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Thursday, September 10, 2026

World Music Central

Your Connection to traditional and contemporary World Music, including folk, roots, global music, ethno and crosscultural fusions
World Music Central
Your Connection to traditional and contemporary World Music, including folk, roots, global music, ethno and crosscultural fusions
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  • Album reviews

    Faris Ishaq Takes the Palestinian Ney to the Future on Solo Album ‘JASAD’

    Faris Ishaq – JASAD (self-release, 2026) Bethlehem-born Palestinian ney (or nay) player and percussionist Faris Ishaq uses breath, rhythm, and Arabic musical tradition on JASAD…

    Madison Quinn September 10, 2026 No Comments
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  • Album reviews

    Rite of Strings’ Extraordinary Debut, Dust and the Moon

    Rite of Strings – Dust and the Moon (Bright Shiny Things, 2026) Dust and the Moon is the debut album by a remarkable act called…

    Angel Romero September 8, 2026 No Comments
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  • Album reviews

    A Teahouse Exile, Tuned to Badakhshan

    Panjshanbe Maftun – Made in Lyublino: Afghan Songs (Antonovka Records / Hindukush Tapes, 2026) Recorded on 15 January 2024 at the Afghan teahouse Takhar in…

    Tyler Bennet September 7, 2026 No Comments
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  • Album reviews

    King Ayisoba Teams With Adrian Sherwood for Seventh Album ‘Pure Confusion’

    King Ayisoba — Pure Confusion (MAIS UM MAIS, 2026) Ghanaian musician King Ayisoba‘s seventh album, Pure Confusion, presents a captiovating mix of Ghanaian roots music,…

    Angel Romero September 6, 2026 No Comments
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  • Album reviews

    Birdvox’s Shamming The Drama Soars on Folk Instinct, Stumbles on Pop Ambition

    Birdvox – Shamming The Drama (Hudson Records, 2026) New British folk outfit Birdvox packs serious pedigree on Shamming The Drama. Sarah Hayes, Inge Thomson, Jenny…

    Ryan Emmert September 4, 2026 No Comments
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Featured News

  • Frank Maza black and white photo. Frank in front of microphone.
    Music videos

    Frank Maza Connects Madrid and Boston on ‘Back Then’ With Chucho Valdés and Javier Limón

    World Music Central News Room September 10, 2026 No Comments
  • Jah Bast Shadow of the Future cover artwork. a photo of a young black boy lifting his arm.
    Music videos Single reviews

    Bast and Future

    Tom Orr September 4, 2026 No Comments
  • Laurelyn Dossett - How Many Moons cover artwork. A colorful folk-art-style album cover featuring a red-orange coyote filled with floral and geometric patterns against an orange moon and blue starry sky. “LAURELYN DOSSETT” appears prominently across the center, with “HOW MANY MOONS” curved along the upper left.
    Music videos

    Laurelyn Dossett Shares “How Many Moons” Music Video

    World Music Central News Room September 3, 2026 No Comments
  • Shy-Anne Hovorka — Raise My Fist cover artwork. A colorful illustrated cover showing a hand holding a black-and-white feather against a glowing sunset over water and rolling green hills. Ghostly figures appear in the golden sky, surrounded by flowers, trees, and exposed roots. The title “Raise My Fist” appears prominently above, with Shy-Anne Hovorka and Suckle Creek Drum Group & Friends credited below.
    Music videos

    Shy-Anne Hovorka Unites More Than 30 Indigenous and Ally Artists on “Raise My Fist”

    World Music Central News Room August 28, 2026 No Comments
  • Black and white photo of Sheila Chandra with hands holding her head.
    Music videos

    Sheila Chandra Presents “Lament of McCrimmon / Song of the Banshee”

    World Music Central News Room August 27, 2026 No Comments
  • Shovel Dance Collective — Photo by Brad Gilbert. a set of three horizontal sepia photos of the band members.
    Music videos

    Shovel Dance Collective Announce ‘Everything in Readiness,’ Share First Single

    World Music Central News Room August 26, 2026 No Comments

The album cover for Héritage by Songhoy Blues features a central figure with dark, glossy skin wears a traditional African mask adorned with beads. The body is partially covered in cowrie shells and golden-hued organic patterns. The background blends weathered textures with a symmetrical, mirrored design. The album title and band name appear in bold, yellow and white text within a black circle in the upper right corner.
Charts

Songhoy Blues Claims Top Position on Transglobal World Music Chart for May 2025

World Music Central News Room May 1, 2025 No Comments MaliMalian musicSonghoy Bluesworld music

The album Heritage by Malian act Songhoy Blues claimed the coveted number one spot on Transglobal World Music Chart for the month of May 2025.…

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Trio Da Kali - Bagola cover artwork. A color photo of the trio outdoors with clouds in the background.
Charts

Trio da Kali Secures Number One Position on World Music Charts Europe for May 2025

World Music Central News Room May 1, 2025 No Comments BagolaMaliMalian musicTrio Da Kaliworld music

The album Bagola by Mali’s Trio da Kali sailed to the top of World Music Charts Europe for the month of May 2025. Read more…

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The album cover for Pōpoloheno: Songs of Resilience and Joy by Mahealani Uchiyama features a vintage collage of handwritten notes, sepia-toned photographs, and images of dancers. At the center, the title is written in elegant, deep purple script, adorned with an illustration of two dark berries and a green leaf. Additionally, leafy green vines frame the corners.
Music videos

New Album Reclaims Black Hawaiian Histories in Song”

World Music Central News Room May 1, 2025 1 Comment Hawaiian musicMāhealani UchiyamaPōpolohenoworld music

A new music project launching in June, Pōpoloheno: Songs of Resilience and Joy, brings long-overlooked narratives of the Black community in Hawaii to national attention.…

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The single cover for The Battle of Blair Mountain by Will Clark features a close-up of gritty, calloused hands clasped tightly, symbolizing strength and struggle. Earthy tones and dirt-streaked skin evoke themes of labor and resilience. The title overlays a silhouette of rugged mountain peaks.
Music videos

Mining a Memory: Will Clark Revives a Forgotten Labor War

World Music Central News Room April 30, 2025 No Comments BluegrassWill Clarkworld music

Will Clark’s latest single, “Battle of Blair Mountain,” turns to history for inspiration, specifically, the 1921 coal miners’ uprising in West Virginia, the largest armed…

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Oscar D'León smiling, wearing a colorful shirt
Artist Profiles

Oscar D’León, the Lion of Salsa

Angel Romero April 30, 2025 No Comments Oscar D'LeónsalsaVenezuelaVenezuelan music

Oscar D’León, “El León de la Salsa” (the lion of salsa) was born July 11, 1943, in the Caracas neighborhood of Etamin, where he began…

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L. Shankar – Full Moon cover artwork, photo of the artist playing the double violin.
Album reviews

L. Shankar Reaches New Heights on a Genre-Spanning Journey

Angel Romero April 29, 2025 1 Comment world music

L. Shankar – Full Moon (X DOT 25 Music, 2024) With Full Moon, legendary violinist and composer L. Shankar presents a fantastic mix of Carnatic,…

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Bryan McDowell photo.
Artist Profiles

Bryan McDowell’s Boundless Musical Reach

Angel Romero April 29, 2025 1 Comment BluegrassBryan McDowellworld music

Bryan McDowell is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter whose foundation lies in Appalachian music. He began his career under the mentorship of first-generation bluegrass fiddler…

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The album cover for An Danzza's Encantadas features a haunting female face emerging from a dark, painterly background. Her eyes are shrouded in deep shadow or possibly closed, with dark, feather-like streaks extending outward like wings or smoke. Fiery reds and glowing embers swirl through the composition. The band's ornate logo glows at the top, while the title "Encantadas" is scripted at the bottom.
Album reviews

Enchanted Sounds: An Danzza Weaves Iberian Tales of Supernatural Women into New Album

Angel Romero April 28, 2025 No Comments An Danzzafantasy folkHaydée MariñosoSpanish musicworld music

An Danzza – Encantadas (self-release, 2025) An Danzza, the Spanish fantasy folk music project, released its tenth album, Encantadas (enchanted), in March 2025. The album…

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View More Enchanted Sounds: An Danzza Weaves Iberian Tales of Supernatural Women into New Album
The album cover for Cushla's Tech-Duinn features a figure draped in a voluminous, golden-yellow, embroidered cloak adorned with floral patterns. The figure wears an ornate, medieval-style helmet topped with an extravagant black sculptural plume, while a black mask conceals the face. Set against a muted gray background.
Music videos

Cushla Weaves Irish Tradition Into Tech

World Music Central News Room April 27, 2025 No Comments

Following a breakout year, Cushla returns with “7 Years,” a reimagined Celtic folk ballad and the lead single from their debut album Tech Duinn, released…

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The album cover for Tel ve Ten by Ozan Baysal features a folk-inspired design with a symmetrical arrangement of four ornate, circular patterns resembling traditional Turkish motifs. Each circle contains petal-like shapes in green or blue, surrounded by intricate details in red, yellow, and white. A delicate white crane stands at the center. The background transitions between deep green and warm red hues, divided by fine golden lines that create a structured, geometric layout.
Album reviews

Ozan Baysal Recreates Şelpe in Tel ve Ten

Madison Quinn April 27, 2025 No Comments baglamaOzan BaysalşelpeTurkish musicworld music

Ozan Baysal – Tel ve Ten (ARC Music EUCD2976, 2025) Ozan Baysal’s debut album, Tel ve Ten (String and Skin), spotlights the ancient Anatolian baglama…

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Recent Posts

  • Faris Ishaq Takes the Palestinian Ney to the Future on Solo Album ‘JASAD’
  • Frank Maza Connects Madrid and Boston on ‘Back Then’ With Chucho Valdés and Javier Limón
  • Ray Lema Quintet to Open São Paulo Bienal’s Berlin Edition at HKW
  • Habib Khan and Parisa Vaaleh Unite Indian and Persian Traditions at the Orinda
  • Rite of Strings’ Extraordinary Debut, Dust and the Moon
  • A Teahouse Exile, Tuned to Badakhshan
  • Napoli World Sets Submission Record With 534 Artists From 85 Countries

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