A flurry of notes from the lead guitar, then a blast of forceful brass kicks off the album with a wonderfully arranged intro. The plucking…
A Prophet’s Heart: Salif Keita with Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux
Category: Articles
A Year, an Album, Some Musings and a Song
I regretted not being able to furnish a proper Top Ten List with which to end 2021. And that’s as fine a point as there…
Resilience and recovery: how 14 festivals and 19 bands are hosting an online music festival in the pandemic era
With continuing third and even fifth waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a pall on the live music industry around the world. But a…
All About Flamenco Music
Flamenco is an art form that was developed in Andalusia (southern Spain). It is generally found in three disciplines: cante (song), toque (guitar playing) and…
Creativity and resilience – Norway’s Førde Festival of Traditional and World Music hosts limited edition in the pandemic era
Established in 1990, Norway’s annual Førde Festival of Traditional and World Music has always had an anchor theme, such as aboriginal music, regional showcases, or…
Cork… where the music never stops
Writer and musician John Phillpott travelled to Ireland before the pandemic struck and discovered a city where the music never stops… The gulls following the…
From reflection to resilience – how Alena Murang, Sang Rawi and Nading Rhapsody are gearing up for the virtual showcase of the Rainforest World Music Festival
The award-winning Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, Malaysia is hosting an unprecedented virtual musical showcase this weekend. Here are some highlights from three performing…
John Lee Hooker: 20th Anniversary of His Passing
This month – June – sees the 20th anniversary of the death of John Lee Hooker, one of the most influential blues artists of all…
Cuba, Paradise Found
Writer and musician John Phillpott recalls the trip of a lifetime when he became entranced by the hypnotic sounds of Cuba: As a lifelong fan…
The Old Man of the Sea sails into the sunset
For two thirds of his working life, Henry Gibson Dan plied his trade in the seas of tropical north Australia as a deep-water pearl shell…