Today we hear from the Ukrainian group DakhaBrakha, though rooted in Ukrainian folk, they explore it with the help of musical traditions from around the world, listening to one song of theirs does not prepare you for what any of their other songs may sound like, a wonderful, chaotic musical ride. We also hear an upcoming compilation on World Circuit of the Cuban sing Abelardo Barroso who first rose to fame in Cuban Son and Danzonette in the 1920's and 30's singing with many groups including the famous Sexteto Habanero, after a lull in the 1940's, he came back to the fore of Cuban music in the mid 50's with Orquestra Sensacion and remained their most popular singer until illness forced him to retire in 1968. Before his death in 1972, he was being told from Cuban groups who were returning from tours in West Africa (where Cuban music had a massive explosion in popularity and impact) that he was the favourite Cuban singer there. On this cold, rainy day, we also hear the very fitting late piano sonata of Franz Schubert, his c minor sonata from 1828, the first of his three final sonatas composed in the last months of his very brief life. It is a dark, introspective work, one can't helpt but think of a soul cast adrift and lost, having great difficulty in finding any peace, yet not despairing. I will feature these three miracles of music, the last piano sonatas, in superb recordings by the pianist Paul Lewis this fall. Composed nearly 200 years ago, they seem ideally suited for the modern age of anxiety.

Artist Album Track Label
DakhaBrakha will be performing in Toronto Nov. 27 and 28 at the brand new Aga Khan Museum!
DakhaBrakha Light Buvayte Zdorovi DahkaBrakha
DakhaBrakha Light Please Don't Cry DahkaBrakha
Huun-Huur-Tu Ancestors Call Odugen Taiga World Village
DakhaBrakha Light Zhaba DahkaBrakha
Hassan Hakmoun Unity Amarmoussaoui Healing Records
Marcio Faraco Cajueiro Sao Sebastiao World Village
Balla et ses Balladins The Syliphone Years Bedianamo Sterns
Kasse Mady Diabate Kassi Kasse Balomina Mwanga Corason
Abelardo Barroso with orquestra sensacion Cha Cha Cha En Guantanamo World Circuit/Nonesuch
Abelardo Barroso with orquestra sensacion Cha Cha Cha La Reina Guancuano World Circuit/Nonesuch
Abelardo Barroso with orquestra sensacion Cha Cha Cha La mulata Rumbera World Circuit/Nonesuch
Franz Schubert/Paul Lewis The Late Piano Sonatas Piano Sonata in c minor D958 Harmonia Mundi
Troker Crimen Sonoro Underworld Intolerancia
Troker Crimen Sonoro Arsenic Lips Intolerancia
Canadian content New release