CASH BOX MICRO GLOBALIST GROOVE CHART
June 10, 1989 The grey shadiing REVOLUTIONARIES AND ROMANTICS stir the cauldron of Latin represents a bullet, indicating strong musics. With roots in Africa, Europe and the indigenous peoples of the upward chart movement. Americas, the times inspired from south of the U.S. border to north of the WORLD South Pole cut some of the deepest of the worldly grooves. Certain indie MUSIC labels have caught on to what’s boiling in the hemispheric blood, includ- Total Weeks Y ing many artists stoking the flames up in el norte. Last Week Y One of the great sources of the music, past and present, is Cuba. Be it folks of Cuban descent, those still living in the socialist state or those with 1 BRAZIL CLASSICS LBELEZA TROPICAL (Sne/Fiy 25805) Various Artists 1 17 their ears toward Havana, the biggest island of the West Indies looms large 2 GIPSY KINGS (Bektra Musician 60845) Gipsy Kings 2 19 in its musical influences. Several recent releases showcase various aspects of that Cuban thang. 3 MYSTERY OF THE BULGARIAN VOICES VOLUME H (Nonesuch 79201) 11 from the Bay Area, the Hailing The Bulgarian Radio & TV. Choir 3 19 Machete Ensemble has produced a 4 MYSTERY OF BULGARIAN VOICES VOLUME 1 (Nonesuch culturally correct, rhythmically 79165) righteous six-song collection, Africa The Bulgarian Radio & T.V. Choir 4 19 Volume 1. Led by master percussionist 5 LIBERATION (Shanachie 43059) Bunny Wailer 3 17 and local hero John Santos, the 6 TOOTS IN MEMPHIS (Mango MLPS 9818) Toots 7 19 from hard salsa jazz to sounds veer 7 COCODY ROCK (Shanachie 64011) Alpha Blondy 8 19 roots sendups in honor of the Mother 8 QUAREEB (Shanachie 64009) 11 Continent. “Un Viaje a Oriente” perco- 9 lates in the pervasive Afro-Cuban style, 9 RAI REBELS (Virgin/Earthworks 91000) Various Artists 9 17 featuring the trombone tonnage of 10 SHADAY (Sire 25816) Ofra Haza 6 19 Steve Turre and the vexacious violin 11 LEGEND (island 90169} Bob Marley & The Wallers 12 19 of Anthony Blea. Turre reappears on 12 AKWABA BEACH (Polydor/Barclay 833199-1) Mory Kante 13 19 “Medicine Man” with his gorgeously 13 SLAVE (Shanachie 43060) Lucky 1? spiritual playing of the conch shells, Dube 9 anchored by a pair of Zimbabwean-style 14 MAXI PRIEST (Virgin 90957) Maxi Priest 14 19 mbiras (thumb pianos). [This truly 15 ONE STEP MORE (Mango MLPS 9820) Junior Delgado 15 19 P.O. indie release is available from Machete Records, M102, Box 2133, Daly 16 CONSCIOUS PARTY (Virgin 90878-1 Ziggy Marley ) & The Melody Makers 16 19 City, CA 94017.] 17 BOB MARLEY (Urban-TekSLAM UT3002) Bob Marley 18 15 Further south in the Golden State, Bongo-Logic has been choppin’ up 18 SHADOW MAN (Capitol Cl -90411) Johnny Clegg Savuka 18 17 the dancefloors with its updated charanga. This Cuban rhythm is the & parent of the mambo and cha-cha-cha and is a prime example of the fusion 19 THE IRISH ALBUM (BMG 7892-1 -RG) Various Artists 24 m. of African groove and European melody. The L A. -based sextet centers 20 THE WORLD MUSIC ALBUM {intuition 91310) Various Artists 26 11 their jazz improvisations around the forceful charanga beat on Cha-Cha- 21 YOU ARE MNE (Mango MPLS 9827} ChabaFedela 27 7 Charanga (Rocky Point). When these guys lock into a killer rhythm with their instrumental lineup of piano, bass, violin, flute and various percus- 22 VINI POU (Columbia 44420) Kassav 22 9 sion, sparks fly and so do forays into some sizzling solos. Violinist Harry 23 RED ROSE FOR GREGORY
rabid survivor of 39 REGGAE DANCE HALL II (Sleeping Bag CLX-42013) Various Artists 31 15 the Bay of Pigs. 40 MUP: REGGAE FROM AROUND THE WORLD uisite urgency in their take of what has become a Pan-American anthem. with the huge amount of product out there. I have scratched the surface on Since we’re in the “Muevete” groove and in a Pan-American frame of some overlooked releases and plan to discuss other strains within the Latin reference, it’s time to bring up Flor de Cana’s Muevete (Flying Fish). music continuum in future columns, such as the ever-bubbling eclecticism Translated as “move it!,” the Boston-based septet’s 11-song ode to Latin of Brazil and the heroic passion that is nueva cancion (new song). My next song stretches from traditional to modern, from love poems to rebel calls. few columns will deal with aspects of the black music experience, in honor The first side features the more danceable material, while the second spot- of June — Black Music Month. Stay tuned to this space! lights the beauty of the melody. This group is very strong in the vocals department, with a bilingual mix of male and female voices creating an Tom Cheyney CASH BOX MAGAZINE 12 JUNE 10. 1989