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Putumayo’s New “Beat”

By Dan Storper, September 7, 2011  |  Meet the Blogger  |  More Posts by Dan Storper
Read on for a chance to win a 4-CD set from Putumayo’s Beat series and Groove series. Dan Storper is the CEO and Founder of Putumayo World Music. Putumayo continues its exploration of contemporary world music with the launch of a new "Beat" series, which follows in the footsteps of the successful “Groove” series. New releases African Beat and Latin Beat highlight the exciting blends of world music and electronica, R&B and more coming out of studios in Europe, America, Africa and Latin America. These releases are available at most Whole Foods Market stores. On Latin Beat, we explore funky new blends of Latin music, in which electronic beats, hip-hop flavors, DJ remixes and cutting-edge grooves are fused effortlessly with Colombian cumbia, Cuban son, Mexican banda, Spanish flamenco, Afro-Peruvian roots music and more. Cuban band Moneda Dura adds the voice of Buena Vista Social Club legend Ibrahim Ferrer to a catchy breakbeat sound. Colombians Jontre and Mariposa Solar demonstrate how effortlessly groundbreaking Latin musicians are using traditional rhythms in a contemporary pop context. Spain's Digitano takes Gypsy flamenco instrumentation and layers on electronic effects. These collaborations between modern Cuban groups and Cuban legends provide insight into how Latin music has managed to stay as popular and relevant today as it was 50 years ago. On African Beat, Putumayo features artists who are as likely to have traditional African drumming, soukous and mbaqanga on their IPods as they are the latest European dubstep and R&B. These tracks reveal that even in this globalized, hi-tech world, the divide between the past and the future is not as great as it may seem. Songs by musicians with deep connections to their roots, including Vieux Farka Touré and Les Barons, are remixed and reworked by Western DJs. The music of South Africa's Busi Mhlongo, Senegal's Lëk Sèn and Malian/French group Donso reveals how hip-hop, electronica and other urban musical styles have been incorporated into traditional African music, taking it in surprising new directions. We hope you give these new sounds a listen. Do you have a favorite song or group that showcases collaboration between two distinct music styles? Let us know what it is in the comments below for a chance to win a 4-CD set from Putumayo’s Beat series (African Beat and Latin Beat) and Groove series. (Arabic Groove and Turkish Groove). Comment by September 21st for a chance to win. We’ll choose one comment at random to receive the CDs.
Category: Music

 

1,011 Comments

Comments

joanne says ...
Would love to hear this.
09/14/2011 7:06:57 PM CDT
ErikaM says ...
---For when I can't listen to Georges Collinet on Afropop Worldwide.
09/14/2011 7:12:43 PM CDT
Kristy says ...
I always thought Talking Heads had a nice international beat fusion in their music.
09/14/2011 7:13:11 PM CDT
rena taylor says ...
I like the idea of the fusion of two sounds.
09/14/2011 7:13:22 PM CDT
Robin says ...
Love these cd's I have Asian Groove and just bought Turkish Groove! Great mood setters! :)
09/14/2011 7:15:29 PM CDT
Dana G says ...
There are a number of good albums of opera singers performing jazz - Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming come to mind.
09/14/2011 7:16:34 PM CDT
chelley hopson says ...
I love Putumayo!
09/14/2011 7:20:02 PM CDT
Mark DuVall says ...
New Beat is awesome.
09/14/2011 7:21:18 PM CDT
ginger says ...
World music is so interesting....I have several CD's of music from around the world and absolutely love it!
09/14/2011 7:25:19 PM CDT
Shawn DuPre says ...
I would love to win this!
09/14/2011 7:26:06 PM CDT
Joy kelley says ...
The music brings to mine what is happening in San Francisco, where several groups are integrating cellos and violins into their samba groups.
09/14/2011 7:26:07 PM CDT
Ella says ...
Looking forward to hearing the more modern styles on these collections!
09/14/2011 7:26:27 PM CDT
kate latimer says ...
Sounds amazing! Can't wait to check it out.
09/14/2011 7:28:54 PM CDT
Uschi says ...
love the whole food market my favorite store ... best of all, I live right across from the whole food market. I would love to win the 4-CD set from Putumayo’
09/14/2011 7:29:20 PM CDT
ML says ...
Turkish Beat--I can't wait to hear that one!
09/14/2011 7:30:25 PM CDT
Laureen says ...
I like the song Vino Lubirea Mea on the Gypsy Groove album. The song sounds like a mix of Gypsy, Arabic and perhaps African drumming. Thanks for the chance to win!
09/14/2011 7:31:20 PM CDT
Louis says ...
Like their African, especially Toure & Nusrat Fateh
09/14/2011 7:35:03 PM CDT
Michelle says ...
I've done Zumba classes to Putumayo music ... love it!!
09/14/2011 7:35:35 PM CDT
colleen says ...
I love all your compilations and would love to share this with my clients. I have been playing Putumayo's work for years. Hope to win a few more.
09/14/2011 7:36:03 PM CDT
sandra says ...
More wonderful music from Putamayo...looking forward to it
09/14/2011 7:36:39 PM CDT
Cheryl Ruckel says ...
I can't wait to use my gift card to enjoy the beat!!
09/14/2011 7:38:19 PM CDT
N Payne says ...
My favorite CD is Congo to Cuba. I love it so much I had to buy it twice because I played the 1st one so much it would just skip & stop all the time. I even give that Cd as a gift to all my music lover friends.
09/14/2011 7:38:44 PM CDT
Diane McCue says ...
I love going to my Whole Foods in Fort Collins and was so glad to be able to shop in Las Vegas. Hooray for Whole Foods and all the products they offer.
09/14/2011 7:40:14 PM CDT
Terry SEGAL says ...
I love their music!
09/14/2011 7:41:20 PM CDT
John says ...
One of my favorite mixes of musical bases and cultural rhythms with various languages thrown (making the sounds even more seductive and expansive) is the music of Cesaria Evora. Her voice is luscious and provocative and it makes me dream of exotic places and people. She is phenomenal!
09/14/2011 7:44:23 PM CDT

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