Insight into Link's musical offerings, reports on concerts, and interviews with musicians. http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog en-us Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:10:01 -0800 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/worldmusic/blog/post/1119/up-the-spout- 8597a6cfa74defcbde3047c891d78f90 I can hear it already: This is not real world music!!!   But wait, aren't the blues "world music?" As Link's resident expert, I say "yes, they are!"  Of course, that's me singing the song I wrote, so I have a vested interest in bending the category (maybe). But no less a luminary that Howard Mandel, President of the Jazz Journalists Association saw fit to carry this on <a href="http://www.artsjournal.com/jazzbeyondjazz/2011/10/occupy-wall-street-blues.html">HIS blog</a>. So there.      Here's the scoop on how this all happened:   Getting laid off because of a recession can really get to you, no matter how busy you make yourself. My partner Bruce Arnold had been writing songs for his new lap steel, and this one, called "Up the Spout" (a Midwestern depression term) just spoke to me. I wrote a melody and words and voilá. Occupy Wall Street happened right around the time we were shooting the video, so I went down there and got shots of some of the more poignant people and signs... what can I say, they were more sympatico than I thought they'd be, and every one of them could have been you or me. Much has been said against the demonstration, but I for one am glad that someone is expressing the outrage that Americans should be feeling about being used and abused by a system that is badly out of kilter. Do I have the answers? As Mr. Mandel sagely pointed out in his blog: "Nobody should expect policy answers from a blues." Lyrics to "Up the Spout" It's a bitter wind, and it ain't no breeze It shakes the windows and it takes the trees And it blew me away I love my work. It's what life's about- that wind came and blew it all Up the Spout Yes it blew me away. Now here I sit... what shall I do That wind left me here without a clue Yes, it blew me a way You were the boss, yet here we meet Yeah, we both lost on that windy street Yes it blew us both away That wind don't care -- we're all just dust and it' happening to all of us It's blowing us away Now with a little luck I'll make it through But when that wind blows it's gonna come for you too It's blowing -- It's blowing us away, Up the Spout Blowing us Up the Spout   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a>. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1116/aboubacar-badian-diabate-malian-guitar-master dd77279f7d325eec933f05b1672f6a1f   This video has been a long time coming. The back story: I've known guitarist/writer Banning Eyre for years and of course, his and Sean Barlow&rsquo;s tireless efforts with their baby, Afropop Worldwide. I've followed their travels and travails, and admired their dedication and perseverance. I always wanted to collaborate in some way, and I got my chance when Banning called me up in the summer of 2010 and told me he was going to visit a great guitarist who was in town, to record him for a radio show, and would I like to come along? As we drove up to the Bronx, Banning filled me in on how he had first met Badian, and I got a feeling for why this interview was going to be special for him. After a rather steep climb up to a rambling house on a hill, we were greeted by the elegantly clad Badian, and his regal wife. Banning set up his gear in the sunny backyard, and recording commenced. As I shot the performance I realized that the technique Badian used was unlike any I had seen before. One hears rippling melodic lines coming out of koras and ngonis, but transferring that sound to the guitar requires a great delicacy and precision utilizing both the up stroke and the down stroke of the "picking" fingers. Badian&rsquo;s technique is utterly fluid in this way. Thank goodness for a good zoom on my camera; I was able to get nice close-ups of his hands. Badian was in town for a month playing for the various celebrations within the West African community in the Bronx, which at this point is considerable. I can only imagine how wonderful the music must be at these events. but you will never see this kind of thing covered in Time Out or any publications of that ilk. You just have to be hooked into the scene. Banning and Badian had much to say to each other (mostly in French so I got only the gist of many names, and being brought up to date on everyone's doings), so I just concentrated on shooting. When I got back to my house I reviewed the footage and considered how to use it... for my Huffington Post vlog? As an exclusive here on my own site? To post on guitar sites? I was in a quandary. In the midst of this indecision Banning called to say he had footage of Badian from 1996 that he had been saving for all these years and maybe there was a bigger story to be told. Could I hold off on posting until we could put something like that together? So I held off for over a year. Banning was off and running with countless Afropop Worldwide projects and trips, and working with his own band, Timbila. But after he returned from a music collecting trip to Egypt, he was back with a vengeance, wanting to get the project up and out. So here it is at last, after hours of footage in many formats sifted through, and condensed into 15.5 minutes.   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a>. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa North America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1112/missing-link-to-the-violin 20d135f0f28185b84a4cf7aa51f29500 Maria Pomianowska Plays the Suka   I met Maria Pomianowska in Samarkand, where she attended the Sharq Taronalari festival as a guest speaker. But as you can see, this woman could well have been not only one of the musicians performing, but one of its finest. I heard her jamming out on the terrace of the Afrasiyob hotel, and immediately knew that I wanted to get her and that unusual instrument of hers alone for a solo videotaping. We found a room between the basement floor lobby and the kitchen that had decent acoustics and was reasonably quiet (considering its proximity to the kitchen). I just said "play" and off she went. The room was not that well lit, so please forgive the somewhat grainy image.   Maria's credentials are impressive. She graduated in cello at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw. There she was granted a scholarship to learn the sarangi under the guidance of maestro Pandit Ram Narayan in India. From 1997-2002 she lived in Japan, and in 1999 she started composing cross cultural works which were commissioned by cellist Yo Yo Ma. In her continuing efforts to find connections between Asian music with her own cultural heritage, together with Dr. Ewa Dahlig and violin maker A. Kuczkowski she managed to successfully reconstruct a Suka from Bilgoraj, which is what you see and hear in this video.   There are many kinds of "fusions" happening in music these days. Maria seems to be her own personal reactor, following her love of western classical music to an equal devotion to Indian classical music, and then adding a dash of Polish gestalt to the mix.   Ms. Pomianawska teaches music and runs a festival of world music in Warsaw. For more information on this amazing woman and musician, <a href="pomianowska.art.pl/?">click here.</a>   For more of Michal's original music videos, visit <a href="http://inter-muse.com" target="_blank">inter-muse.com</a>. Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe Asia http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1106/magic-in-samarkand c9f95a0a5af052bffce5c89917335f67 I just got back from covering the Sharq Taronalari festival in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.  That's where I met the Welsh group "Jadu" who were performing there. I had no idea what to expect when the group's music was first described to me, and admittedly I do have an initially suspicious response to musical hybrids. There are too many self-conscious ensembles cobbled together from different musical influences pushing themselves as credible fusions, (don't get me talking about the misappropriation of the term "gypsy" music!). At this point they must all prove themselves to me.   As it turns out, Jadu ("magic" in Hindi) is a band that has come together naturally and as a result the sound is completely cohesive. Pete Stacey on soprano sax and flute is a solid jazz musician who has studied the tonalities and rhythms of Indian music with the masters. Mumbai born Rajesh David  is a velvet voiced crooner whose renditions of the material give it much of its gravitas. Kelly Smith on tabla  Bryan Smith on tamboura are a son and father who have been playing -- and meditating -- together since 'way back.     Paul Uden on guitar rounds out the ensemble with sensitive rhythm and chords. His guitar work within this setting is completely about the instrument as a vehicle for the music, and it is a shame that the microphone on my camera did not pick up more of his sound... but that's as good a reason as any to check out the band&rsquo;s latest LP "Aberaeron Sunset," where you can really hear his contribution.   There was no way I was going to pass up videotaping them in a perfect place like Samarkand; as a crossroads of religions and cultures it is an uncanny match for the music. When the opportunity presented itself to do a shoot in the gorgeous setting of the courtyard of Tamerlane&rsquo;s Mausoleum, we jumped. It was a sunny, hot day and as we taped the band, a small group of folks gathered around and listened attentively. It was a magical session. But then again, "Jadu" means magic.   About the music: Kabir was a great mystic poet saint in India in the 15th century. Rajesh sings Kabir's words:? 'When the mind is immersed in the Divine, there are no words, only Silence. All saints and wise men say your God is within you, then why are you looking outwards?' For more about JADU go to <a href="http://jadumusic.co.uk" target="_blank">jadumusic.co.uk</a>   For more of Michal's original music videos click <a href="http://inter-muse.com/" target="_blank">here.</a> Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Europe Asia http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1090/the-black-earth-boys-at-lincoln-center-video 8b4066554730ddfaa0266346bdc1b202 The Black Earth Boys are Justin Adams, Juldeh Camara and Ben Mandelson. The band is an aggregate of two others- with Adams as the link between. Justin and Juldeh -- now touring internationally under the name "JuJu" have recorded two CDs, "Soul Science" and "Tell No Lies."  Camara, who is from the Gambia, is a singer, instrument maker, and master of the ritti, a single stringed, violin-like instrument. Adams is well known for his long association with singer Robert Plant. His great strength is groove; no flashy mile-a-minute riffs, simply a guitar style that FEELS just right, and is an excellent partnering with Camara's flights of improvisation.     Ben Mandelson is not just a fine musician, he is a real life hero of world music. Back when I was first listening to recordings of what would eventually be called "world music" it was Ben's productions I often found myself checking out. Here we see him comfortably supplying tasty fills, textural motifs and rhythmic drive on mandolin. Adams, Mandelson and Lu Edmonds (unavailable for this performance) have their own ensemble "Les Triaboliques," a project that has them gleefully galloping through all the musical influences they have gathered in their past and present lives. This performance, from Lincoln Center's Out of Doors series took place in Damrosch Park. The repertoire was primarily a melding of American folk and blues with Camara bringing the West African flavor. His ritti at times sounded like a fiddle, and eerily, at times like a harmonica. It was a surprisingly cohesive sound, reminding us once again of the debt that our music owes to African culture. While Adams' gritty voice sang a simpler, countrified interpretation of this Carter Family standby "Sow 'Em on the Mountain," Camara's vocal takes a soaring, melismatic approach. Great stuff. For more of Michal's original music videos click <a href=" http://inter-muse.com" target="_blank">here.</a> Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa North America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1081/pistolera-taking-life-by-the-teeth 36a16a2505369e0c922b6ea7a23a56d2 CD release parties abound here in New York, and my favorites are those for the self-released artist's efforts. Pistolera's latest CD, "El Desierto y la Ciudad" has been garnering praise from the press, and they are a busy and industrious band. I first encountered Pistolera years ago, through their righteous video <a href="/worldmusic?bcpid=1256280124&bctid=979366786">"Cazador"</a> about the contradictions in our immigration policies and attitudes, and so was intrigued to see and hear their latest sounds. The party was at the East Village club Drom; throw into the pot the most excellent local band Nation Beat as an opener, and I was definitely going to attend!     Pistolera's leader and main composer Sandra Velasquez has created a melange culled from her musical memories growing up in San Diego and her singer-songwriter sensibilities. So although the lyrics are in Spanish, and there is an accordion in there, these are not corridos, and the accordion is not diatonic, nor is it playing conjunto riffs. It's very much it's own animal, and I like that it does not fit easily into categories. Velasquez's' lyrics are full of positive energy; they speak of empowerment and life spirit. Such a song is "Vieja" presented here as they performed it at Drom (apologies for the room's boomy sound). It's a cumbia, (the propulsive Colombian beat that is wildly popular in Mexico) and it is simply about living life to the fullest. Here is the translation:One day I will be an old woman. I will have few years to live.My skin will have more wrinkles. My hair will have more gray.But I will be able to say that I lived. One day I will be an old woman. There will be few years left for me to live.My children will have grown. The house will be empty.But I will be able to say that I lived.Look how time passes. Look at everything you've done.I have a long list of things I still want to do.I want to take advantage and enjoy all of life until the very end.The high octane evening featured Sandra Velasquez on vocals and guitar, Maria Elena on accordion, Sean Dixon (sitting in for Inca B. Satz) on bass, Sebastian Guerrero on drums, and the formidable Mark Tewarson on lead guitar.The song "Vieja" is from their previous CD,"En Este Camino" <a href="http://pistolera.bandcamp.com/album/en-este-camino" target="_blank">which can be purchased or listened to here</a>. For their latest CD, "El Desierto y la Ciudad" <a href="http://pistolera.bandcamp.com/album/el-desierto-y-la-ciudad" target="_blank">click here</a>.Support your local artist! Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1076/claudia-acua-gives-a-chilean-classic-a-jazz-infusion 8a1e808b55fde9455cb3d8857ed88389 I caught this performance at New York's "Dizzy's Coca Cola" a posh club connected with Lincoln Center that overlooks Columbus Circle.     Although Claudia Acuña is a full fledged jazz singer, her repertoire still reflects her Chilean origins, and she presented several jazz settings of songs from its folk heritage. "El Cigaritto" is by the iconic songwriter Victor Hara, whose work is almost synonymous with the protest songs of the  Nuevo Cancion movement that arose in Chile in the 1970's. He was publicly tortured and executed by the Pinochet regime, and must remain one of Chile's great political martyrs. But we must not let his terrible end overshadow the fact that he was also a great songwriter. "El Cigaritto" does not make any overt political statement. It is instead a gentle song with a lovely melody and a poetic lyric sung from the vantage point of a field worker on a tobacco plantation. Claudia and her band have created a setting that not only preserves the spirit of the song, but enhances the melody with nuanced chord progressions and a different meter. It's a sensitive, loving interpretation. She has stated that Jara's work is very close to her heart, and she recorded three of his songs on her first CD.You can go<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hesTpJ4oGvk" target="_blank"> here</a> to compare this rendition with Jara's. Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. South America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1061/bards-of-west-africa-the-griot-summit a89cf525e1d9f04d16ce31165e139a4b 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 music from this gathering, <a href="http://inter-muse.com/blog/exclusives/2011/07/02/the-new-york-griot-summit-trio-in-the-arbor/" target="_blank">click here.</a> Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. Sub-Saharan Africa http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1051/are-the-grammys-racist 456ac9b0d15a8b7f1e71073221059886 It's official. Latin jazz artist Bobby Sanabria will be suing the Grammys over their recent category restructuring. At a press conference at the law offices of Balber Pickard Maldonado and Van Der Truin, Mr. Sanabria, a four time Grammy nominee read his own explanation of the reasons, as he sees it, for the action. I will let him and his council speak for themselves, before throwing in my two cents:     Unlike Mr. Sanabria, I have always thought of the televised Grammys show as a carefully packaged main stream media program, calculated to maximize the sale of goods. When a friend of mine won a Grammy, she did not receive her award on air, nor did she expect to, it having been in an "ethnic" category and unlikely to raise the profit margins of the show's various sponsors. Whether they ought to or not, the general public does not tune in to see awards for Best Hawaiian Slack-key Guitar, or Best Native American music. (I invite comments on this topic.) But is this what the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (as opposed to the broadcast) is predicated upon? According to the Wikipedia, NARAS is an "organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its makers." That is a far cry from how it is currently represented on air, or where it is veering with this decision. By lumping together certain ethnic musical forms, it makes it far harder for the artists involved in those genres to get the Bona Fides that the Grammy award bestows, and the career benefits thereof. And it shows a shocking ignorance -- at best, heedless and dismissive -- of what these various genres are really about. Since they refuse to divulge the minutes of the meetings that led to the decision, we are left to imagine the true motivations and the conversations that took place. Where was the need for the "streamlining?" Did it have anything to do with financial troubles: an overextended budget, a cutting back of foundation support, and a diminishing membership? Perhaps Latin Jazz was eliminated since "they have their own Grammys" or because "Jazz is Jazz" (both can-of-worms discussions which I am sure they would not want put up for an open debate). Did CBS' or any major label's input affect the decision directly or through other means? Exactly who voted for or against? Which of them was an expert in the fields that were affected? -- Or were the panels all made up of Pop, Rock, R&B and Rap aficionados? One could go on, but I don't wonder that NARAS refuses to disclose the information demanded by Mr. Maldonado's firm. They are damned if they do and damned if they don't. And I don't mean that sympathetically. I mean, what did they expect?While some of the category winnowing is not dreadful, (best male or female pop vocals are now merged into "Best Pop Vocal") some categories need further expansion, not compression. Best Traditional World Music and Best Contemporary World Music are already inadequate, vague categories, and have been reduced to Best World Music Album&hellip;grrrrr&hellip; By the way, Tex-Mex, Zydeco, Cajun, Hawaiian, Native American and yes, polka, ARE World Music! For whatever reasons it may give, NARAS has made a heavy-handed blunder, and after stirring up this hornet's nest, it is responding autocratically. By remaining inflexible, it does itself a great disservice. Even as it, along with the music industry, may be grappling with economic downturns and a changing landscape, it is obligated to stay true to its founding tenets by supporting all the music its membership is dedicated to. Members who were knowledgeable in the fields most affected should have been consulted in these decisions, those decisions should have been announced with sufficient time given for preparation by the artists, and secrecy was not the way to go. In excluding its constituency on such crucial matters, NARAS has placed its own credibility at risk.For more information regarding action on this issue go to: <a href="http://www.grammywatch.org" target="_blank">www.grammywatch.org</a> <a href="http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/announcement/category-list" target="_blank">Click here to see the categories as they were and as they now are.</a> Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North America http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog/post/1045/some-moroccan-jazz-from-malika-zarra a0e2a2c563d57df27213ede1ac4ac780 Malika Zarra has had to negotiate the world of her heritage (Morocco) and the world she has found herself in (Europe, the USA) and has emerged with a strong musical identity that combines the structures of jazz with songs that come from her North African heart. She brought the music of her latest release "Berber Taxi" on Motema Records to the intimate NY club, the Jazz Standard, and from my perch on a bar stool, above the audience -- and the waiters delivering slabs of barbecue -- I caught the title track on video.     Zarra has a warm and caressing presence, and she introduced this traditional song that she learned from her mother by telling of how in remote villages, sometimes one hopes that a taxi will come from far away, bringing love. But the song also operates as a metaphor for Zarra's own inner journey through Morocco, France and New York City. She grew up listening to traditional music in her home, but was introduced to jazz after the family moved to France, where her formal musical studies began. Throughout the evening, the cadences of Arabic and Berber dialects sat easily within the sophisticated arrangements, as did the modalities of the melodies. By the end of her set, the audience was thoroughly entranced.Musicians in the top-notch band that night, were Jean-Christophe Maillard on guitar, Etienne Stadwijk on piano, Mamadou Ba on bass, Harvey Wirht on drums, and Brahim Fribgane on oud and percussion.I also liked the room. The Jazz Standard has a welcoming feel, and I found myself chatting with a very interesting couple who live on a boat, and make it a point to come to the club whenever they are in town. But when the music began, cell phones were off, and ears were turned on, giving complete attention to the music.For more information about Ms. Zarra's upcoming performances, visit <a href="http://www.malikazarra.com" target="_blank">www.malikazarra.com</a> Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:00:00 -0700 Link Media, Inc. North Africa http://www.linktv.org/rss/linktv_rss.gif http://www.linktv.org/worldmusic/blog