Zein L’Abdin, from Mombasa, was one of the pivotal figures of the Mombasa taarab scene. He was born on the Island of Lamu where he…
Artist Profiles: Zein L’Abdin
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.
Artist Profiles: Issam Rafea
Born in Kuwait on 1971, Issam has studied in Kuwait and Syria at the High Institute of Music in Damascus as a student of Fayez…
Artist Profiles: Bakyt Chytyrbaev
Kyrgyz musician Bakyt Chytyrbaev came across the kyl-kyjak in his early 20s. While traveling in neighboring Tajikistan he saw it in the hands of a…
Artist Profiles: Nurak Abdrakhmanov
Kyrgyz musician Nurak Abdrakhmanov was born in 1946. It was right after the end of World War 2. Nurak’s father and grandfather, both komuz players,…
Artist Profiles: Ilgi
In 1981, Ilga Reizniece formed the folk ensemble Ilgi. Like other folk musicians, the members of Ilgi spent time seeking out their elders – the…
Artist Profiles: Bassam Saba
Bassam Saba was a native of Lebanon, where he studied ‘ud, violin, and nay (Arab flute) at the Lebanese National Conservatory. In 1976, he moved…
Artist Profiles: Charbel Rouhana
Charbel Rouhana, one of the finest ud (also spelled oud) players in Lebanon. Born in 1965 in Aamchit (a town north of Beirut), Charbel pursued…
Artist Profiles: Claude Chalhoub
Born in 1974 in Lebanon into a family of musicians, Claude Chalhoub was introduced to the violin by his father who played the rebec. At…
Artist Profiles: Fairuz
Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon in 1935, Nouhad Haddad, better known as Fairuz, is an Arabic music superstar. She began her musical career as…
Delightful Scottish Fiddle Inspired by Short Stories
Aidan O’Rourke with Kit Downes – 365: Volume 1 (Reveal Records, 2018) 365: Volume 1 is a truly exquisite double album of instrumental music composed…