Next month sees the stateside release of volume two of Jazzman Records' Spritual Jazz series. Like volume one, the set once again highlights under-appreciated 'esoteric, modal and deep jazz' - only here the sole emphasis is on Europe. We'll dig in deeper in May, but today I want to re-introduce a tune I caught wind of [...]

In no particular order. Old stuff today, new stuff later. Amadou & Mariam - The Magic Couple [Wrasse] Best-Of compilation culled from Amadou & Mariam's 1997-2001 material, in which the divinely gifted Malian blind couple honed the style seen on sacred earth-opus, Welcome to Mali . Coldplay-endorsed, NPR-approved, and the darling of every critic cognizant of the word, "polyrhythm." For good reason. MP3: [...]
Mor Thiam Mor Thiam is apparently Akon's dad. Don' be deterred …this amazing gem from 1973 is from his rare Drums of Fire album. Very good. Mor Thiam-ayo ayo nene

madlib in paris ( photo ) Madlib dropped this adventurous 30 minute set live on Paris ' Radio Nova earlier this week: mp3: madlib :: live on radio nova (paris) ( 21 mb ) [if anyone can ID any of the African stuff on this thing, it would be much appreciated] ************ related : Also found [...]
- Tasty French glitch hop? Débruit says "mais oui!" - Recloose put Hop Off up on Twitter, and it's a jammin' hip house Japan only bonus track. Hit the link to visit his blog where he offers up all kinds of goodies, including instrumental and demo versions of today's tune. - Senegalese drummer Mor Thiam delivers the old school Afro jazz funk. Cool muso factoid - he's Akon's dad. - M.I.A. drops a