The words of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, from the preface to his autobiography, My Life and Ethiopia's Progress 1892-1937.

Every day is Veterans' Day as reggae stalwarts such as Ras Michael, Burning Spear, Michael Rose, Max Romeo, Bob Andy, Sister Carol, Keith Poppin, Edi Fitzroy, Clinton Fearon, the Chosen Few, and Sly and Robbie continue to put out great new music. New roots singers Tarrus Riley, Jah Mason and Joseph Israel bring traditional reggae values to the contemporary world; Turbulence, Bounty Killer release new recordings; also covered: reissues from Ranking Dread and Massive Dread, Alton Ellis, Yabby You, White Mice, Blackbeard and Tappa Zukie, plus a handful of local lights, compilations, a fistful of dub and ska albums and much more.

Bongo, bongo, bongo: Bob Tarte doesn't wanna leave the Congo, so he stays with The Roots of Rumba Rock: Congo Classics 1953-1955. Africa continues to hold him with a reissue of Sunny Ade's juju music from the classic years, new Malian artist Vieux Farka Toure, and another flawless Africando recording; plus far-flung music from Andy Palacio of Belize, Francesca Ancarola of Chile, and the Zhena Folk Chorus' Bulgarian harmonies.

The Brazil Beat team recounts the experiences of the OE:Brazil project which united New Zealand and Brazil for an overseas experiment. New sounds from Clube do Balanco, Jorge Benjor, Alda Rezende, and Mike Marshall and Hamilton de Holanda are noted.

Esteemed singer Candido Fabre proclaims "I am Cuban" with his new album Cubano Soy, and Paulo FG gives us "a little of everything" with Un Poquito de 'To. Los Ases de la Timba, Pedro Luis Ferrer, El Gran Combo, Mark Dimond, Forro in the Dark, the Brian Lynch/Eddie Palmieri Project and Wayne Gorbea heat up the night.

Guest columnist Robert Ambrose lauds Cheikh Lo's Lamp Fall album, along with one from Lo's Senegalese countryman Fallou Dieng; applauds Africando and Ricardo Lemvo's explorations of the symbiotic relationship between African and Latin music; and beats the drums for Kakai Kilonzo's second collection of benga hits from Kenya, a New York-based Afropop band known as Source, and the BeadforLife chorus of Uganda.

It's Ladies' Night as Martin Sinnock spotlights two new productions from Abby Surya, one of the very few solo female Congolese singers on the scene today. Also noted: Les Plus Belles Voix Congolaises dans...Terre Sacree; Koffi Olomide, Danger, and Roots of Rumba Rock: Congo Classics 1953-1955.

Mr. Music gets hip to Gwigwi Mrwebi's Mbaqanga Songs, a newly rediscovered South African rarity from 1967 London. Boogaloo Pow Wow recalls the '60s Latin soul movement, while Bassekou Kouyate shows off his Segu soul from Mali, and Andy Palacio gets all Garifuna on us. Charanga Forever, Los Ases de la Timba, Bamboleo, La Excelencia, Papo Pepin, Roberto Roena, the Lebron Brothers and Africando all take a spin on the dance floor.

Steve Heilig gives a whirlwind tour of recent reggae, Brazilian, African, Latin and Asian releases, with a special farewell salute to the late James Brown and Alice Coltrane.

"Musical Murder--Riddim Roundup" by The Ramerman highlights the best dancehall riddims of 2006.

Interview with Haitian roots musician Harry "Ayizan" Sanon, commenting on his new album Kay La Boule and the present situation in Haiti; more island-hopping for current releases from Belize (Andy Palacio), Martinique (Tony Chasseur), Colombia (La Cumbiamba eNeYe), Trinidad (Kobo Town) and Mauritius (Menwar).

Roger Steffens brings us up to date on his recent runnings. Click here to read his current column on line.

Ziggy Marley was awarded the 2006 Reggae Grammy for Love Is My Religion; Soweto Gospel Choir took the Traditional World Music honor for Blessed; the Klezmatics won the Contemporary World Music trophy for Wonder Wheel.

Accra Trane Station, Meditations for John Coltrane, by Norman Weinstein

Global Minstrels: Voices of World Music, by Ted Boothroyd