Flamenco is at it's spiciest with the wildly popular Rumba style. Rhythms stomp and whirl and excite the ears, whether through a furious guitarra solo, the clack and tap of zapateos (Flamenco step dance), or the canny surprise of palmas (syncopated clapping). Rafa El Tachuela has been hailed by Vintage Guitar Magazine as a performer who presents with "powerful deliver, wringing emotion out of every note." a must for Latin music lovers, dancers, and adventurers.

Nadur is Clannad's first album of new material since 1998's Grammy winning Landmarks and features the full original line-up: siblings Moya, Ciaran and Pol Brennan, and their twin uncles Noel and Padraig Duggan, back together for the first time since the 1989 album Past Present. Nadur, Gaelic for nature is a natural progression to the Clannad sound that since the 70s has fused the traditional with the modern, the past and the future, with stunningly beautiful results.

The tarantella is an Italian folk dance characterized by a fast, lively 6/8 rhythm, and often accompanied by tambourines. This compilation CD presents Arakne Mediterrenea playing the music associated with the three extant forms of this ancient musical dance: Pizzica-Taranta (a healing dance with ancient roots), Pizzica de core (a joyous dance for special occasions) and Pizzica-scherma (the knives dance; now performed during the annual Cattle Fair and yearly on St. Rocco’s Day (Aug. 15th-16th).

‘Christmas In Ireland’, featuring guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and singer Noel McLoughlin & multi-instrumentalist, singer, teacher, composer and arranger Ger O’Donnell offers real traditional Christmas favorites from Ireland and ‘all over’, inviting listeners to sing along in the true spirit of Christmas. + Among its thirteen seasonal tracks are ‘The Holly and the Ivy’, ‘O’ Little Town of Bethlehem’, ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ (an English translation of the German carol ‘Oh Tannenbaum’), ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

Classical Music

• Twenty songs performed by several well-known Israeli performers and groups. • All the artists on this compilation had or have maintained longstanding performing careers in Israel. • Of interest for devoted Israeli-music fans or enthusiasts of International folk music."

Joy, sorrow, passion and every day life are represented by traditional and contemporary Brazilian songs. Ceumar creates a fascinating and pleasing fusion of Brazilian folk with pop, jazz and samba influences. Extensive information about tango in general and each of the pieces is included.

Valentina Ponomareva's renderings of Gypsy music from Russia sparkle with all the forgotten romance of that culture. Ponomareva, accompanied by traditional guitars and violins, performs with sweetness and romance. She draws on her own Gypsy heritage and long experience as a Gypsy musician to this impressive recording, where Wanderlust notes that "the passion in her voice shines through."

Lively and vibrant traditional music and dances from all regions of Romania, this recording features accordion, taragot (variant of an eastern oboe), clarinet, violin, double bass, braci (5-string guitar) and kobza (lute). Extensive information about the group as well as the various dances and music is available in English and German.

"• Kurdish singer and composer Sakîna presents passionate and captivating songs from Kurdistan portraying life of the people in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iran and Iraq. • Sakina combines regional singing styles with traditional and experimental interpretative techniques. • Traditional and modern instrumental accompaniment. • Booklet contains information about the artist and each of the pieces in English and German."

With this gripping musical experience comes powerful thunder, intricate rhythms of giant Japanese drums, weaving multi-layered patterns of an almost hypnotic intensity.

Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

Dalinda’s music draws on Bedouin influences from the Libyan, Moroccan and Algerian deserts and incorporates music from Egypt and the Middle East. This CD is produced by Hossam Ramzy.