Dave Dalle's best of 1997

[Dave Dalle]

Best of 1997

A list like this needs certain disclaimers: This list is compiled solely
from what I've heard over the past year. If you know of some fantastic
release and think it's completely unconscionable of me not to have it on
my list. The reason it isn't, is probably because I have not yet had the
pleasure of listening to it. So, from the little I have heard, here are
33 albums which certainly belong to the best of 1997. I am certain that
if I had heard at least a reasonable amount of the music released in 97,
this list would be 20 times as big. The discs are ordered alphabetically
by label. There is no attempt to order them hierarchically.

ARC
Te Vaka: "The Canoe"
This is a wonderful and surprising album. Surprising, because it is from
an area of which I have not pursued to any real extant. A fairly diverse
album with contemporary worldbeat popular songs along with more
traditional percussion pieces. Exquisite singing throughout, solo,
choral, call-and-response between choirs. Their Polynesian percussion
instruments have a gorgeous timbre, and are played in some very fast and
thrilling rhythmns.

Mustafa Raza: "The Art of the Indian Veena"
A solid and full performance of a raga, the rag Ahiri. A 40 minute Alap
followed by a 20 minute Gat, very intense climaxes in both Alap & Gat,
great accompaniment from Gulfam Sarvar Sabri. The Veena in Hindusthani
music is also uncommonly found on Western recordings, as the Sitar
predominates in this family of instruments.

Caroline
Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party: "The Supreme Collection Vol. 1"
The saddest event in 1997 was the death of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (yes,
yes, Princess Di's death was untimely and sad as well). This is a very
good album of some older recordings. Hopefully, the "Vol. 1" indicates
many more are in store.

Crammworld
Kocani Orkestar: "L'Orient est Rouge"
Serbian and Balkan Gypsy and Brass music was the discovery of the year for
me. The Kocani Orkestar are wonderful and this, there second album, makes
them one of the best brass bands available on Western labels. This album
is more Eastern and Turkish than their first, but just as good.

Dynamic
Astor Piazzolla: "Maria de Buenos Aires"
An opera by Astor Piazzolla! I did not know he wrote one until I found
this in the store. A recording made in Italy on an Italian label I am not
familiar with. Of course it's all tango based with the typical set of
instruments one comes to expect in Piazzolla, augmented by a few strings.
The piece is more like a set of images and situations than an
opera-proper. In this way it is somewhat like Berlioz's La Damnation de
Faust. Gorgeous music and gorgeous singing and narration. I was happy to
find this one.

EMI Classics
Ludwig Van Beethoven, complete string quartets, performed by the Alban
Berg Quartet
I have not yet had the chance to go through these thoroughly, but a
mid-price reissue of the 16 unparalleled masterpieces played by one of my
favourite quartets should be noted.

Flying Bulgar Recordings
The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band: "Fire"
Their third album, not their best, but not their least. In fact they have
three albums of exceptionally high quality and have guaranteed a place
with me as one of my top Klezmer bands. Mostly originals and original
takes on traditional tunes, with songs of great joy and exuberance as well
as songs of tremendous dramatic power and darker edges.

Globestyle
Jova Stojiljkovic "Besir" & His Orkestar: "Blow Besir Blow"
Another great brass band, this one from Serbia. A reissue of a somewhat
old recording (1989). I am getting the impression that the popularity of
Gypsy music is growing in the West and the Gypsy music from the Balkans
deserves to be at the forefront of any surge in interest. Wonderful
brass, fast Chocheks and kolos.

Hyperion
Henry Charles Litolff: "Piano Concertos nos. 2 & 4" Peter Donohoe piano,
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Litton
A composer who Hyperion has brought back from almost complete obscurity.
Why he is so unknown is a mystery to me. These are two exceptional
concertos, highly original in form and orchestration, the entrance of the
solo piano in the 2nd concerto is one of the most beautiful I know. These
concertos easily rival any of the well-known 19th century concertos. This
disc is volume 11 in Hyperion's great "Romantic Piano Concerto series"

Justin Time
Quartango: "Compadres"
Another creative release from this great Montreal group. A few
imaginative originals mixed with original and inventive interpretations of
well-known tangos, such as Gardel's "Por una Cabeza" which has some Mozart
interspersed in it.

King Record
Ban Nhac Le Go Vap: "Nhac Le"
A wonderful recording of this Vietnemese ritual and ceremonial (and most
often, celebratory) music. Music based on lots of percussion and reeded
wind instruments (ken), with a few stringed instruments thrown in. Great
florid and ornamented melodies played on the ken, accompanied by a host of
percussion instruments and interspersed with percussion solos. Very loud,
vibrant and thrilling music.

Lusafrica
Ildo Lobo: "Nos Morna"
Tito Paris: "Graca de Tchega"
Maria Alice: "D'zemcontre"
Three great releases of Cape Verdian music. Why do all the tiny islands
have such wonderful music?

M.I.L.
Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Party: "Live in New York City"
Another double album released this year, this one of a recent perfomance
in New York, and it shows Nusrat at his transcendent best. This recording
was made within a year of his death, and yet it seems unbelievable the
amount Nusrat gives to his music, his entire being is utterly devoted to
the performance at hand. Is it no surprise that many of us were taken
unware by his death, even though he had been suffering from such ill
health? How can any man, much less a sick one, sing like this?

Milan
Piazzolla & Borges: "Tangos & Milongas"
A lot of Piazzolla on this year's list, which is wont to happen when a lot
of Piazzolla is released. Milan has released at least a half-dozen this
year, and this is the best of the lot. Wonderful tango vocals by Jairo,
great narration by Lito Cruz and of course great bandoneon by Daniel
Binelli. A great selection of pieces including "El Hombre de la Esquina
Rosada", a suite for 12 instruments, narrator, and singer.

Music of the World
The Karnataka College of Percussion: "River Yamuna"
N. Ramani: "Lotus Signatures"
Bikram Ghosh: "Talking Tabla"
Three great Indian albums on this label this year. Music of the World has
been, by far, the best Western label for Indian music with very original
and tremendous albums. I have found that for some of these musicians that
have recordings on Indian labels, their recordings for Music of the World
tend to be better. These three releases feature percussion heavily. The
College of Percussion is the most unusual, with very strange mixes of
percussion instruments such as a four Ghatams. On N. Ramani's album, he
is accompanied by a percussion quartet, ghatam, mrdangam, kanjira, &
morsing. These four percussionists have extensive solos throughout the
album, particularly in the main Ragam. Bikram Ghosh is a great tabla
player, and this is simply a great album of solo tabla.

Naxos
Franz Liszt: "Complete Piano Works vol. 1" Arnaldo Cohen
Very, very pleased about this. Naxos has undertaken the task of releasing
all of Liszt's piano music. This has only been attempted once before, by
the ongoing Hyperion cycle with Leslie Howard. Naxos has two strengths
however, the whole cycle has not been given to a single pianists, and will
encompass dozens of pianists. This ensures a variety of approaches to
Liszt and will help maintain the freshness of interpretation. As well,
Naxos can cost as little as a quarter of a new Hyperion disc. This
certainly makes the prospect of buying a cycle of 75 volumes less
daunting. The inauguration disc is also a wonderful recording. Arnaldo
Cohen has chosen a program of very rare, yet stunning Liszt pieces, such
as the solo piano version of Totentanz, Liszt's transcription of
Saint-Saens Danse Macabre, and the highlight of the disc, the very-rare
Reminiscences des Huguenots. And he plays them exceptionally well.

Nonesuch/World Circuit
Gidon Kremer: "El Tango"
This makes two years in a row that Gidon Kremer has released a disc of
Piazzolla's music, and also the second year in a row the disc has made my
list. Gidon Kremer understands Piazzolla perfectly and plays Piazzolla
wonderfully. The album has some very nice touches like guest vocalist Milva.
The Buena Vista Social Club: "The Buena Vista Social Club"
Afro-Cuban All-Stars: "A Toda Cuba Le Gusta"
Ruben Gonzalez: "Introducing..."
I have been very happy about this new Nonesuch/World Circuit team-up for
numerous reasons. Having World Circuit distributed by Nonesuch in North
America has dropped the price of World Circuit discs by as much as $8-9.
This has certainly helped me become familiar with these three incredible
Cuban discs. The Afro-Cuban All-Stars has the best big-band Cuban music
I've heard, Ruben Gonzalez has the best Cuban piano I've heard, and the
Buena Vista Social Club has the best range of Cuban music I've heard. All
three have fabulous horns, singers, piano, guitars, percussion. All three
albums were produced around the same time during an extensive visit by
World Circuit and Ry Cooder (who plays on the Buena Vista Social Club) to
Cuba, and they all share many of the same musicians. Very nice packaging
and extensive liner notes should also be mentioned. These three albums
have probably received the most private airplay of the whole list, and
will most certainly continue to be as welcome in the new year. It should
also be noted that several stores in the area have not been able to keep
any copies on their shelves.
Cheikh Lo: "Ne la Thiass"
A gorgeous album from Senegal, Cheikh Lo is a very passionate singer,
wonderful music fusing Senegalese popular styles with Cuban music with a
touch of Islam.

Shanachie
Huun-Huur-Tu: "If I'd Been Born an Eagle"
The third Huun-Huur-Tu album and possibly the most interesting.
Huun-huur-tu cover a greater range of Tuvan music on this album, including
more Russian-influenced songs from this century which make use of harmony
and other Western tricks. They still work very well. The accordeon
(bayan) is another nice Russian touch. And of course the more traditional
Tuvan pieces are as beautiful as ever.
Ramazan & Yaru Maliri: "The Mystic Fiddle of the Proto-Gypsies"
A stunning album of the violin and lute from the Baluch people in
Pakistan. Very intense music, both rhythmically and melodically.
Wonderful flights of melodic elaboration and improvisation on the sorud
(violin), with the driving rhythmic accompaniement of the lute. Beautiful
and it reminds me of Bach.
Regis Gizavo: "Mikea"
Simply beautiful music from Madagascar on accordeon, percussion and voice.
Regis Gizavo has a wonderful voice and tremendous ability on the
accordeon to make extremely sweet music.

Sounds True
Various: "B'Ismillah"
An easy winner for the best compilation of 1997. All live recordings
taken from the 2nd annual festival of sacred music in Fes Morocco. Some
highlights include the fiery whirlwind of percussion and vocals by the
Tagmout of Zagora, the exquisite Hindusthani vocal duet of Ustad Gulam
Hassan Shagan and his son Qadir Ali Shagan, more thrilling rhythmn from
Moroccan Berbers, some great Sufi chant, Egyptian Madih, a great call to
prayer with Orchestra from Bosnia-Herzegovina, in fact a whole album full
of great examples of Islamic music, save for one great Catholic Spanish
Flamenco chant by Diego de Los Santos (who probably has the loudest voice
in the world).

Tradition
Iqbal Jogi & Party: "The Passion of Pakistan"
More reeded wind instruments, my favourite, with great percussion. Very
sensuous and fiery melodies on the murli. Music of celebration and joy.

Traditional Crossroads
Morikeba Kouyate: "Music of Senegal"
An uninspiring title, yet inspired music. Gorgeous Kora playing and
vocals from Morikeba firmly establishing Senegal as my premier African
music stop.

Water Lily Acoustics
Simon Shaheen & Vishwa Mohan Bhatt: "Saltanah"
One of the first albums of 1997, but it was guaranteed a spot on the list,
in spite of what else may appear. A perfectly matched duo, both in
ability and in instruments. The Oud and the Mohan Vina mix beautifully
together, with the soft timbre of the Oud and the harsher, more metallic
timbre of the Mohan Vina. Since both music traditions are closely
related, neither loses any of its qualities by mixing with the other (I
find Viswa Mohan Bhatt's other ventures in crossing traditions become
hopelessly weak in comparison with his own proper Hindusthani music), and
together they make beautiful music.

Xenophile
The Klezmatics: "Possessed"
The Klezmatics' third and best album to date. Rousing party songs like
"Shprayz Ikh Mir", beautiful, tender songs like "An Undoing World" and the
complete suite from the film "A Dybbuk"

--
"Taste is a negative thing. Genius affirms and always affirms." -Franz Liszt

[Taste is defined by what it excludes. Genius is defined by what it includes.]