http://www.Globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ World Music Features on Globalrhythm.net en-us Copyright 2013, Globalrhythm.net. All Rights Reserved info@ecomsolutions.net info@ecomsolutions.net http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MoroccosGnaouaMusicFestival.cfm For the past ten years the Moroccan city of Essaouira has come alive with the music of the Gnaoua. Lisa DiMatteo http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RachelUnthinkAndWinterset.cfm Nominated for a Mercury Prize, the group transcends the English folk music category to become a hit at home and abroad. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/WebExclusivePanosPanayOfSonicbids.cfm Onetime musician Panos Panay creates an online marketing movement to serve artists of all sizes from all over the world. Stella Katsipoutis with reporting by Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/WebExclusiveElGuincho.cfm El Guincho ventures where the others wouldn’t dare. For him the element of the exotic isn’t merely the latest indie fad for embellishing music, El Guincho lives it and breathes it. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/WebExclusiveMilesCopeland.cfm Editor Tad Hendrickson chats with the creator of the eye-opening documentary,&nbsp Dissonance And Harmony: Arabic Music Goes West. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TakingBackTheWhiteHouseThroughMusic.cfm The undeniable Caribbean support of a Barack Obama presidency. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/WebExclusiveBetoVillares.cfm Brazilian producer finally steps out on his own, bringing all the sounds of Brazil with him. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ThePahinuisAndTheSlackKeyTradition.cfm Becoming a slack key guitarist is not for the weak-willed slacker. Bruce Sach http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AreTheGyutoMonksDaysNumbered.cfm Marking the re-release of Tibetan Chants For World Peace , Thupten Donyo worries that recording music is not enough to save the tradition. Douglas Heselgrave http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OnlineExclusiveXavierRudd.cfm Xavier Rudd crashes the shore with the oceanic Dark Shades Of Blue. Photo Credit: Martin Philbey Bill Murphy http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/WebExclusiveRichardBona.cfm Bona Appetit! Robert Kaye http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/WebExclusiveCalle13QampA.cfm GR s Phil Freeman catches up with Residente. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheLittlestShredder.cfm We here at Global Rhythm have seen Yuto Miyazawa play live, and we assure you this eight-year-old s unholy shredding&nbspis no trick. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OnlineExclusiveSirJamesGalway.cfm Sir James Galway spends some free time in Cuba. Jim Bessman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OnlineExclusiveBurningSpear.cfm Burning Spear moves from creation rebel to internet entrepreneur. Photo Credit: Alexei Afonin Douglas Heselgrave http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OnlineExclusiveMiltonNascimentoAndTheJobimTrio.cfm The Jobim Trio unites with Milton Nascimento for a great new tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim. Ernest Barteldes http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OnlineExclusiveManzeDayila.cfm Baptized as the Empress of Haitian roots music, Manze Dayila defies convention with a striking combination of performance-art that draws crowds to the New York City subway system. Photo Credit: Jamie Propp Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LosFabulososCadillacs.cfm Ever since they burst onto the Buenos Aires music scene back in 1985, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs have gradually gone worldwide with their blistering fusion of rock, ska, hip-hop, reggae and traditional folk music. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CuiJian.cfm Considered the father of Chinese rock ‘n’ roll, Cui Jian is often compared to such legends as Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen. J. Poet http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MinXiaoFen.cfm Pipa maestra Min Xiao-Fen paints a vast landscape of sound, leading her own groups and collaborating with artists like John Zorn and Björk. Charles Blass http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SaDingding.cfm As China ’s newest pop princess, Sa Dingding has taken some unusual steps to success, turning to her Buddhist spirituality and family heritage for inspiration. Charissa Che http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CliveChin.cfm Jamaican record producer and VP Records founder Clive Chin looks back on the Chin family’s lasting impact on the Jamaican music scene. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JohnMcLaughlin.cfm John McLaughlin has been internationally recognized as one of world jazz fusion’s leading guitarists, often delving deep into Indian music with extraordinary results. Robert Kaye http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Pacifika.cfm British Columbia doesn’t necessarily register as a locus for cross-pollinations of Latin pop, jazz, electronica, neo-flamenco, new wave, dub, and Latin-American folk music, but the Vancouver-based trio Pacifika delivers all that and more, spinning a tapestry of sound so alluring it’s hard not to be enveloped by the infectiousness of it all. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AbigailWashburnampTheSparrowQuartet.cfm Blowing away the cultural barrier between America and Asia, the special blend of Appalachian and Chinese music that propels banjoist Abigail Washburn’s work with the Sparrow Quartet may have started out as a fluke, but now seems more natural a fusion than ever. Jim Bessman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MaJian.cfm Ma Jian worked as a photo journalist until the age of 30, when he quit his job to jump-start his writing career by embarking on a three-year trip across China. A stop in Tibet was the main inspiration for his short story collection Stick Out Your Tongue published in the U.S. in 2006. Ernest Barteldes http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/YoYoMa.cfm Yo-Yo Ma is a restless intellect whose mosaic-like career has encompassed not just classical music, but bluegrass, tango, bossa nova and, most notably, a variety of Asian-based styles with his Silk Road Project. Whichever thread he weaves with, Ma is a man on a mission. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DanStorper.cfm In 1993, Dan Storper founded the Putumayo label— a perennial clearinghouse for dozens of popular world music collections. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SeunKuti.cfm There’s something spooky about Seun Kuti’s live performances. When the youngest son of legendary Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti launched a brief North American debut tour in June and July 2007, you could hear jaws hitting the floor as he conjured the ghost of his late father. Tom Pryor http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BostichFussible.cfm With Tijuana Sound Machine, Nortec Collective s Bostich + Fussible fire up their first album as a duo, expanding on their genre-busting, border-crossing sound. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BujuBanton.cfm There’s a controversy that’s been dogging Buju Banton ever since he recorded the infamous single “Boom Bye Bye” as a teenager. Now older and wiser but no less a rebel, the Grammy-nominated reggae star holds forth at his studio compound in Kingston to discuss the sins of the past and the promise of the future, and reveals a vivid glimpse of his more human side as a devoted family man. Wes Orshoski http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/IdanRaichel1.cfm One of the biggest stars in Israel today, Idan Raichel has made inroads with American audiences with his studio-savvy sound. What’s really striking, however, is Raichel’s choice to work with musicians from other cultures even including those who sing in Arabic to make a universal pop music that’s creative, intelligent and inspiring. Now he’s poised to release his second album in the U.S. J. Poet http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ThePinkerTones.cfm On the strength of their second studio album The Million Colour Revolution , which was first released in 2006, the duo toured for two years and built a strong following. It didn’t take long for their upbeat, devil-may-care delivery to catch fire in the U.S. and other countries around the world, thus setting the stage for their latest album, Wild Animals. Marty Lipp http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OrchestraBaobabSendsALongAwaitedMessageFromHome.cfm The Senegal-based band releases it s new album Made in Dakar , which is the second album they have recorded since their comeback in 2002 after a 15 year break in their musical careers. Jeff Tamarkin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/KingDjango.cfm Since 1986, King Django born Jeff Baker has been an influential figure on New York City’s reggae and ska scenes, having worked with artists like Skinnerbox, The Stubborn All-Stars and Venezuelan ska phenom Don Khumalo in various capacities as a singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/HadagNahash.cfm Hadag Nahash literally “snake fish” in Hebrew, but also wordplay for “new driver” was a lightning rod for a progressive youth movement that was coalescing around a new, more unified attitude in Isreal. Hillie Wurtman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DiasporaJazz.cfm For many Israeli jazz musicians, home is wherever the music leads them. Such is the case for Anat Fort, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb, Anat Cohen, and Avishai Cohen photo. David R. Adler http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MichaelDorf.cfm Michael Dorf has been an arts presenter in New York City since he founded the original Knitting Factory music club in 1986 at age 23. Dorf later went on to found the Bell Atlantic Jazz Festival, The Digital Club Network and non-profit organizations like the Tribeca Hebrew after-school program. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DJChebiSabbah.cfm Over the years, DJ Cheb i Sabbah has developed an increasingly fluid touch when it comes to mixing the traditional music of India and North Africa with the hypermodern sound of electronica. Devotion, his latest offering is a celebratory groove excursion that brings Sufi, Sikh and Hindu influences together in harmony. Douglas Heselgrave http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SenorFlavio.cfm With legendary Argentine rockers Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Señor Flavio helped define Rock En Español in the ’90s. His new album Supersaund 2012 ripples with the reggae and ska sound that put LFC on the map, but also offers a fresh brew of punk, garage, and psychobilly—a raucous cocktail that’s sure to propel Flavio to the indie forefront once again. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DeVotchKa.cfm Based in Denver , DeVotchKa has left an eclectic stamp on modern Balkan music. After four indie releases, the group made it big with the soundtrack to Little Miss Sunshine, and now returns with a new album on the Anti- imprint—home to Antibalas, Tom Waits and Xavier Rudd. Jim Bessman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OmarSosa1.cfm Cuban-born pianist and composer Omar Sosa has made a career out of fusing Latin music with jazz, but his latest album Afreecanos marks a significant leap forward, bringing together musicians from all over Africa, Cuba , Brazil and France . From his home in Barcelona , he talks about the rich heritage of African music and his ultimate plan to bring an international aesthetic to the big band sound. Mike Greenblatt http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Toumast.cfm Move over Tinariwen—the next wave of Tuareg desert rockers is here. Hailing from Mali, Moussa Ag Keyna and Aminatou Goumar—known together, with producer Dan Lévy, as Toumast—have just released their domestic debut Ishumar on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label. A freedom fighter-turned-rock rebel, Ag Keyna recounts how his time in the Tuareg military camps in Libya provided the grist for the band’s hypnotic and haunting music. Tom Pryor http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ToumaniDiabate.cfm Toumani Diabaté comes from 70 generations of Malian griots, so there’s no question that music is in his blood. The Mande Variations marks Diabaté’s return to the solo format and a look back to his landmark 1988 debut Kaira —the first recording of solo kora ever released. During a recent stop on his U.S. tour, Diabaté waxed eloquent and often about his music, his legacy and his way forward. Jeff Tamarkin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Buika.cfm Buika was born in Palma De Mallorca to African parents who had been exiled as political dissidents from their native Equatorial Guinea . In collaboration with noted producer Javier Limón, she recently released Mi Niña Lola—a stunning statement of flamenco-fueled power that has garnered awestruck praise the world over. Carol Amoruso http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GarifunaWomensProject.cfm Propelled by the infectious rhythms of Garifuna drumming and the support of Andy Palacio and producer Ivan Duran, Umalali documents the dynamic vocal artistry of some 50 Garifuna women from Honduras , Guatemala and Belize . Seven years in the making, the album eloquently portrays the ongoing struggle to preserve the Garifuna way of life. Michael Stone http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LarryKirwan.cfm Famous for his outspoken political stance, his shrewd yet poetic observations, and his ability to address the struggles and triumphs of anyone with even a trace of the Irish in their family tree, Larry Kirwan is a poet, singer composer, playwright, author-and last but not least, frontman for New York s bar band, Black 47. Christina Roden http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BigChiefBoDollis.cfm It was Theodore Emile Bo Dollis who, along with his childhood friend Monk Boudreaux, folded a swamp funk sound into New Orleans Mardi Gras culture to create a funk-rock band called the Wild Magnolias, one of the most influential New Orleans bands playing today. Jen Odell http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ZiggyMarley.cfm Filmed during the 2005 Africa Unite symposium and the conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of Bob Marley s 60th birthday celebration, Africa Unite chronicles the work that the Marley family has done to fulfill Bob s hopes for a unified land. Ziggy Marley talks about the project and the family s trip to the motherland. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SteveReid.cfm Steve Reid has played the drums behind Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Miles Davis, and many others. For his new album, Daxaar , with the Steve Reid Ensemble, he returned to the continent, recruited some of the top local players and told them simply to jam. And jam they did. Jeff Tamarkin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheBanjo.cfm Uniquely American and classically maligned, the banjo has seen a serious resurgence in pop, world and jazz circles over the past decade. We assembled a round-table of topnotch musicians—bluesman Otis Taylor, Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, rock-jazz firebrand Bela Flek, and bluegrass champions Tony Trischka and Abigail Washburn—to talk about their instrument of choice. John Seroff http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Aphrodesia.cfm Hailing from the Bay Area, the members of Aphrodesia recently made a musical pilgrimage back to Mother Africa, eventually landing a gig at Fela s legendary Shrine nightclub. Playing Afrobeat and then some, the band has drawn on those experiences to create some bold new music, making Lagos By Bus the best album of its career. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AmirElSaffar.cfm Amir ElSaffar bridges the gap between Iraqi and traditional maqam and free-form jazz, paying tribute to thousands of years of musical heritage. His elegant playing of the santoor hammer dulcimer and his micro-tuning technique with trumpet evokes a Baghdad from another time. Jason Gardner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RandyRaineReusch.cfm Vancouver-based musician, composer, musicologist, and innovator Randy Raine-Reusch has been called the Beethoven of the avent-garde, and is credited with helping to create a generational shift toward preserving indigenous music and cultural practices in Thailand and Malaysia. Bruce Sach http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GlobalWebTrends.cfm Overwhelmed by the crush of music sources on the ’net? If you’re a world music fan and you want to research it, buy it, watch it or chat about it, we’ll point you in the right direction with our Global Web Trends. Carl Negro http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GlobalDrumProject.cfm Hard to believe it’s been 15 years since Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum entourage last played together, but all that’s changed with the reunion of Hart and tabla master Zakir Hussian. They’re the driving forces behind Global Drum Project—a unique update on Planet Drum that includes a new album, a recent U.S. tour and a tighter emphasis on melding drumming with modern technology. John Ephland http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/KyManiMarley.cfm After earning a Grammy nomination with his previous album and doing some low-key acting roles, Ky-Mani Marley spent the fall opening for the reunited Van Halen. He has also released an album he calls Radio because it’s full of the music he heard on the radio dial as a youngster. We check in with him backstage. Wes Orshoski http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DengueFever.cfm Critical darlings Dengue Fever, a six-piece L.A. rock band fronted by the honey-tongued Chhom Nimol, mix the flavor of ’60s surf-psychedelia with a revitalized take on Cambodian pop. Celebrating the release of a new album and a documentary about their Cambodian tour, DF are poised to become a breakout success, perhaps refocusing world attention on the Khmer sound. John Seroff http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/17Hippies.cfm There aren t 17 of them, there isn t a hippie in the bunch, and if there was a guide to becoming a successful band, they would probably break every single rule in it. Even so, 17 Hippies have become one of Germany s most popular and successful roots groups. Based in Berlin, the band has just released Heimlich , their first CD available in the U.S. Chris Heim http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/YoussouNDour.cfm After the North African orchestra sound of Egypt , Youssou N’Dour returns to form with Rokka Mi Rokka . N’Dour’s been around the block so many times that his hybrid of Western pop song aesthetics and African roots is deep in his bones. Nothing feels forced, and while some may still prefer the Youssou of yore master of mbalax, that’s now ancient history. Banning Eyre http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Kassin2.cfm The trio of Moreno Veloso, Alexandre Kassin, and Domenico Lancelloti has just completed a trilogy of albums each appended with +2 where the band name changes as each member takes his turn writing music and overseeing the production process. No matter who is charge, this is one of the edgiest outfits on the Brazilian music scene. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CamiloLara.cfm Camilo Lara is the man behind Mexican Institute Of Sound, but he s also a top record exec for EMI Mexico with his ear glued to the underground, as well as an author on the verge of his print debut. With so many balls in the air, it s easy to see why the Mexico City native finds fullfillment in cross-pollinating as many musical style as he can. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ManuChao.cfm After six years away from the studio and a couple of extensive American tours, Latin rock rebel Manu Chao is back in the spotlight with La Radiolina— perhaps his most urgent and political statement yet. Chao has a lot on his agile mind, and he pulls no punches in this in-depth and revealing encounter, offering up a comprehensive look at his roots, his current tour, and his opinions on the state of the world. Mario Iván Oña http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/FedericoAubele.cfm Travel is an ongoing theme for Argentinean songwriter Federico Aubele, whose Panamericana is named after the famed highway that stretches from Alaska to the tip of Argentina. Not only does he let everything he comes across influence his music, but he spins it all into a rich, sexy tapestry that jibes perfectly with the ultra-hip Eighteenth Century Lounge label headed by Thievery Corporation. GR catches up with Aubele to get to the bottom of his travel bug. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JesusAlemayAndCubanismo.cfm Renowned for a lean brass section and a freewheeling, danceable jazz style, the powerhouse ensemble Cubanismo is back with Greetings From Havanna . Led by trumpeter and frontman Jesus Alemañy, the group sitrs up a wicked brew of guaracha, son, rumba, mambo, and Afro-Cuban jazz—a full-blown musical assault with so much swing, it could make Congress rethink the U.S.-Cuba embargo. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CafTacvba.cfm For nearly two decades Mexico City s Café Tacvba have captivated audiences around the globe with their arty, introspective and ultimately life-loving music, and now they re back with Sino— their first studio album in four years, self-produced under the watchful eye of mentior and super-producer Gustavo Santaolalla. Lead vocalist Ruben Albarran and bassist Quique Rangel hold forth. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JosFeliciano.cfm Few songs have become an instant Christmas classic as quickly as José Feliciano s ubiquitous Feliz Navidad — proof of how this gifted musician turned blindness into shining light and enchanted music lovers around the world with his compelling songcraft and tropical grooves. His most recent album, The Soundtrax Of My Life , reconfirms his universal appeal. Diego Zerpa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Juanes.cfm Juanes is one of the most popular latin rock stars—and sex symbols—of the past 20 years, with an international reach that extends to the furthest corners of Asia. During a visit to a Miami studio, he explains to GR the musical direction and inspiration behind his highly anticipated new album La Vida Es Un Ratico . Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RoswellRudd.cfm Although he s a well-known jazz trombonist who has played with all the greats, Roswell Rudd s Malicool with Toumani Diabate has prompted people to sit up and take notice of his non-jazz work. Rudd continues to record with musicians from all over the globe, ranging from his Mongolian Buryat Band to the ensemble featured on his new cumbia/tango/merengue album, El Ispíritu Jibaro. John Ephland http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Nawal.cfm Creating an acoustic roots-based fusion, Nawal s unique sound combines influences from her native Comoros islands located in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Africa and far beyond. Derek Beres checks in with this amazing new voice on the scene to talk about her unique backround and music. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LucianaSouza.cfm Generally regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists working within the Brazilian and jazz idioms, the Grammy-nominated Luciana Souza is a fearless artist who has added a bossa nova lilt to the poems of Pablo Neruda and regularly performs in duos that match her with a long list of incomparable guitarists. Now she returns with a full band, putting her stamp on pop and rock classics. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GogolBordello11.cfm Not many artists can claim to have invented a whole new genre, but Eugene Hutz and Gogol Bordello did just that, when their drunken, manic, Iggy Pop-meets-Taraf de Haidouks parties outgrew their Lower East Side origins and gave the world Gypsy Punk. Now, nearly a decade later, a host of Balkan- and Gypsy-inspired rockers have sprung up in their wake, even as Hutz and company branch out into film and beyond. Tom Pryor http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Martirio.cfm Martirio is in many ways the living martyr of Spanish song. As is implied by her stage name, the alter ego has allowed Maribel Quiñones to defend what she believes in artistically and to unsettle deeply held notions of music in Spain. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LionelLoueke.cfm Born in West Africa, Lionel Loueke effortlessly shifts among multiple styles and techniques in his songs, but the consistent hallmark of his playing is a uniquely African sound of sharp and vibrant plucked strings, reminiscent of a thumb piano or a kora. John Seroff http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RasMyrhdak.cfm Hailing from the blessed region of St. Ann Parish, Jamaica, the fertile ground that gave birth to famous islanders like Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey, Burning Spear and Barrington Levy, Ras Myrhdak comes off more like a spiritual warrior than a malicious fighter. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Mariza.cfm Mariza grew up, finished school, left home and lived on her own, but she kept singing, always performing. “I had a band in Lisbon doing covers of American music—jazz, funk, soul and standards. We worked professionally, in clubs and casinos, doing weddings on weekends. J. Poet http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Cornelius.cfm There aren’t many pop musicians who can make a record company wait over half a decade for a proper new album. But for iconoclastic Japanese artist Keigo Oyamada, who calls himself Cornelius after the lovable scientist in the Planet Of The Apes films, it’s standard practice. Dan Grunebaum http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SpanishHarlemOrchestra.cfm In 2000, salsa music reclaimed New York. Its conquistador was the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Although there were plenty of salsa artists around in the ’80s and ’90s in the city that never stops dancing, the music seemed to lack the authenticity of the ’60s and ’70s—considered the genre’s golden era. Mario Oña http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JosephIsrael.cfm If the beauty of reggae lies in the voice of the Rastaman, then Joseph Israel’s voice may surprise you. The white reggae singer, who was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and currently resides in Fayetteville, Arkansas, breezes through his tunes like a true-blooded Jamaican, but away from the mic his excitable, energetic speech hovers somewhere between SoCal cool and Vermont hippie. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DobetGnahor.cfm We’re so familiar with many of the major African names, from Youssou N’Dour to Thomas Mapfumo, it’s easy to forget that a whole other generation is rapidly coming of age behind them. Dobet Gnahoré from the Ivory Coast whose recent second album, Na Afriki , marks her as one who’s already arrived, bearing a masterful slice of Afropop whose influences draw from across the continent. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CarolinaChocolateDrops.cfm When the Carolina Chocolate Drops take the stage, they’re staking out a spot in a lineage that was old when their mothers and fathers were young. Though somewhat dormant for the past several decades, the old-time black string band is on the cusp of a revival, spearheaded by a host of young, determined and historically aware performers like the Chocolate Drops. John Seroff http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Cruachan.cfm Like folk music, metal is the life-soundtrack of a tightly knit community, so it’s not surprising that metal bands in various countries have lately been blending the amp-frying guitars and thunderous drums of their genre with the native traditional sounds their parents and grandparents heard and played. The Irish band Cruachan has been doing this for some time The Morrigan’s Call is its fourth, and most accomplished album. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RadioZumbido.cfm Radio Zumbido is the performing alias of a programmer and multi-instrumentalist from Guatemala via Barcelona, Berlin and Los Angeles named Juanka. He’s just released his second album, Pequeño Transistor de Feria , on the indie label Quatermass, following a 2003 debut, Los Ultimos Días del AM , on Palm Pictures. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AngeliqueKidjo.cfm Angelique Kidjo brings a massive presence—spontaneous, wide-eyed grins, fireball hips and an utterly goliath-sized voice—to the stage every time she performs. But standing in her Brooklyn apartment, dwarfed by both her Parisian husband Jean Hebrail and their 13-year-old daughter Naima, the African singer seems to shrink, in both stature and demeanor. For the moment, anyhow. Wes Orshoski http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MahaAkhtar.cfm Maha Akhtar will never forget October 28, 2005. On that date, the woman who has been studying and performing the khatak dance of her native India since the age of six discovered she is the granddaughter of Anita Delgado, legendary flamenco dancer from Malaga who was wooed at 17 and then whisked off to India by the maharajah of Kapurthala, where she lived in opulence and scandal. Carol Amoruso http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MarciaGriffiths.cfm After 43 years of singing sweet, sweet songs, the empress of reggae has officially received her crown. VP Records is set to release Melody Life, the first Marcia Griffiths anthology, covering her musical career from its beginnings at Studio One, her 10 years as part of Bob Marley’s legendary I-Threes, and her continually evolving solo work. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/VieuxFarkaTour.cfm The connection between Mali, an expansive desert land bordering the Sahara, and America’s soulful homeland hugging the Mississippi was made long ago by blues musicians. And the blues is about jumping inside and tearing apart every organ to see how each functions, and then putting them together anew. While the head may remember scales, this music is all about heart. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BondeDoRole.cfm Bonde do Role’s sound is funk-inspired, though their sonic pastiche is a mutation of proper funk carioca. The trio blatantly sample retro American pop and metal, plunging the guitar riffs into an already kitschy mix of Miami-bass beats, samba drum-loops and relentless, tongue-in-cheek, raunchy rapping. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/EvanZiporyn.cfm “The present-day composer refuses to die,” said Edgar Varèse. It’s a quote that famously inspired Frank Zappa, and it’s equally applicable to the work of Evan Ziporyn, a clarinetist, classical composer, and leader of his own Balinese gamelan group, Gamelan Galak Tika. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Luciano.cfm Reggae can sometimes be filled with spiritual filigree—songs showered with praises and inflated proclamations to Jah until they lose their meaning, and Luciano’s newest album Child of a King is no different—except that his exclamations are so sincere they’ll have you questioning your own devotion. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RahimAlhaj.cfm Middle Eastern music gets lumped into one big mass, but Iraq, like every other country or region in that part of the world, has a very definite sonic identity. Rahim Alhaj is an impeccably pedigreed oud player and student of his homeland’s music, having apprenticed under Munir Bashir, an acknowledged master. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheNationBeat.cfm Talk about your big beat—the relentless percussion of maracatu music, from northeastern Brazil, is one of the most thunderous, soul-shaking sounds around. In this interview, Scott Kettner of Nation Beat discusses what got him into the sounds of maracatu, the band and&nbsptheir&nbspalbum collaboration with Frank London. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LesPrimitifsDuFutur.cfm They’ve gigged regularly over the years in Paris and beyond, but only now does it seem that Les Primitifs Du Futur is making a name for itself beyond French expatriates and tuned-in comic book obsessives. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/KingJammy.cfm Before he became “King Jammy,” Lloyd James served as apprentice to King Tubby in the ’70s, working as the legendary Jamaican producer’s chief engineer. James soon struck out on his own, restarting his sound system from the ’60s and throwing himself wholeheartedly into production. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ChuckBrown.cfm Perhaps the least-discovered of America’s fiercely regional music scenes, three decades after its inception go-go music is still the soul of black Washington, and Chuck Brown its creator and eminence grise. Nick Baily http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ReggaeDancehall.cfm In 2004, the U.K.-based gay and lesbian rights group OutRage! initiated the Stop Murder Music campaign, waging war against dancehall artists that encourage hatred and violence toward gays and lesbians. The campaign targeted Buju Banton pictured, Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Capleton, Elephant Man, Sizzla, TOK and Vybz Kartel. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CSS.cfm Before becoming the first South American band signed to American indie music institution Sub Pop Records, even before the sharp-eared Brazilian label Trama released their record at home, Cansei De Ser Sexy Tired Of Being Sexy—known to fans worldwide via the acronym CSS—already had a devoted following. Lissette Corsa http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/IdanRaichel.cfm The power of Raichel’s music lies in its combination of ancient and modern, reminiscent of Moby’s looping of crackly blues and gospel 78s on his album Play . Traditional instruments are heard alongside guitars and electronics, and some of the voices, singing in ancient languages, are live, but others are sampled. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GalCosta.cfm It’s hard to believe, given her youthful looks and crystal-clear voice, that Gal Costa has been performing for more than 40 years—a career that’s still going strong began when she befriended Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil in the early ’60s in Bahia. Ernest Barteldes http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BelindaCarlisle.cfm Carlisle’s voice has deepened, and coarsened, over the years; she’s not in Marianne Faithfull territory yet, but there’s a lived-in feel to her vocals that makes the sentiments she’s expressing in songs like “Ne Me Quitte Pas,” “La Vie En Rose” and “Sous Le Ciel De Paris” even more universal. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SlavicSoulParty.cfm Here’s a band that likes to see and hear different cultures and musics bump up against each other. Hailing from all over the U.S. as well as Japan, Slavic Soul Party celebrates Balkan music, second line grooves, articulate jazz-informed solos and other bits and pieces. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RichieSpice.cfm Born Richell Bonner in St. Andrew in 1971, Spice has been aggressively pursuing his musical career since 1994, and has wowed critics with a distinctive singing voice teetering toward pop-friendliness. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AbdulBockarie.cfm While Bockarie had always been influenced by the message and lyrics of reggae, he didn’t start singing it until he went to Jamaica, and up until then his only musical experience was singing karaoke in Africa. But he believes the link between Africa and Jamaica is unbreakable. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/HendrikMeurkens.cfm German vibes and harmonica master Hendrik Meurkens emerged on the New York jazz scene in the early 1990s, and has recorded with Monty Alexander, Charlie Byrd, Jimmy Cobb, Ivan Lins and Claudio Roditi, among others. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RickySkaggs.cfm Ricky Skaggs doesn’t have a damn thing to prove to any listener at this point, which frees him up to have fun, and he’s clearly doing so on the album Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby . This collaboration with pianist/singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby is a rollicking, joyful affair that plays like a particularly well-recorded jam session. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Laibach.cfm Laibach are an art project disguised as political satire disguised as a band. They started out in Yugoslavia, back when there still was a Yugoslavia, taking on their repressive leaders by pretending to be even more hardcore than the government. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/YabbyYou.cfm Yabby You aka Vivian Jackson, the hitmaker and producer known for his 1972 single “Conquering Lion” speaks in warbled patois from his Jamaican homeland, adding to the musician’s wizened mystique. Despite his physical pitfalls, he’s still able to perform three to four times a year. Matt Scheiner http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AndyPalacio.cfm Guitarist and singer Andy Palacio, from Belize, formed the Garifuna Collective with the goal of bringing the music of this unique, West African-meets-Caribbean culture to broader attention. Andy provides insight into the Collective and Garifuna music in this&nbspinterview with Phil Freeman. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/FrancescaAncarola.cfm True justice evaded Victor Jara in life, but thanks to Chilean songstress Francesca Ancarola’s latest album Lonquén , poetic justice has at least been rendered. The album, the award-winning singer’s fifth, serves as a tribute to the leader of the “Nueva canción Chilena” movement. Jim Bessman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GlobalVillageDanesinNewYork.cfm When Israeli-born, NYC-based producer Nili Belkind and singer-guitarist Dalia Faitelson pictured, also born in Israel and currently residing in Copenhagen, first came up with the idea of a two-way, ongoing cultural exchange between musicians from their respective hometowns, it must have seemed like a pipe dream. Christina Roden http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DinoSaluzzi11.cfm Before virtuoso Argentine musician-composer Astor Piazzolla came along in the mid-’50s, the bandoneon was primarily known as a sailor’s “toy” accordion. Twelve years after his death, there’s but one cat with instrumental and compositional chops audaciously iconoclastic enough to walk in El Maestro’s boots: Dino Saluzzi. Tom Terrell http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Oojami.cfm Not content to rehash traditional tunes as their own, or play up their ethnic roots for a tiny audience of beard-stroking neo-colonialists, Oojami is shaking off the Turkish bellydance tag to become a proper, clubby dance act who just happen to groove to the ciftetelli beat. Tom Jackson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Calle13.cfm It was a dizzying first year for Puerto Rican half-brothers and musical partners Rene Residente Perez and Eduardo Visitante Cabra. And now, with their second CD, they’re determined to build on their already impressive debut, and re-sculpt reggaeton in their own image. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/PachaMassive.cfm Dousing sophisticated urban breakbeats in Latin American folklore, the Bronx-based Colombian/Dominican duo of Maya Martinez and DJ Nova have been building up buzz with their loungey hybrid sound since they met in 2003. Mario Oña http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Oki.cfm With luxuriant hair and chiseled features seldom found in Japanese, Oki was teasingly nicknamed “Ainu” as a kid growing up in Tokyo. He suspected there might be some truth to the matter. Dan Grunebaum http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SussanDeyhim.cfm Born into an aristocratic Tehran family, Deyhim describes her time in the Shah’s Iran as a fairytale, but not because of recollections of soft-focus summers playing under pomegranate trees. Tom Jackson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BoomPam.cfm Israeli surf-rockers Boom Pam are proud to wear their schmaltz on their sleeves, taking their name from a 1969 pop hit that’s become a perennial favorite at Israeli weddings—and recording a version of their own that went straight to the top of their homeland’s charts last year. Tom Pryor http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JorgeDrexlerTheRoadFromHollywood.cfm Uruguayan-born singer/songwriter Jorge Drexler was, like many of us, quite surprised when “Al Otro Lado Del Rio” On The Other Side of The River, written for Walter Salles’ 2004 film The Motorcycle Diaries , was nominated for best song during the 2005 Oscars. Ernest Barteldes http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/PernambucoDreaming.cfm If the ’70s and ’80s were all about Bahia—the picture-postcard beaches, the A-list music stars Caetano Veloso, Gilbert Gil, Tom Zé—the ’90s and ’00s have seen the focus shift inexorably to Bahia’s smaller, more unassuming neighbor, Pernambuco. Paul Sullivan http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Antibalas.cfm Antibalas are Afrobeat’s next generation rather than pioneers, but the group’s message comes from the heart. The collective’s newest release, Security , uses Fela Kuti’s trademark rhythmic hooks, but channels its own voice to deliver a strong State Of The Union. Mike Greenhaus http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/IssaBagayogo.cfm They call him “Techno Issa” or “Electric Issa.” Issa Bagayogo epitomizes the new face of Malian music. Though he is firmly rooted in its traditions, his sound bridges the gap between traditional music and digital fusion club music. Graham Henderson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/KononoNo1.cfm While many African kalimba players will attach items like bottle caps or shells to their soundboards to create buzzing effects, Konono No. 1’s amplified likembes are on a whole different level. Their riveting recordings, have been compared to everything from Lee “Scratch” Perry to Einsturzende Neubauten. Judson Kilpatrick http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GeorgeDalarasGreecesPopRoadRunner.cfm Who is George Dalaras? If you’re not Greek, a Cypriot, or a Greek hyphenate in diaspora countries such as the U.S. or Australia, there’s an excellent chance you don’t know this singer, although at home he is nothing short of a living legend. Anastasia Tsioulcas http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/NacaoZumbiFindingStrengthinCulture.cfm Since the early ‘90’s they have been at the epicenter of a musical movement in Recife called Mangue Beat. The movement is characterized by the rhythms of Pernambuco mixed with other influences such as hip-hop, rock, world music, dub and reggae. Paul Sullivan http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/NortecCollectivesLatrintronica.cfm Nortec is quite possibly the first new authentic south-of-the-border esthetic since the Brazilian tropicalistas three decades earlier. Nortec Collective has cannibalized technological advancements from the dominant pop cultures from the first world to create their own boundary-less post-modern world. Enrique Lavin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Lhasa.cfm Fans love Lhasa de Sela for her eclectic past, for her hesitant delivery when introducing songs and for her apparent lack of interest in cashing in on her success Bruce Sach http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DaaraJ.cfm In 2003, a singing/rapping trio called Daara J released one of the most exciting hip-hop albums on the planet. Boomerang ’s 13 tracks deal with racial pride, community solidarity, fighting oppression, morality, love and respect for fam, women and self. Tom Terrell http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OjosDeBrujo.cfm Barcelona’s 10-piece traveling Gypsy music carnival, Ojos De Brujo, caught the attention of music fans around the world by splicing their infectious flamenco rhythmic patterns with any and every sonic texture they could get their ears on. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SowetoGospelChoir1.cfm “Africa is like a beast that has been sleeping all along but has now woken up,” says David Mulovhedzi, musical director of the Soweto Gospel Choir, “And now we’re showing the world what we’ve got.” Jeff Tamarkin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ForroInTheDark.cfm The leather chapeau de cangaçeiro s worn by Forro In The Dark is the traditional cowboy/bandit hat of northeast Brazil, birthplace of forro , the music that is FITD’s raison d’etre. Piotr Orlov http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheChieftains.cfm In 2007, the Chieftains will celebrate 45 years together, with founder Paddy Moloney still at the helm. Many talented players have come and gone, but this Irish juggernaut continues to tour far and wide. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/StephenMarley.cfm He launched his career at the age of seven, when he and his siblings formed the Melody Makers. Since the group’s dissolution, he’s spent most of his time in the studio, producing music for his brothers. Wes Orshoski http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GriotsInNewYork.cfm As West African and particularly Malian music have gained significant attention on the world music scene, West African griots have immigrated to the U.S., forming a large community in New York City. Jessica Marcy http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/KermitRuffins.cfm People outside New Orleans say trumpeter Kermit Ruffins is Louis Armstrong reincarnated, straight up. That Cheshire Cat grin, that rolling, wide-legged gait, that raspy, warmly infectious, from-the-heart-and-belly laugh. Tom Terrell http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CarmenConsoli.cfm She’s been likened to Ani DiFranco and Alanis Morissette, and with Italian album titles that translate into “Moderately Hysterical” and “Confused and Happy,” she clearly fits with the best of today’s English-speaking female rock singer-songwriters. Jim Bessman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AnaMoura.cfm Ana Moura is prime amongst the filhoas , or godchildren of fado. Her fado is quintessential—deeply emotional without being maudlin, it’s elegant and polished yet honest and spare. Carol Amoruso http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheMarsVolta.cfm The Mars Volta have astounded and alienated listeners and critics with their mystic musical brew that teeters between the brilliant and the insane. Mario I. Oña http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ThomasMapfumo.cfm Thomas Mapfumo is one of the few undisputed legends of African music. He merged rock ’n’ roll with traditional Shona music, and emerged as the voice of his beloved Zimbabwe. Tom Pryor http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheRefugeeAllStars.cfm The Refugee All-Stars’ mix of roots reggae, Afropop, hip-hop and traditional West African goombay music--fused with its direct English-language lyrics--address the brutality, struggle, and the hopefulness of displaced Sierra Leoneans. Jeff Tamarkin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BrazilianGirls11.cfm Brazilian Girls’s métier is usually pure capricious fun and even a bit of debauchery. Born from the Nublu scene, the drummer explains, “There were a bunch of Brazilian girls [at Nublu] who were really excited about our music. So I thought of the name. It’s kind of like calling the band ‘free beer.’” David R. Adler http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Aterciopelados.cfm Aterciopelados’s one constant is the duo’s assertion that their Colombian identity is vital to their art. Throughout their career, they’ve represented an alternative vision of Colombian rock music, one that moves beyond the territory staked out by more traditional and less challenging performers. Ernest Barteldes http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/VusiMahlasela.cfm If apartheid broke apart the different cultures and tribes of South Africa, Mahlasela’s music has unified them, blending many of the country’s 11 official and some unofficial dialects into his songs. He himself speaks 17 languages. “It’s important,” says Mahlasela, “for the youth to know what we went through, so that won’t happen again.” Wes Orshoski http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MarisaMonte.cfm One of the biggest Brazilian artists in the ’90s, Marisa Monte sold millions of records and toured the world, playing an imaginative brand of pop that drew upon her homeland’s musical roots in samba, but reached abroad for other sounds as well. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MichaelBrook.cfm Guitarist Michael Brook is definitely more of a cult hero than a chart-topper. But a list of those he’s worked with—from the late genius Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to Youssou N’Dour as well as Robert Fripp, the Pogues, Jane Siberry and many others—shows just how well regarded he is. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RandyWeston.cfm Randy Weston was born in Brooklyn. And it was there that the Afro-centric viewpoints of his parents and the wild ferment of jazz and black culture in general taught him to think broadly about music and its historical sweep. Larry Blumenfeld http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TanyaStephens.cfm Tanya Stephens may be one of the most down-to-earth current artists to receive major play in the dancehalls. “Accept me as I am,” she says, “I’m just saying what the hell I feel.” This attitude was born from experience. Judson Kilpatrick http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/OsMutantes.cfm Os Mutantes, made up of Rita Lee Jones and brothers Arnaldo and Sérgio Baptista, rarely played outside Brazil before breaking up. Risking jail, kidnapping and torture, the band somehow managed to flourish as an audacious teen sensation and foment the rockin’ Tropicalia rebellion. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/CheikhLo.cfm Raised in Burkina Faso, Lô was taken with music when he was still very young. At 10, when he picked up the traditional drums of his Senegalese ancestry, he’d already been exposed to the varied rhythms of the continent thanks to itinerant Africans who came to call at his family’s adopted home. Carol Amoruso http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AshaBhosle1.cfm Singer Asha Bhosle has been the soundtrack for millions of people’s lives for decades. With some 60 years behind her as one of the queens of Indian music, and with more than 20,000 documented songs in her recording catalog, she shows no signs of slowing down. Anastasia Tsioulcas http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MauriceElMdioni.cfm Maurice El Médioni developed his boogie-woogie style in the cafés of the Rue de la Revolution in 1940’s Oran, the northwestern Algerian port city. A prodigy, Maurice started playing piano at the age of nine. After just eight days, he was playing with both hands. Tom Jackson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/YungchenLhamo.cfm Lhamo stands as the crowning figure of Tibetan song in the West, a pleasant surprise to a woman who had no plans to sing professionally. Later in life she was told from no less a man than the Dalai Lama that her duty was to spread Tibetan ritual music around the planet. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Gigi.cfm Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw has become America’s most prominent representative of Ethiopian roots music. Since the beginning of her career, she’s been evolving the numerous and varied styles of her birthplace, which includes a broad cornucopia of Christian, Muslim and tribal influences. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SalifKeita1.cfm Mali’s greatest popular singer, Salif Keita, has come home to Africa. When he moved to France in the late 1970s, Keita was fed up with conservative attitudes forbidding Mande nobles like him to become musicians, and also with corrupt government officials, inferior recording studios, and all the other limitations faced by aspiring musicians in Africa at the time. Banning Eyre http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AliFarkaTour.cfm The world mourned the passing of a musical legend on March 7th, 2006, when Ali Farka Touré died of bone cancer. The charming and thoughtful guitar player introduced the world to Malian music. He was a staunch traditionalist, and paved the way for other Malian musicians to retain their musical roots. Lydia Martin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GustavoSantaolalla.cfm Gustavo Santaolalla has taken the Hollywood music-scoring industry by storm over the past two years. He took home an Academy Award “Best Original Score” in 2006 for his work on Brokeback Mountain , and another in 2007 for Alejandro Iñárritu’s Babel , amongst others such as the BAFTA, Latin Grammy, and Grammy awards. Phil Freeman http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DhaferYoussef.cfm Dhafer Youssef is a musician who has created a unique, spiritual sound, combining exquisite oud melodies with extraordinary, unearthly vocals. On his fourth album, Divine Shadows , the Tunisian musician’s sound is further enhanced by his long-term collaborators, who are among the boldest, most accomplished players in the Norwegian jazz scene. Tom Jackson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Samite22.cfm Ugandan singer/poet/multi-instrumentalist Samite, having already survived political exile and the untimely passing of his beloved wife, has now dedicated himself to a secular healing mission in Africa, combating AIDS with unflinching frankness, sensitivity and hope. This gifted and unselfish man is an inspiring role model whose music, with its warmth, tenderness and passion, is capable of raising the most profoundly wounded spirits. Christina Roden http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheCorrs.cfm The Irish family affair known as the Corrs is an album-selling phenomenon all around the world, except in the U.S. Their newest album, Home Rhino, is mostly a homage to Irish traditional music, albeit with more than a hint of the Corrs’ familiar contemporary pop style. Will this album be the one that breaks the Corrs in the U.S.? And why have the siblings waited so long to make a recording that pays tribute to their roots? j. poet http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SergioMendes.cfm Sergio Mendes was only 19 when he recorded his first album, contributing to the 1960 s bossa nova craze. He recently collaborated with a member of the Black-Eyed Peas remaking classic Brazillian songs, almost five decades later. Paul Sullivan http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RosaPassos.cfm Rosa Passos began performing in the late ’60s, but was overlooked for her straightforward approach to bossa nova, eschewing the rock bombast and glossy production values popular at the time. As someone who adheres to the tradition, she is undaunted by the bossa nova’s rich history. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LosdeAbajos.cfm The members of the celebrated ska/punk/everything else band Los de Abajo may hail from the streets of Mexico City, but their sound is so wild and all-encompassing, they could be from anywhere. Robert Kaye http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Auktyon.cfm Auktyon, echoing the short-lived No Wave movement as part of Leningrad’s underground scene, has been making music together for over 25 years. The band’s lyrics are often more Dada than deep, choosing words for sound or resonance more than literal meaning. Marty Lipp http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BaabaMaal.cfm Baaba Maal has begun work on his as-yet-untitled new album, a collaboration with conscious Philadelphia hip-hop band the Roots hopefully due later this year. Their vision, strongly Afrocentric and spiritual yet decidedly funky, meshes well with Maal’s own. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MexicanInstituteofSound.cfm By day, Camilo Lara is music director and A&ampR man for EMI in Mexico. Instituto Mexicano del Sonido the Mexican Institute of Sound came together as Lara, who also goes by DJ Pata Pata, began doing remixes on the side “as a form of therapy,” in his words. Ernest Barteldes http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BurningSpear.cfm Calling himself “a messenger of His Majesty,” Burning Spear has never deviated from his mission of preaching positive messages, teaching about oppression, and spreading Rastafarianism. Internationally known, he won a Grammy in 1999. Judson Kilpatrick http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/EmelineMichel11.cfm Emeline Michel has become Haiti’s signature female artist and a mainstay of the Francophone music world, billed as Haiti’s everything under the sun. She is a remarkable talent who takes charge of her own composition, production and dance. She’s an activist humanitarianism she even makes her own costumes.&nbsp Carol Amoruso http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TomZ.cfm Zé creates sonic plastination, replicating recognizable snippets of Brazilian and Western pop melodies, dissecting them like a mad scientist with utmost precision, a true Mary Shelley of surround senses. Then again, everything Zé does is in a weird way. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/FantanMojah.cfm The current roots rock renaissance has produced an abundant crop of talented newcomers and one of the most impressive is deejay i.e., rapper Fantan Mojah. Mojah struggled for several years prior to scoring two remarkable number one singles. Patricia Meschino http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Eccodek.cfm Canadian musician/producer Andrew McPherson, a.k.a. Eccodek, t urned on to global music while thumbing through his mom’s vinyl collection and stumbling upon a copy of African Sanctus , a 1972 recording by the Saltarello Choir. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/UB40.cfm In their own quiet way, they’re one of the world’s biggest bands. Their albums have sold millions of copies. They’ve enjoyed number one singles globally, and their world tours sell out huge venues. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/NouvelleVague1.cfm The name Nouvelle Vague is the French translation bossa nova, which in English means new wave. That the songs draw from new wave, post-punk and punk genres is really beside the point. Tad Hendrickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SavinaYannatou1.cfm When Savina Yannatou steps on stage with Primavera en Salonico, you can sense magic in the air. As the band slides into a hypnotic Mediterranean groove, the tension slowly builds. Then Yannatou begins to sing, and takes the audience into another dimension. j. poet http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MusiciansFindingTheirWaythroughVisaMaze.cfm Three years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11th, international musicians face significant challenges in receiving permission to tour the United States . Anastasia Tsioulcas http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/DesmondDekker.cfm Bob Marley might have been reggae’s international icon, taking the music to an entirely new level. But long before he made an impact abroad, Desmond Dekker was the man who helped make reggae into a global sound. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/EmmanuelJal.cfm Hope, as much of the world now knows, is a rare commodity in Sudan, a country plagued by decades of civil war, ethnic violence, political turmoil and poverty. Robert Nolan http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/BillLaswell.cfm Chances are you’ve heard Bill Laswell, even if you’ve never heard of him. He’s worked on over 700 projects with an endless list of artists, and co-wrote, produced and played on Herbie Hancock s monster hit Rockit. Judson Kilpatrick http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JahCure11.cfm The New York Times describes his most recent release, Freedom Blues VP Records, as “one of the season’s most eagerly anticipated reggae albums. Roots singer Jah Cure is paying a substantial price for such lofty commendations: he’s serving a 15-year jail sentence. Patricia Meschino http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/RyCooder11.cfm Ry Cooder has played with the Rolling Stones, Captain Beefheart and Jackson Browne, as well as Ali Farka Toure and the Buena Vista Social Club. So where did he go for his latest solo album? Back home. Marty Lipp http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/FemiKuti.cfm Global pop music’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams is littered with the bodies of the wannabe progeny of famously great musicians. Femi Anikulapo Kuti will never go out like that. Tom Terrell http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TtAlhinho.cfm Tété Alhinho lives in Praia , the capital of Cape Verde , on the tiny island of Santiago . Alhinho says the sea has influenced her life and her music as long as she can remember. j. poet http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MariaBethnia1.cfm Bethânia is now Brazil´s most respected and celebrated female artist. But in the 1960s, she was a legend in the making. Eliseo Cardona http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MIA11.cfm Something is certainly working for Maya Arulpragasam, a 27-year-old former Sri Lankan refugee now known as the artist/performer M.I.A. The press has latched onto this hip-hopping electro-clasher for her rather intriguing upbringing. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LadysmithBlackMambazo1.cfm Think of world music, and a handful of names spring automatically to mind. Among them, without a doubt, is South Africa’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo, with their immediately recognizable Zulu harmonies. Chris Nickson http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/GillesPeterson.cfm Gilles Peterson’s influence on the U.K.’s jazz/world dancefloor scene is inestimable. Though jazz and soul have always the mainstays of Gilles’ music policy over the years, he has consistently championed world grooves on the dancefloor too. Paul Sullivan http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/SeuJorge.cfm For Seu Jorge s parents, “the real measurement of success was that I become a man with dignity, a man with his own internal compass and was not compromised. Marty Lipp http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Rupee.cfm Soca’s international spotlight is shining on Barbados’ Rupee, whose music, a soca-pop-dancehall hybrid, is often characterized and criticized as not being, well, authentic soca. Patricia Meschino http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JuanDeMarcosandtheAfroCubanAllStars.cfm Cuban composer/arranger/ multi-instrumentalist Juan de Marcos Gonzalez is one of Cuba’s national treasures who helped re-introduce son , that bedrock style of Cuban popular music, to a whole new generation. Rik van Boeckel http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/MiltonNascimento.cfm There’s music everywhere in Brazil, and over the last 40 years a lot of it has been made by Milton Nascimento. The singer-songwriter is a superstar in his homeland, one of the long-time mainstays of popular Brazilian music. http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AnoushkaShankar.cfm Anoushka Shankar was afforded the opportunity to learn from a true master, sharing blood and time with a legend. However you look at the statistics, what matters most is the focus and soul she puts into her muse. Derek Beres http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/TheKronosQuartetRDBurmanandAshaBhosle.cfm The Kronos Quartet was founded in 1973 and has colored outside the lines from day one with antic curiosity and remarkably un-complacent taste. Christina Roden http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Ghorwane.cfm If any band is the personification of tenacity, it has to be Ghorwane, the dance band from Mozambique. Afi-Odelia E. Scruggs http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/Khaled.cfm Algeria’s greatest pop singer, Khaled, settles down with a cigarette in the garden of the Beverly Hills Hilton. He’s just finished up the final work on the U.S. release of his new album, Ya Rayi Wrasse. Banning Eyre http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ZakirHussain.cfm Master percussionist Zakir Hussain has distinguished himself as one of the world’s greatest tabla players. He has worked as a professional from the age of 12 when he began performing concerts of North Indian classical music in his native country. Bill Milkowski http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/LesNubians.cfm This September, the Faussarts dropped their third full-length recording with a group that always finds ways to confound expectations: Les Nubians Presents: Echos: Chapter One Nubian Voyager . Tom Terrell http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/JoeBataan.cfm And one of the most distinctive and original Latin musicians that New York ever produced, Joe Bataan, has recently reemerged from semi-retirement to reclaim his title with his first album of new music in over a decade. Tom Pryor http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AliFarkaToureandToumaniDiabate.cfm Mali’s “Lion of the Desert,” the guitarist Ali Farka Touré, and the “Grand Prince of Kora,” Toumani Diabaté, release either s first recording in half a decade. Lydia Martin http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/KimmoTherapy.cfm Over the last three decades Kimmo Pohjonen has made it his personal mission to preserve and expand the capabilities of the accordian, applying the instrument normally associated with antique folk music to a dizzying range of musical styles, from rock and folk to classical and electronic. Paul Sullivan http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/AmadouandMariam.cfm Amadou and Mariam have come upon a winning formula for blending the Bambara music of their ancestors with raw, rootsy rock ’n’ roll. Banning Eyre http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/ZapMama.cfm “I invite people to open their imagination with the sounds that I create,” says Marie Daulne. And the creative force behind Zap Mama has invited listeners in once again with Ancestry in Progress. Marie Elsie St. Leger http://www.globalrhythm.net/WorldMusicFeatures/EnglishFolkGetsCoolAgain.cfm A strange thing happened to English traditional music about a decade ago. People began to look at it anew, reassessing and reevaluating it for signs of life and possibilities. Chris Nickson