Customer Reviews

Music from the Coffee Lands

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was walking past an upscale clothing store that was using this album as sonic wallpaper. It stopped me in my tracks. I walked in and demanded the album from the startled saleswoman.

And that was just one track. This is a true sampler album, designed to expand the listener's musical horizons. It succeeds spectacularly. The track that transfixed me was Thomas Mapfumo's "Hanzvadzi." That has led me to purchase every piece of music Mr. Mapfumo has ever recorded, has led me to travel several hundred miles to see him in concert, has led me to appreciate all the varied kinds of Zimbabwean music (try the classical mbira master Dumisani Maraire) and even to appreciate the ongoing troubled history of Zimbabwe.

The sampler would have done a fine job right there, but Susana Baca also sings here. Boy, does she ever. I'd never heard of her: the only South American singer I was familiar with was Astrud Gilberto. After swallowing Ms. Baca whole, I moved on beyond Peru and into other South American music.

So, I've developed a love of the music of two continents, all for the cost of a single CD. The "Coffee Lands" gimmick is mostly just that: the only thing that Susana Baca and Thomas Mapfumo have in common is that they both use notes, but that doesn't matter at all.

Disclaimer: Your experience may differ, but there is not a dud track on the album, and at least one track is going to jump out at you and land in your lap.

I was tempted by this CD because I am a lifelong coffee addict. And, I love World Music, especially Latin American and African music, which has cross-fertilized each other back and forth since Africans were kidnapped and carried as slaves to the New World up to the Cuban influence in parts of Africa.

My favorite on here is "Maria Lando" by Susana Baca. She is big in Peru, her homeland, and a friend of David Byrne-- but unknown here in the US. What a shame. Her voice is clear and emotional having what the liner notes refer to as "sufferation"--that emotional outpouring of the downtrodden. You cannot listen to this and not be moved.

I also love the Ugandan Samite's "Wasuze Otya?". Samite survived the insanity of the Idi Amin regime in Uganda, ended up as a refugee in Kenya. He combines traditional Ugandan music with other sources such as, of course Jazz. It's wonderful--you can listen to a clip here, along with the Baca cut.

I was somewhat disappointed in the Brazilian "M'Ban Samba." This music is from Bahia, the African-rich north part of Brazil so of course quite different than the sambas and bossa nova of urban Brazil and the Cariocas. You can clearly here the strong African strain in the Bahian Sodre's music, and for that, it is interesting. It just is not my favorite cut on this album.

This is one wonderful CD for just listening or for dinner party background music. It casts such atmosphere, and is easy to listen to, yet not cliche in any way. The liner notes are prolific--there's a small booklet attached to the inside cover, and the cover has attractive artwork. I just love it.

I bought this CD on a whim, after hearing only two bars & have never regretted it. The percussion in particular is amazing & the music is so infectious, it's impossible to keep from smiling, let alone dancing!

Note: Maybe it's my computer system, but the sound clips on this website really don't do justice to the depth of this music.

What a CD! This one has it all: from upbeat songs to slow, relaxing melodies; from reggae to spanish; from tracks with an intense rhythm of instruments to songs a capella. This CD features musicians from coffee-producing nations (the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Africa). The songs themselves are like the drink itself. They can be soothing to the senses or can grab your attention and "wake you up."

I have two favorites on this CD. The first would by "Soltarlo" by Claudia Gomez. This a capella composition is both unpredictable and very enjoyable. With complex layering of voices, this song is unlike any other I've ever heard. It's soft and not too intense, but nevertheless it's great. My other favorite song would be "Este Son" by Juan Carlos Ureña. This is an upbeat, fun song that lifts your mood. If you're sad and you hear this song, you'll instantly become happy. If you're already happy when you hear, you'll become happier. The acoustic guitar and catchy melodies are great.

This is not to say the other tracks on this CD are poor. Every single one of the songs is fantastic. The melodies and rhythm of "Maria Lando" are very catchy and beautiful, and the reggae-influenced instrumental "Below the Bassline" by Ernest Ranglin is sure to get your attention with the upbeat rhythms. Ayub Ogada's haunting "Kothbiro" is very relaxing with the double-tracked singing and the sounds of the nyatiti, a Kenyan harp.

Overall, this CD is a hit. Living up to its name, the album reflects the different moods, feels, and types of coffee through its songs. And it's one of the very few CDs where every single song is great. Whether you own a collection of world music or are a newcomer to this type of music, I strongly recommend this CD. It's one of the best Putumayo has to offer.

I really like this album. It's one of those albums that you hear playing somewhere, and you want to buy it. That's what happened to me: I was in a bookstore, and it was playing, and I asked the clerk what it was and bought a copy on the spot. My favorites include "Guajira Bonita" and "Below the Baseline." I live in a dorm, and whenever I play this CD, people walking past in the hallway always inquire about it. It also makes great background music for social gatherings, over coffee or more festive beverages :)

I bought this album mostly on the basis of the catchy title and concept. I've listened to collections from Putumayo before, and maybe my expectations were too high - but I found most of the songs to be somewhat bland and sounding similar to each other. The stand-outs are "Below the Bassline", which is the only Raggae on the album, and "Kothbiro". Kothbiro affects me so spiritually, that it alone basically saves the entire album.

I was a bit skeptical of this collection at first, inasmuch as it is thematically organized around the rather loose concept of music from "coffee growing" lands. It is an eclectic collection, with soulful ballads, dance tunes, and one reggae piece. The surprise is that the acoustics are just trmendously "alive". For instance, on several songs using the guitar, you can almost feel the notes "popping" off the strings, as well as the extra percussion taps on the body of the guitar itself. There is a very life-like musical "presence" here. The singers give very good depth to their renditions, and other musicians perform with energy and verve. So this is what I would call a "snappy" cup, to borrow the coffee fanciers' lingo. It certainly encourages me to seek out other offerings in the Putumayo series of world music.

I bought this cd looking for something different and I struck it rich. I was tired of listening to the same old stuff. Even my husband who listens to mostly oldies and R&B thanked me for finding it. It has variety and quality. I've played it seven times in the last three days.

Amazing collection of songs - not one is a throwaway. If you're looking to break into "world music" the Putumayo collections are a great starting point.

This has been my favorite CD for the last year. We have purchased at least 20 as gifts for friends. Any age can enjoy it.