Today's discovery was a great CD by the group Tin Hat Trio entitled, Book of Silk.
They are an acoustic group, and I am struggling very hard to give you an idea of what they sound like. I found the CD in the Jazz section of my record store, and while I suppose that they appeal to folks with jazz sensibilities, I don't think I'd use that term to describe them. They do a wonderful multi-cultural blend of ethnic acoustic music - a phrase which really doesn't mean much, does it? I've really been enjoying this CD - a lot of the songs seem to be a useful soundtrack, if you believe that life should be orchestrated. You'll just have to try this one yourself.
Continuing on my multicultural journey this week, we have Deb by Souad Massi, from Algeria. I have also been enjoying her singing, and the acoustic guitar work on almost every track. One could call her a specialist of the Franco-Arabic chanson, as this writer for the BBC did.
Moving on we have Maria Rita. She is a terrific vocalist, filling the gap left for me since my favorite Brazilian vocalist, Kenia, appears to have retired. Kenia is now living in Pittsburgh - does that have something to do with the demise of her recording career? Happily, I did have the good fortune of seeing Kenia perform live at Peabody's DownUnder in the Flats in July 1991, and she was great. I invited someone to go along with me to the show, and they were very excited. It was only later that I discovered she thought I had said ENYA. Imagine her disappointment - new-agey Celtic music vs. up-tempo Brazilian music. Then, for even more fun, if you are familiar with the old venue, Peabody's DownUnder, try to imagine Enya performing there.
But back to Maria Rita. She and her self-titled debut CD were nominated for seven Latin Grammy awards, including Best New Artist (which she won) and Most Popular Brazilian Music Album (which she also won). Maria's voice is very similar to like that of her beloved mother, Elis Regina, but Maria's music is jazzier than that of her more bossa nova parent.
And finally, we have some blues. I do have a predilection for live albums, so today's pick is Stages, by Ruthie Foster, who I was introduced to my friend, Trish. I really liked the first Ruthie Foster CD, but found it to be best in limited, small doses. It was too much of the same thing. This CD, however, mixes things up nicely - covers and originals, fast tunes and ballads, and it has all the life of live recordings, which really appeal to me. I like the feeling of being there with the artist. If you are unfamiliar with Ruthie, I'd recommend starting here. You'll have a good time. I promise.
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