Play Musty for Me

The lively and playful 3 Mustaphas 3 were considered innovators in the realm of world music, and this new live album--which documents performances from around the world between 1984 and 1994--strongly supports that statement. The Mustaphas clan may have had roots in Eastern Europe, but its members' musical mindset was global as they performed world tunes on a variety of indigenous and rock/jazz instruments and adapted the music accordingly (with multilingual vocals to boot). The group also had fun stories to share with its audience within songs and monologues, including "The desperately true story of golden murder and dullskuggery" at the center of "A Chilling Tale." Whether performing a Nigerian classic with an Indonesian tinge, imbuing a British farmyard melody with international flavor, or giving a Romano-Hungarian dance number a zydeco twist, 3 Mustaphas 3 allowed their hybrid compositions to flow fluidly, naturally, and with subtlety. And they did so at a time--the '80s to be precise--when world music was scarcely considered a genre. This big band didn't aspire to make listeners aware of their aural recipes, but simply to let them savor the tasty results. --Bryan Reesman