Squirrel Nut Zippers is a funny neo swing band from the United States. In the late 90’s, I heard a song in a famous TV show in Turkey. It is very funny and enjoyable music that everybody liked it. After I met Squirrel Nut Zippers’ song named in Hell, I also met with their impressive music. In the middle of the 90’s, neo swing was very popular. This era was called as Swing Revival in world music stage. There were many groups and performers that some of rockabilly performers like Brian Setzer also performed neo swing. It is also possible to find neo swing with electronic elements. Their style is eclectic fusion of blues, jazz, 30’s swing, klezmer and gypsy music. Squirrel Nut Zippers created their unique sound with fusion of classic and modern elements.
Squirrel Nut Zippers formed by James Mathus, Katharine Whalen, Chris Phillips, Don Raleigh and Ken Mosher in 1993. Although some members were replaced with the new ones, the band’s unique sound has never changed. We only remember several groups of artist from Swing Revival era and Squirrel Nut Zippers is one of them. Musical diversity is very important to have an international recognition. There were many bands played the same music without any diversity and variety. The band’s musicality and musical diversity make the band well known and world-class band in neo swing genre. Instrumental variety is also very good that you could hear banjo, ukulele, trumpet, and canjo with modern jazz instruments like trombone, violin, double bass, drum, saxophone, and piano. Canjo is very interesting instrument that you could make it yourself. Google it!
Squirrel Nut Zippers have six studio albums, one best of album and one live album. Their last album was released in 2000. After Swing Revival era finished, they didn’t make any album due to members pursued another projects or solo career. Some of the member released their solo albums during this period. Please find discography of the band and some of my suggestions.
- The Inevitable (1995) is a successful debut album.
- Hot (1996) is their well know album that it is my favorite. Do not lose the extremely suggested album. Hell is the best song in the album. Put a Lid on It, Memphis Exorcism and Princess Nez are my favorite songs.
- Sold Out (1997) is very good album that it is highly suggested album. Bedlam Ballroom and Palling with Al songs are my favorites.
- Roasted Right (1997) it is an EP.
- Perennial Favorites (1998) is my other favorite album. Ghost Of Stephen Foster is the best song. Fat Cat Keeps Getting Fatter, Trou Macacq, Suits Are Picking up the Bill and Soon are my favorite songs.
- Christmas Caravan (1998)
- Bedlam Ballroom (2000) is the last studio album that its sound resembles a bit Rock n Roll. Bedlam Ballroom, Baby Wants A Diamond Ring, and Do It This A Way are my favorites.
- The Best of Squirrel Nut Zippers (2002)
- Lost at Sea (2009) is a live album.
Squirrel Nut Zippers is a funny swing band that their songs make me feel very good. I expect a new album from them. Maybe they could start the second Swing Revival era. You could visit their website to find more materials about them. You also could buy their albums. Special thanks to Chris that he told me I could use their videos on my blog.
Bye for now!
If you like Ethno Jazz and music combines new and old, you would like Mode Plagal. It is a group from our neighbor Greece. They perform traditional Greek music fused with Jazz, Funk and the other genres. I like Ethno Jazz genre that it make us meet different cultures music and instruments with modern elements. It must be separated from Ethnic Music definitely. Ethnic Music only targets fans or people who enjoy hearing ethnic melodies. Many people could think that it is a boring music, although it is not. Ethno Jazz’s target is a bit larger by using traditional elements with modern items. It is also good way to make people like jazz. I like Greek traditional music that to hear it in the jazz forms made me feel very good. 
Although their all albums are suggested highly, I would like to talk about their album Beyond the Bosphorus. The album recorded with Turkish ethno jazz band Bosphorus Project in Athens and Istanbul. I wrote an article about Turkish ethno jazz project Hijazz. 
Do you know the band Oi Va Voi from England? If you have never heard their music, it is time to know them. A London based band Oi Va Voi performs music that it cannot be described in only one genre. They build rock, Eastern Europe music, pop, electronic, Klezmer music, and jazz upon Yiddish music. The sound, excellent vocals, instrumental variety, harmony between combined genres and musicality make Oi Va Voi one of the best music groups still performing. The experimental band from London was founded in late 90’s. Although some musicians have left the band, they are still crowded band with new members. Oi Va Voi will be a band you cannot leave after you meet their charming music. I still cannot forget their song Refugee. You could some preview songs and videos on their MySpace profile. Just 
I write articles about music generally. However, I would like to write some articles about music related computer issues. You know that there are many online radios on the internet. It is my dream to setup an internet radio which its contributors and DJ’s from different countries and cultures. It could be very good to hear music from different cultures with interactions. We could discover new music; get to know more about different cultures. Think about a radio plays from Brazil. After Brazil session finished, it plays from Turkey, Spain, Japan, Greece, America or some different countries. It would be very interesting to hear different contributors’ selections. It would be very good, although it is a dream. Maybe one day, we could be a big community and think about creating an online radio. There are many ways to setup a radio on the internet. I will explain the most famous platform for radio streaming. 
The Freak Fandango Orchestra is a multi cultural band from Barcelona, Spain that they perform gypsy music with Balkan Music, polka, punk rock and folk elements. Last week, I was trying to find some royalty free music on jamendo.com to post my blog. There are so many groups, performers, and artist in Jamendo to share and distribute their music. While I was thinking I only could find some amateur records, I saw an album cover. Fandango word attracted me firstly. After that I checked the band’s page and found some tags like gypsy punk, rock, folk rock, Balkan and gypsy music. When I open the player, I met with a band performs rock music with Balkan and gypsy music elements very well. I did not expect to meet a professional band but, I said wow, it is perfect! I also appreciated their motto. We don’t want your money, we want your soul. They created their album with Creative Commons License. It means you could copy and share the album as long as you consider conditions given at the bottom of the post. You could press play button on the player has given below to meet the fascinating band The Freak Fandango Orchestra.
Special Note: The album given above created with Creative Commons License and some rights reserved. You could copy, distribute, advertise and play this album as long as you:
Fanfare Ciocarlia is gypsy brass band legends. Balkan Music is my favorite genre that I wrote posts about musician side of 
Diablo Swing Orchestra is very interesting Avant-garde Metal group from Sweden. I like northern metal groups. They know how to make music with using Nordic elements. Therion is my favorite group from Sweden that you could find an article about them, if you 
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. 
Are you ready to hear Rock music influenced Tuareg Berber music from Africa? We only know Berber people from their famous Berber Carpet. Today we will know more about rock based Berber music or Tuareg music. Tamikrest is a rock group from Mali. They are musicians who choose guitar and music instead of guns. Mali civil war shaped their personality and musical understanding. They met some groups like Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, and Bob Marley via internet. Finally, they decided to make rock music influenced Berber music to introduce their roots to the other cultures. Actually, it is a good way to fuse different kinds of music. It makes listenable and lovable music to share cultural elements. Tinariwen also affects their sound. It is more professional blues band from Mali. Add Tinariwen to your list, as well. 
It is a masterpiece from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. It is a perfect musical; it is an excellent rock opera. The subject is a sensitive issue that it judges religion and Jesus. It is not a religious or politics work. It only shows Jesus’ humanistic features from Judas’ eye. The musical also shows he avoids responsibility, gets angry to god, has a suspicion in his head, and gets tired of his mission as an ordinary people like us. He lives in modern times and he is an object of popular culture as God’s superstar. Finally, his community puts away him. 
Hair the musical is one of the most well known musical in the world that it was shown in Broadway and London for many times. After Hair’s debut in 1967, it became very famous musical of the world. It was translated to many languages, and it was shown in many countries. Reputed film director Milos Forman made the musical’s movie version. Both Broadway musical soundtrack and Milos Forman’s movie soundtracks should be listened. He transforms musicals to a movie successfully. Donna, Hare Krishna and Let the Sunshine In songs are my favorite. I suggest Hair the Musical for good music and understanding 60’s hippie antimilitarist movement. 
