Showing 1 - 4 of 4
Sugarcane workers' blues
Life, John Clewley, Published on 15/08/2017
» On a recent trip to the UK, World Beat enjoyed a stopover in Manchester to check out interesting vinyl and scope new releases. Additionally, in Pwllheli, North Wales, where some of my family resides, I was also able to go crate-digging in the five charity shops in the town, which is about the size of Buriram. A short drive down the coast to Portmadog to Cobb Records was also part of the musical itinerary. Here are a few of the highlights.
African musical great you've never heard of
Life, John Clewley, Published on 26/01/2016
» Sory Kandia Kouyate, the legendary West African jali (praise singer) and bandleader died suddenly in 1977, just a few years before African popular music took off internationally. He was just 44-years-old, and sadly, he's hardly mentioned these days but had he continued his pioneering career, I'm sure he would have been as famous as his compatriot Mory Kante, or other internationally renowned West African singers like Mali's Salif Keita and Senegal's Youssou N'dour.
Now for something completely different
Life, John Clewley, Published on 22/01/2013
» African musicians often complain that they face negative reactions when they create modern styles of music. It's fine if they stick with dance music or traditional acoustic sets, but when they want to do something different, people outside Africa seem to dismiss their efforts.
Musicians for president?
Life, John Clewley, Published on 17/01/2012
» One of Africa's most well-known musicians, Youssou N'Dour, announced recently that he would run in Senegal's presidential elections next month. N'Dour was one of the first African musicians to ride the "world music" boom that started in the mid-1980s and his first international release, Immigres (Earthworks, UK), remains one of the standout albums of that period.