Thursday, February 23, 2017

A Voyage to The Sahara and The Middle East....music by Yeskim


Yeskim is a producer, arranger, engineer and musical contractor. He has produced over 250 CD's, mostly New Age and World Music among many other music styles. 

Born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands - 4th March 1949, Levantis Yeskim was a Guitarist/Keyboard player in Dutch Rock bands, (e.a. The Tee-Set with Peter Tetteroo "Ma belle amie" ) before switching to the music publishing field. The experience honed his skills at hearing a good song. Around 1986, Yeskim became the vice president of Syntron Studios Santa Fe NM, and a staff music producer with Philips USA- Digital Recording division. Some of the highlights of his stint were producing gold records ( Venus 1972 w Robbie van Leeuwen - Shocking Blue) and the achievement of many Music Awards (e.g. Golden Harp 1984) . He co-engineered the Beach Boys "Holland" album early in his career begin seventies. 

Later in his Career he composed the hit "Never heard a better song" (Vocals by Pim Elshof), a Surf song inspired by the Beach Boys, used as title track for the movie "American Summer" (Seven Arts). Using the same recording techniques and tricks as Brian Wilson did in the heydays of the Beach Boys. The lyrics were actually the titles of Beach Boys songs. 

UA president Denny Diante tapped Yeskim's music in the USA and introduced Yeskim to the film industry. Yeskim was then contracted by Seven Arts film company in 2008, to produce film-music scores, sound effects and soundtracks , e.a. for "American Summer" (Seven Arts) , "Incident in paradise"(WB) and many other movies. 

"Sahara and the Middle East" is a new age/world/ambient mix released in 1998. It combines sounds and atmospheres from North Africa where "hidden life awakes under the canopy of stars" where impressions of ancient cultures still live on today. A beautiful album to listen to it will give you a taste for sounds of the region with voices, instruments and themes that are unique to that part of the world.


Sunday, February 19, 2017

The Rough Guide to Zydeco...various artists compilation



Zydeco is the rollicking accordion-led dance music of Louisiana's Creole culture. It was invented by people of color whose ancestry included freed slaves and groups with whom they intermarried. It's not to be confused with the European-derived Cajun style created by descendants of French settlers from Nova Scotia. Zydeco, while as infectiously melodic, is rhythmically harder-edged than Cajun music and incorporates R&B, soul and hip-hop. 

While popular lore places it in New Orleans, the groove actually developed in the countryside, where groups of Francophone musicians formed combos fronted by squeezeboxes and frottiors, a metal washboard peculiar to Zydeco which was adapted into a vest in the interest of efficiency. Modern bands commonly include electric guitars, bass and keyboards. 

This set showcases some of the genre's indelible hits, from Rockin' Sidney's playfully belligerent My Toot Toot, to Clifton Chenier's Calinda, to Beau Joque's virile take on John Lee Hooker's Voodoo Chile.


  1. Boogie Chillun - Beau Jocque
  2. Jack Rabbit - Zydeco Joe
  3. Hard To Stop - Buckwheat Zydeco
  4. Madeline - Zydeco Force
  5. Calinda - Clifton Chenier
  6. Joe Pete Got Two Women - John Delafose
  7. My Toot Toot - Rockin Sidney
  8. Johnnie Billy Goat - Boozoo Chavis
  9. Don't Bother Me - The Zydeco Blazers
  10. Les Blues De Crowley - Amede Ardoin
  11. Allons Danser - Canray Fontenot
  12. Get On Boy - Keith Frank
  13. Days Gone By - Rosie Ledet
  14. Hard To Love Someone - Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas
  15. Here To Stay - J. Paul Jr & The Zydeco Nubreedz
  16. Blackberry - Donna Angelle & The Zydeco Posse
  17. Gotta Find My Woman - Geno Delafose
  18. All About You - Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin'
  19. Dreamin' - Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble









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