A World Music Top 10 Sampler

We asked Tom Schnabel, host of “Cafe LA” on KCRW-FM (88.9), to create a guide for the novice looking to sample and explore the world music landscape. Here are Schnabel’s top 10:

1. Caetano Veloso, “Livro” (Nonesuch)

This is one of the most elegant albums I know of, combining European chamberistic finesse, a la Ravel and Debussy, with subtle but insistent African rhythms, all anchored by Brazilian Caetano’s ultra-suave voice.

2. Olatunji, “Drums of Passion” (Columbia Legacy)

A landmark in world music, it is one of the first African CDs to be studio-recorded (it came out in the mid-’60s). Today this classic of Nigerian percussion is as fresh and powerful a drum orgy as the day it was issued, and some may remember it from Carlos Santana’s cover of one of its songs (“Jin-go-lo-ba”). This classic inspired John Coltrane (who studied with Nigerian percussionist Babatunde Olatunji and wrote the song “Tunji” in his honor), Dizzy Gillespie, Mickey Hart and many others.

3. Peter Gabriel, “Passion” (Real World)

This album was the soundtrack to the Martin Scorcese film “The Last Temptation of Christ.” The project was produced by Peter Gabriel, and the amazing sounds of Armenia’s Djivan Gasparyan, Indian violinist L. Shankar, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and other great musicians make for an amazing musical tapestry. It remains the best thing about the controversial movie.

4. Tito Puente, “Dance Mania” (RCA)

The tropical Latin genre isn’t really world music, but Puente’s music is so full of life and so well-crafted that I had to include it here. A 1958 recording that is still a favorite on the dance floors, it was recorded in an audiophile manner, so it still sounds fantastic.

5. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, “Night Song” (Real World)

It’s a landmark crossover collaboration between the late Pakistani Sufi singer and producer Michael Brook. Their second collaboration, it’s one of the most successful crossover efforts to date.

6. King Sunny Ade, “Juju Music” (Mango)

One of the most intriguing, influential and downright amazing albums from the Nigerian-born Ade, it helped establish the world music genre in 1982. It amazed people with its combination of talking drums, country-western slide guitar and elements old and new, and it presaged the type of fusions world music would later bring us.

7. Ali Akbar Khan, “Indian Architecture” (Water Lily Acoustics)

This is a simply stupendous performance of classical Hindustani ragas that must be heard, by the great master of the Indian sarod. It also is a stunningly well-done audiophile recording.

8. Paco de Lucia & Camaron de la Isla, “Potro de Rabia y Miel” (Philips)

It’s the last recording by the greatest flamenco singer of the last century, paired with the top guitarist, both of Spain. It is one of the most desperately passionate outpourings in the flamenco genre. Camaron was taken from the hospital where he lay dying to make this recording, filled with anguish and passion; Camaron died the next day and will always be a hero in Spain.

9. Djivan Gasparyan, “I Will Not Be Sad in This World” (Opal)

An anthem and a prayer, it was renamed after the 1988 Armenian earthquake after an old Armenian folk song. It’s deep, soulful and timeless. Brian Eno

called this music the most soulful he’d ever heard.

10. Milton Nascimento, “Miltons” (Columbia)

This late ‘80s album featured the Brazilian singer in a spare musical setting with just pianist Herbie Hancock and percussionist Nana Vasconcelos. The transparent musical backdrop gives Nascimento plenty of room to soar and remains an unusual masterpiece in his recorded repertoire.