Top 10 World Music CDs of 2008

If Thomas Mapfumo is the Lion of Zimbabwe, than surely Chiwoniso is the lioness - her sound is smaller and less wild than Mapfumo's, but no less powerful or intense. On Rebel Woman, Chiwoniso channels her own mellow ferociousness through her soulful vocals (reminiscent of Erykah Badu or even India.Arie) which glide over a delicate layer of twinkling mbira. Seamlessly weaving the threads between ancient Zimbabwean sounds and modern Afro-soul, Chiwoniso really brought it home this time around.

I listened to Dancing in the Light twice before I read the liner notes, and it was only then that I realized that it's a live recording of one of Lakshmi Shankar's recitals. Generally, I don't like live recordings, but when it comes to classical Indian music, I often prefer them, as long as the recording is well-made. That's because classical Indian music is based on improvisation, and the best musicians do their best work when an audience is present. Lakshmi Shankar is no exeption; in fact, she's a shining example of someone whose love for her music and her listeners only become truly evident when those listeners are present. She's in her 80s now, but her voice is as strong as ever, and bears the wisdom of eight well-spent decades.

Solas is one of my favorite bands in the world. I love straight-ahead traditional Irish music, and they're at the top of their game when it comes to the standard jigs and reels and such, but I also love that they're able to explore new genres and break down boundaries without losing their soul or their roots. For Love and Laughter is a great example of this ability. There are a few nice sets of tunes on the album, some of which are traditional and some of which are penned carefully within the tradition. There are also several fun not-quite-traditional tunes, though, including a couple of real gems that were recorded with plucky Canadian folk phenoms The Duhks, and the exquisite instrumental "My Dream of You," which closes out the CD.

Manze Dayila broke into the world music scene with an audible boom this year. Most of us had never heard of this Haitian songstress, who first arrived in the States two decades ago on a ramshackle raft from Haiti, 9 months pregnant. Since then, she's been bringing the sounds of Haitian vodou to the New York City subway, but she's come out of the dark and into the sun ("Sole" means "Sun" in Kreyol), and thank goodness she has - she's incredible! Sole includes a nice variety of songs: in "Simbi D'lo" and "Papa Loko," Dayila summons powerful vodou spirits in her husky contralto. "That Feeling" is decidedly urban, and scattered instrumental interludes throughout the album add just a touch of folkiness.

For me, great Arabic music seems to be simultaneously physically relaxing and mentally stimulating. I'm not sure exactly how to quantify that, but I know that Majaz, the sophomore album from oud group Le Trio Joubran succeeds on both counts. Though primarily an instrumental CD (only one song has vocals), there's not much question about the meanings behind the songs. Some are joyful, some painful, but all are beautifully composed and executed.

It's no secret to regular readers that I'm a bit nutty over Paris Cafe music, especially early 20th century female vocalists, and bandleader Rupa Marya (who happens to be a medical doctor in her spare time) channels that era perfectly in her vocals. The rest of the band, however, seems to be up to all sorts of different things, often at the same time - plucky musette accordion, mournful classical cello, honking nu-jazz trumpet... all wrapping into something new, soulful, and overtly pleasant, even when it's sad. I love all of the ingredients that make up this melange on their own, but mixed together, they're absolutely delicious, and word on the street is that we'll be getting a second album in 2009. I, for one, can't wait!

I was fortunate enough to not only be introduced to desert blues band Etran Finatawa through this excellent CD, but also to see the band live, within a span of a couple of months. Comprised of members of both the Tuareg and Wodaabe tribes, both of whom are Saharan nomads, Etran Finatawa has made both musical and cultural history by virtue of their very existence. The cultural fusion of two tribes who are not historical allies is remarkable on its own, but the fact that the music that they make is incredibly beautiful is what's truly remarkable. With chugging rhythms and wailing guitars under warm chants, it's got all of the foundations of the desert blues as we know them, but there's something a little bit extra special here.

French President Nicholas Sarkozy is not a favorite in the world music community. He's passed policies that make it quite difficult for international musicians to tour in France (not unlike similar policies in the US), and also passed strange new laws for France-based musical arts organizations. However, just as I don't blame Laura Bush or Hillary Clinton for their husbands' follies, I refuse to ignore French First Lady Carla Bruni's music just because of who her husband is. I fell in love with her music when I first heard her album Quelqu'un ma Dit, and I was thrilled to discover that this CD is equally as lovely. Soft vocals, sweet guitar, evocative and sultry lyrics, and all royalty proceeds donated to charity... what's not to love?

How do you tell a joke on the kora? Well, for starters, you could open up your album with a kora version of the theme song from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, like Toumani Diabate does in The Mande Variations. From one desert to another - hey, why not? Even with that moment of silliness (which actually sounds beautiful on the kora), this is a refined and intense album, and Diabate's first solo CD in 20 years. These solo compositions are structural masterpieces which seem to be plucked out of the air and built into towers before they fade away.

The CD was released shortly after the news came out Garifuna musician Andy Palacio had passed away, and I think the beauty of the collection really helped salve the pain a little bit. It's a collection of recordings that were made over a ten-year period of time in the Garifuna community of Belize, a cultural group that are descendants of a group of survivors of the wreck of a slave ship, who were taken in by the local Arawak Indians. These particular recordings focus on the voices of Garifuna women, and their stories of life, love, and spirituality. More than just field recordings, though, these songs have been carefully enhanced and mixed with hints of modern instrumentation. It works, and Umalali is an instant classic.