Showing 1 - 5 of 5
Horns of Africa
Life, John Clewley, Published on 13/11/2018
» Summer and autumn releases are out and there are some fascinating new albums that are well worth checking out. The European Broadcast Union's Top Ten World Music Chart for November features hits from the Horn of Africa, Turkey, Zimbabwe and Colombia.
Marrabenta, Mozambique's popular groove, is rarely heard
Life, John Clewley, Published on 13/02/2018
» The rise of post-independence popular music in Africa has unleashed a wide array of genres from many regions. A snapshot might show, from North Africa, Algerian Rai music, and street music like shaabi from Egypt; West Africa has gumbe, Malinke music, Tamashek, afrobeat and highlife and mbalax; the Congo region has its rumba Congolais and myriad dance forms, while South Africa has mbaqanga.
Irresistibly funky
Life, John Clewley, Published on 14/11/2017
» Colombia's Disco Fuentes label is probably one of the most well-known record companies in South America. From the 1960s, the label pumped out funky cumbias, porro and such irresistible salsa that Cubans often said that they felt at home in Colombia; if I spin a Colombian track when I am manning the DJ decks, a dancer will come up and ask me which Cuban band I'm playing.
Southeast Asia's kaleidoscope of sounds
Life, John Clewley, Published on 23/04/2013
» The Asean Economic Community (AEC) is due to open the markets of 10 countries in Southeast Asia in 2015 and much has been written about how best to prepare to take advantage of the opportunities the economic union will bring.
Of mice and men
Life, John Clewley, Published on 06/11/2012
» The Malawi Mouse Boys' main line of business is selling barbecued mice-on-a-stick to drivers on a desolate stretch of highway in the land-locked Malawi. Food scarcity has made field mice a delicacy and the eight-member band works around the clock to flag down motorists to try their roasted wares. When there aren't any cars or trucks, in their downtime, the Mouse Boys write and perform songs played on instruments made from scraps of wood and bits of metal. They've been doing this since they were kids.