Céu - Free Download - 'Bubuia' from Vagarosa

Free Download - Céu- Bubuia (from Vagarosa - July 7th release date)

Pre-sale at Amazon
and at The Six Degrees Shop

Second albums are notoriously challenging affairs. Especially in the case of someone like Céu, whose debut was both commercially and critically successful. Expectations regarding a sequel are inevitable, as are pressures on the artist to come up with a suitable follow up affair. When we first starting receiving music from Céu's Vagarosa sessions, it was as if none of these issues existed at all. As the world can now hear, Céu and her able collaborators Beto Villares, Gustavo Lenza and Gui Amabis have crafted a sophomore release that builds on all of the promise of its predecessor and travels confidently into new sonic realms. To my ears, Vagarosa is the work of an artist who transcends the boundaries of categories like "world" or "Brazilian" and who is now simply "world class". I truly believe that if Portuguese was not the dominant language on Vagarosa, we would be comparing it to works by artists like Bjork & Tom Waits, without any pre-conceived "global music" prejudices.

Enjoy this free taster from an album which is sure to become one of the essential soundtracks to the summer of '09.









-Read the full Post-

Weather Pending - And How!

Free Download - Weather Pending - "Tide" from And How!


Buy/Listen on iTunes - Amazon


Weather Pending is a San Francisco based band whose debut And How! has just been released. Vocalist Janie Oliver's (Six Degrees staff represent!) lush vocals give the breezy jazz and downtempo songs a depth and emotion that resonates and draw listeners in.
If you are in the Bay Area the band will be having a cd release party at Mojito on Sunday July 5th!
Be on the lookout for remixes of the album coming soon, featuring some really exciting producers mixing up the WP sound.
Check out the bands website for more info.
Dig the video below directed by Roger Landon Hall and featuring the SF Critical Mass bike ride!



-Read the full Post-

Vieux on Tour: Spin Bonnaroo Review & Tour Photos/Reviews

photo: Ankur Malhotra more Madison photos here

So far this has been an epic summer for Vieux Farka Touré, touring in support of his new album Fondo. Check out the recent NY Times review of his show at Highline with Blk Jks, and this amazing bit from Spin's Coverage, giving Vieux a "Best of Bonnaroo" for

"Best Unexpected Guitar Heroics: Vieux Farka Touré"
I'd heard of the young Malian singer-guitarist Vieux Farka Toure before seeing him play at Friday's African music-heavy Other stage (he's the son of well-known musician Ali Farka Toure), but I had no idea of the things he could do with an electric guitar. Whether spitting ringing clusters of notes, spilling forth with long, snaking phrases, or banging out metallic open chords, Toure, rocking a pair of black leather pants, played with a master's sense of pacing and flow and a showman's knack for knowing exactly when his Arabic-influenced songs needed a guitar goosing in order to ascend to the next level of badassitude -- and beyond --

Don't forget, Six Degrees and Jambase still have tickets to giveaway for all of Vieux's remaining shows on his current tour.
Click here for more info.


Vieux and band with famed banjo player Béla Fleck and Toumani Diabate.(photo Jon Kertzer)

more photos after the break



Tourmani Diabate and Vieux (photo Jon Kertzer)


Ashely Hollan (contest winner) and Vieux Farka Touré

-Read the full Post-

Nickodemus - Sun People

Free Download - Nickodemus - Sun Children

Buy Sun People here or from iTunes


NY based dj and producer Nickodemus returns with his second full-length album Sun People on ESL Music.
When he djs Nickodemus plays cuts from all around the globe and finds a common thread to them; he takes a similar approach on this record, which features Balkan, Jamaican, Afro and Latin rhythms with Nickodemus' signature mid-tempo dance beats and guest musicians including The Candela All-Stars, Quantic, The New York Gypsy All-Stars and many others.
The amazing thing about Nickodemus as a producer is the ease in which he combines so many styles, tempos, and moods with ease. There are moments on this record perfect for sweating in a club (Just Move), chillin' at the Hookah Bar (2 Sips and Magic) and even some deep introspective ish (weRiseweFallweRise). It is all natural for Nickodemus, and if you have followed his musical career it is easy to see why: he has always believed that good music and good times are not dictated by any one style, genre or hemisphere. His weekly summertime party Turntables on The Hudson and his own label Wonderwheel have proven that diversity is the spice of life, and now he has re-affirmed it with Sun People!

Here's an older Nickodemus video/cut that still moves bodies in the club.


guest post Señor Oz



And here is the rest of it. -Read the full Post-

Lion Head Compilation Volume 1

Lightning Head - Me and My Princess (From the album LionHead Compilation Volume 1) (click downward arrow to right of wave image to download track)

Click here to buy CD, click here for iTunes


Glynn "Bigga" Bush is the man behind the Lightning Head and BiggaBush aliases, as well as one half of Rockers Hi Fi. He is currently putting out his own releases on his own label, Lion Head Recordings. If you were not lucky enough to discover his recent releases The 13 Faces of Lightning Head or Studio Don records (which I highly recommend you cop along with the more Minimal but very deep BiggaBush in Dub), this compilation will help you get caught up with Bush's massive output of dub-inflected Afro-beat, funk, reggae and Samba influenced electronic dance music.

The track "Me and My Princess" gets a lot of people's attention in the club everytime I drop it: swinging beat, toasting MC, funky Clavinet line, minimal but effective. All of Bush's output is consistent in quality no-matter how diverse the styles might be. Lion Head Volume 1 is a crucial record, if you want to dig deeper, check out BiggaBush's website where he has links to many podcasts, cds, and exclusives.

Dig the dubbed out video for the Lightning Head track "Mudman Skank"





And here is the rest of it. -Read the full Post-

Alice Russell's blog: Jazz Cafe Free Downloads, Maida Vale Sessions with Giles Peterson

From Alice's Blog at www.alicerussell.com:

Mr Giles Peterson asked us to come and record a lil live session in Maida Vale on Thursday last week for his radio show. We did a session for Giles a few years back when TM Juke and I released my fav letters and had mucho fun.
The Maida Vale studios are indeed a joy to record in, the sound is amazing. Also, while we are recording we can all see each others silly faces as we play in our own lil booths! Nice niceee! Oh what I would give to have that place for a whole day, week, month!!!? Oh and an orchestra to boot!! Ahh I can dream eh?
Jazz Cafe Live Recordings

Alice Russell's sold out shows at The Jazz Cafe in London on 6th & 7th May were recorded and 9 songs have been selected for release. To give you a taster, Alice is giving away 2 of the tracks for FREE!!!

Click here to get your free downloads. The tracks are only available for 10 days so there's no time to lose. All 9 tracks are available to purchase in Alice's shop, click here

Website Updates
Check out Which Remix? to rate more remixes of Alice tracks and check the shop to pre-order the very limited, signed, double LP version of Pot Of Gold on import only!!

Click here to view photos from Alice's recent tour of America.

xxxxxxx hasta pronto xxxxxx alice


-Read the full Post-

Desert Dwellers: Moonlit Horizons (Courtesy of White Swan Records)

Free Download: Desert Dwellers: Moonlit Horizons (Courtesy of White Swan Records)

Rara Avis, Amani Friend, Treavor Moontribe and Craig Kohland have been making music in various combinations under the name Desert Dwellers for some time now. Whether the tracks are trancey dance floor killers or beautiful ambient pieces, you can be sure that anything released under the Desert Dwellers name is going to be well worth checking out. These talented producers (together and separately) all have a wonderful feel for combining world music, electronics and a heightened sense of "ambience" that is always lush and beautiful without succumbing to the pitfalls of much of the overly, pretty and uninteresting stuff that falls under the banner of "Yoga Grooves" or "New Age". It's often a fine balance between atmospheric world electronica and mushy wallpaper music and these guys always hit that elusive "sweet spot" that makes it work for me.

The collective's newest release, DownTemple Dub: Roots could be their best yet. Drawing from influences from East Asia to the Mediterranean, this hypnotic music actually earns the label's description of "sensual psy-chill soundscapes".

Thanks to our buddy Joel Davis over at White Swan Records for allowing us to share this track with you today.

For further listening, check out all of the other Desert Dwellers releases on White Swan as well as Rara Avis' great Shaktified EP on Six Degrees Records.






And here is the rest of it. -Read the full Post-

Vieux and you at Bonnaroo

Vieux Farka Touré 1- LiveAmsterdam-Titre 8

Vieux and his band have just arrived in the States to begin what promises to be one of the summer's hottest tours, including a date at this year's Bonaroo Festival. In case you have the slightest doubt as to whether to catch Vieux when he comes to your town, this live video from the famed Melkweg Club in Amsterdam should quell any and all indecision that you might have. Check out all of the tour dates here.


Six Degrees Records and Jambase are offering two people the chance to win a pair of tickets each to see Malian guitar master, Vieux Farka Touré in concert at any of his upcoming North American performances except for Chicago.

We are also giving away 4 tickets to the four day Bonnaroo Festival.

Contest winners will be announced the week prior to their selected performance.

Everyone who enters will receive a free 320kbps mp3 of the song, "Diaraby Magni (Yossi Fine Refix)" an exclusive remix of the track "Diaraby Magni" from Vieux's brand new Six Degrees release, Fondo.

To enter, click here



Vieux Farka Toure's new album, Fondo has been making major waves since its release last week, peaking on the i-Tunes World Chart at #1 and entering the Billboard World Music Charts at #6. In addition, Fondo has been garnering rave press accolades around the world. I was particularly excited to see a 4 star review in my favorite music magazine, Mojo:

“Vieux blends Senegales mbalax rhythms, dub production, Western Saharan guitar riffs, Moroccan gnawa mysticism, Delta blues chords and sweet, call-and-response vocals…he has created an album of fresh hypnotic grooves that somehow manage to be both joyous and haunting, hooked up to deep tradition but an essential soundtrack to modern, urban Africa. "

Photo by Jim Hardy

And here is the rest of it. -Read the full Post-

Free Indian Music Sampler featuring Lal Meri & many more

Free Download - Six Degrees Indian Music Sampler from Amazon
Free 8 song sampler featuring Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Gaudi, Cheb i Sabbah, Lal Meri and more.


Today we are also excited to share with you some "behind the scenes" footage of the band Lal Meri rehearsing with the young Indian vocalist, (and cousin of band member Ireesh Lal) Pooja Lal. Pooja lends her haunting voice to the traditional Sufi song "Lal Meri". The clip also features some killer tabla playing from Alien Chatter's Satnam Ramgotra.

Be on the look out for remixes of this beautiful song coming soon.






-Read the full Post-

Ryukyu Underground: Kajimaya

Free Download - Ryukyu Underground: Kajimaya - Buy from iTunes

(To download, click on the downward arrow to the right of the above waveform image)

I guess it is inevitable that within the "Global Grooves" scene, certain styles and regions come in and out of fashion. A few years ago, we were deep into the Brazilian Baile Funk phase and right now, we seem to still be in the throes of Balkan mania. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, it's just the way things go. It is however, refreshing to occasionally hear something completely new that bucks the trends and strikes out into unique territories. Such is the case with the music of Ryukyu Underground who turn to the traditional music of Okinawa as a launching point for their very own kind of "global fusion".

Ryukyu Underground are Jon Taylor and Keith Gordon, an American and a Brit who met in Okinawa, Japan in 1998. Taylor was part of the electronic group The Subjects who released a number of 12” singles in the late 80s and early 90s and also played lead guitar for touring reggae acts such as U-Roy and the Ethiopians. UK-born DJ Gordon has been spinning across the globe for a while, and had a major dance hit in Denmark in the mid 90s. As Ryukyu Underground they work with Okinawan traditional musicians such as singer Mika Uchizato and multi-instrumentalist Toru Yonaha to produce a trippy, groove-based Okinawan-dub fusion. Umui is their 4th album. Big in Japan, and embraced by the Asian Massive, they’ve had tracks remixed by the likes of Bill Laswell, Junkie XL, Karsh Kale and Da Lata, and done remixes for MIDIval Punditz, Karsh, and a host of Japanese artists. Their tracks have been feature on 3 Buddha Bar compilations, used by the BBC, NPR, and Pacific Radio, and they also compose music for documentary films.
Check out their site for more info.




And here is the rest of it. -Read the full Post-