Featured n' Must-Have #1

Manu Chao - Esperanza - 1997

You can't say you know about music without knowing Manu Chao, he is French but he plays so many Latin/World styles that you will feel like a newborn again, so Pure.

Highlights:

Eldorado 1997 - Time to dance, this Salsa-ish song will make you jump from your seat and start dancing(like you know to dance it, ha.) a hard to forget song.

Me Gustas Tu - Reggae + Latin Folk, Enough Said. You will sing this song for years.

Denia - You will feel like you are in peru in the top of a mountain dancing with your fellow native mates.

Le Rendez Vous - Yeah, that's french, this Latin Jazz song will open your mind and make you throw away some of your CD's since you won't want to hear them anymore.

Mr. Bobby - A very catchy Tribute to Bobby Marley. " Hey Bobby Marley, sing something good to me".

Homens - In Portuguese, a Love Hymn. You will want to learn Portuguese after hearing it I swear.

Please take a moment to enjoy this brilliant album, you just can't die without hearing it.

Quick Recommendation - Putumayo Records

Do you like World Music?

...

Do you even know what World Music is?

sigh...

well as you can guess, it is music from around the world, music that don't appear in the billboard but i swear is better than most of the music you know, mostly in hidden countries for music. like Sweden, or Ireland. Some Latin Music like Brazil or Cuba.

Putumayo Records are devoted to make sure the world knows about this wonderful but hidden music. They will change the way you listen to Music forever.



Musicians Report In:
Listen and learn, this music can help you to be more creative, add originality to your style and help spread the word about this music.

Link!

Putumayo Records - Putumayo World Music is a record label presenting the best in Latin, African, Reggae, Celtic and other world music compilations.

Alternative Instruments

Ever tried playing a Quena?
Crotalos maybe?

Sticking to the same old instrument set (Electric guitar, electric bass, drumset, voice) seems to work for everyone but it is just the easy n' cheap way.

For real, there are so many instruments out there, i bet your music will get a lot better if you add some alternative instruments to your standard set, do some research, expand your mind and your art will do so as well.

Smart Musical Instruments Shopping

The $2500-$4000 Collectors' Edition/Top Brand instrument or the $150-$300 "X" Brand one?

First, an expensive instrument will sure look bad-ass and/or sound even better, but it won't make you play any better. if you are a beginner, you may eventually stop liking the instrument itself, because you can't just play it good, or maybe because you just like the way it is played, etc. only get these when you go pro on the instrument(or when you move to a safer neighborhood, unless you want to see it in the store where you bought it the day after it misteriously disappeared.

Second, a cheap instrument is great for beginners, you can just throw it away if you didn't like it, or you can learn on it before you get something better and it won't hurt that much if you break it. no, the other kind of pain. but it won't give you a better image and it may sound like if it was a toy, so any pro would think twice before buying these instruments, it would be a step backward.

Now it doesn't seem so black or white now as before you read this, does it?

O.M.G. Advice!
when shopping, go further than appareances and explore every angle of each offer. Just ask yourself this 8 questions before doing anything:

Am I experienced enough for a super-instrument?
Even if I am, do I really need it?
Do I need quality or quantity?
Do I really like the instrument?
Do I really like the WAY it is played?
Am I sure that this is expensive item what i am going to play for my entire life?
Am I going to break it in my first gig? (Har. Har. Har.)
Why do I want Paul McCartney's Bass?

Happy Shopping!