Tidiane Thiam :: Africa Yontii

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Not everyone in my life gets my many musical obsessions.

I grew up in Phoenix, which means that I didn’t have a whole lot of cultural options, but Bob Corritore and the Blues was always a constant in my life. I remember sometimes thinking: “How can this guy play five hours of Blues every week and not get tired of it?”

Years ago, I also knew someone that hosted a regular Reggae radio show that was 3-hours each week and I remember thinking: “How can this guy play five hours of Blues every week and not get tired of it?”

And here I am having professed my love for Tuareg guitar music and music from the Sahel region in general recommending yet another album. I could easily play five ours of Tuareg music, and no, it’s doesn’t all sound the same. In addition to the newest album album by Etran De L'Aïr :: 100% Sahara Guitar, the fabulous Sahel Sounds label recently put out the newest album from Tidiane Thiam :: Africa Yontii.

This one is laid-back.

Relaxing.

Meditative yet driving.

Exquisite interplay. With overlapping melodies.

Enjoy.

Watch “Yewende”:

2024 Favorite Music (So Far)

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Here are my favorite 20 releases of 2024 so far.

  • Ghosted II by Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin

  • Live in Paris 1973 by Can

  • Lives Outgrown by Beth Gibbons

  • the Collective by Kim Gordon

  • Blu Wav by Grandaddy

  • the Handover by the Handover

  • Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker

  • Drop 7 by Little Simz

  • Two Improvisations by Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock

  • Locust Land by Bill MacKay

  • Funeral For Justice by Mdou Moctar

  • the Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis by The Messthetics

  • David Nance & Mowed Sound by David Nance

  • Bite Down by Rosali

  • Water Still Flows by Rich Ruth

  • Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace by Shabaka

  • Exotic Birds of Prey by Shabazz Palaces

  • Time Is Glass by Six Organs of Admittance

  • Africa Yontii by Tidiane Thiam

  • Tiger’s Blood by Waxahatchee

2020 Year-End Music Round-Up Wrap-Up Extravaganza

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No one could have predicted a year like 2020. The live music industry is on life support. Bandcamp came through just about better than anyone else to support music. And there was a ton of great music released this year.

Per the norm, I do not rank albums. Music is not a competition and my taste is not your taste. So, after lots of thought and list-shuffling and winnowing, these are the 75 albums that really stood out for me. My original list was quite a bit longer (and you can always keep up in real-time by following the Yearly Bookkeeping page), so I can tell you that this list provides a great overview of my music listening for this crazy year.

Here are my favorite 75 albums of 2020.

The Visual List:

The Alphabet List:

  1. Live at Tubby's by 75 Dollar Bill Little Big Band

  2. Shaman! by Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids

  3. Time is A Gift Which We Share All The Time by Afriquoi

  4. Rejoice by Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela

  5. Live by Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood

  6. Fu Chronicles by Antibalas 

  7. Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

  8. Roy Ayers JID002 by Roy Ayers, Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad

  9. Ex-Voto by Jamie Barnes

  10. Please Advise by Beauty Pill

  11. Crash Test Kid by Sammy Brue

  12. Long In The Tooth by the Budos Band

  13. Regresa by Buscabulla

  14. Shadow Talk by Café Racer

  15. Echo Mine by Califone

  16. Gold Record by Bill Callahan

  17. Have We Met by Destroyer

  18. I Just Wasn't Made For These Set Times by Dire Wolves (Just Exactly Perfect Sisters Band)

  19. Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan

  20. Afternoon Tea at Six by Eishan Ensemble

  21. Acoustic Storm Sessions by Elkhorn

  22.  Kahil El’Zabar’s Spirit Groove by Kahil El'Zabar & David Murray

  23. Wake Up! by Hazel English

  24. Shore by Fleet Foxes

  25. A Hero’s Death by Fontaines D.C.

  26. Peoples Motel Band by Chris Forsyth and Garcia Peoples

  27. SOURCE by Nubya Garcia

  28. Nightcap at Wits' End by Garcia Peoples

  29. Big Dark Bright Futures by Growing Concerns Poetry Collective

  30. Women In Music Pt. III by Haim

  31. Infinity Of Now by the Heliocentrics

  32. National Freedom by Lonnie Holley

  33. Muerto, Carcel o Rocanroll by Huntingtons

  34. Beginners by Christian Lee Hutson

  35. Reuinions by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit

  36. Babani Koné by Babani Koné

  37. Mutation by Les Freres Smith

  38. 2020 by Magik Markers

  39. Eno Axis by H.C. McEntire

  40. Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock by Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock

  41. Microphones in 2020 by the Microphones

  42. Circles by Mac Miller

  43. Dimensional Stardust by Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra

  44. Annual by Modern Nature

  45. Getting Into Knives by the Mountain Goats

  46. Staunch Honey by David Nance

  47. Three by the Necks

  48. Rob Noyes & Sam Moss by Rob Noyes & Sam Moss

  49. We No Be Machine by Onipa

  50. Jams From The Sun by Oregon Space Trail of Jazz

  51. High Upon The Mountain by Pacific Range

  52. Suite For Max Brown by Jeff Parker

  53. Summerlong by Rose City Band

  54. RTJ4 by Run The Jewels

  55. Landwerk demos by Nathan Salsburg

  56. Acoustic by Oumou Sangaré

  57. Untitled (Black Is) by Sault

  58. We Are Sent Here By History by Shabaka and the Ancestors

  59. The Don of Diamond Dreams by Shabazz Palaces

  60. Ocean Bridges by Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic & Damu the Fudgemunk

  61. Companion Rises by Six Organs of Admittance

  62. Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? by The Soft Pink Truth

  63. Optimisme by Songhoy Blues

  64. Swirling by Sun Ra Arkestra

  65. Oh Yeah? by Sunwatchers

  66. Wooden Flower by Tambourinen

  67. Folklore by Taylor Swift

  68. Nomad by Tengger

  69. Sun Racket by Throwing Muses

  70. Siftorde by Tidiane Thiam

  71. New Vanitas by William Tyler

  72. The Great Mountain by Waterless Hills

  73. Eau’d To A Fake Bookie Volume 3 by Wet Tuna

  74. Strange to Explain by Woods

  75. Homegrown by Neil Young

  • Browse Volume 01 of my 2020 favorites playlist

  • Browse Volume 02 of my 2020 favorites playlist

  • Browse Volume 03 of my 2020 favorites playlist

  • Browse Volume 04 of my 2020 favorites playlist

  • Browse Volume 05 of my 2020 favorites playlist



Holiday At The Sea's Favorite 2020 Music Mix (Volume 03)

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Volume 03 of some of Holiday at the Sea’s favorite 2020 music. I chose 75 albums this year and the playlists total 74 songs since “Microphones in 2020 by the Microphones” is 45 minutes long and I didn’t want to include the whole album as part of a mix.

Anyways, enjoy!

Tracklisting:

  1. “Houses of the Holy” by H.C. McEntire

  2. “Low to the Bird” by Jamie Barnes

  3. “It Gets Easier” by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit

  4. “Santa Monica (Through the Canyon)” by Pacific Range

  5. “The 101” by Six Organs of Admittance

  6. “Howard St. & The Beach Nov. 1988 After 11” by Califone

  7. “Maestranza” by Fleet Foxes

  8. “(Our Life Could Be Your Van)” by Garcia Peoples

  9. “The Law Of Hospitality” by Waterless Hills

  10. “Four Corners” by William Tyler

  11. “Protest Song” by Bill Callahan

  12. “Crystal Doorknob” by Lonnie Holley

  13. “Landwerk 03” by Nathan Salsburg

  14. “Love Is The Main Thing” by Fontaines D.C.

  15. “Find You Ride” by Magik Markers

  16. “Fadjamou” (Acoustic) by Oumou Sangaré

  17. “St. Charles” by Throwing Muses

  18. “Nenamev” by Tidiane Thiam

  19. “Bon Bon” by Songhoy Blues

  20. “Love Paste” by Sunwatchers

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