2007 - week 6, from 10 Feb: All the Americas

[Charlie]

Seq - Artist - Song Title - Album - Country - Label - Cat no

1 - Federico Aubele - Postales - GranHotelBuenosAires - Argentina - ESL - ESL072

2 - Yoan Soriano - Ya Encontre La Mujer - Rough Guide to Bachata - Dominican Republic - World Music Network - RGNET1164CD

3 - Simon Diaz - Tonada de Luna Llena - Sus Grandes Exitos - Venezuela - El Palacio de la Musica - CD-66591

4 - Devendra Banhart - Quedate Luna - Cripple Crow - USA - XL - XLCD 192

5 - Marta Topferova - Ojos Poderosos - Flor Nocturna - USA/Czech Rep - World Village - 468062

6 - Willie Rosario - Calypso Blues - Boogaloo Pow Wow - USA - Honest Jons - HJRCD27

7 - Andy Palacio - Watina - Watina - Belize - Cumbancha - CMB-CD 3
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This all-American show put itself together around two new discoveries.

GranBuenosAires by Federico Aubele arrived in a package of half-a-dozen CDs from the Washington DC label, ESL, only one of which was a new release. This album dates from 2003, and is one of the best to follow in the footsteps of Gotan Project, with atmospheric vocals in rhythmic beds that are danceable without being formulaic.



Flor Nocturna is the second album from Marta Topferova, the Czech singer based in the United States, where she writes songs in Spanish and plays the quatro, Venezuela’s version of the ukulele popularised by Simón Diaz. Overall, the album is more sombre than her debut, but the more uplifting ‘Ojos Poderosos’ is outstanding.

I’ve been waiting for months for the appropriate moment to play a track from Cripple Crow, the album released by the American singer Devendra Banhart back in 2005. Devendra learned to play the quatro as a teenager when he lived for several years in Venezuela. In addition to a song written by Simón, he sings several of his own in Spanish, including ‘Quedate Luna’. An institution in his own country, Simón Diaz has been one of the most popular singers with listeners to this programme, so I’m expecting some reaction to this triple-helping of Venezuelan sounds.

Boogaloo Pow Pow is an excellent collection of ‘60s Latin music from New York and The Rough Guide to Bachata introduces a popular style from the Dominican Republic, a perfect companion to Putumayo’s marvellous collection of music of a few years ago, Republica.

Finally, we come back to Belize in Central America and another track from Andy Palacio’s album Watina, first introduced in the programme with producer Ivan Duran last month.

[Charlie]

emails from

1. Jeremy O'Connor, Banstead, Surrey, UK

just switched on new DAB radio and caught Charlie Gillett for the first time.

Immediately fell in love with music of Simon Diaz and Devendra Banhart.

Thank you Charlie and thanks the BBC!

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2. Ramon Martinez, Philadelphia, USA

Thank you Charlie. Thank you. I grew up listening to Simon Diaz but your programme did the best comparison. And to think I asked the Gipsy Kings where they came up with the lyrics for Bambolero. It was Simon Diaz, "Caballo Viejo" but they never admitted it. (*)

Thanks. I almost cried listening to "tonada de luna llena". KP9000 covered it. Check it out. It's in a compilation called Simon Diaz Remixes.

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(*) When 'Bambaleo' first came out, there was no credit to Simon but his case was made and I think the Gipsy Kings did credit him later one, and he got his money.

CG

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3. Ramon Martinez, Philadelphia, USA

Awesome show Charlie.

I will start listening more regularly.

I don't believe in accidents but it was serendipity that got me to listen to your show on Saturday at 1:30AM. I was coming back from a show in Philadelphia and when on the way home your show was on the car stereo (NPR station here) and I parked the car and didn't get out until it was over.

There's a reason for everything I guess and I was happy to listen to S.D. It gave me back some sense of pride to be Venezuelan.

I've spent most of my live here but my childhood was in Caracas (until age 14) and I never had anything to hold on to but the music.

Maybe that's why Im a dj doing rock en espanol now!!!

Thanks again.

Ramon

Hey, how about listening to rock in Spanish for a change!

[Dayna]

I really enjoyed the music by Federico Aubele & Calypso Blues.

[Rod B.]

Just listening to the Federico Aubele CD for the second time now. Very enjoyable - King Tubby and Augustus Pablo are alive and well and living in Buenos Aires! For me a very relaxed mix of trip hop, tango and the sound of 70s dub reggae.

It is strange why its taken so long to percolate through. A quick google reveals a second CD - called Panamericana and featuring Amparo Sanchez from Amparanoia, Calexico and the horn section from the magnificent Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - is due in May. I'm looking forward to it already.

Link here:

http://www.eslmusic.com/artists/aubele/aubele.html