Whole Story

The Official Whole Foods Market® Blog

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

Alan Grimes says ...
Let's hear it!
09/14/2011 6:17:15 PM CDT
Clayton Klein says ...
Thanks for the great prize !
09/14/2011 6:17:54 PM CDT
Dan R says ...
I love Putumayo music. The African Beat CD sounds like a winner.
09/14/2011 6:17:56 PM CDT
Alicia says ...
I love the South American Grooves best! Fingers and toes crossed! ;)
09/14/2011 6:18:37 PM CDT
Mike Smith says ...
It's hard to beat Putumayo's collection of musical collaborations, but I'd encourage anyone to consider an acoustic guitar/mandolin collaboration between David Grisman and Martin Taylor. Aptly names "Tone Poems 2", David and Martin play vintage tunes of the Jazz Age covering 70 years and composers from Gershwin to Chick Corea. Their versions of Besame Mucho, Over the Rainbow and Mood Indigo will be sure to please. Check it out... you won't be sorry!
09/14/2011 6:26:13 PM CDT
G Greenblum says ...
Bueno Vista Social Club allows the spirit to live on!
09/14/2011 6:29:36 PM CDT
Lana says ...
Sounds like they'd be great! Please enter me!
09/14/2011 6:32:23 PM CDT
Eve Agush says ...
One of my favorite fusions is flamenco and Indian and I love the CD by Pepe Habichuela called Flamenco en Rama. Another collaboration I love is flamenco and jazz with Michael Camilo and Tomatito.
09/14/2011 6:34:14 PM CDT
Gerry says ...
I hope I win to add this music to my CD collection. This music sound like it is very calming to the soul and body, which could be used to relax after a day a the workplace!!
09/14/2011 6:36:47 PM CDT
Donna says ...
Putamayo showcases such disparate and interesting music that I recommend them rather than a specific artist or group - Bravo Putamayo!
09/14/2011 6:40:32 PM CDT
rosec says ...
Love your music. My son received one of your VD;s for his first birthday!
09/14/2011 6:44:01 PM CDT
Nina says ...
My son is such a huge fan of the Putumayo albums! The Christmas CDs are exceptional. My favorite artist that kind of meshes styles in a really unique way is Rufus Wainwright. Singer-songwriter in heart with a distinctively Parisian-cabaret feel. Just awesome!
09/14/2011 6:48:21 PM CDT
GB says ...
Love pretty much every CD I've ever bought from Putumayo--and I've been listening to them for a very long time . . . maybe since they first came out! I would love to listen to the music in this set of great CDs.
09/14/2011 6:49:58 PM CDT
althea bolden says ...
I would love to win a CD set; I have never heard this groups' music.
09/14/2011 6:50:10 PM CDT
LaVonne says ...
I really enjoy Blackmore's Night. It's a great mix of traditional & rock.
09/14/2011 6:50:39 PM CDT
Gina says ...
Sounds like a wonderful collection of songs to get up and get moving to!
09/14/2011 6:51:03 PM CDT
Amy says ...
It sounds like these are delicious.
09/14/2011 6:52:04 PM CDT
marisa says ...
the students at my school absolutely love these.
09/14/2011 6:54:06 PM CDT
Jim Trullinger says ...
I love music epitomized by the mystical and evocative "Illuminated Manuscripts" by Fritz Heede. He magically blends traditional chanting sounds with modern trance grooves, chants, etc. It expands the mind and broadens horizons.
09/14/2011 6:55:21 PM CDT
Holly A says ...
I love hearing Keith Richard's collaborations with the X-pensive Winos and Wingless Angels.
09/14/2011 6:56:10 PM CDT
Leo A says ...
I'm in a listening mood!
09/14/2011 6:59:50 PM CDT
Scott Grasley says ...
sounds great!!
09/14/2011 7:00:34 PM CDT
joan marcus says ...
I like a cross between Bosa Nova and Cha Cha as a fun genre to dance to!
09/14/2011 7:03:21 PM CDT
Sarah says ...
We listen to a lot of children's music in this house that ranges in style within the same artist: They Might Be Giants (esp. the Here Comes the 1, 2, 3s), Kira Willey's Dance for the Sun, and the classic Paul Simon's Graceland.
09/14/2011 7:04:03 PM CDT
SaraS says ...
I enjoy the sounds of Eileen Ivers and Immigrant Soul.
09/14/2011 7:04:37 PM CDT

Pages