Cumbancha

Alternating between roots reggae, traditional West African music and hints of jazz (part of the album was recorded in New Orleans with producer Steve Berlin and includes locals Trombone Shorty, Bonerama and Washboard Chaz, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have tapped into the music’s transformative powers. Coming from unthinkable horrors and histories as rebel fighters in a devastating civil war, the band’s sophomore effort, Rise & Shine is a testament to the unbreakable human spirit. Singing a chorus like, “I just want to know what them killing for” ( “Jah Mercy” ) could easily be dark and morose, but like Bob Marley or a Second Line parade, the All Stars’ reminds us that music can truly help us overcome anything.