Chachachá, a spirited dance style with Cuban roots, has captivated enthusiasts globally with its lively movements, syncopated steps, and infectious rhythm. The genre was born…
Chachachá, the Alluring Cuban Rhythm
Category: Articles
Rural Music Saved from Extinction
British writer and musician John Phillpott examines the work of ‘the collectors’ who helped to ensure the survival of a rural tradition… The main reason…
APAP & globalFEST 2026: Renewal, Resilience, Resistance
The performing arts have endured crisis, change, and upheaval—and we’re still here. But here’s the shift: we’re done being humble. We’re done asking for permission.…
Bullerengue: History, Instruments, and Variations of an Afro-Colombian Tradition
Bullerengue is a traditional Afro-Colombian musical genre and dance from Colombia’s Caribbean coast. It is notable for its powerful matriarchal legacy. The genre stands out…
The Persian Setar, An Ancient and Influential Long-Necked Lute
(headline image: professional walnut setar MOS-4) The Persian setar (سهتار) occupies a distinctive place in Iranian classical music and in adjacent musical cultures influenced by…
The Legacy of Blues Icon Lead Belly
British writer and musician John Phillpott looks at the life and times of Huddie Ledbetter – the legendary Lead Belly – examining his legacy and…
Squeezeboxes Across Borders: The Accordion and Its Diaspora
(headline image: Making The Accordion Great Again: Liberty Bellows exhibition – Photo by Angel Romero) Few instruments move as fluidly through working-class dance halls, classical…
W. C. Handy… Father of the Blues
British writer and musician John Phillpott digs deep in the Mississippi mud and unearths the legacy of W. C. Handy, the legendary Father of the…
Harps Around The World And Across Time
(headline image: Camac 34 string Telenn harp) Harp history reaches back to the earliest urban cultures and continues to evolve in the present day. Visual…
Sam Bennett… Legendary English fiddler
(headline image: Sam Bennet – Photo from The James Madison Carpenter Collection, Archive of Folk Culture, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, AFC 1972/001 Photo…