HONORABLE MENTIONS

Marcel Khalifé
"Taqasim" (Connecting Cultures)
Lebanese peacenik creates functionally peaceful three-part composition on an oud that could make Sandy Bull have a cow.

M'Bilia Bel, Bel Canto
"The Best of the Genidia Years" (Sterns Africa)
1982-'87 versions of Rochereau's Afrisa International accommodate his wife's sweet, small soprano ("Nazali Mwasi," "Contre Ma Volonte").

"Bachata Roja: Acoustic Bachata From the Cabaret Era" (iASO)
Dominican son, approximately, moved to a city it romanticizes and once in a while sends up (Rafael Encarnaciòn, "Muero Contigo"; Juan Bautista, "Estoy Aqui Pero No Soy Yo").

David Buchbinder
"Odessa/Havana" (Tzadik)
Canadian trumpeter meets Cuban pianist for decent enough jazz and musical tales of Marranos, Roma and Sephardim ("Freylekhs Tumbao," "Lailadance").

"The Rough Guide to the Music of the Hungarian Gypsies" (World Music Network)
Cooler and crazier the more Balkan it gets (Khamoro, "Lingara/Csavarg¢k"; Kàlmàn Balogh & the Gipsy Cimbalom Band, "Calusul Dance").

The Rail Band
"Rail Band 1: Soundiata" (Belle Epoque)
The root source of Salif Keita, Mory Kante and Djelimady Tounkara put to a completist test few bands still working stuff out can ace ("Armee Malienne," "Fankante Dankele").

Fernando Otero
"Pagina de Buenos Aires" (Nonesuch)
Argentinian classical pianist embraces tango without squeezing the breath out of it ("El Momento," "De Ahora en Mas").

Shiko Mawatu
"Kimbanda Nzila" (Tabilulu Productions)
Facile Congo guitarist leads gorgeous Congo singers through overextended Congo metaphors over synth-washed Congo band ("Kupanda," "Terminus").

Afrissippi
"Fulani Journey" (Knockdown South)
Senegalese guitarist moves to Oxford town, joins Kimbrough-Burnside crew, shows Ali Farka Touré who can play the blues ("Dono," "Ngol Jimol").

"The Rough Guide to Salsa Dura NYC" (World Music Circuit)
The Jimmy Bosch title cut establishes how magnificent this groove can be, everything else how often it's just missed (Jimmy Bosch, "El Embajador"; Ricky Gonzalez, "Mi Rumba Es Candida").

Roswell Rudd & Yomo Toro
"El Espìrito Jìbaro" (Soundscape)
Not "Latin jazz," Latin plus jazz, with which guys this friendly equals fun ("Pouchie & the Bird," "Mayor G").

"The Rough Guide to Salsa" (World Music Circuit)
The international durability of classic clave, once Cuban, then Puerto Rican, now Afrodiasporan (Fruko y Sus Tesos, "La M quina Del Sabor"; Grupo Caribe, "Sombre Una Tumba Una Rumba").

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
"Segu Blue" (Out Here)
Youssou N'Dour's xalam/ngoni man expresses himself, with the blues nod catchy but hardly the biggest prize ("Andra's Song," "Bassekou").

Ladysmith Black Mambazo
"Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu" (Heads Up)
Joseph Shabalala goes out like a pro, relying on his old gimmicks because he finally feels no need for new ones ("Kuyafundw' Osizini [Ilembe]," "Iphel' Emasini [Nature Effects]").

Felipe Salles
"South American Suite" (Curare)
Brazilian reed player embraces classical canon without betraying his rhythmic schooling ("Seven Days," "Somewhat Frevo").

"The Rough Guide to Latin Funk" (World Music Network)
Not so great as individual bands, nice change-up as a movement -- also a party (Antibalas, "Che Che Cole Mombassa"; Quantic, "Politick Society").

Roswell Rudd & the Mongolian Buryat Band
Blue Mongol (Soundscape)
Weird trombone vocalism, weird Tuvan vocalism, Arctic ingenue ("Gathering Light," "Four Mountains").

"The Greatest Songs Ever - West Africa" (Petrol)
Crossover nobodies array credible Afrocentrist miscellany (Nam, "Africa"; Dioss Diabaté, "Iloyoro").

CHOICE CUTS

Richard Lemvo & Makina Loca
"Kasongo Boogaloo"
("Think Global: Salsa" [World Music Network])

Irakere
"Bacalao Con Pan"
Los Van Van
"Y no le conviene"
("Si, Para Usted: The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba: Volume 1" [Waxing Deep])

La Lupe
"Fever"
Johnny Ventura
"Guajira Con Soul"
George Guzman
"Marilu"
("The Bad Boogaloo: Nu Yorican Sounds 1966-1970" [Fania])

Ray Santiago
"It's a Man's World"
("The Rough Guide to Salsa Clandestino" [World Music Network])