World Music Network Amazon Sampler

Various Artists | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: April 7, 2009
• Label: Rough Guides/World Music Network
• Copyright: 2009 Rough Guides/World Music Network
• Total Length: 30:43
• Genres:
• ASIN: B00266C5KY
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,119 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The World Music Network Amazon Sampler - A Good Introduction to WMN's Catalog, April 27, 2009

By 

Mark "Technology, Music and Movies" (East Coast) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)   

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This review is from: World Music Network Amazon Sampler (MP3 Download)

World Music Network Amazon Sampler is a very nice cross section of international music from Africa and Latin America. This was a good introduction for me to the World Music Network's catalog of disks. The best known world music series is the one from Putumayo most often played at Starbucks and bookstores. This company has a lot of disks covering every genre imaginable. This sampler is enough to make me want to explore their other offerings.

They have a large number of disks in the "Rough Guides" series, but the tracks on this disk come from The Rough Guide to African Music for Children (tracks 1 & 2), The Rough Guide to Latin Music for Children (tracks 5 & 6), The Rough Guide to Latin Arabia (track 4), Rough Guide to Flamenco Nuevo (track 3) and Rough Guide to the Music of Madagascar (track 7). I did a little searching to listen to some of the other songs that are on those disks and discovered that they come with an "interview track," for lack of a better description, where they give background information on the artists and music selected for their CDs. That alone might be enough to make those disks worth purchasing for fellow music junkies.

"Mama" and "Bula Bula" are both in African languages. "Era," the last track on this disk from the Madagascar CD, is probably one of my favorites. Though they speak French in Madagascar, this track appears to mostly be in the Malagasy language.

The other four tracks on this album are in Spanish, though track 3, "Perla De La Medina," by Javier Ruibal, also includes some Arabic. Ironically, this track was taken from the Flamenco Nuevo CD and not the Latin Arabia compilation. I had to check the original disk samples twice just to make sure. I guess that goes to show you how much of an influence Arab culture is having on Latin music lately. Maybe we all have Shakira to thank for that. :)

Only "Rumbero Soy" has a salsa foundation to it, though all the Spanish language tracks are a blend of styles, traditional and modern. All of this is good music, and the musically adventurous should definitely check it out. The only thing I wish is that they would have included a broader cross-section of music considering the many countries in their collection that are not represented on this sampler.

If you like international music or just want to be exposed to some new stuff, this is a very nice sampler. I for one plan on checking out the World Music Network's other albums.

Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars World Music, August 11, 2009

By 

V. Perez "djvictoria" (My own world) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: World Music Network Amazon Sampler (MP3 Download)

Love it! Love It! I have the Rough Guide to Spain and World Party. I do enjoy anything from Music Rough Guide. This compilation is a must have as well. Once I hear an artist I like from the rought guide I usually endup going into other world music and I love listening to all diffrent types of music. Keep up the good work Amazone. 5 stars from me!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great background music for summer time, May 15, 2009

By 

C. Deaton "Constant Shopper" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: World Music Network Amazon Sampler (MP3 Download)

Love this! I tend to have spanish guitar or other latin american influenced music on outside when we are at the pool or just hanging out reading. Stuff like this gives me a true escapist feeling of hanging out on one of those big lush patios at nice resorts. Great for relaxing and reading to. I will have to check out more of their listings.