World Music Central

Tales from Darbukistan

Wed, 14 May 2008 02:04:00 -0400

Doumtekestan (Darbuki Kings Records, 2007)

Lawrence Of Suburbia (Darbuki Kings Records, 2008)

Two multi-instrumentalists, Robin Adnan Anders and Antonio Albarran, are behind the Darbuki Kings. Inspired by the music of the countries that were part of the ancient Silk Road, the Darbuki Kings combine good humor with folk-inspired instrumental pieces, as well as as modern fusions. The majority of the influences are Middle Eastern, although there are elements of Greek music and Indian dance music. Robin Adnan Anders (a.k.a. Adnan Darbuki) plays percussion and samples. Antonio Albarran (a.k.a. Antone Darbuki) plays sitar and lauto. Robin is a founding member of the renowned groups Boiled in Lead and 3 Mustaphas 3.

Doumtekestan came out in 2007. Lawrence Of Suburbia was released this year and makes fun o...

World Music Star Lila Downs Confirmed for �Globalquerque! 2008

Wed, 14 May 2008 01:32:36 -0400

¡Globalquerque! 08 will present Lila Downs and her band at this year's festival on Friday September 19th. ¡Globalquerque! New Mexico's 4th Annual Celebration of World Music & Culture takes place September 19 & 20 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the presenting partner, in Albuquerque, NM

Lila Downs gained international attention for her musical role in the award-winning 2002 film Frida, starring Selma Hayek as Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Her song “Burn It Blue,” from the film was nominated for Grammy and Academy Awards. In 2005 Lila was awarded a Latin Grammy for her album Una Sangre (One Blood).

Many of Downs’ songs carry contemporary messages that...

TransGlobal Underground Absent from Award Winners Concert Schedule

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:47:04 -0400

TransGlobal Underground, winners of the Club Global Category in this year's BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music will not be playing at the Winners' Concert due to take place on July 30th as part of Radio 3's Proms season of concerts broadcast from London's Royal Albert Hall.

The announcement has disappointed fans as well as members of the Awards Jury and is in contrast with last year's concert in which the Club Global Category winners, Gotan Project, played a full 40 minute set.

TransGlobal Underground are regarded as pioneers of global dancefloor music, starting in the early days as a club night wi...

Bhakti Invocations

Tue, 13 May 2008 02:57:19 -0400

Aruna Sairam

Divine Inspiration (World Village 468074, 2008)

Aruna Sairam is a renowned Indian singer who specializes in the music of southern India, which is known as Carnatic music. Divine Inspiration features exquisite vocal performances based on sacred music traditions that are found in Hindu temples.

Sairam combines poetry, language, and music from various parts of India. She treats the listener to nine songs and invocations from the Bhakti Movement. This movement was started ...

Terakaft Brings Tuareg Desert Blues to International Audiences

Mon, 12 May 2008 01:20:44 -0400

Paris, France - ‘Akh Issudar’ (Tapsit), the latest album from the Tuareg blues group Terakaft, is hitting stores across the world in the next few months. Sharing much with the famous group Tinariwen – including two guitarists – Terakaft’s vocal lines and electric guitar melodies will be instantly recognizable to fans of the genre, even if we can’t quite say what that genre is! Unmistakably founded in the musical traditions of the region but undoubtedly modern in its instrumentation and execution, Terakaft’s songs reflect not only the sounds, but also the history and struggle, of the Tuareg people. ‘Akh Issudar’ was released in France last month, followed by releases in the UK and US in October, as well as a possible Japan release...

Required Reggae Reading

Sun, 11 May 2008 06:25:02 -0400

Roger Steffens and Peter Simon - Reggae Scrapbook (Insight Editions, 2007)

I don’t get hooked on many books, but two that caught my attention and remain favorites are 1977’s Reggae Bloodlines and 1983’s Reggae International, both of which were collaborated upon by writer Stephen Davis and photographer Peter Simon. Simon’s photographs are likewise part of what makes this new examination of reggae as classic as that earlier pair and Davis provides an eloquent introduction, but the bulk of the text this time was penned by Roger Steffens.

Steffens is a Los Angeles-based author, actor and lecturer (his multimedia presentations on ...

Mekong Global Surf

Sat, 10 May 2008 03:25:02 -0400

Dengue Fever

Venus on Earth (M 80 Music, 2008)

Wickedly original, Dengue Fever’s third album Venus on Earth is an East meets West pop extravaganza, full of girlie vocals and moody rock guitar that’s certainly got the goods on 60s Cambodian pop. With dashes of surf sound goodness and bits of brassy horns I haven’t heard since Annette Funicello hung up fringed bikini and Frankie Avalon ditched his last clambake, ...

Dreamy L�vlid

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:58:26 -0400

Unni Løvlid

Rite (Grappa GRCD4223, 2008)

Unni Løvlid creates a dreamy sound that comes from the lands of the north that combines folk and chamber music, minimalism and ambience, generating a hauntingly beautiful sound. Norwegian singer Unni Løvlid, who is also a member of the trio Rusk, uses her voice in several different ways, mixing traditional style vocals with processed vocal sounds, creating fascinating effects.

On Rite, Lovlid presents a new set of ethe...

Malian Rokia Traor� Is Releasing �Tchamantch�and Will Be Touring Europe and North Africa

Thu, 08 May 2008 19:35:29 -0400

Paris, France - Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré is releasing her newest album, Tchamantche, this month, and will be touring Europe and North Africa. Ever since she was declared the “African Discovery of 1997” at the Angoulême Festival in France, Rokia Traoré hasn’t looked back. Now, more than ten years later, this fantastic singer and guitarist from Mali is releasing her fourth full-length album ...

Miami's JVC Jazz Festival Presents Brazilian Stars Jorge Ben Jor and Sergio Mendes May 17

Thu, 08 May 2008 06:32:25 -0400

JVC's Jazz Festival brings an eclectic exciting mix of bossa nova, pop and jazz the majestic Bayfront Park Amphitheater. The lineup will include the Grammy Award winning Sergio Mendes, R&B singer/songwriter Anthony Hamilton, Brazilian artist Jorge Ben Jor and the Grammy nominated artist Ledisi.

Then, enjoy After Dark at the Oasis with performances by Raul Midón, The Yoruba Soul Orchestra featuring Osunlade, Quetzal Guerrero and Siji, plus DJ sets by Osunlade, Djinji Brown and Rainer Trüby at The Oasis at The Raleigh Hotel. JVC Jazz Festival:
Sergio Mendes - Anthony Hamilton - Jorge Ben Jor - Ledisi
Saturday, May 17th, 5 pm
Bayfront Park Amphitheater, Downtown Miam...