Travel the World with Putumayo

Essentially a sampler for the Putumayo world music label, Travel the World with Putumayo compiles 12 music videos featuring artists from various African nations, as well as Canada, the Czech Republic, Argentina, and India, coupled with colorful cultural on-location footage. Many will recognize Tukuleur's “Afrika” (according to the DVD's artist text bios, Tukuleur “reclaims the ‘80s pop hit,” but since Toto wrote the song, I think the correct word here would be “remakes”), but most of the other tunes will sound refreshingly new, including Chico César's (Brazil) bouncy, infectious “Mama Africa,” Vera Bilá and Kale's (Czech Republic) instantly hummable “Pas O Panori,” Bidinte's (Guinea-Bissau) haunting anti-violence song “Ke Cu Minino Na Tchora,” Oliver Mtukudzi's (Zimbabwe) smooth guitar stylings on “Ndakuvara,” and Hisham Abbas/Jayashree's (Egypt/India) Bollywood mini-epic “Nari Nari.” Presented in crisp and clear Dolby Digital stereo, the DVD also includes a four-minute featurette on the Putumayo label, and two bonus live performances, one by Mtukudzi, and the other a lovely ode to a newborn daughter by Habib Koité. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Pitman)