students have become competitive and committed musicians, with new generations of music students following their example.
