CD Review: 3-CD SET - Various Artists' 'Real World 25'

Various Artists
Real World 25 [3 CD]
Real World

Real World 25 is a three-CD set covering some of the best classics released from the label's two-hundred-plus recordings over the years. The third CD features music picked solely by fans. There are gems on here from groups including, Daby Toure, JuJu, Big Blue Ball, Sheila Chandra, Papa Wemba, Yungchen Lhamo, Spiro, Sevara Nazarkhan, and others. The other CD's feature music from Pape & Cheikh, Toumast, Daude, Farafina, Guo Yue, Syriana, Varttina, Mamer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Peter Gabriel, Adrian Sherwood, Ayub Ogada, Hukwe Zawose, Joji Hirota, and many others. There is music from areas as diverse as Uzbekistan, Burkina Faso, Sardinia, Zimbabwe, China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Pakistan, Uganda, Tibet, and other adventurous places. Simply put; every song is a hit and it is on this compilation for a reason. Anyone into world music and melodic interludes from far-off places will love this collection, which includes a twenty-eight-page booklet, forty-eight total tracks, and a host of memorable tidbits. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Sevara Nazarkhan's 'Tortadur'

Sevara Nazarkhan
Tortadur
Sevara Music

Sevara leaves the flashy, pop-oriented flavor of earlier works behind--the original tone of Ne Kechar and Sen. On Tortadur, Sevara returns to the traditional form, incorporating all of the characteristic instruments, including the doira, nay flute, and dutar. There are no drum kits, bass, guitars, or showy electronic adornments. Instead, the music is stripped-down and incredibly inviting. Sevara’s vocals are rather pensive and restrained compared to other artists. The folk music of Munadjat Yulchieva is the most representative Uzbek musician in a similar style. However, Sevara’s music is quieter from a vocal perspective. Nevertheless, Sevara excels in a traditional form without sacrificing integrity or quality. Sevara has matured as a musician and is now in a league all her own. ~ Matthew Forss