Putumayo World Music

Putumayo World Music is a New Orleans-based record label that specializes in compilations of world music, jazz and blues.

WWW Official Site

History

Dan Storper founded Putumayo in 1975 as a retail store in New York City featuring handicrafts from around the world. Storper took the name of his company, Putumayo, from Colombia's Putumayo River Valley, where he travelled in 1974. Putumayo is said to mean "a heron" and "the place where the river begins" in the local indigenous language. He eventually opened seven world handicraft and clothing boutiques across the northeastern United States.
In 1991, on his way home from Bali, Storper stopped in San Francisco, California. In Golden Gate Park, he heard the Nigerian band Kotoja. He was impressed by the music and started compiling international music to play in his stores. The response from the public was so positive that, in 1993, he launched Putumayo World Music and began offering compilations for sale.

Artwork

Every release features the art of Nicola Heindl. Her art is both folky and modern, and, according to the Putumayo website, "represents one of Putumayo's goals: to connect the traditional to the contemporary."

Putumayo Presents

Typically, a Putumayo World Music compilation is presented under the theme title “Putumayo Presents”. The themes can be regional, music styles and other themes. All albums in the series from 1993 to the early 2000s were released on both CD and cassette, with Republica Dominicana being the last album released on cassette.
The Putumayo Kids division was created in 2002. Since the release of the World Playground CD in 1999, Putumayo Kids music collections have received over 20 Parents' Choice Awards among other accolades.
Putumayo launched the Putumayo World Music Hour in 2000, a commercially syndicated world music radio show. Rosalie Howarth of KFOG hosts the Music Hour. The weekly show is heard internationally on over 100 commercial and non-commercial stations.
In 2011, Putumayo developed a series of cultural coloring books. Beginning in 2017, it began distributing multicultural books and activity sets in partnership with publisher Barefoot Books. That same year, Putumayo started a series of world greeting card collections that have featured international folk art and photography by illustrator Nicola Heindl, photographer Emerson Matabele, Brazilian block print artist José Francisco Borges, Louisiana Folk Artist William Hemmerling, London artist Christopher Corr and Louisiana painter George Rodrigue.
Putumayo's products are sold at a network of thousands of book, gift, clothing, coffee and other specialty retailers around the world.
Many of Putumayo's music collections are now available for digital download and streaming. In 2020, the company launched an ongoing series of themed streaming playlists.

Discography

1993
*101/103 The Best of World Music: Volume 1 - World Vocal
*102/104 The Best of World Music: Volume 2 - World Instrumental
*105/107 The Best of Folk Music: Contemporary Folk
*106/108 The Best of World Music: African
1994
*109/110 Kotoja: The Super Sawalé Collection
*111/113 The Best of World Music: Reggae
*112/114 The Best of World Music: World Dance Party
*115-2 Shelter: The Best of Contemporary Singer-Songwriters
*116-2 A Putumayo Christmas
*117-2 The Dougie MacLean Collection
1995
*118-2 The Laura Love Collection
*119-2 Women of the World: International
*120-2 Women of the World: Celtic
1996
*121-2 The Touré Kunda Collection
*122-2 The Dalom Kids and Splash Collection
*123-2 A World Instrumental Collection
*124-2 A Touré Kunda, Dalom Kids / Splash and World Instrumental Sampler
*125-2 A Celtic Collection
*126-2 One World
*127-2 A Johnny Clegg and Juluka Collection
*128-2 Women's Work
1997
*129-2 Islands
*130-2 Travel the World with Putumayo World Music
*131-2 ¡Latino! ¡Latino!
*132-2 Caribbean Party
*133-2 Women of the World: Celtic
*134-2 Women of the World: Celtic II
*135-2 Music From the Coffee Lands
1998
*136-2 Romantica
*137-2 Women of Spirit
*138-2 Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca: Mambo Yo Yo
*139-2 Afro ~ Latino
*140-2 Sam Mangwana: Galo Negro
*141-2 Celtic Tides
*142-2 Reggae Around the World
*143-2 Cairo to Casablanca
*144-2 A Native American Odyssey: Inuit to Inca
1999
*145-2 Mali to Memphis
*146-2 Habib Koité & Bamada: Ma Ya
*147-2 Dublin to Dakar: A Celtic Odyssey
*148-2 A Mediterranean Odyssey
*149-2 Cuba
*150-2 Brasileiro
*151-2 Africa
*152-2 Oliver Mtukudzi: Tuku Music
*153-2 Caribe! Caribe!
*154-2 World Playground
*155-2 The Equation: Hazy Daze
*156-2 Cape Verde
*157-2 New World Party
*158-2 Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loca: Sao Salvador
*159-2 Italian Musical Odyssey
2000
*160-2 Zydeco
*161-2 Louisiana Gumbo
*162-2 Republica Dominicana
*163-2 South African Legends
*164-2 Miriam Makeba: Homeland
*166-2 ¡Mo' Vida!
*167-2 Puerto Rico
*168-2 Oliver Mtukudzi: Paivepo
*169-2 Festa Brasil
*170-2 Chico César
*171-2 Rita Ribeiro: Perolas Aos Povos
*172-2 Latinas: Women of Latin America
*174-2 Mariana Montalvo: Cantos del Alma
*176-2 Equation: The Lucky Few
*180-2 Music from the Tea Lands
*181-2 A Putumayo World Christmas
*182-2 A Jewish Odyssey
2001
*183-2 Carnival
*184-2 Cajun
*185-2 Gypsy Caravan
*186-2 Gardens of Eden
*187-2 Mexico
*188-2 Jamaica
*189-2 Arabic Groove
*190-2 Colombia
*191-2 African Odyssey
*192-2 Habib Koité & Bamada: Baro
*193-2 World Playground II
*194-2 Music from the Coffee Lands II
2002
*195-2 Samba Bossa Nova
*196-2 Mississippi Blues
*197-2 Latin Groove
*198-2 World Lounge
*199-2 Oliver Mtukudzi: Vhunze Moto
*200-2 Congo to Cuba
*201-2 Latin Playground
*202-2 Asian Groove
*203-2 Rumba Flamenco
*204-2 Afro-Portuguese Odyssey
*205-2 Calypso
2003
*206-2 Global Soul
*207-2 African Playground
*208-2 Cover the World
*209-2 Euro Lounge
*210-2 African Groove
*211-2 French Caribbean
*212-2 Dreamland — reissued in 2022 with 7 songs removed + 3 songs brought in.
*213-2 Salsa Around the World
*214-2 The Oliver Mtukudzi Collection: The Tuku Years
*215-2 American Blues
*216-2 Brazilian Groove
*217-2 The Putumayo World Music 10th Anniversary Collection
*218-2 Christmas Around the World
*219-2 French Café
2004
*220-2 Sahara Lounge
*221-2 World Reggae
*222-2 Sing Along with Putumayo
*223-2 Women of Africa
*224-2 Nuevo Latino
*225-2 Greece: A Musical Odyssey
*226-2 Caribbean Playground
*227-2 World Groove
*228-2 Women of Latin America
*229-2 Blues Lounge
*230-2 Music from the Chocolate Lands
*231-2 South Pacific Islands
2005
*232-2 New Orleans
*233-2 Kermit Ruffins
*234-2 Acoustic Brazil
*235-2 Afro-Latin Party
*236-2 Mali
*237-2 North African Groove
*238-2 Italian Café
*239-2 Swing Around the World
*240-2 American Folk
*241-2 Latin Lounge
*242-2 French Playground
*243-2 Celtic Crossroads
*244-2 Asian Lounge
*804-2 One World, One Kid
2006
*245-2 The Caribbean
*246-2 Reggae Playground
*247-2 Brazilian Lounge
*248-2 Turkish Groove
*249-2 Paris
*250-2 Folk Playground
*251-2 ¡Baila!: A Latin Dance Party
*252-2 Music from the Wine Lands
*253-2 Blues Around the World
*254-2 Acoustic Africa
*255-2 Radio Latino
*256-2 New Orleans Christmas
*257-2 New Orleans Playground
*258-2 One World, Many Cultures
*259-2 Asian Dreamland
2007
*260-2 A New Groove
*261-2 Women of the World: Acoustic
*262-2 Gypsy Groove
*263-2 Putumayo World Party
*264-2 Animal Playground
*265-2 Latin Jazz
*266-2 Americana
*267-2 World Hits
*268-2 Israel
*269-2 Brazilian Playground
*270-2 New Orleans Brass
*271-2 Tango Around the World
*272-2 Celtic Dreamland
2008
*273-2 Latin Reggae
*274-2 Hawaiian Playground
*275-2 Euro Groove
*276-2 African Party
*277-2 African Dreamland
*278-2 Café Cubano
*279-2 Québec
*280-2 Reggae Around the World
*281-2 Acoustic France
*282-2 Acoustic Arabia
*283-2 Sesame Street Playground
*285-2 A Jazz & Blues Christmas
*286-2 Women of Jazz
2009
*287 African Reggae
*288 India
*289 ¡Salsa!
*290 Italia
*291 European Playground
*292 Brazilian Café
*293 Picnic Playground
*294 España
*295 A Family Christmas
*296 Jazz Around The World
2010
*297 Rhythm & Blues
*299 Jazz Playground
*300 Latin Party
*301 South Africa
*302 Rock & Roll Playground
*303 Tribute to a Reggae Legend
*304 Yoga
*305 World Christmas Party
2011
*306 Bossa Nova around the world
*307 Acoustic Dreamland
*308 Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha Chá
*309 Jazz
*310 Kids World Party
*311 African Beat
*312 Latin Beat
*313 Acoustic Café
*314 Celtic Christmas
2012
*315 Brazilian Beat
*316 Instrumental Dreamland
*317 African Blues
*318 Cowboy Playground
*319 Bluegrass
*320 Arabic Beat
*321 Latin Beat
*322 European Playground
*323 World Yoga
*324 World Sing-Along
2013
*325 Jewish Celebration
*326 Vintage France
*327 African Beat
*328 Rhythm & Blues
*329 Latin Dreamland
*330 Women of Brazil
*331 Brazilian Lounge
*332 Brazilian Beat
*333 Acoustic America
*334 American Playground
*336 Reggae Playground
*337 World Reggae
*338 Café Latino
*339 Latin Lounge
*340 Acoustic Christmas
2014
*341 Native America
*342 Music of the Andes
*343 Australia
*344 Australian Playground
*345 Americana
*346 Cajun
*347 Yoga Lounge
*348 Cafe Del Mundo
*349 French Christmas
2015
*350 Celtic Café
*351 Asian Playground
*352 Animal Playground
*353 Afro-Caribbean Party
*354 Vintage Latino
*355 French Dreamland
*357 French Café
2016
*356 Jazz Café
*358 French Playground
*359 Mexico
*360 Blues Party
*361 Acoustic Yoga
*362 African Rumba
*363 Latin Christmas
2017
*364 Vintage Italia
*365 Italian Playground
*366 Cuba! Cuba!
*367 Cuban Playground
*368 Indian Groove
2018
*369 African Café
*370 Kid's African Party
*371 New Orleans Party
*372 Ska Around the World
*374 Joy to the World
2019
*375 Broadway Jazz
*376 Acoustic Women
*377 World Peace
*378 Paris Café
*379 Blues Christmas
2020
*380 Celtic Women
*381 Brazil: Samba, Bossa & Beyond!
*382 New Orleans Mambo
2021
*383 Yoga Dreamland
*384 World Cafe
*385 Acoustic Paris
*386 Jazz Christmas
2022
*387 World Chill
*388 Acoustic World
*389 Blues Cafe
*390 Global Groove
*391 World Party
*392 Acoustic World 2
*393 Afro Cubano
*394 Reggae World
*395 World Party 2
*396 Feels Like Home Linda Ronstadt's Musical Odyssey
*397 Global Lounge
*398 World Relaxation
*399 World Party 3
*400 Acoustic World 3
2023
*401 Global Groove 2
*402 Reggae World 2
*403 Acoustic World 4
*404 African Yoga
*405 World Party 4
*406 Acoustic World 5
*407 Global Lounge 2
*408 World Relaxation 2
*409 Acoustic World 6
*410 Acoustic Latino
*411 Acoustic Folk
*412 World Party 5
*413 Global Groove 3
*414 Reggae World 3
*415 Bossa Nova
*416 Acoustic World 7
*417 Acoustic World 8
*418 African Acoustic
*419 Acoustic Folk 2
*420 Global Groove 4
*421 Global Reggae
*422 Global Cafe
2024
*423 Tropical Party
*424 Mediterranean Cafe
*425 World Love Songs
*426 Fiesta Latina
*427 Women of the World
*428 Caribbean Celebration
*429 Global Beat
*430 Cafe du Monde
*431 Global Relaxation
*432 ''African Celebration''