Pre-Owned I Heard It on NPR: At Home in the World (CD 0637402002129) by Various Artists

0637402002129. Pre-Owned: Good condition. CD. Kudos to NPR for finding the balance between the familiar and the offbeat on the compilation Heard It on NPR: At Home in the World. Even though it never veers too far from the relative mainstream, there are little touches of delight, like Tribalistas "Ja Sei Namor," which is some deft, classy Brazilian pop music, or the duet by Cassandra Wilson and Angélique Kidjo. There are some usual suspects -- Youssou N'Dour, Orchestre Baobab, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, but they're tempered by rising star Lila Downs, the gravelly Paolo Conte, and the Cuban delight of the all-star Bebo Valdes Trio. There might not be anything earth-shattering on here, but it's well-sequenced, and certainly pleasant listening, with ample variety to satisfy any taste. And putting Ravi Shankar between Youssou N'Dour and Ladysmith Black Mambazo was simply inspired -- it's a way to hear Indian music in a whole new light ~ Chris Nickson, Rovi