Putumayo's Blues Lounge
Monday, October 04, 2004
The Putumayo Recording Label
As the sheer number of album releases each year balloons over 30,000 titles the music listener finds it harder and harder to wade through this avalanche to find music they want to hear.
One of the surefire methods to find success is to find a trusted label where the label’s integrity for releasing good music is such that the listener is willing to try an unknown artist simply because of the recording label their music appears one. Some of the well-known examples of this include; Windham Hill, Subpop, Stiff, American Gramophone and in a very modern sense, Saddle Creek Records.
Well it’s time to add another label to this distinguished list. The Putumayo Label was started when it’s founder fell in love with World Music. In addition to have exceptionally high musical standards for their compilations Putumayo’s albums also feature distinctive, attractive album artwork.
While I cannot recommend every title from this label, simply because I haven’t developed an appreciation for music from all corners of the world, their latest release, Blues Lounge, is yet another fine example of melding modern blues with cutting edge music sure to fire the interest of even the most casual blues fan. Admittedly this is not for purists as the title indicates it is a combination of blues and pseudo-lounge music. Relaxing yet stimulating.
Probably the most high profile act on this sampler is modern hipster Moby. Like so many bands in the ‘60’s Moby’s spent some time mining the American Blues genre for inspiration. This track, Run On, is very hip gospel tinged track that shows where the blues can be taken.
The track by Gare Du Nord relies heavily on the Robert Johnson song, Come On In My Kitchen. After a brief intro Du Nord takes the track in a new direction that is at once wonderful and true to the roots.
Often times modern blues recordings add nothing to the body of the art form but are merely archeological in their pursuit. This disc, ten tracks in all, breathes a modern sensibility into the blues and show a path that could capture the ears of old fans and bring in new fans to the fold. Very interesting and like EVERYTHING on the Putumayo label, exceptionally well done.
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