Today I would like to write a band from France. If you like to hear colorful world music, Dezoriental is a band for you. From the name of the band, you could guess their musical understanding. The multicultural band consists of French and Algerian members that their music root is Algerian music. Do not think that it is an Arabic band. Sometimes, you could hear melodies from Sahara Desert; sometimes, you could hear Arabic influenced Indian rhythms; sometimes, you could dance with hot Balkan music and gypsy music melodies. Is it only traditional music? Absolutely, no! Dezoriental also use Jazz, European music, gypsy music, French ballads, and the other world music elements. It is a good fusion of traditional eastern music and contemporary western music. The colorful band Dezoriental brings you a funny and cheery trip with their hot oriental rhythms and influences.
Dezoriental consists of six members from France and Algeria based members. The band’s official line up is Abdel Sefsaf (Vocal Drum), Aloua Idir (Oud, Guitar), Jean-Luc Frappa (Back Vocal, Accordion), Stephane Prost (Back Vocal, Percussion), Frederic Delluci (Tuba), and Laurent Falso (Drum). You could hear both contemporary music instruments and traditional music instruments in Dezoriental’s musicality. You could also hear instruments from different cultures performed by guest artists and performers. I suggest oud’s sound that you could read my article about an oud virtuoso John Berberian. I believe that you will enjoy hearing Dezoriental’s multicultural melodies with colorful eastern rhythms. I also suggest watching their live performance. You will appreciate it.
Dezoriental has two studio albums. Let us see their discography.
- Dezoriental (2001) is a successful debut album that it contains more Arabic and Algerian elements. I suggest the enjoyable album. My favorite songs are Booster, Desert Blues, No Made in France, Dezoriental Trip and Trans Saharien.
- Terra Incognita (2003) is the album that contains modern elements. I suggest the colorful album extremely. Vesoul, Aung Sann Suu (Queen), Jazz Hair, Soumelia, Leila, and Terra Incognita are my favorites in the album. Do not lose the rich cultural concept album.
Dezoriental is an exciting and colorful band that I suggest the band extremely. World music needs more groups like Dezoriental. They have never made any album since Terra Incognita album. I hope we could hear their more songs. I could not find their official website. You could check their pages and listen to more preview songs from Last Fm.
Bye for now!
Do you like bands combine folk music with modern elements? If your answer is yes, El Gueto Con Botas is a band for you. El Gueto Con Botas is a Sevilla, Spain based ska, fusion, folk music band. They combine Spanish and Andalusian folk elements with ska and related genres. I cannot say it is pure ska. It is Spanish folk music with modern rhythms. It was a good coincidence that I discovered the band and the band’s hybrid sound. I have checked their website, but it is only in Spanish. I think the band should announce their music to world music stage. I like their flute oriented sound with a perfect female vocal. 
We met a perfect string group after a movie in 2000. Requiem for a Dream is a great movie that it made us to meet with a great band Kronos Quartet. Actually, we were very late to know the great quartet plays more than 35 years. Kronos Quartet has about 43 studio albums, 5 soundtrack albums, 2 compilation albums, 3 video albums. They also have around 29 contributions in some albums from famous groups and artists. A musical treasure makes you feel very good to meet with a great band. They do not follow any genre that we could watch their performance in many genres from rock to classical music. They also use ethnic and world music elements in some of their albums. Although some of reviewers say, Kronos Quartet is not successful to perform world music, ignore their ideas and hear these world music experts. You could find different tastes in their different albums. Sometimes, they perform tangos from Astor Piazolla; sometimes, they perform Purple Haze from Jimi Hendrix. You will enjoy hearing Kronos Quartet’s Grammy awarded music. 
Both Shamanimal album is the first album of the trio and easy listening album, I can suggest this album for beginning. Actually, this is my favorite album and it is extremely suggested album. Hadouk Blues and Shamanimal songs affect my feelings! Baldamore and Air Hadouk albums are also highly suggested. Each album is a different taste. It is the band that you will never feel regret if you buy all albums. Hadouk Trio albums are an impressive combination of modern jazz elements and unusual folkloric instruments. 
Although Hadouk Trio is a successful band with their album, live performance is a good criterion to evaluate an ethno jazz group. I suggest watching their live performance. Live performance is awesome. Harmony and improvisation are perfect and cheery. They came to Istanbul for a concert and I watched their live performance. They also played a Turkish folk song perfectly. Jazz lovers should see their performance on the stage. Hadouk Trio also have DVD’s you should buy. Baldamore album also released as a DVD, and there is one more concert DVD name is En Concert au Satellit Café. 
The group’s first album is Gadjo (means foreigner in gypsy language) made in 2006. We could listen to Robin Nolan’s guitar in the song named in Django. Gadjo is a good debut album to expect their musicality in the future. The album consists of some funny songs; you could also find some romantic songs. In the debut album, gypsy jazz combined with some modern styles like pop, hip-hop, reggae and rock. Rock influence is a bit less in this album. On the Road Again, Tango, Cry of the Gypsy and Django with Robin Nolan are favorite songs in the album. 
The group involved in so many world music festivals in Europe. In 2009, Mad Manoush released Gypsy R-Evolution album. In my humble opinion it is the best album of the band and I expect new albums from them. Although we could see influence of reggae, pop, hip-hop and gypsy jazz in the album, rock’s influence is very high. Guitar put in the front and it made their music better and better. Their music is growing continuously with gypsy jazz and the other modern world music elements. 
If I say Middle Eastern music, oud, psychedelic rock and jazz, do you say he must be kidding us? Of course, I am not kidding. Today I introduce very impressive world music project from John Berberian who is one of the best oud virtuosos of the world from Armenia. You will not hear only Armenian music on rock and jazz, you will hear melodies and rhythms from Middle East. Turkish and Arabic melodies dance on rock and jazz. This kind of fusion albums could be very impressive if songs and musicians consist of reputed ones. A small mistake can drive the album poor quality and sound. However, today you will get to know a perfect world music album. If you like, those kinds of East and West concept albums, you can click 
My favorite Middle Eastern Rock released in 1969. This album recorded by John Berberian and the Rock East Ensemble with jazz-based rock guitarist Joe Back. I could say it is a real masterpiece. Sound and harmony between rock, jazz and Middle East music elements are perfect and flawless. Instrument variety is also wide. Although the oud is the major instrument in this album, other local instruments make the musicality higher with eastern instruments and elements. 
