La Milonga de Ricardo en Cha-Cha-Chá - Barroso, A.
The artists gathered together here hail from nations and cultures noted for the growing and export of coffee. As with this CD's companion release, Music from the Tea Lands, one senses the possibility of lucrative product t... more »ie-ins, but part of the proceeds from the album are earmarked for charity and any catchy idea that gets the music out there is a good thing. Like the luscious drink itself, the tunes come in many intensities and flavors, ranging from a light-as-air ditty from Peru, to the more complex vocal stylings of Colombia's Claudia Gomez, to Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca's earthy Afro-Cuban Congolese rumba. The album is a lively and fascinating travelogue, making landfall in Cuba, Kenya, Brazil, Uganda, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Peru. As with many other Putumayo projects, aside from its musical pleasures, this set would make an entertaining and educational experience for younger family members. --Christina Roden« less
The artists gathered together here hail from nations and cultures noted for the growing and export of coffee. As with this CD's companion release, Music from the Tea Lands, one senses the possibility of lucrative product tie-ins, but part of the proceeds from the album are earmarked for charity and any catchy idea that gets the music out there is a good thing. Like the luscious drink itself, the tunes come in many intensities and flavors, ranging from a light-as-air ditty from Peru, to the more complex vocal stylings of Colombia's Claudia Gomez, to Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca's earthy Afro-Cuban Congolese rumba. The album is a lively and fascinating travelogue, making landfall in Cuba, Kenya, Brazil, Uganda, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and Peru. As with many other Putumayo projects, aside from its musical pleasures, this set would make an entertaining and educational experience for younger family members. --Christina Roden
Shirley P. (renata) from SOMERSET, WI Reviewed on 8/19/2006...
Makes me want to take dance lessons....
0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
All Musical Education Should be This Painless
Stephen Foster | Seattle, WA United States, via Scotland | 04/22/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was walking past an upscale clothing store that was using this album as sonic wallpaper. It stopped me in my tracks. I walked in and demanded the album from the startled saleswoman.And that was just one track. This is a true sampler album, designed to expand the listener's musical horizons. It succeeds spectacularly. The track that transfixed me was Thomas Mapfumo's "Hanzvadzi." That has led me to purchase every piece of music Mr. Mapfumo has ever recorded, has led me to travel several hundred miles to see him in concert, has led me to appreciate all the varied kinds of Zimbabwean music (try the classical mbira master Dumisani Maraire) and even to appreciate the ongoing troubled history of Zimbabwe.The sampler would have done a fine job right there, but Susana Baca also sings here. Boy, does she ever. I'd never heard of her: the only South American singer I was familiar with was Astrud Gilberto. After swallowing Ms. Baca whole, I moved on beyond Peru and into other South American music.So, I've developed a love of the music of two continents, all for the cost of a single CD. The "Coffee Lands" gimmick is mostly just that: the only thing that Susana Baca and Thomas Mapfumo have in common is that they both use notes, but that doesn't matter at all.Disclaimer: Your experience may differ, but there is not a dud track on the album, and at least one track is going to jump out at you and land in your lap."
Coffee never sounded so good
Joanna Daneman | Middletown, DE USA | 08/06/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was tempted by this CD because I am a lifelong coffee addict. And, I love World Music, especially Latin American and African music, which has cross-fertilized each other back and forth since Africans were kidnapped and carried as slaves to the New World up to the Cuban influence in parts of Africa. My favorite on here is "Maria Lando" by Susana Baca. She is big in Peru, her homeland, and a friend of David Byrne-- but unknown here in the US. What a shame. Her voice is clear and emotional having what the liner notes refer to as "sufferation"--that emotional outpouring of the downtrodden. You cannot listen to this and not be moved.I also love the Ugandan Samite's "Wasuze Otya?". Samite survived the insanity of the Idi Amin regime in Uganda, ended up as a refugee in Kenya. He combines traditional Ugandan music with other sources such as, of course Jazz. It's wonderful--you can listen to a clip here, along with the Baca cut. I was somewhat disappointed in the Brazilian "M'Ban Samba." This music is from Bahia, the African-rich north part of Brazil so of course quite different than the sambas and bossa nova of urban Brazil and the Cariocas. You can clearly here the strong African strain in the Bahian Sodre's music, and for that, it is interesting. It just is not my favorite cut on this album.This is one wonderful CD for just listening or for dinner party background music. It casts such atmosphere, and is easy to listen to, yet not cliche in any way. The liner notes are prolific--there's a small booklet attached to the inside cover, and the cover has attractive artwork. I just love it."
A Soothing Mix of Incredible Music
Joanna Daneman | 12/28/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What a CD! This one has it all: from upbeat songs to slow, relaxing melodies; from reggae to spanish; from tracks with an intense rhythm of instruments to songs a capella. This CD features musicians from coffee-producing nations (the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Africa). The songs themselves are like the drink itself. They can be soothing to the senses or can grab your attention and "wake you up."I have two favorites on this CD. The first would by "Soltarlo" by Claudia Gomez. This a capella composition is both unpredictable and very enjoyable. With complex layering of voices, this song is unlike any other I've ever heard. It's soft and not too intense, but nevertheless it's great. My other favorite song would be "Este Son" by Juan Carlos Ureña. This is an upbeat, fun song that lifts your mood. If you're sad and you hear this song, you'll instantly become happy. If you're already happy when you hear, you'll become happier. The acoustic guitar and catchy melodies are great.This is not to say the other tracks on this CD are poor. Every single one of the songs is fantastic. The melodies and rhythm of "Maria Lando" are very catchy and beautiful, and the reggae-influenced instrumental "Below the Bassline" by Ernest Ranglin is sure to get your attention with the upbeat rhythms. Ayub Ogada's haunting "Kothbiro" is very relaxing with the double-tracked singing and the sounds of the nyatiti, a Kenyan harp.Overall, this CD is a hit. Living up to its name, the album reflects the different moods, feels, and types of coffee through its songs. And it's one of the very few CDs where every single song is great. Whether you own a collection of world music or are a newcomer to this type of music, I strongly recommend this CD. It's one of the best Putumayo has to offer."