Noori & his Dorpa Band – Beja Power! (Ostinato Records, 2022) “Beja Power!” presents the captivating music of Noori & his Dorpa Band, an ensemble…
Fantastic Introduction to Beja Music
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: Noura Mint Seymali
(headline image: Noura Mint Seymali – Photo by Bechir Malum) Noura Mint Seymali is a nationally beloved star in Mauritania and one of its most…
Nancy Vieira, A Singer Deeply Grounded in Cape Verdean Tradition
(headline image: Nancy Vieira – Photo by Rita Carmo) Nancy Vieira was born in 1975 in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau to Cape Verdean parents. She later relocated…
Venezuelan Salsa Classic from Powerhouse Los Calvos
Los Calvos – …Y Que Calvos! (El Palmas Music, 2022) El Palmas Music has reissued “Y Que Calvos!” (and how bald), the second, and final,…
High Energy Trad from Hoven Droven
Hoven Droven – Trad (Heilo, 2021) Hoven Droven is one of the essential Swedish bands of the past decades. They popularized Swedish folk music with…
The Art of the Chinese Xiao and Hulusi
Heart of the Dragon Ensemble – The Art of the Chinese Xiao and Hulusi (Naxos World, 2022) The Heart of the Dragon Ensemble and Chinese…
Artist Profiles: ZenKwun
Tasiwanese band ZenKwun combines Buddhist, nankuan, and peikuan (various forms of traditional Chinese music), Hakka, and Mongolian music with Western rock through the use of…
New Asia, Rising Folk Band from Altai
“Chorchok” is the title of the new album from New Asia, an ensemble led by vocalist and instrumentalist Dobrynya Satin, from Altai/Altay in southwestern Siberia.…
Artist Profiles: Alena Murang
Singer-songwriter, sape player, and educator Alena Murang is a Borneo-born Kelabit Dayak-European living in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), who sings in the endangered language of the…
Artist Profiles: Dendê
Dendê is a Brazilian percussionist, singer, composer, bandleader, teacher, and multi-instrumentalist. He grew up in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, raised by a single mother in…