Hamid Reza Taqavi, born in 1976 in Iranian Azerbaijan, began playing santur at the age of 11 under the direction of Ibrahim Safari and continued…
View More Artist Profiles: Hamid Reza TaqaviAuthor: Angel Romero
Nakai’s Southwestern Jams
R. Carlos Nakai Quartet – What Lies Beyond (Canyon Records CR-7211, 2016) Acclaimed Navajo-Ute flutist R. Carlos Nakai has numerous projects that range from traditional…
View More Nakai’s Southwestern JamsArtist Profiles: Alireza Ghorbani
Vocalist Alireza Ghorbani, born in 1972, began studying the Persian classical repertoire (radif) at the age of 12 with such masters as Mehdi Fallah, Hossein…
View More Artist Profiles: Alireza GhorbaniInterview with Filmmaker Reed Rickert
Reed Rickert has directed several documentary films related to music. We talked to him to find out more about his projects. Walila: The Modern Sound…
View More Interview with Filmmaker Reed RickertNew Ethiopian Sounds Celebrate Emperor Tewodros II
Gabriella Ghermandi – Ethiopia – Celebrating Emperor Tewodros II (Arc Music, 2016) Vocalist Gabriella Ghermandi dedicates this album to charismatic Ethiopian emperor Tewodros II. Born…
View More New Ethiopian Sounds Celebrate Emperor Tewodros IIArtist Profiles: Honoré Avolonto
Afrobeat musician Honoré Avolonto started his career in 1969 as a percussionist. The young conga player went onto become one of Benin’s most prolific composer.…
View More Artist Profiles: Honoré AvolontoArtist Profiles: Antoine Dougbé
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo not only composed and recorded hundreds of songs but they still found time to arrange and record for other artists, one of them…
View More Artist Profiles: Antoine DougbéArtist Profiles: Cheb Nacim
Cheb Nacim combines contemporary Rai with a traditional music base. Singing in Arabic, he possesses a unique combination of tone and technique that transcends language…
View More Artist Profiles: Cheb NacimArtist Profiles: Yelas
Yelas was born in the 20th century in Tarihant, ‘a little village perched in the mountains not far from the sea’, he was from a…
View More Artist Profiles: YelasMinha Casa
Carol Bach-y-Rita – “Minha Casa / My House” (2016) American jazz vocalist produced her new album, Minha Casa / My House. It’s a collection of…
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