Perhaps it was inevitable with my interests and work that I would be a fan of a wide variety of world music.  Everyday as I am with friends from other countries, I have the chance to hear their songs: Bosnian keyboards, Karen Burmese rock, Turkish pop. At church each Sunday, we have songs in multiple languages from Sudan, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Burma.  How not to enjoy the variety? I do have my preferences, however; most particularly, I love to listen to current French music and its countless varieties internationally as well as modern Arabic/Turkish pop. A variety of albums are below from France, Canada, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere.

France

 

Patricia Kaas: Dans Ma Chair - Patricia Kaas is a French chanteuse who has been singing in bars and cabarets throughout France since she was nine years old. She has a very strong voice which comes through in her sensual ballads and blues/jazz influenced songs. Though I knew of her from France, I only started to really pay attention to her music in Québec after I heard the song "Quand j'ai peur de tout". I even got to see her in concert in Montreal. It was quite an amazing and entertaining show.

Here's a clip from her song "Quand j'ai peur de tout".

 

Paris Combo: Attraction  - This eclectic jazz combo group is fun to listen to in terms of their music which is usually upbeat and multi-influenced.  Their albums play with flamenco, old-style French ballads, new and classic jazz, and several other flavors. The real payoff of this group, however, comes if you speak French and are thus able to enjoy their witty, sarcastic, and even off-the-wall lyrics.  The Barenaked Ladies find a kindred French spirit in the humorous yet sophisticated writing of this group's songs.

 

Francis Cabrel: L'essentiel 1977-2007 - I highly recommend the recent two-disc career retrospective of this grandhomme of contemporary French music.  It's not an entirely apt description, but he is sort of a French James Taylor in a way; he started as a singer-songwriter in the late seventies with an acoustic sound that would remain at the root of his style as he continued creating popular tunes throughout the following decades.  His popular tunes include many bouncing fun numbers as well as gentle ballads with wonderful lyrical imagery.

 

Manau: Fest Noz de Paname - This group offers a surprising mix of French rap and Celtic music.  I was immediately captivated by the humorous initial track on their Fest Noz de Paname album, but its their style of upbeat rap (which, if you're not familiar with French rap, is a lot more musical and playful than most American-style rap) mixed with Breton traditional music that gives them such a unique sound.  One of the few rap groups where you'll also find a bagpipe solo on the same album!

 

Les Innocents: Meilleurs Souvenirs - Another group with a decades long career that shines at best with their retrospective album.  Pop with experimental sensibilities and a great ear for melodies.

 

Kamini: Psychostar World - This hilariously creative addition to the French rap scene became famous through his satirical video "Marley-Gomont" about life as the only black family in a rural French village. This theme runs through much of this work while--perhaps even more bizarre--the rest consists of amusing reflections on his work in a psychiatric hospital.  His songs are silly and farcical with hilarious videos to match.

 

Zazie: Zen - Her songs were highly popular when I was a student in France, and her album of that time Zen is quite fun.  Her cool and sexy voice blends well with the sleek pop grooves of her songs.

 

Carla Bruni: Comme si de rien n'etait - Singing in French with the occasional foray back into Italian, model-turned-singer/songwriter Carla Bruni's first album simply consisted of her playing guitar as she gave a soft but husky voice to her melody. While this first album was nice enough, I mainly bought  Carla Bruni's last album simply because she had famously become the First Lady of France after a whirlwind affair and marriage to Nicolas Sarkozy. The new album was a pleasant surprise, however, building on her first work by adding more instrumentation and thus a broader sound. It's a bit more easy-listening in style but I find it quite appealing. Her songs, which she writers herself, largely have a lonely, dreamy quality with very cleverly written lyrics.

And of course one cannot forget the great ones like Jacques Brel, Serge Gainsbourg, and the unmatchable Edith Piaf!

Quebec and other Canadian

 

	Celine Dion: D'Eux, S'Il Suffisait d'Aimer, 1 Fille & 4 Types - She's probably one of Québec's most internationally recognized names, but I think most Americans have no idea of how much of Celine Dion's work has been in French. (As evidenced by the fact that the US release of D'eux was called "The French Album"---as if she only had one!) Actually, it was in French that I first really heard Celine Dion and realized what a great singer she was. One of my favorite albums is S'il suffisait d'aimer and it, as with her other work with Jean-Jacques Goldman, is excellent.  Another collaborative album with four very talented French singers/writers is 1 Fille, 4 Types which uses a lot of back-to-basics acoustic guitar to create an overall feel of backwoods singing and the Canadian countryside---quite different from her lush and lite pop ballads of recent years in English.
	Here's a medley of songs from these albums.

 

Lili Fatale: CK80296 - This band has an engaging sound, an electric mix with acoustic underpinnings.  Alternately brooding and energetic, they have songs with very sharp lyrics and a somewhat sarcastic life outlook.  They display a punk band image but with better music, smarter writing, and (I am told by a friend that met them) much nicer personalities.

 

Eric Lapointe: Invitez Les Vautours, "Les Boys" - If you're looking for a true bit of Québec culture, then Eric Lapointe is definitely a good place to start. I attended a RockFest event at which he performed, and the whole crowd of thirty-thousand was singing along with every song. His songs are generally rock sung with a very gritty voice ("Les Boys" which was the title track to a popular Québec movie about hockey is a good example), but he has some passionate ballads too. For somebody who has studied French in the US and traveled to Paris, it is also very interesting to listen to his music because his Québecois accent stands out very much.

Here's a clip from his song "Les Boys".

 

Daniel Belanger: Quatre Saisons Dan La Desordre - A very well known Quebec singer, Belanger's songs have playfully humorous yet quite artful lyrics that reflect a fun, clownish personality. He possesses a unique and versatile voice that has made his work very recognizable.

 

Sylvain Cossette: Blanc - Cossette's strong tenor voice gives his songs an impressive range and stylishness. While he does have more upbeat songs, his best work is represented in his slower songs and ballads.  The songs on his album Blanc are largely written by Cossette himself, though one of his biggest hits is a remake of the famous French song "Que je t'aime".

 

Great Big Sea: Rant and Roar - A highlight of Canadian music is the folk tradition of the Maritimes on the eastern coast and Great Big Sea represents the new generation continuing that tradition in modern style. From Newfounland, this popular group is known for their contermporary renditions of traditional songs and newer songs in the same lively vein.  On their Rant and Roar album, I especially enjoy the radio hits "Ordinary Day" and "Lukey".

 

Loreena McKinnett: The Book of Secrets - Though originally from the middle of Canada, the heart of McKinnett seems to be a Celtic maiden at hear.  Rich with flowing melodies and traditional instruments, her music is finely crafted lilting voice.  The magnificent album The Book of Secrets was her journey through the musical landscape of Europe and the Orient, incorporating sounds from those regions into her Celtic style.  Most notable is the song "The Mummers' Dance" which became quite popular and has wonderful sound and imagery recalling the harvest festivals of the British Isles.

Africa

 

	Khaled: Didi, Sahra  - Some of the most interesting music traditions arise from the blend of cultures in the world. One of particular importance is the mix of traditional Arabic music and Western jazz and pop out of northern Africa known as raï. Most notable of the artists associated with this movement is Khaled (aka "The King of Raï") from Algeria. Though most of the songs are performed in Arabic, Khaled will occasionally include a song in French with some interesting sounding results.  The song "Aisha", penned by French master Jean-Jacques Goldman and interpreted wonderfully by Khaled, is now a French standard.
	Here is a clip from his song "Didi".

 

Zap Mama: A Ma Zone - This Belgian-Congolese group of women use the instruments of their voices to create unique sounds and harmonies as they sing songs that mix French, Swahili, Lingala, and English.  They experiment with rhythms and noises with some surprising results.  They have ranged from purely traditional sounds to mixes of African and American hip-hop, and I think the album that presents the best balance is the popular A Ma Zone.

Here is a clip from their song "Allo Allo".

 

	King Sunny Ade: E Dide - Nigerian juju music is popular continent wide and its "king" is the long-standing talent of King Sunny Ade. The rhythm beats of his songs are accentuated by the distinct traditional Yoruba 'talking drums'. I even had the chance to see King Sunny in concert at a festival in Atlanta.
	Here is a clip from his song "Ara Ma Nfe Sinmi".

 

Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars: Living Like a Refugee - How could I resist an album from a musical community of refugees from West Africa who rocketed to fame from the middle of their refugee camp? With the lyrics of Reuben M Karoma painting the day-to-day refugee experience with true West African flavor, the various individuals that came together in the group offer music styles ranging from reggae-influenced protest to traditional juju rhythms to broad Afrobeat.

 

Papa Wemba: Emotion - Recommended to me by friends from Congo-Kingshasa, Papa Wemba is a giant of African music not only in his native country but across the continent.  His largely Lingala lyrics are sung in a characteristic high sing-song voice set to upbeat African slide guitar and rhythmic drum.  His 1995 release Emotion was his foray into blending a more Western pop sound into his traditional music to gain a more international audience---even covering Otis Redding and adding some Latin beat.

Other international:

 

Rosentstolz: Das Grosse Leben - With a number of friends throughout Germany, I was anxious to find some interesting music from the country while visiting.  I was steered by several of those friends to the group Rosentsolz whose catchy pop ballads are quite popular.

 

The Gypsy Kings - My first memories of the these world-famous masters of Spanish flamenco are watching Spanish exchange students in France dancing beautifully to their music at a party.  This greatest hits albums includes a good balance of famous fast-paced ("Djobi Djoba", "Bomboleo") and slower ("Un Amor") songs as well as my favorite instrumental "Love and Liberte".

 

	Alabina: L'essentiel  - Though it seems a natural pairing now, I was absolutely blown away the first I heard of this group's mix of Spanish flamenco and modern Arabic pop music. The Paris-based group is actually made of two seperate parts: the flamenco group Los Ninos de Sara  and  Egyptian-Israeli pop singer Ishtar. Do yourself a favor and pick up this greatest hits album.
	Here is a clip from their song "Alabina".

 

Ibrahim Ferrer:  Ibrahim Ferrer- As a featured singer in the Buena Vista Social Club (a collaboration of several old Cuban musicians from the days of Desi Arnaz), Ibrahim Ferrer later had the chance to shine in his great debut solo album of Cuban music, with both slow dance numbers and lively rhumbas, sung in his broad gleaming voice.  Unlike the backroom live-recorded feel of the larger group's work, Ferrer's album is more polished but just as rich in rhythm and sound.  He would go on to make one more album before his death in 2005.

 

Tarkan: Tarkan - Probably the most well-known and most popular Turkish pop singer, his mega-hit song "Suruk" was played all over Europe, America, and beyond.  On his highly successful self-titled 1997 album, he offers a mix of rhythmic dance songs, ballads, as well as some more traditional style Turkish music.

 

Mustafa Sandal: Araba - Another famous Turkish pop singer whose songs utilize traditional Turkish rhythms but with added elements of jazz, electric guitar, and such.  His international pop hit was the title song "Araba".

 

Rafet El Roman: Surgun - Yet another Turkish singer with a huge following, Rafet El Roman is probably the best at crooning broad, emotion-laden Turkish ballads though he also has a lot of catchy upbeat songs as well.  His album Surgun offers a nice balance of both.

 

1 Giant Leap - This concept album came about when its creators traveled to locations around the globe to interview and film people on the themes of unity and diversity. They had local musicians create songs to blend together with other musicians they would visit later. The result is an international album with a mix of musical styles and traditions that was an exceedingly popular one-off album though everyone hopes for the rumored sequel.  The biggest hit was the song "My Culture".

 

Susan Enan - A UK born artist now based in the US, Susan Enan is an independent acoustic singer/songwriter of flowing melodic songs.  I first saw her at a small performance at a local venue in Atlanta and waited nearly a decade for her to release an album. She finally did so in 2009 after her career received a boost when one of her songs featuring Sarah McLachlan was featured on the TV show "Bones"

Asia:
 

Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein- Phyu Phyu Kyaw Thein is a Burmese singer quite famous throughout her country. Her deep strident voice is instantly recognizable and she uses it to sing everything from powerful ballads to Asian pop.  Quite a lot of her catalog is also reinterpretations of well-known Western songs from the likes of Celine Dion, Evanescence, and Meredith Brooks.

 

Anggun - Anggun is a famous Indonesian singer who became more internationally known once she immigrated to Europe and released the beautiful hit single "Snow on the Sahara/La neige au Sahara".  She released mirror-image albums in English and French called Snows on the Sahara and Au nom de la lune respectively.  Though pop oriented, the songs on the album still reflect her Indonesian background including choruses in her native language and the use of some Asian instruments and imagery

 

Slumdog Millionaire - This Oscar winning movie set in modern India has an amazing soundtrack that features music by well-known Indian producer AR Rahman. Some tracks are traditional; some sound of classic Bollywood filims.  Most, however, are vanguard modern Indian recording mixing styles of the world (R&B including rapper MIA, rock, Latin) with traditional music.  Since it is a soundtrack, many of the songs are intended as background and thus do not have a lot of distinct melody or hooks.  However, all the songs are exceptionally fun and playful in a way that regular pop music cannot be.

Kahbi Khushi Kabhie Gham - Wanting some fun Indian music, I purchased the soundtrack to this internationally popular 2001 Bollywood film after having quite a lot of fun watching the movie.  The music itself is typical of  Indian film---mixing traditional sounds (rolling tabla, highpitched female voice) with classic Hollywood musical (strings, chorus) with modern beats and synthesized sound. The songs also remind me of the surreal feeling of watching my first Bollywood film as characters broke out into song and dance in such unexpected (and thus for me quite humorous) ways.