CD Review: TriBeCastan's 'Coal, Again!'

TriBeCastan
Coal, Again!
Evergreene Music

Christmastime will never be the same once this is released. The folks of TriBeCastan continue to amaze us with a world fusion of sorts, but this time it revolves around a holiday. There are some basic Christmas favorites here with some tongue-in-cheek stuff going on, including "Silver Bells," "Little Drummer Boychik," "Good King What's His Name?," "Carol Of The Bells," "Jingle Bells," and "O Little Town Of Bethlemayhem." The instrumental tunes might have a few spoken words throughout the entire album. The music is loosely based on the Christmas classics, but the main melodies and rhythms are all there. In this case, the group brings together a world presence with a multitude of gifts, including instruments as diverse as a royal benju, fujara, citera, khomak, yayli tambur, and others. The lilting melodies capture a bit of a South Pacific or Hawaiian feel on some of the tunes, while jazzy and layered elements create dizzying possibilities on others. Who knew 'coal' could be this fun? This is an excellent stocking stuffer for the eclectic music fan. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Quraishi's 'Mountain Melodies'

Quraishi
Mountain Melodies
Evergreene Music

Quraishi is a New York City-based and Afghan-born rubab player with a penchant for reviving traditional Afghan music with a classical and courtly edge. The entire album is instrumental and contains a minimal mix of traditional instruments comprised of rubab, tabla, and dhol. There is a classical, Hindustani connection with Afghan music and that is evident throughout the album. There are only nine tracks, but the scintillating strings, thumping dhol and tabla, and overall melodies are worthy of repeated listens. The music does not contain electronic effects or guitars. Essentially, this is true Afghan folk music that celebrates Afghanistan's national instrument as the album's chief sound. Fans of traditional Afghan music will love its nostalgic simplicity. Furthermore, anyone with an interest in the music of Central Asia will appreciate the beautiful and serene musical qualities. Great job. ~ Matthew Forss