SoCalled, "You Are Never Alone" (Canada)

Just as Roma (gypsies) have a diaspora that has produced exceptionally varied and eclectic music, so do Jews. And Deejay Socalled is one eclectic guy - not exactly klezmer, part Yiddish theater, part hip hop, and parts in between. The result is a musical and intellectual stew that is characteristically Jewish.

Sa Dingding, "Mama Tian Na" (China)

Sa Dingding is half Mongolian, and half Han Chinese. Growing up on the Mongolian steppes, she absorbed the silences and the sounds that would form her musical vocabulary. Her brand of ambient/electronica/folk has made her extremely popular as an example of the New China.

Forro in the Dark with David Byrne, "Asa Branca" (Brazil)

"Forro in the Dark" is made up mostly of Brazilians now living in New York, and in this outing, they have the formidable Talking Head himself, David Byrne on lead vocals. With his well-known fondness for forro, Byrne must have gotten a kick out of singing this classic.

 
Kvety, "Circus" (Czech Republic)

Twice nominated for "Best Alternative Band" in Czech Republic, Kvety is more of an art band than a hard rocking one. Starting out as a free improv project, from which motifs were developed, the band has evolved into one that produces actual songs that are haunting and poetic. Original founding member Martin E. Kyspersky sings the lead vocals and writes the songs.

Svang, "Jampparaleele" (Finland)

Here's a bit of musical whimsy from Finland, where the nights are cold, the music is hot, and the sensibility is always unique. We caught this group live at the 2007 World Music Expo (WOMEX) and were enchanted with their act. This performance is from Austrian television, and although "Jampparaleele" is an original composition, it has a distinctly Balkan flavor.

Lila Downs, "Malinche" (Mexico/USA)

When Cortez came to conquer, it was Malinche, originally given to him with twenty other female slaves who became his most trusted interpreter and paramour. Lila Downs drew on her own mixed lineage-- an indigenous mother and American father-- and her own current marriage to an American to make a case for Malinche as a diplomat; one who understood the realities of different worlds.

K'Naan, "Strugglin'" (Somalia/Canada)

As a teenager K'Naan spent his time dodging death on the streets of Mogadishu. Taking the last commercial flight out of Somalia in 1991, he became a refugee, and relocated to Canada. Although he has achieved a certain amount of recognition as a world-class "conscious" hip hop artist, this song "Strugglin'" reflects the difficulties of surviving in a new environment where gang culture presents its own challenges.

Michael Franti and Spearhead, "Hello Bonjour" (USA)

No matter how lighthearted the vibe on this dancehall outing, Michael Franti is a man of principle, and the subjects he is tackling lyrically are no walk in the park. This song is about the need for us to recognize the sacredness of our world and our connections to each other and the track made ebullient through the presence of reggae mainstays Sly and Robbie.

Shantel, "Disko Partizani" (Germany)

Hamburg based Shantel made his reputation with his "Bukovina Club" nights. These were wildly popular dance events where Shantel showered the audience with a mix of Eastern European music tempered with plenty of throbbing backbeat. He is credited with bringing the music of all the countries petitioning for entrance into the European Union onto the dance floor --something we may wait a lot longer for in the political world.

HardKaur, "Bombay Deewana" (UK)

Indian born UK-based rapper HardKaur goes back to Bombay for this madcap, somewhat kitsch outing. It’s a pretty gentle outing, though, with HardKaur behaving herself and keeping it clean, Bollywood style, where no one even kisses on screen. But it seems that romance is the last thing that she has in mind anyway; this video is about female empowerment.

Warsaw Village Band, "Let's Play, Musicians!/Spiritual Revival" (Poland)

The Warsaw Village Band is an adventurous aggregate of young musicians who have taken their heritage of Polish folk music and injected it with 21st century fire and inquiry. "Let's Play, Musicians" originally appeared on the band's CD "uprooting" as a marriage song sung by the band and the Lipsk Women's Choir.

 Magnifico, "Land of Champions" (Slovenia)

There's some outrageous stuff coming out of the Balkans, and Magnifico is a prime example. In "Land of Champions" this musical chameleon blends Balkan and Mexican brass band music with Dick Dale style guitar, casts himself as a frontier sheriff and renders a straight faced reworking of "House of the Rising Sun."