The Night: World Music

I. Cheb Mami. (01:12:10 min)
He is the first raï singer to seek his fortune abroad and promote Algerian pop music in the West. Cheb Mami’s open, flexible approach to other musical styles has resulted in brilliant examples of fusion music, Du Sud Au Nord by Cheb Mami, as we can hear on his album Du Sud Au Nord. This album features duets (four of which are previously unreleased) that Cheb Mami recorded with such diverse artists as Ziggy Marley, Zucchero, and Samira Said. Raï blends reggae, mainstream pop, rap, soul, and Arabic music.
CD. Du sud au nord – Cheb Mami. LABEL: Virgin (2004), code: 5767722. VIDEO

II. Mr Bongo record club. (01:10:09 min)
The album presents recent discoveries and cherished classics from Brazil, Sweden, the US, South Africa, Portugal, Japan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Canada. It includes selections from Brazil’s rising stars, as well as Brazilian heritage musicians and vocalists, plus the beautiful gospel of the New York Community Choir and songs by some contemporary European and Canadian musicians. In short, this album is full of gems from different periods, yet they fit together beautifully.
CD. Mr Bongo record club ; vol.6. LABEL: Mr Bongo (2023), code: MRBCD270. VIDEO

III.
Vicente Amigo. (01:09:24 min)
With apparent ease, Spanish musician Vicente Amigo plays the most challenging music. Charismatic, powerful, sparkling, and elegant all at once. In the diverse flamenco styles, Vicente Amigo is accompanied by a selection of renowned flamenco singers.
The closing track, “Requiem,” is a moving tribute to his late mentor, the guitar legend Paco de Lucía.
CD. Memoria de los sentidos – Vicente Amigo.
LABEL: Sony (2017), code: 88985377572. VIDEO

IV. Manu Delago. (56:50 min)
With hypnotic, rhythmic acoustic music, Austrian percussionist and hang player Manu Delago takes us into the night, on a journey through the different stages of sleep. The idea for the album Circadian arose from his disrupted sleep-wake rhythm during his world tours. Manu’s music sounds like electronic music in acoustic form. His repetitive, melodic, and rhythmic hand drumming is subtly complemented by the sounds of an accordion, wind instruments, strings, and other percussion. This nocturnal music is about a dreamed encounter with an owl, about being awake, and about the different stages of dream and sleep.
CD. Circadian – Manu Delago. LABEL: One Little Indian Records (2019), code: TPLP1525CD. VIDEO

V. Raúl Barboza. (01:02:21 min)
The musical traditions of the Guyanese Indians in northeastern Argentina served as a training ground for Buenos Aires-born accordionist Raúl Barboza. He creates a unique blend of Indian, European, and African influences. The son of an orchestra conductor and guitarist, Barboza began playing the diatonic accordion and performed with his father’s band. He released a self-titled debut album in Argentina in 1964. When he performed in Paris for the first time in 1987, on the advice of tango master Astor Piazzolla, Barboza fell in love with the French capital. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Paris and became involved in the city’s tango-jazz-accordion scene, featuring stars such as Richard Galliano, Marcel Azzola, and Marc Perrone.
† To my great regret, Raúl passed away a month ago (August 27, 2025).
CD. La tierra sin mal – Raúl Barboza. LABEL: Lichere (1995), code: CD LLL 257. VIDEO

VI. Fanfare Ciocarlia. (28:17 min)
The Romanian wind orchestra Fanfare Ciocarlia is known as the fastest and craziest gypsy orchestra in the Balkans. The wind section can play between 130 and 200 beats/notes per minute with their famous fast staccato blowing technique.
Guest musicians on this third album, Iag Bari, included Romanian gypsy pop star Dan Armeanca, Costel Vasilescu (Romania’s best trumpet player), the Bulgarian women’s choir Angelite, and the Bucharest band Rom Bengale, featuring accordion, violin, percussion, and drums.
CD.  Iag bari – Fanfare Ciocarlia.
LABEL: Piranha (2001), code: CDPIR 1577. VIDEO

Thanks to Muziekweb.