The PLAY Lists >> World & Folk Music 2003

PLAY List
World & Music 2003
2004 __ Volume 5

The PLAY Lists >> The Best World & Folk Music CDs of 2003 — A Critical Consensus

Must have been a pretty good concert. The Festival In The Desert was named the top compilation CD in the fROOTS poll and also finished first on the Mojo World music list. Songlines had it on their selective, unranked listing and five experts named it among their top CD releases of the year in The Beat's poll. The recording of the third annual event featured everyone from traditional musicians from Mali to Robert Plant and the Native American group Blackfire. Rokia Traore, whose album Wanita topped the 2000 World & Folk Music PLAY List, had the top CD again this year with Bowmboï according to fROOTS. The Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban collaboration kind of sidestepped most of the traditional world music lists but figured prominently in the Down Beat critics' poll (in the "Beyond" category) and The Wire's "Global" listing. Congo Life by Kékélé impressed eight of The Beat's contributors enough to make it the magazine's most highly recognized CD, and everybody seemed to like Super Rail Band De Bamako from Mali (which, if this PLAY List is any indication, appears to be the country most likely to produce an outstanding world music artist).

Revised October 19, 2004

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	World & Folk Music
First Purchase	Various artists. The Festival In The Desert. (Wayward/IRL) — Africa — world music [Source=TB, FR, Mojo, SL / Score=92.5] Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban. Mambo Sinuendo. (Nonesuch/Perro Verde 79691, 2003) — U.S./Cuba — rock [Source=TB, DB-51, FR , TW / Score=58.5] Super Rail Band De Bamako. Kongo Sigui. (Indigo/Label Bleu) — Mali — World [Source=TB, FR, Mojo, SL / Score=50] Kékélé. Congo Life. (Stern's) — Congo — rumba [Source=TB, FR / Score=48] Rokia Traore. Bowmboï. (Nonesuch) — Mali [Source=TB, FR, Mojo / Score=45.75] John Spiers & Jon Boden. Bellow. (Fellside) — folk [Source=TB, FR, Mojo / Score=42.75] Souad Massi. Deb. (Wrasse) — Algeria/Andalusia — folk [Source=TB, FR, Mojo, SL) / Score=41.5] June Tabor. An Echo Of Hooves. (Topic) — U.K. — Celtic [Source=FR, Mojo* / Score=38.75] Abyssinia Infinite featuring Ejigayehu "Gigi" Shibabaw. Zion Roots. (Network) — Ethiopia — World [Source=TB, FR / Score=37.5] Various artists. Electric Gypsyland. (Crammed Discs) — gypsy/electronic remix [Source= FR, SL / Score=37.25] Bembeya Jazz. Bembeya. (Marabi) — Guinea — Afro-Cuban jazz [Source=TB, FR-2002 / Score=34.5] Jim Moray. Sweet England. (Niblick) — England — traditional folk [Source= FR, Mojo / Score=33.75] Martyn Bennett. Grit. (Real World) — Scotland — Celtic Fusion [Source= FR, Mojo / Score=33.25] Martin Simpson. Righteousness & Humidity. (Topic) — U.K. — Celtic [Source=FR, Mojo / Score=31.25] Mariza. Fado Curvo. (EMI) — Portugal — fado [Source=FR, Mojo / Score=30.75] Sam Mangwana. Cantos De Esperanca. (Next Music) — Congo — Soukous [Source=TB, FR / Score=30] Os Tribalistas. Tribalistas. (Blue Note 80387, 2003) — Brazil — pop [Source=TB, DB-52, FR / Score=29.5]
Second Set	Oi Va Voi. Laughter Through Tears. (Outcaste) — U.K. — electronica [Source=TB, FR / Score=26] Sevara Nazarkhan. Yol Bolsin. (Real World) — Uzbekistan — World/pop [Source= FR, SL) / Score=25.25] Sidestepper. 3 AM/In Beats We Trust. (Palm Pictures 2108, 2003) — U.K. — electronica [Source=TB, FR / Score=24] Various artists. World 2003. (EMI) — World [Source=FR / Score=24] Africando. Martina. (Sterns Music 1096, 2003) — U.S./Latin/African — salsa, son [Source=TB() / Score=22.5] Pandit Pran Nath. Midnight/ Raga Malkauns. 2-CD set. (Just Dreams) — India — ragas [Source=TW / Score=22.5] Terry Hall & Mushtaq. The Hour Of Two Lights. (Astralwerks) — U.K. — Middle Eastern pop [Source=FR, Mojo / Score=22] Boubacar Traoré. Je Chanteral Pour Toi. (Marabi) — Mali — folk [Source=Mojo / Score=21.25] Various artists. Waza: Music of the Berta from the Blue Nile. (Wergo) — Sudan — traditional [Source=TW / Score=20] Batata y Su Rumba Palenquera. Radio Bakongo. (Network) — Colombia — Champetta Criolla [Source=TB, FR / Score=19.5] Kassé-Mady Diabaté. Kassi Kasse. (Narada World) — Mali — World [Source=FR, SL / Score=19.25] Susheela Raman. Love Trap. (Narada) — U.K./India — Worldbeat [Source=FR, SL / Score=19.25] Yat-Kha. Tuva Rock. (Yat-Kha) — Tuvan throat singing [Source=FR, Mojo / Score=19.25] Various artists. Tulear Never Sleeps. (Stern's) — Malagasy — tsapiky [Source=FR / Score=18]
Next Set	Raz Mesinai. Resurrections for Goatskin. (Tzadik) — Israel — electronica [Source=TW / Score=17.5] Rumbanella Band. El Congo: Congolaise Rhumba. (Marabi) — Congolese — rhumba [Source=TB / Score=16.5] Jony Iliev & Band. Ma Maren Ma. (Asphalt Tango) — Bulgaria — gypsy music [Source=SL / Score=16.25] Eliades Ochoa. Estoy Como Nunca. (Higher Octave, 2002) — Cuba — son [Source=SL / Score=16.25] Debashish Bhattachrya and Bob Brozman. Mahima. (Riverboat) — India/Hawaii — Worldbeat [Source= SL / Score=16.25] Manecas Costa. Paraiso Di Gumbe. (BBC Legends) [Source=FR / Score=15] Radio Tarifa. Fiebre. (World Circuit) — Spain — Spanish/Moroccan folk [Source=FR / Score=15] Bobi Cespedes. Rezos. (Six Degrees) — Cuba/U.S. — Afro-Cuban jazz [Source=TB / Score=15] Various artists. Ethiopia: Ari Polyphones. (Ocora) — Ethiopia — traditional [Source=TW / Score=15] Natacha Atlas. Something Dangerous. (Mantra) — Europe/U.S. — electronica/Arabic [Source=TB, FR / Score=13.5] Various artists. The Rough Guide to the Music of China. (World Music Network) [Source=TW / Score=12.5] Various artists. The King's Musicians: Royalist Music of Buganda-Uganda. (Topic) — Uganda — traditional [Source=TW / Score=12.5] Kazuki Tomokawa. Box. 13-CD box set. (PSF) — Japan — folk [Source=TW / Score=12.5] Various artists. Radio Java. (Sublime Frequencies) — Java —Asian pop [Source=TW / Score=12.5] Malouma. Dunya. (Marabi) — Mauritainia — Worldbeat [Source=FR / Score=12] Cibelle. Cibelle. (Six Degrees) — Brazil — electronica [Source=FR, Mojo / Score=12] Kate Rusby. Underneath The Stars. (Pure) — U.K. — folk [Source=FR, Mojo / Score=12] Amandou & Miriam. Wati. (Universal) — Mali — Afro-Pop [Source=Mojo / Score=11.25] Nitin Sawheny. Human. (V2) — U.K. — electronica [Source=Mojo / Score=11.25] Danú. The Road Less Traveled. (Shanachie) — Ireland — Celtic folk [Source=Mojo / Score=11.25] Whapweasel. Relentless. (Whap) — England — ceilidh dance music [Source=Mojo / Score=11.25] Alasdair Roberts. Farewell Sorrow. (Rough Trade) — Scotland — pop [Source=Mojo / Score=11.25] Cara Dillon. Sweet Liberty. (Rough Trade) — Ireland — folk [Source=Mojo / Score=11.25] Ibrahim Ferrer. Buenos Hermanos. (Nonesuch/World Circuit 79650, 2003) — Cuba — Cuban jazz [Source=TB, FR / Score=11] Gillian Welch. Soul Journey. (Warners) — U.S. — folk [Source=FR, Mojo, TW / Score=10.5] Virginia Rodrigues. Mares Profundos. (Edge Music) — Brazil — folk [Source=TB / Score=10.5] Eddie Palmieri. Ritmo Caliente. (Edge Music) — U.S. — salsa [Source=TB / Score=10.5] Various artists. Red Star Sounds Present: Def Jamaica. (Island Def Jam) — Jamaica — reggae/rap [Source=TB / Score=10.5] Kadri Gopainath. Scintillating Sax. (Felmay/Dunya) — India — Indian classical/Carnatic [Source=TW / Score=10] Daara J. Boomrang. (Wrasse) — Senegal — hip-hop [Source=FR / Score=9]

World & Folk Music — Reissues

First
Purchase

Oumou Sangare. Oumou. (World Circuit) — Mali — pop/folk: [Source=FR / Score=27]
King Sunny Ade. The Best of the Classic Years. (Shanachie) — Nigeria — juju: [Source=TB, FR / Score=25.5]

Dave Swarbrick. Swarb! 4-CD box set. (Free Reed) — U.K. — Celtic: [Source=FR / Score=15]
Shirley Collins. Within Sound. (Fledg'ling) — England — folk-rock: [Source=FR / Score=15]
Compay Segundo. Gracias Compay. (Warner Jazz) — Cuba — Afro-Cuban jazz: [Source=FR / Score=15]
Various artists. Russendisko. (Trikont) — Russia — alternative rock: [Source=FR / Score=15]

Idjah Hadidjah. West Java: Sundanese Jaipong And Other Popular Music. (Nonesuch Explorer) — Indonesia — jaipong: [Source=TW / Score=12.5]
Javier Ruibal. Sahara. (Riverboat) — Spain — flamenco/World: [Source=FR / Score=12]
Various artists. Mali Lolo: Stars Of Mali. (Smithsonian Folkways) — Mali — World/folk/Afro-Pop: [Source=FR / Score=12]
Various artists. The Guitar & The Gun. (Earthworks) — Ghana — Afro-Pop: [Source=FR / Score=12]

World & Folk — Children's Music

	World & Folk Music — Children's Music
First Purchase	Various artists. African Playground. (Putumayo World Music) — Africa — children's music [Source=NCR / Score=10] Various artists. Dreamland: World Lullabies & Soothing Songs. (Putumayo World Music) — Africa/Europe/the Americas — children's music [Source=NCR / Score=10]

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Quantifying Critical Consensus: Methodology >>

The critic's polls conducted by The Beat and fROOTS are the most authoritative annual sources consulted for this PLAY List, and each was weighted at 1.5 as is standard practice here when a magazine draws on the expertise of critics and authorities beyond those on the roster of its own staff. fROOTS was accessed online and the top four positions were selected in partnership with the BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, and I attempted to integrate new compilation albums into the main listing and to separate reissues into their own list. MOJO, The Wire, and Songlines (which is new to this PLAY List) were weighted at 1.25 for their authority regarding World Music. A little tinkering was required however. MOJO's "Best World" and "Best Folk" listings were integrated into a single list. Down Beat was weighted at 1.0. The asterisk in the Source annotation identifies a CD that finished at the top of the list for that source.

See Quantifying Critical Consensus for more detail.

Sources >>

[TB-2003] — "The Experts Pick...the Best of 2003." The Beat Vol 23, No. 1 (2004): pp. 32-37.
[DB-52] — "Down Beat 52nd Annual Critics Poll: Results." Down Beat Vol. 71, No. 8 (August 2004): pp. 48-53. [Note: See "Beyond" category. ]
[DB-51] — "Down Beat 51st Annual Critics Poll: Results." Down Beat Vol. 70, No. 8 (August 2003): pp. 58-64. [Note: See "Beyond" category. ]
[FR-2003] — "fROOTS: The Critic’s Award 2003." Folk Roots. [ Online ] Available: http://www.frootsmag.com/content/critpoll/ (Accessed January 8, 2004).
[FR-2002] — "fROOTS: The Critic’s Award 2002." Folk Roots. [ Online ] Available: http://www.frootsmag.com/content/critpoll/ (Accessed February 7, 2003).
[Mojo-2003] — "The Best of the Year 2003." MOJO Issue 122 (January 2004): pp. 56-63. [See: "Best World" and "Best Folk" p. 58-59.]
[NCR-2004] — American Library Association. Association for Library Service to Children. 2004 Notable Children's Recordings. Available: http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/awardsscholarships/childrensnotable/notablecreclist/currentnotable.htm (Accessed 17 March 2004).
[SL] — Boughton, Simon. "Best Albums 2003." Songlines Issue #22 (January/February 2004): pp. 22-23.
[TW] — "2003 Rewind." The Wire Issue 239 (January 2004): pp. 38-49. [See: "Global" p. 45.]

Connections >>

The PLAY Lists Archive >>

Best World Music >> 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999
Best Latin Music >> 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999

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