Blue Moon music awards




The Blue Moon Awards for music are bestowed only on truly superior, original releases that combine excellence of performance, material, production values and recording quality to create unqualifiied recommendations for the intrepid world music lover. Click on covers to access reviews.

Sevara Nazarkhan: Sen
For Perfect Balance of Old and New in the Silk Road Ambient category
Taksim Trio: Taksim Trio
For Voluptuous High-Level Trio Magic in the Turkish Chamber Music category
Roberto Fonseca: Zamazu
For Transcending Boundaries in the Cuban Piano category

Thierry Titi Robin: Anita!
For True Guitar Globe Trotting through Flamenco, Balkan and Rajasthani airs

The Cracow Klezmer Band: De Profundis
For The Sacred Heart Of The Tradition in the Polish Hasidic category

Tchavolo Schmitt: Lantcha
For A Rare Appareance By One Of The Living Greats in the manouche guitar category

Hossein Alizadeh: Endless Vision
For The Spirit Of An Ancient Country in the traditional Iranian category

Dhafer Youssef: Divine Shadows
For Building Beautiful Cultural Bridges between Islam and the West

Göksel Baktagir: Hayalgibi 2
For Masterful Instrumental Moods in the kanun, piano & cello trio category

George Dalaras: Mediterranean | 30th - 40th Parallel
For The Best Of Mediterrean Song in the live concert category

Renaud Garcia-Fons Trio: Arcoluz
For Taking Us Across The World & Beyond in the bass trio category

Stochelo Rosenberg & Romane: Gypsy Guitar Masters
For Pushing The Limits in the Gypsy Swing category

Chris Rea: Blue Guitars
A Compelling Personal History of the Blues through time

Vicente Amigo: Un Momento en el Sonido
The Quintessential Global Guitar Voice in the 21st century Flamenco category

Hüsnü Şenlendirici: Hüsn-Ü Klarnet
A Premium Showcase of the Art of the Turkish Solo Clarinet

Stellamara: The Seven Valleys
Potent Musical Magic And Transport Factor in the Middle-Eastern Ambient category

Kaloomé: Sin Fronteras
Fire, Passion And Drive in the Perpignan Gypsy category

Mike Marhsall: Brazil Duets
A Landmark Achievement in Brazilian Choro

Beyond The Pale: Consensus
A Very Juicy Live Performance in the Modern Klezmer category

The Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Ground
The New Contemplative Classic in the Jazz Piano Trio category

Romane & Stochelo Rosenberg: Double Jeu
For Swing As Hard As Mike Tyson's Fist in the Jazz Manouche category

Jason McGuire: Distancias
For America's Own Vicente Amigo in the Flamenco Puro category

Grey de Lisle: Grateful Ghost
For Elegance & Beauty in the Traditional American Country category

Mercan Dede: Su
For Masterful East-Meets-West Synthesis in the Ambient Sufi category

Maria del Mar Bonet: Reixa
For The Spirit Of Pure Heart Incarnate in the Catalonian Folk category

Nynke Laverman: Sielesalt
For Perfect Emotional Transcription in the Frisian Fado category

Dorantes: Sur
For Evocactive Mediterranean Soundscapes in the Spanish Piano category

Labryenco: Calle Ventana
For Best Dutch Surprise Album in the Flamenco Nuevo category

Bebo & Cigala: Lágrimas Negras
For Daring Concept & Brilliant Execution in the Flamenco/Cuban Jazz category

Chöying Drolma & Steve Tibbetts: Selwa
For Bridging the Unbridgeable in the Tibetan Ambient category

Wrasse Records: World 2004
For Coolacious Groovosity Factor in the WorldBeat Compilation category

Aynur: Keçe Kurdan
For Female Vocals of Fire & Fury in the Kurdish WorldBeat category

Renaud Garcia-Fons: Légendes
For Legendary Performances & Compositions in the upright solo bass category

Willard White: The Paul Robeson Legacy
For Vocal Interpretation & Historical Relevance in the African-American Spirituals category
Joscho Stephan: Django Forever
For Front-Rank Successorship in the Gipsy Swing guitar category
El Pele & Vicente Amigo: Canto
For Fury, Brilliance & Utter Conviction in the canto jondo category
Renaud Garcia-Fons: Navigatore
For Musicianship of the Very Highest Order in the upright bass category
Mísia: Canto
For Perfect Instrumental-to-Vocal Adaptation in the modern Fado category
Buenos Aires Madrigal
For Brilliant Juxtaposition and Stylistic Merging in the Italian Baroque & Argentine Tango categories
Lila Downs: La Sandunga
For An Eight-Course Five-Star Feast in the Mexican vocal folk category
Morelenbaum/Sakamoto: Casa
For Perfect Capture of Brazil's Night-Time Spirit in the Jazz Trio category
Eduardo Egüez: Le Maître du Roy
For Evocative Timelessness in the Baroque guitar category
Louis Winsberg: Jaleo
For Most Successful Genre Modernization in the Flamenco category
Wadih El Safi: Place des Arts, Montreal 1994
For Audiophilia Meets True Legend in the classical Lebanese category - also Best Album Discovery of 2003.
Dulce Pontes: O Primeiro Canto
For Visionary Masterpiece Jewel in the 'Nouveau Fado' category
Elliot Goldenthal: Music from the Motion Picture Frida
For Perfect Subject-to-Music Adaptation in the Mexican soundtrack category
Solomon Burke: Don't Give Up On Me
For Coolacious Groovosity By a Soul Legend in the Deep Blues Live category
Astor Piazzolla & Osvaldo Pugliese: Finally Together, I & II"
For Perhaps "The" Historical Live Recording in the Tango category
Debashish Bhattacharya & Bob Brozman: Mahima
For An Inspired Meet of Two Greats in the Indian/Hawaiian slide guitar category
Miary Lepiera: Soro
For First Contender as Year's Best in the Malagasy/Afro-Pop category
Natasha Atlas: Something Dangerous
For Ulta-Hip Intoxicating Genre Crossing in the Shaabi/Dance/Ambient Dub category
Será una Noche: La Segunda
For Groundbreaking Stylistic Reinvention in the Nouveau Tango category
Tomatito: Paseo de los Castaños
For Adventure, Style & Mastery in the Modern Flamenco category
Bobi Céspedes: Rezos
For Exemplary Stylistic Fusion Success in the Cuban/Yoruba/Funk category
Sevara Nazarkhan: Yol Bolsin
For Tribal/Modern Vocal Arrangements in the Uzbek WorldBeat category
Øystein Sevåg: Bridge
For Reference Recording Quality in the neo-classcial fusion category
Barrio Chino: Mediterra Nostra
For Recording of the Year 2002 in the Mediterranean WorldBeat category
Sezen Aksu: Sarki Söylemek Lazim
For Glorious Female Vocals & Sophisticated Tunes in the Turkish Pop category
Salif Keita: Moffou
For A Triumphant Return To Greatness by one of Africa's elder voices
Chucho Valdez: Fantasia Cubana
For Bravura Interpretations & Instrumental Mastery in the Classical/Jazz piano idiom
Anouar Brahem: Le Pas du Chat noir
For Atmospheric Beauty & Compositional Elegance in the World/Ambient oud category
Flamenco: Windham Hill
For Selection, Artistry & Musical Accomplishment in the Flamenco compilation genre
Django Reinhardt: NY Festival Live at Birdland
For Concept, Execution & Raw Musicianship in the Gipsy-Swing, Jazz Manouche category
Juan-Carlos Formell: las calles del paraiso
For Originality in Compositions & Performance in the Cuban music category
Zawose & Brook: Assembly
For Tribal/Modern Vocal Arrangements in the African WorldBeat category