Keeping a band together in NYC is TOUGH.  I know because I've done it -- or tried to do it -- myself. So I have to hand it to Scott Kettner for sheer tenacity, regarding his pet project "Nation Beat." You may remember Scott as one of my very first interviews for this blog, about his Forro Brass Band. He made me promise back then to blog something about Nation Beat, so I started collecting and shooting footage, and letting the story develop.

Scott does raise an interesting issue, regarding "world music." In the fledgling days of the term, it was assumed that Cajun, Zydeco, Tex-Mex, Bluegrass, etc. were all part of world music. (Just check out the landmark "Rough Guide to World Music" published in 1994.) Since then, the term has expanded to include all kinds of hybrids. So in my opinion it's a kind of daft political correctness to exclude the Country Music influences in the Nation Beat repertoire...after all they aren't getting up there and doing an all-Country set; it's American Country filtered through Brazilian Country.  And anyway, our Country Music derives from our Scots-Irish heritage, does it not?  Or does that not qualify as world music to some folks any more? 

New York City is a magnet for artists from all over the country and the world. That's why I thought it would be cool to make this blog as much (or more) about the musicians, clubs and entrepreneurs in town, as about new CD releases,  or music biz news. There's so much that goes on between the working musicians of New York-- connections made, ideas exchanged, and of course, bands formed. This week I interviewed Scott Kettner, who wears the hat of musician, bandleader and entrepreneur, and who is a passionate advocate for North Eastern Brazilian music.

Scott's first baby is Nation Beat, a band I'll profile later, but the other evening, his Forro Brass Band was in fine form, getting everyone up and dancing, and dancing very sexily, too as you can see from the video.  Although I'm a fool for the good old forro of Luiz Gonzaga and Dominguinhos, I liked the horn arrangements.  Well, MAYBE I'd still like to hear an accordion in the mix, but as Scott mentioned wryly in his interview, he'd have more musicians up there if he could only get a bailout.....

This week we are showing director Mika Kaurismaki's love letter to Brazilian choro, Brasileirinho. Choro is an endearing form of acoustic urban folk music with a soft, sweet sound. Its roots go back to 19th century Rio, when musicians started to blend indigenous, Afro-Brazilian and European music into a new genre. In this film you are going to meet some amazing players: guitarists, mandolinists, singers, and more. You'll get a terrific insight into this music, where it has been, and where it is going.

By the way, if you are wondering why there is a scene with a manicurist that opens the film, consider this: many guitarists rely on their fingernails to get just the right sound on their instruments. If a nail breaks, it's almost as bad as breaking a string. Thankfully, nail salons these days are adept at creating strong nail extensions, and finding a good place can generate quite a buzz amongst a surprising number of guitar virtuosos. So no, those men were not getting a manicure!

You aren’t going to find "Brasileirinho" on any mainstream channels -- it's only here on Link TV. So I hope that during this month's mini-pledge you'll show your support for the "World of Creativity" that Music and Culture brings you every day. Just lift your gaze to the "Pledge Now" button at the top of the page, click on it, and show your support. Thanks!

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.

We recently had the great Brazilian singer-songwriter Chico Cesar in our studios for an interview. When we asked him who were some of his favorite interpetors of his songs, he immediately mentioned Maria Bethania, saying every time she sings one of his songs, it becomes a classic.  This was not exactly a surprse for us since the documentary we are showing th is week The Voice of Brazil - Maria Bethania shows very clearly the process by which Bethania makes a song her very own.

From her emotional involvement with any song she approaches, her dissection of its musical structure and potentials, and her relationship with the musicians who are accompanying her, the documentary allows us unusual access to this iconic singer, and sister of Caetano Veloso.

This week we are showing - quite by coincidence - the debut of block 110 "Dancing" and the wonderful music documentary Dame La Mano, a film about dancing.

Dame La Mano centers on a Cuban community in New Jersey. The various protagonists all are hard working folks who can't wait for Saturday nights at their local hang, where they can literally give body and soul to music. It keeps them young, it keeps them centered, and it helps to make life joyful. Not bad for something you don’t have to buy!

Block #110/"Dancing" is full of great grooves to get your feet, arms and hips in motion. Sona Mohapatra provides some swinging bhangra, followed by Hard Kaur RAP-sodizing about Bollywood. Madagascar's Namavao, Marina and the Magic Powers follow with what feels rather homespun by comparison, but is full of charm and cool moves. Next we get two takes on Balkan Brass dance music; one from deejay Shantel and another from the ever strange Magnifico. We then head south to Brazil for a rendition of the forro classic "Asa Branca" and finish with Manu Chao's award winning ode to the street and those who work it, "Me Llaman Calle."
Get those endorphins going - cut the rug!

Watch Block #110 online here!

We love concept videos, but sometimes the best way to really understand what a musician is about, is to see them perform! Block #107, our ninth "In Performance" block, brings you Mamak Khadem a vibrant singer from Iran, Malian guitarist Habib Koite, the Southern Brazilian accordionist Renato Borghetti, Russia's DDT at a massive concert in St. Petersburg, Cape Verdean diva Mayra Andrade  at the Africa Festival in Lisbon, and Ojos de Brujo (Spain) with Faada Freddy (Senegal) rocking the house with Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up.".

Block #109, AKA "What a World" shows how world music artists address a variety of serious issues: Michael Franti speaks to the unity of mankind but keeps it all very danceable;  K'Naan describes the difficulties of being a refugee in a new country, and Nasjota rap about the Sudanese homeland. Then Aterciopelados sings about the misplaced love of money with "Don Dinero" and El Hadj N'Diaye makes an impassioned plea about third world debt. We close with DDT's animated anthem to the Kursk tragedy, "Captain Kolesnikov."

And of course, these two blocks will both be streaming on our site soon!

What better way to usher in the Summer than with some videos that take us on the road? World Music Block #53 starts out with Spain's Dusminguet packing their instruments for a bucolic outing, then Zdob si Zdub, from Moldova, offer up a retro hommage to state sponsored music. Next we have one of our viewers' favorites, "Manne Ke Manjeere" about the first female lorry driver in India, followed by a rooftop bash in Brazil with Silverio Pessoa. We cap it off with a madcap street chase from Mano Negra, the group that gave Manu Chao his platform to becoming a soloist and superstar.

There you have it - a globetrotting road trip... without using a single drop of fuel!