Due West

Arabia conjures up images of sprawling deserts, oasises studded with groves and date palms and the commotion of local bazaars. After sundown people gather in the local cafés to drink coffee and enjoy the growing cool of the evening. From the haunting voice of Oum Kalthoum to the awe-inspiring sounds of Hamdi Ahmed and Amal Murkus, The Rough Guide To Arabic Café is a musical journey through this alluring part of the world.

The Rough Guide to Indian Lounge features some of Indiaâ s most seductive sounds combined with hypnotic grooves and exquisite chill out music. From the sublime Indian flute and voices of Bombay Dub Orchestra to the mesmerizing slide-guitars of BBC World Music Award winner Debashish Bhattacharya; this is incredible Indian music at its most alluring.

The Portuguese folk music form fado has gained international recognition in recent years thanks to the stellar work of young ladies Cristina Branco, Mariza, Misia and the late Amalia Rodrigues, grand dame of fadistas. This 19-track collection of previously released material goes well beyond showcasing modern fado divas—also included here are a healthy he lping of the often overlooked male singers and famous older tracks by artists who may not still be with us, such as Fernando Mauricio, Maria Teresa de Noronha and Herminia Silva. The album features a nicely varied line-up—-only Antonio Chainho gets two songs, and that’s because his feature different singers. Promising newcomers come in the form of An a Moura and Joana Amendoeira. Some things old, some things new, all of it borrowed and all of it blue, The Rough Guide to Fado will go a long way towards expanding the fado universe for neophytes, and it’s a fine reminder that the passion of this relatively well-defined style is not one dimensional.

In the past decade music made by Aboriginal artists has enjoyed unprecedented levels of success in Australia. The Rough Guide to Australian Aboriginal Music is representative sample of rich diversity from country through folk to rock  of the music which has been used as a vital artistic medium to explore important issues ranging from land rights and the ‘stolen generations’ to colonial dispossession and racism.

Celtic music has captured the ears and hearts of people all over the world with bittersweet a cappella ballads and lively jigs and reels. Although most commonly associated with Irish and Scottish music, Celtic musical influences are also scattered across northern France, USA, England, northern Spain, Canada, Wales and beyond. Crammed with swirling fiddles, flutes, pipes, harps, guitars and mandolins performed by some of the best musicians from across the diaspora, The Rough Guide To Celtic Music explores the common connections between the Celtic traditions.