Hey, I can do a shameless plug for a friend of mine who's making some excellent music, right? If you're into amazing, often sublime lyrics with a very talented, folkey guitar back, this is the best stuff going, in my experience.
Danny Schmidt Also a huge fan of an Argentine fellow by the name of Daniel Melingo. A celebrated tangoista who is known for stripping the veneer of respectability off and "putting the whorehouse back in the tango." First effort is Tangos Bajos -- well know in Argentina, but I've yet to find it here in the States. If Tom Waits were Argentine, into the tango, a little more sodden and a whole lot darker, he'd sound just like this. Finally, although it's definitely a little more widely known, check out the Orishas album, A lo Cubano (and that you can find on Amazon). Cuban rap blended with very traditional Cuban jazz, even with some of the folks from Buena Vista Social Club on a few tracks. Likely one of the most successful fusions I've heard, a really different and exciting sound, and a very solid and deep album to boot. I know lots of folks around these parts are quick to turn their noses up at anything that smacks of rap, but this is one that might begin to broaden horizons--a lot of good stuff going on.
