News & Updates — Twisted Cover Versions

(Photo, Paul Teeling) Well here's a wonderful treat! Peace & Rhythm and Klezperanto team up to bring you the official world premiere of the brand new Klezperanto video for "Arroz Con Coco", a tribute to the great Lucho Bermúdez of Colombia. Clarinetist Ilene Stahl is a veteran of the Klezmer Conservatory Band (often with violinist Itzhak Perlman) and she formed the Boston-based six-piece ensemble Klezperanto in 1999 to stretch into other styles of dance music. "We formed Klezperanto to play everything BUT traditional klezmer music!” she says. Indeed, the mix includes Balkan & Mediterranean styles, Eastern European, cumbia, danzas, ballads,...

Here's a crazy version of "Hey Joe" from Niger that was brought to my attention via the new Agrim Agadez comp on the Sahel Sounds label. The record gathers raw recordings of guitar music from the Sahelian region of Niger, showcasing folks we'd likely never get to hear, playing entrancing and often gritty sounds. Led by guitarist Abdoulaye Bouzou (better known as Mona), Anza de L'Ader are a top act of Niger, formed in the 1970s. They are one of the heaviest psychedelic orchestras in West Africa. Many Muslims in the region were not accustomed to producing music in the '70s,...

After checking out the mighty Brown Sabbath show, a side project of Grupo Fantasma side project Brownout (with Brownout side project Money Chicha opening the bill - that's a lot of side projects!), I remembered that amazing clave-rock version of the Led Zeppelin banger "Immigrant Song" that Grupo played on a live video session for KUTX. These Texas badboys rip and shred on anything they want! One of our favorite group of musicians here at Peace & Rhythm. Check 'em out! http://grupofantasma.com/ http://kutx.org/ TWISTED features left-field cover versions of popular songs.

Here is the official video for "Oriza" by Bio Ritmo. The video was directed by Nate Griffith at Porter Street Pictures. The vinyl 45 (with a Whiskey Barons remix on the flip) is available from the Peace & Rhythm webshop. Grab the digitals (with bonus tracks) at the Bio Ritmo Bandcamp page. Enjoy!:

Among the many beautiful things about sound & music is that it can supplement your life's routine in so many different ways. Whether you look at (or hear or make) music as artistic expression, ritual, relaxation, protest, celebration, dance release, mathematical composition, entertainment, fashion, comedy or even as background sound, there is no wrong way to appreciate music. It fills our lives with joy or aggression, songs about love and hate, constructions of rhythm and noise, harmony or disruption. Only a high-minded snob will pooh-pooh somebody's artistic creation. (Although they are certainly out there, usually in the form of talentless...