Insight into Link's musical offerings, reports on concerts, and interviews with musicians. http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog en-us Mon, 20 May 2013 11:23:05 -0700 http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1364/a-catalonian-feastival effc299a1addb07e7089f9b269c31f2f Located about 50 kilometers from Barcelona, Manresa is a small, laid back Catalonian city. It has its picturesque Old Section as well as an impressive, well-appointed cathedral, and the famous monastery of Montserrat is perched on a nearby rocky mountaintop. But the Fira Mediterránia de Manresa, a four day celebration and Trade Fair going into its 16th year, stirs the place up and brings the population into the concert halls and out onto the streets to enjoy a meticulously programmed whirlwind of music, cinema, dance, theater and more. The joint gets jumpin'. If you&rsquo;ve got a trip to Spain planned in November, make sure you include this festival in your itinerary.     Because the event takes place all over town, it was necessary to pick and choose my coverage and up front I'll tell you that what I have captured in my video is only a small slice of it. In particular, I did not cover the imported acts, because I was curious about the local Catalan culture specifically, and fine as these other artists were, I felt they would divert me from my focus. I'll always regret not catching Hermanos Cuberos, who according to the festival book combine music from the Alcarra region of Spain with bluegrass!   And I also have to say a word about the food. It was everywhere, and if you knew where to go, (and could deal with the siesta closings) it was excellent. I brought back 2 bags of little dried local mushrooms which I am using slowly, when the dish calls for their distinctive taste and texture. They are tiny treasures.   I was fortunate to be staying at the same hotel as Dave Ellwand who has researched and written about Catalan food, music and mores. Our conversations over breakfast were informative and tantalizing, so I simply had to include him at some point in the video; credit where credit is due. He has provided some links to further information and events below.   And because this video is just a quick survey, here are links to full songs.   To see the full song by Evo, go to: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://inter-muse.com/blog/2013/04/16/evo-performs-at-fira-mediterrania-de-manresa/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com/blog/2013/04/16/evo-performs-at-fira-mediterrania-de-manresa/</a>   To see a (different) full song by Els Berros de la Cort go to: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://inter-muse.com/blog/2013/01/11/medieval-songs-of-sex-from-catalonia-els-berros-de-la-cort/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com/blog/2013/01/11/medieval-songs-of-sex-from-catalonia-els-berros-de-la-cort/</a>   For full performance of "Waka Waka" by Els Laietans go to: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://inter-muse.com/blog/2013/03/16/els-laietans-at-the-fira-mediterrania-de-manresa/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com/blog/2013/03/16/els-laietans-at-the-fira-mediterrania-de-manresa/</a>   For more information about the festival visit: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fira_Mediterrania_in_Manresa" target="_blank">en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fira_Mediterrania_in_Manresa</a>   For an archived radio programme about the previous year's festival: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.prx.org/pieces/85507-mediterrania-taste-of-the-music-of-people-of-ca" target="_blank">prx.org/pieces/85507-mediterrania-taste-of-the-music-of-people-of-ca</a>   Links to Catalan Music resources:   Government culture ministry sites: Catalan!Arts: traditional music cd (free) <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.catalanarts.cat/web/?q=en/node/412" target="_blank">catalanarts.cat/web/?q=en/node/412</a>   And a free E Magazine: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://issuu.com/catalanarts/docs/catalan__music_emagazine_eng_4" target="_blank">issuu.com/catalanarts/docs/catalan__music_emagazine_eng_4</a>   An earlier edition about Roots music from the region: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://issuu.com/catalanarts/docs/catalan__music_emagazine_eng_2/1" target="_blank">issuu.com/catalanarts/docs/catalan__music_emagazine_eng_2/1</a>   CAT centre has an annual festival of Catalan/Valencian/Balearic/Basque performances from January to April as well as year round music teaching and summer schools.* Information about all festivals is easiest to get on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.catalanarts.cat/web/?q=en" target="_blank">catalanarts.cat/web/?q=en</a>   For more of Michal's world music videos visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a>. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1362/report-from-chennai-independent-music-in-india-and-indian-ocean a9be4c2a4041cadbf9d61ae16dd1389e I first became acquainted with Sonya Mazumdar as a voice at one end of a US-India Skype session about Link's licensing of "Laya Project" a dazzling musical journey around the areas devastated by the massive 2004 Tsunami. The newly formed Indian production company and record label EarthSync India had just released the film as its first endeavor. The haunting travelogue garnered honors over the intervening years, and when EarthSync launched its spinoff website IndiEarth Sonya contacted me again to see if I would allow their site to stream some of my relevant videoblogs. But of course I would!   Then, many months later (yet still rather suddenly) came an invitation from Sonya to attend the first IndiEarth XChange in Chennai. Rarely one to refuse an invitation to a new place, I found myself taking the long trip to Southeast India, to report on another maiden voyage from the young, pioneering Earthsync/IndiEarth. This time it was a meeting of international and local media, with film screenings and musical performances, along with panel discussions and networking to be held at the Park Chennai Hotel. It was an ambitious project (intended to be a prototype) requiring its own networking and funding, plus massive coordination. The aim was to lay the foundation for a network of dedicated professionals supporting independent music and cinema in India.     It was a hectic three days, and the large turnout participated in vigorous panels about the obstacles and opportunities for music and film in Southeast Asia and Oceania, as well as the remarkably varied musical fare. What made it exciting for me, was the un-Western media presence. Aside from Indian, there was a significant Australian media contingent. In particular, the magnificently feisty Kate Welsman an Australian Public Radio deejay was quick to point out that there was a noticeable shift in markets of all kinds from West to East, and music was a part of that market. It made sense. At the same time it was also made clear by both the musicians and film-makers, that the audience demographics for Southeast Asia needed to be cultivated, and weaned away from a straight diet of Bollywood, which still holds the business reins in a rigidly controlled grip.   For my part, I ran around taking as much video as I could, and focusing of course, on music. But I simply could not catch it all. So what you are seeing in my video is just a wee fraction of the music that was performed in the lobby, bar, main stage and other impromptu venues.   In all, I was very excited by the spirit of IndiEarth Exchange. The people who were gathered together were bright, creative, energetic and pro-active. I felt challenged and stimulated, as well as entertained. I believe something will come from this. It may not come immediately, but it will come.   For more information about EarthSync India, visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.earthsync.com" target="_blank">earthsync.com</a>. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.earthsync.com" target="_blank"> </a> For the complete performance of song by Parvathy and Lakshman Das Baul, <a href="inter-muse.com/blog/2013/03/16/parvathy-das-baul-and-lakshman-das-baul-at-indiearth-xchange/" target="_blank">click here</a>.   For complete song by Karthick Iyer<a href="inter-muse.com/blog/2013/02/20/karthick-iyer-at-indiearth-xchange/" target="_blank">, click here</a>.   For more of Michal's world music videos visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a>. Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Oceania South Asia http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1356/medieval-songs-of-sex-from-catalonia-els-berros-de-la-cort 980ecd059122ce2e50136bda65c25e07 As its name would indicate, the Fira Mediterrània de Manresa showcases music from Catalonia and also from all around the Mediterranean. It provides a lively music trade fair where business connections can be made and deals closed, but it is also a citywide festival. Every resident can participate and the main streets are full of families taking advantage of the public performances and general party feeling.    I'll be covering the festival in greater depth soon, but for now, here's a dose of medieval secular music from Els Berros de la Cort who were playing at El Sielu, one of the smaller club-like venues. As you will see the band uses authentic instruments, with the addition of some contemporary percussion and amplification. So while the sound is probably quite similar to what one might have heard at a medieval festival, there are definitely heightened rhythmic color and dynamics.   The lyrics for the first a capella piece come from the "Speculum al Foderi," which was a kind of medical sex manual for the lay person (no pun intended, but hey...). The very title, which contains some rather blunt language, suggests that it was not published for royalty, who would usually be reading a book in formal Latin. The words themselves, which the band has set to original music describe various attributes of a woman: her fair parts, her dark parts, her round parts, her petite parts, and her sweet-smelling parts.    The full translation is available upon request ;-)    This is followed by an instrumental which is a free adaptation of "Molt Eram Dolz Mei Conzir," a composition by Arnaut de Maroil (sometimes written Arnaut de Mareuil), an Occitan troubadour of the late 12th century.    This all leads me to believe there was lot more to medieval culture than we are commonly taught!    For more information about Els Berros de la Cort, visit: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.elsberrosdelacort.cat" target="_blank">elsberrosdelacort.cat</a>    For more of Michal's world music videos visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1278/renata-rosa-at-the-forde-festival ab1a4d0dd4d48a2ba1077c4494791306 Unlike the urban MPB or Bossa Nova we generally associate with Brazil, music from that country's northeast, and particularly Pernambuco, has a rugged, rural heart.   Although she is originally from Sao Paulo, Renata Rosa seems to have been created especially for this kind of soul. There is a direct, joyful quality to her presentation, as if she is simply delighted to be singing for you, and she and her ensemble have an endless energy for performance. (I imagine they do get tired like most humans, but I didn't see any of that. Even when their flight was cancelled and then re-scheduled for the following day and they had to return to the festival, they passed the time jamming and performing.)     The complete band is not a trio, and on opening night, Ana Araujo on vocals and percussion, and Hugo Lins on bass rounded out the ensemble on the big stage. But I was unable to get a satisfactory shoot from the performance that night, so I was glad to catch her gig at the tiny Pikant Café, perched above the town's river.   That is the beauty of the Forde festival, you can hear music in venues large and small all over the town and its environs, from concert halls, to classrooms and churches, even to mountain tops! This means that if you miss one show, you will likely be able to see the artist perform again. Indeed, Ms. Rosa said that of the many performances she gave, she thought the show at the Pikant was particularly strong, perhaps due to the proximity of the audience.   The place was jammed, both inside and on the outside deck, but I was able to score a chair in the corner and stand on it. (Sorry about that backlight, what can ya do.) Pepe da Silva here plays a 10 stringed guitar, Lucas dos Pazeres plays percussion. Everyone sings; indeed for me, it was the part singing that really drew me in, and I have to say the musicianship was mighty high all around.   Despite its traditional sound, the first song -- Corta o Pau -- is an original by Ms. Rosa. She wrote of it to me: "Its rhythm is called Coco de Roda. This composition has different influences such as indigenous vocal polyphonies, rabeca (traditional fiddle) played in the cavalo-marinho tradition (a kind of street performance) and the Viola (10 stringed guitar) played in the northeastern tradition.   The second Song -- Piau -- is her adaptation of a folk song. She writes, "It's rhythm is from our Afrobrazilian ritual called macumba."   For more of Michal's world music videos visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://inter-muse.com" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. South America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1276/selda-bagcan-at-istanbulive-4-lincoln-center-out-of-doors fb60d411a5c5b72b2e7d3527cfc84fd0 The headliner for this years edition of IstanbuLive 2012 was Selda Ba?can who turned in an impressive, impassioned set. She's been compared to Edith Piaf and Joan Baez, but I think Mercedes Sosa would be more on the mark.   It is hard for most of us to imagine the conditions under which Ba?can conducted her early career. A series of military coups in the early 70s took Turkey from a fairly open society in which the youth movement was musically active, to one in which repression and disappearances were rife. Ba?can was arrested and put on trial nine times and imprisoned three times, all for singing songs that sided with the poor and powerless, and for being associated with the Left.       But through it all, her celebrity grew, and as Mehmet Dede, one of the organizers of the festival, said to me "She is one of those artists that I listen to, that my daughter and my son will listen to, and my parents have listened to. She covers all those generations." And indeed, all those generations were represented in the audience, as well as a surprising cross section of New York ethnicities. I was very much taken with the power of her voice, although she professes to having less lung power than in her youth. And it's easy to hear why people relate to her music, as it is both melodic and highly emotional. The song that I've presented here is "Gömdüm O?ul Seni." It is a folk song (although Selda has penned many of her own hits) sung from the point of view of a mother who has seen her young son hanged. From the first notes, the audience roared its recognition, and throughout the concert Selda encouraged everyone to sing along with her.   O?ul (Gömdüm O?ul Seni) My Son (I Buried You My Son) I buried you my son I turned the bloody tears into a fountain I died on your coffin Break those hands that have hit you my son I did not get enough of your voice and your height They put a thick rope around your thin neck You fell like a rose to the bosom of the ground Break those hands that have hung you my son Will a son lost ever be replaced? Ah my son, my wounds went deep Look at the works of the wrongdoers Break those hands that have burnt you my son   Selda's band is: Volkan Basaran - Guitar, Kemal Esen - Baglama, ?zzet Tokay - Drums Serdar Donduran - Keys, and ringers Ismail Lumenovski on clarinet and Tamer Pinarbasi on Kanun.   My thanks to Mevlüt Akaya for supplementary footage from on stage.   For more of Michal's world music videos visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://inter-muse.com" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Wed, 26 Sep 2012 06:24:23 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe Asia http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1271/new-york-griot-summit-at-wave-hill- c1e39d912d21c91dce811d6da9929ae8 The Summer Solstice brought a plethora of free performances in and around NYC, and the one I opted for was the Griot Summit at the Wave Hill Gardens overlooking the Hudson, in the Bronx. Who could resist getting away from the burning pavements of the city to saunter through bucolic splendor while listening to masters of the Griot tradition? For those of you who are not familiar with the term "griot" (or jali, or jeli, depending on where the griot is from) a quick explanation: the griot is the repository of the history of his or her people, knowing geneologies and major epic songs by heart. Descended through the family line, the griot is not just a musician, but a living library, an advisor, and on occasion, a gadfly. Understanding the function of the griot is a great way to gain insight into the culture of West Africa. But I have started my video with a good description, straight from the horse's mouth, so I'm sure you'll figure it out.     The day started out with the various musicians scattered around the grounds, so that you could catch solos and larger groups as they performed in lushly green walkways, formal gardens and woodland areas. Then they all gathered for a massive display on the main stage, to get everyone riveted, then up and moving. Personally, I was entranced and dazzled by the regal appearance of the griots. I guess I'm just a sucker for African Formal Wear; all those robes, headdresses and intense colors and bright white against dark skin knock me out. I was also struck by the obvious musical links between what these musicians were conveying in its purest form, and the roots of our own American music: the glissandos, time signatures, the improvisations; it was all there to hear and mark as building blocks of the blues.   All in all it was an amazing gathering, and it was a tribute to Sylvain Leroux the curator, Isabel Soffer of Live Sounds, and the musicians, that it all came together so wonderfully well. After all, you can't just assume that Jalis from Guinea are going to play well with Jalis from Burkina Fasso or Mali. But they certainly did here!   The day was hot, and this was shooting on the fly -- no way to deal with the light, the sound, the terrain, so I will beg your pardon for the occasional visual burn, bumpy camera work, and some audio distortion.   The participating musicians were: Abdoulaye Diabate (Mali), Toumany Diabate (USA), Tapani Sissoko and her mother (Mali), Yacouba Sissoko (Mali), Mamady Kouyate (Guinea), Makane Kouyate (Mali), Ismael Diarra (Burkina Faso), Abdourahmane Mangara (Gambia), Aissatou Kouyate (Mali), Famoro Dioubate (Guinea), Andy Algire (USA), Sam Dickey (USA), Bailo Bah (Guinea), Ibrahima Soumano (Guinea), Mmah Doumbouya (Guinea), Ayiba Doumbouya (Guinea), Bebe Camara (Guinea), Nagna Diabate (Guinea), Hasan Bakr (USA), Zoumana Diabate (Mali), Moussa Diabate (Mali), Anette Lipson (USA), Kewulay Kamara (Sierra Leone), Lankandia Cissoko (Senegal), Yacouba Diabate (Burkina Faso), Sylvain Leroux (Canada).   For more of Michal's world music videos visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://inter-muse.com" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Sun, 23 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1266/a-taste-of-the-frde-festival-the-musicians-of-the-nile 8e2cfdc275761edc592f73a076197c33 This is just the first of what I plan to be several postings about the fabulous Førde Festival in Norway. The festival has already garnered itself an excellent reputation amongst world music aficionados, but should be on the agenda of anyone who enjoys travel and adventurous music. Part of that is due to the spectacular setting, and I advise those who make the trip to plan to explore the fjords all around the area. As press, we were treated to a breathtaking journey from Bergen via rail and boat up to Førde, that I will not soon forget. The other part of the allure is the excellent and canny musical choices of the producers. Torill Falleide and Hilde Bjørkum know what will please their audience, and it's an engaging mix of both unadorned ethnic and eclectic music that is consistently entertaining.   My video is from the opening night, and it&rsquo;s quite literally a dazzler. The various musicians were asked to present their most tantalizing numbers, as the first program of the festival is intended as a menu, giving the audience a sampling of what is to come.     So the Musicians of the Nile presented a tanoura dance, complete with light show. What made it so amazing was that the light show was inside the costume of the dancer! Some folks questioned the "authenticity" of this but I think that if tiny lights had been around that could be sewn into the costume of the dancer back when it was first being performed hundreds of years ago, it would have been perfectly within cultural standards!   The tanoura dance will remind you of the whirling dervish dances of Turkey and they are indeed related, as the sufi tradition is present in Egypt through the Levant and Turkey, and in some forms, even into west Africa. (There are some claims that Sufism actually originates in ancient Egypt, but the majority of sources I have read posit that it was a reaction to, and outgrowth of, Islam.) The music and the whirling is meant to induce a trance, which in turn leads to a union with the divine. The skirts of the dancer are layered, and each color on the skirt represents a different Sufi order. These days this kind of presentation is very popular for entertainment at weddings and other kinds of celebrations. For my part, I was in heaven in a different way -- I'm a fool for colored lights (you should see me at a fireworks display) and I felt like a little kid transported with delight.   For information or bookings contact <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.zamanproduction.com" target="_blank">zamanproduction.com</a> For more of Michal's world music videos visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://inter-muse.com" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Middle East http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1212/arif-lohar-rocks-the-asia-society-with-sufi-pop a01610228fe998f515a72dd730294d87 On the day before my own departure for Central Asia, Arif Lohar brought his electrified Sufi music to the Asia Society and pretty much tore the place apart.   Although Lohar had been a steady light in Punjabi folk music for years, he really broke through barriers when in 2010 he performed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjaH2iuoYWE">"Alif Allah Chambey Di Booti"</a> on the popular COKE STUDIO show, a mainstay of Pakistani television. His rendition of the Sufi devotional song was pure pop and the video went viral and as of my last checking has garnered almost 8.5 million views on YouTube.   The performance on April 27th of this one song lasted almost 40 minutes, so I had to do a fair amount of editing. But I mainly edited out only those parts of the song where the sound balance was problematic -- at no point did the excitement let up, and as you can see, Lohar woos the audience, and the audience responds in spades!     "Alif Allah Chambey Di Booti" is set to a classic Punjabi beat, (dhol hottie and all) and reminds the participants -- this is participatory music at its heart -- that true reality is the realm of God. It cements this concept through repeated call and response, leading to a tranced, ecstatic state. The "tongs with bells" that Lohar plays is called a Chimta, and he wields it with drama and flair.   Personally, for sheer energy, I think this live rendition, warts and all, blows the pop version out of the water. The concert capped a five-city US tour, organized by Arts Midwest's "Caravanserai: A Place Where Cultures Meet," and was part of the Asia Society's series "Creative Voices of Muslim Asia" supported by the Doris Duke Foundation.   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Asia http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1178/east-meets-lower-east-side-shanren-play-mountain-music-at-pianos 7d771e0e8f3633ab54856925ecdefc5d     About four years ago, when I was rooting around for Chinese music videos, I was sent a charming animation from a band called Shanren. The song "30 Years" was about the trials and tribulations of moving from the country to the big city to look for work. This is a motif that resonates with all working folks, and I won't even go into the hundreds of great songs dealing with this from the West's Industrial Revolution right through to today. "30 Years" describes what is going on in China currently, as its rapid industrialization is causing a vast shift in population from rural to urban centers. I was therefor already interested when I was contacted by the band's publicist, informing me that they would be playing on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, at Pianos. The band comes from Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, with members from the Wa and Buyi minorities. The name Shanren means "mountain men." During a chat with James Pang, the band's Chinese manager, he mentioned that the people of these minorities live up in the mountains, are kind of wild living, like to brew their own liquor, and dance.   Being a lover of country music and bluegrass, I could not help but start drawing parallels between some of the characteristics of our own folk heritage and what I was about to see and hear. I was not let down. Listen to this music and tell me that you don't hear something that sounds remarkably like our own "Old Timey" music, with its trance-like repetitions. People like banjoist Abigail Washburn have been mining these parallels for years, and you can hear why. (The band even uses something that looks mighty like a banjo!) The song is called "Left Foot Dance of the Yi". The Yi people, as I mentioned before, are one of the ethnic minorities of southwestern China. There's a family of songs called left foot dance songs ("kind of Yi party music" their manager Sam Debell writes). This is the band's own arrangement of a very well known left foot dance song. It&rsquo;s usually a circle dance, but the band adapted it, so they do it in a line (in a circle it must look positively Balkan... but I&rsquo;m not going to get into that, at least not here). A sample of the lyrics (xianzi is a stringed instrument): - Brother play the xianzi. - Sister sing the song. - The moon is already risen. - And we're waiting to dance. And something from our own repertoire: "Late in the evening about sundown High on a hill and above the town Uncle Pen played the fiddle, lordy how it would ring, You could hear it talk, you could hear it sing." To contact the band: Sam Debell (Asia) at <a href="mailto:unitysam@gmail.com">unitysam@gmail.com</a> and +86 152-1027-0868.   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:46:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Asia http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1165/a-choro-trio-in-manhattan a3fb4fbf9a6f9cf09166aa9c20cbc1ad Douglas Lora and Dudu Maia (who I have covered previously) were in town, this time at the Caffe Vivaldi and with Douglas' brother Alexandre playing tambourine. The room was packed, so I only got this one good take out of it. But it's a sweet one!   Choro is a kind of urban folk music that grew out of a merging of European and Brazilian sensibilities, and it calls on the player to be agile, inventive and swinging. The emphasis on improvisation makes people compare it to jazz, but if one is going to do that, let's specify that it's a lot more Django than Miles. It's accessible music in every way.   Lora is a classically trained and plays a seven string guitar, and Maia also plays an altered instrument, a mandolin (called bandolim, in Brazil) with 10 strings, as opposed to the usual 8. Both are well respected musicians back home, and part of their tours generally consist of choro workshops. They are also part of a full-out band called Caraivana, so look out for that aggregate as well.   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800 Link Media, Inc. South America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1153/svetlana-spajic-sings-an-ode-to-nikola-tesla 55b1927fdafef39c48e5b73b5d61ea60   From an entire night of a capella magnificence and magic at DROM, comes this praise song for inventor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_Tesla" target="_blank">Nikola Tesla.</a> (Surprise of evening was the presence of Debbie Harry in the audience.) Here are Svetlana's notes on the song:   "The song in honor of Serbian Scientist Nikola Tesla, made by my old godfather Milan Bilbija from Cirkin Polje, Prijedor, Bosnian Krajina. He died in 2008. Melody made by Svetlana Spajic."   The brief shot of the overhead image of the gusle, the Serbian instrument upon which the epic singers (guslars) play, with image of Tesla, is the property of multi-instrumentalist Darco Macura, who I finally met face to face along with Svetlana, in Belgrade in 1997. I had used several of his musical performances in a compilation of music I was producing. He was also Svetlana&rsquo;s first mentor.   Lyric translation by Svetlana Spajic:   My soul is in pain, but I sing this song, I sing the song from Nikola Tesla Oh Nikola, brilliant and smart, you invented electric power, magnetic waves and transformers Oh Nikola if you'd lived longer, you would have made electric power from the sun. Where are you now? Where are your New York doves? Does the new America remember you? Scientists don't care for monuments; yours, Nikola, stands at Niagara Falls Oh Nikola, from the village of Smiljan, the gusle is adorned with your image Oh Nikola, it doesn't matter that you are a Serb, the generations of the world will remember you   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800 Link Media, Inc. Europe http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1143/tribecastan-downtown-meets-world 208e43f0e45c4c78cafadb83d2888cb6 The brainchild of John Kruth and Jeff Greene, TriBeCaStan is a whimsical melange of timbres, textures, and tunes (Oh my!) and a very fun outlet for all the musical eclecticism of its founders. During APAP week I ventured to the East Village to the Duo Multicultural Arts Center, which has a historic old theater in the East Village, where Greene (who  has a mural restoration company) had snagged a night to showcase the band. The wine flowed, folks schmoozed and we were treated to a high energy night of musique trés intérresant, complete with dancers. I've chosen the first song "BedBugs" to present here, even though it got off to a bumpy start -- and apologies for the camera's audio, there isn't much sound separation. But as I like to say, "Ya can't make chowder without a clam or two, but oh my my it's a tasty stew!"  You'll get the idea.     For more on the band visit: <a href="http://www.tribecastan.tv" target="_blank">www.tribecastan.tv</a>   To see a TriBeCaStan tango, <a href="http://inter-muse.com/blog/2012/01/10/tribecastan-plays-jovanka-a-tango/" target="_blank">click here</a>.   TriBeCaStan is John Kruth Jeff Greene, Claire Daly, Todd Isler, Kenny Margolis, Boris Kinberg, Chris Morrow, John Turner, Dave Dreiwitz, and Mike Duclos   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0800 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1140/blitz-the-ambassador-at-womex-akwaaba-means-welcome- 8248a99e81e752cb9b41da3fc43fbe7f   With the Holidays in full swing, I find myself getting more and more cheer deprived... so we might all need a little energy boost. Here's some super-positive fuel from Blitz the Ambassador from his set at WOMEX 2011 in Copenhagen.   The multi-level Koncerthuset was the setting for four nights of world music of every possible shade, from ethnographic to eclectic. Blitz the Ambassador is surely one of the latter, and one of those hard to categorize artists; he's an amalgam of Ghanaian and Western influences, taking what he likes best from each to create his music and his message. If you think you hear Afrobeat, Hip Hop or HighLife coming off the stage, you're right. It's all there, and the music had the audience swinging and swaying.   "Akwaaba" from Blitz's most recent release Native Sun is a fairly straightforward song, that explains itself.   The Embassy Ensemble provided a tight backup (albeit a few a"brown notes" on the horns... but hey, it's hard to play and dance at the same time) and deserve mention: Ezra Brown on sax, Clemens Braun on trombone, the appropriately named Sydney Driver on kit, Raja Cassis on guitar and Ramon de Bruyn on bass.   To find out more about the artist go to <a href="http://blitz.mvmt.com/" target="_hplink">blitz.mvmt.com</a>   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a> Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:00:00 -0800 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1135/holiday-cheer-from-madagascar fd2c5e4680d9a01dba3aada5ece22270   I thought I'd give y'all an upbeat nugget for the holiday season.   I met this lovely duo in Samarkand where they competed for a prize at the Sharq Taronalari festival. They invited me to videotape their rehearsal, which turned out to be lucky for me, as I have not been able to obtain any of the footage from the main stage of the Festival, even though it was promised to me many times over!   I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Malagasy music. And as soon as I heard these two musicians, I knew there was something sweet and special about them. I crossed my fingers that they would get some sort of prize, and they did. Despite the extraordinarily political machinations of the prize-giving, they placed third!   "Talilema" is Talika and Kilema, both from Madagascar, now living in Europe. They are both engaging, lovely people.  And I think you will agree that you can enjoy this informal performance and not miss any amplification or further instrumentation. It works just fine as it is. They should be stars.   The song is about keeping your spirits up through your troubles. Is it right for this time of year or what?   I hope this music brightens your days. Have a great holiday!   To find out more about Talilema <a href="http://talilema.blogspot.com/2011/08/talilema-english-version.html" target="_blank">click here</a>, or visit their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/talilema" target="_blank">Myspace page</a>.   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a>. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:00 -0800 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1130/grandfather-grandson-grand-masters 4a213d37242bdcad8e7300e202e7caa4 The Sharq Taronalari festival/competition takes place every two years in Samarkand and draws artists from all over the word with an obvious concentration on Central Asia. Personally I do not approve of musical "competitions" but that reservation can be overlooked given the spectacular setting of the Registan for the main venue, and the opportunity to experience the Uzbeki culture and people. This year saw Jivan Gasparyan the younger win the UNESCO prize there. He gave a wonderful performance for which the festive lights in the Registan were hushed to a dreamy ultramarine blue.     The name of Jivan Gasparyan (Sr.) has been synonymous with Armenian duduk for over 60 years. His exquisite tone, control and interpretations have garnered him countless accolades. Now in his eighties, he had the pleasure of being in the audience during his grandson's award-winning performance.   The duduk is a simple instrument; but deceptively so, in that it requires an embouchure (and diaphragm) of steel plus circular breathing to elicit its haunting, cool sound. The younger Jivan has all these attributes, as well as technical agility, as this piece demonstrates.   I was covering the festival, toting my trusty camcorder, and had the good fortune to arrange this spontaneous shoot with Gasparyan Jr. in a room just adjacent to the hotel kitchen. My thanks to his two stalwart accompanists, and to my various friends who guarded the doors and kept waiters and dishwashers at bay.   Gasparyan senior was there too, and at the very end of this video you can see Jivan Jr. slide his eyes sideways, to see if his grandfather approved of the performance.   He did.   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a>. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:11:59 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Asia http://www.linktv.org/rss/linktv_rss.gif http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog