Showing 1 - 8 of 8
Bridging cultures
Life, John Clewley, Published on 18/06/2024
» In 2011, Iraqi musician, actor and writer Ahmed Moneka was working as an artist and actor. He studied at Baghdad's Institute of Fine Art and, according to Canada's The Globe And Mail, he was the first black TV presenter in the country. His father, also a well-known comedy actor, was the pioneer. Moneka went into the "family business".
Independent in Indonesia
Life, John Clewley, Published on 21/12/2022
» Interest in recorded music, led by DJs and "crate-diggers", has shone a light on some fascinating popular music genres over the past 20-odd years. Soundway Records, set up by Miles Claret in the UK, released its first compilation in 2002 on Afrobeat, funk and fusion from Ghana in the 1970s, and since then has released compilations on African, Caribbean, Latin and Asian music (mainly focusing on the period from 1950s to 1980s, when popular genres were being created by newly independent countries).
Adventure in new lands
Life, John Clewley, Published on 26/04/2022
» British-Sudanese writer Jamal Mahjoub's latest novel The Fugitives is a delightful tale of a fictional Sudanese dance band, the Kamanga Kings, and how the son of one of the founders, an English teacher called Rushdy, reforms the band and goes on a raucous road trip to play their music in the US.
Honouring a legend
Life, John Clewley, Published on 26/06/2018
» The annual temple fair at Wat Thap Kradan in Suphan Buri province was held recently. Every year, around the second week of June, thousands of luk thung fans, hundreds of vendors and a galaxy of luk thung singers descend on the temple to celebrate the life and music of Rajini Pleng Luk Thung (Queen of Thai Country), Pumpuang Duangjan.
Music to move to
Life, John Clewley, Published on 26/07/2016
» The fascinating sounds of "Lollywood" (Pakistani cinema) soundtracks have been exploding from the World Beat turntable for the past week, courtesy of an excellent recent double vinyl compilation, 'Life Is Dance!' Plugged-In Sounds Of Wonder At The Pakistani Picture House (Finders Keepers, 2011). The compilation was sourced from EMI Pakistan's vast archives by Chris Menist, DJ partner of Zudrangma's Maft Sai and a member of local favourites the Paradise Bangkok Molam International band, and is a part of the series called "Sounds of Wonder".
Musical treasure in the Garden City
Life, John Clewley, Published on 16/12/2014
» A business trip last week saw World Beat in Christchurch, the largest city on New Zealand's South Island. Founded in 1856, Christchurch is the oldest city in New Zealand, and due to its parks and greenery is known as the "Garden City".
A step in a new Direction
Life, John Clewley, Published on 09/09/2014
» Mali in West Africa is best known for its amazing dance bands from the 50s, 60s and 70s, for small acoustic ensembles and for powerful singers like Salif Keita and Oumou Sangare.
Photos evoke Chicago in its influential heyday
Life, John Clewley, Published on 04/06/2013
» Chicago was the birthplace of the electric, urban blues which became known as "rhythm and blues" or just plain "Chicago blues"; it was the precursor of rock 'n' roll. The blues may have come from the US south with the "great migration" of African-Americans that began in 1920 and gathered pace during and immediately after World War II, but it was transformed in the late 40s and early 50s into an electrified dance music in the north by Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Bo Diddley, Little Walter and their contemporaries, as well as by new labels like Chess Records.