The Purity of Southern Italian Communal Singing Amid Time-Honored Friendships
Mascarimiri cantano Gli Ucci – Il bel canto di Cutrofiano (2024) Southern Italian band Mascarimirì has reached its 25th anniversary, prompting the inception of the…
The Do-Goodrs, a Fresh perspective on Balkan Sevdah that bridges cultures and generations
The Do-Goodrs – Ridiculous Things (Old Age Recording Company, 2024) The debut album Ridiculous Things by The Do-Goodrs represents a fusion of cultural narratives, personal…
Qwanqwa Announce 2024 North American Tour Dates
(Headline image: Qwanqwa – Photo Credit James Barry Knox.) Renowned Ethiopian ensemble Qwanqwa is set to embark on their North American tour this spring, following…
A Finnish Klezmer View of East Helsinki
Sampo Lassila Narinkka – Suomiklezmer 2 – East Helsinki Suite (Narinkaattori Records NARI003, 2024) The third release from the pioneering Finnish klezmer ensemble, Sampo Lassila…
The Rabel: an Insight into an Ancient Spanish Musical Instrument
(headline image: One string rabel – Photo by Araceli Tzigane Sánchez. This the same type of rabel used by Juan Antonio Torres of folk band…
Versatile Spanish Percussionist Luis Taberna
(headline photo: Two Luis Taberna images from the video Variaciones 4/4 Darbuka, Dohola, Frame Drums & Riq) Luis Taberna is a percussionist specializing in oriental…
Nancy Vieira’s Lovely Tribute to the People of Cape Verde
Nancy Vieira – Gente (Galileo MC, 2024) Nancy Vieira‘s latest album, Gente highlights her distinct and resonant voice as she weaves tales of Cape Verdean…
The First Interview with Cardamom Trio
Cardamom Trio is a new project consisting of Kaveh Sarvarian, a composer and musician of Iranian origin (ney, percussion, vocals); Hames Bitar, a Syrian oud…
Syrian Oud Virtuoso and Composer Hames Bitar
(headline image: Hames Bitar at Casa Árabe in 2016) Syrian oud player and composer Hames Bitar currently lives in Madrid, Spain. His artistic trajectory is…
Laid Back “Mountain Dance”
You might think a tune called “Mountain Dance,” from the album Earth and Wind, is unfettered booty-shaking music, but it’s actually a layered, nuanced, very…