This week we are showing the fine Chinese film "Dam Street." It runs a little bit short of our usual Music and Culture slot, so I was asked to put together a special music block geared specifically to follow the film. At first glance, the list of videos might seem to be a mixed bag.  But actually, I decided to pick videos that enhanced the ambience of the film.  I decided that "Longing" fit the mood, and so I chose "Nuahulwana", one of the most beautiful and haunting of songs, in which a lover is admonished not to go out to find love at the local bars, like a "night bird." I followed that with the brooding and surreal "O Labarinto Parado" by the Portuguese group Madredeus. China's Sa DingDing gives us a fantasy of a former life, one at the pinnacle of an ancient civilization now long dead, and in a field of ice, Uzbekistan's Sevara Nazarkhan sings a poem written about the lights of a beautiful, distant city.  We end with Patrick Bruell's rueful reminiscence of puppy love in Tunisia, at "Café de Delices."

WOMEX is now just a fond memory - one of the fondest of which was the Swedish band Väsen who turned in a remarkable performance that was a dazzling display of musicianship. In particular, it was a pleasure to see and hear guest mandolinist Mike Marshall and his interaction with Väsen’s guitarist Roger Talroth. I am now in Torres Vedras, a lovely, small city in Portugal that has hosted an international accordion festival for the past five years. I’m here to observe a residency: accordionists Martin Lubenov (Bulgaria), Renato Borghetti (Brazil), and the Portuguese quartet Dançes Ocultas have been preparing to perform together – not separately, but colaboratively. For the past few days, they have been finding common musical ground and the sounds are very exciting. Each musician brings a different orientation to the project: Borghetti’s music is especially rhythmic, Lubenov’s playing is somewhat linear (though both accordionists can play at breakneck speed), and Ocultas creates highly textured, ambient music, so the potential for a well rounded program is very much there. The purpose of the festival is to see how people from different cultures can be united by a single element - in this case, the accordion. I’ve been promised videotape of the festival, so you will soon see and hear what I’m writing to you about.

For the next few weeks I will be your travelling world music correspondant,  writing my note from Spain and Portugal. First stop is WOMEX, the premiere world music conference, where everyone who makes, sells, and books world music will be meeting, greeting, and playing. It's an amazing event and we always come away from it with loads of DVDs to sort through. Many of the programs and videos that you see here on Link TV were discovered at this wonderful conference. This year there will be performances from some of our favorite bands, like Väsen, and artists like Magnifico and Salamat Sadikova. WOMEX is a forecaster of who is going to be hot in the world music biz for years to come, so stay tuned - let's see who really knocks my socks off this time around. Then I'm off to Torres Vedras, in Portugal, for an International Accordion Festival. I can't wait for that one-- there'll be lots of tango, fandango, Gypsy soul, and plenty of unexpected delights as well. I'll report all of that to you, too!

A few years ago I was invited to attend a musical awards ceremony for the World Culture Open. It was held at Avery Fischer Hall in Lincoln Center, but what drew me there was the roster of artists that were to perform. I already knew some of them, like Misia the fado singer from Portugal, the Rustavi Choir from Georgia, and of course, Youssou N'Dour, from Senegal.  But I found myself stunned by other artists I was not as familiar with. The oud duet of Yair Dalal from Israel and Nasser Musa from Palestine was riveting. Omar Farouk Tekbilek from Turkey was ecstatic, singing Sufi poetry; so much so that the elderly Jewish couple sitting next to me said "Oh, our cantor would LOVE this!" But what  probably blew me away the most was the opening performance - a troupe of Korean women who played an array of drums in perfect unison. Gorgeously attired, they did not seem to even break a sweat as they executed complex rhythms and demanding choreography. You can imagine my excitement when I learned that the entire concert had been videotaped and was available for Link TV. And it's playing this week. Check it out!