(headline image: Badenya les Freres Coulibaly – Photo by Atelier images) The jembe is a rope-tuned, skin-headed goblet drum associated above all with Mandé cultural…
The Jembe: West Africa’s Famed Goblet Drum
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
Runas 2026 Finalists Confirmed After Record-Breaking Public Vote
(headline image: Xara, winners of Concurso Runas 2025. The band is set to perform in the 2026 festival.) More than 100,000 votes were registered in…
Ancient Future Honors Musical Lineage on Purple Spirits
Ancient Future — Purple Spirits (Tributes to Musical Giants) (Ancient-Future.Com Records, 2026) On Purple Spirits, Ancient Future has gathered multifaceted and imaginative tributes to artists…
Seu Jorge Revisits Brazil’s Musical Soul With Majestic Precision
Seu Jorge – The Other Side (Amor in Sound, 2026) Sixteen years after its inception, Seu Jorge presents The Other Side as an invitation into…
Kora Master Lamine Cissokho
Lamine Cissokho is a Senegalese kora player and backing vocalist from Casamance. He comes from a griot family whose musical lineage dates to the 14th…
El Cabrero, Defiant Voice of Flamenco, Dies at 81
José Domínguez Muñoz, known throughout the flamenco scene as El Cabrero, died on May 13, 2026, in Bormujos, Seville, after a long illness that began…
Saied Silbak Finds Beauty, Tradition, and Resilience in Oud for Palestine
Saied Silbak — Oud for Palestine (self-released, 2025) Saied Silbak has emerged as a prominent London-based oud player and composer whose music is deeply influenced…
Mama Koné, a Percussionist with a Bamako Groove
Born in Mopti, Mali, in 1983, Mama Koné comes from a griot family rooted in traditional music. He grew up around the balafon, jembe, ngoni,…
Spinettango Recasts Luis Alberto Spinetta Timeless Classics
Various Artists — Spinettango (Nacional Records, 2022) Nacional Records released Spinettango in 2022, a splendid tribute that recast songs by Luis Alberto “El Flaco” Spinetta…
Jody King’s Steady Hand In Modern Bluegrass
Virginia banjo player Jody King is known for creative, virtuosic picking, and precise timing. A respected presence in bluegrass, King has performed with After Five,…