CD Review: Kheswa & Her Martians' 'Meadowlands, Stolen Jazz'

Kheswa & Her Martians
Meadowlands, Stolen Jazz
Xippi

Kheswa & Her Martians bring us a writhing mix of South African jazz grooves abundant with piano, guitar, trumpet, sax, bass, drums, and some vocals. The opener, "Tshona," is an instrumental delight with giddy grooves, punchy sax, and classic piano chords matched with swishy percussion and South African charm. "Ntyilo Ntyilo" is a classic jazz song with great vocals and a bouncing piano melody that sparkles with post-Apartheid soul. "Malaika" is a popular song throughout Africa with many covers done over the years by many different artists. This tune is slow, classic, and jazzy with little instrumentation. "Simon" is a richly-textured with up-beat, jazzy rhythms. Vocally, Kheswa is akin to Benin's Angelique Kidjo. The entire album was recorded live at Joe's Pub in New York City on July 14, 2013. Fans of South African jazz, world jazz, and African music in general will love Kheswa & Her Martians. ~ Matthew Forss 

CD Review: Damily's 'Ela Lia'

Damily
Ela Lia
Helico

Madagascar's Damily is a tsapika guitar player from the Southwest part of the country. Tsapika guitar music grew out of the rural dance movements traditional inherent at weddings, funerals, baptisms, and other events and occasions. The combination of traditional dance music and south African pop makes Ela Lia shine with musical delight. While most contemporary music coming out of Madagascar today incorporates the valiha (plucked instrument), the acoustic guitar makes a lead appearance throughout the album. The group vocals, fast picking, and mixed instrumentation provide listeners with a candid view of yet another group to come out of Madagascar. Though, the music is purely south African, there is an element of European and even Australian music. The lilting melodies, energetic guitar playing, and enthusiastic percussion make Ela Lia a noteworthy addition to any African music collection. ~ Matthew Forss