Artist Profiles: Mighty Sparrow
Slinger Francisco, also known as Mighty Sparrow, was born on July 9, 1935 in Grand Roy, Grenada and migrated to Trinidad with his family when…
Ruben Blades Charms with Alter Ego Medoro Madera
Rubén Blades – Medoro Madera (Ruben Blades Productions, 2018) Medoro Madera is Ruben Bades’ fascinating tribute to the great Cuban soneros. He does this by…
Artist Profiles: Alioune Kassé
Alioune Kassé was born in Dakar, Senegal. He belongs to the Tukulor ethnic group and is a writer, composer and player. In 1960 Alioune’s father,…
Exploratory Earthscapes from Indonesia
Senyawa – Sujud (Sublime Frequencies, 2018) It’s hard to describe the music of Indonesian group Senyawa. The duo makes experimental music that crosses various musical…
Artist Profiles: Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal was born in Podor, a town with a population of 6,000, on the banks of the river Senegal that separates the country of…
Universal Appeal of Cuban Vocal Music
Vocal Universo – Música Universal (Ansonica Records, 2018) Vocal Universo is an acclaimed a cappella ensemble featuring four gifted women: Martha Jacqueline Ramírez Torres, Anna…
Artist Profiles: Iva Nova
Iva Nova (Ива Нова) was formed in St. Petersburg in 2002, when five young Russian ladies met to create a new collective of musicians. All…
Artist Profiles: Vedan Kolod
The Ensemble of Slavonic Ethnic Music Vedan Kolod (meaning Prophetic tree) was created in February 2005 in Siberia, Russia, by Tatyana Naryshkina. In July 2005…
Artist Profiles: Vladiswar Nadishana
Vladiswar Nadishana is a Russian multi-instrumentalist and composer, who creates his own path in music, design, dancing, rites and other life processes. His music style…
Artist Profiles: Santtu Karhu
In 1987, the Finnish press of Soviet-Karelia wrote about a young guy who was becoming popular on the underground scene of Petrozavodsk. Santtu Karhu (alias…