Imani Uzuri - The Gypsy Diaries (2012)

Gypsy Diaries. On her second album, Uzuri breaks out of the mold with an eclectic ensemble of instruments, from the sitar -- used heavily in classic Indian music -- to Middle Eastern-inspired drums and Japanese-inspired woodwinds.
The diverse set of melodies and rhythms complements her unadulterated, bluesy vocals, which channel the roots of Uzuri's rural-North Carolina upbringing.
The ethnic variety of The Gypsy Diaries allows the listener to delve into the many travels that helped Uzuri develop such a different and creative album. "Ultimately, this album is about finding my place through the traveling," Uzuri explains, "the communion, the loneliness, victories, sadness, losses, euphorias, revelations, transformations coming to understand that I am always here: home."(Joshua R. Weaver)