Showing 21 - 30 of 46
Mourning three legends
Life, John Clewley, Published on 13/08/2019
» Three legends died recently, each one of whom made important and distinctive contributions to their own musical cultures -- molam producer and impresario Theppabutr Satirodchompu, South African musician and bandleader Johnny Clegg, and New Orleans songwriter, pianist and bandleader Art Neville.
Top of the world
Life, John Clewley, Published on 05/02/2019
» The European Broadcast Union's Top 10 Chart for February -- taken from radio DJ playlists across the continent -- has just been released and there are some stunning new albums for world music fans to check out.
Beating the rainy-season blues
Life, John Clewley, Published on 04/09/2018
» The rainy season is upon us. The clouds roll in and a murky gloom descends; floods in the provinces, traffic jams in Bangkok. And, as we get to the months that often have the most rainfall -- September and October -- many here in the capital wonder if it will be as bad as the catastrophic floods of 2011.
Sounds celebrating Mandela centenary
Life, John Clewley, Published on 24/07/2018
» This month World Beat joins the international celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, anti-apartheid activist and visionary leader. Mandela was born on July 18, 1918, and passed away on Dec 5, 2013, having served 27 years in prison for his resistance to the racist apartheid system then operating in South Africa.
Musical archaeology
Life, John Clewley, Published on 10/07/2018
» James Cagney is regarded as one of the first gangster tough guys of Hollywood. Films like The Public Enemy (1931) made him a big star and his tough-guy persona belied his background as a dancer. If you look at the opening scene to his 1932 film Taxi, you'll hear him speaking fluent Yiddish, a "High German" language that originated with Ashkenazi Jewish communities and was later fused with other German dialects, as well as the Hebrew, Aramaic and Slavic languages.
Rediscovering a Malian gem
Life, John Clewley, Published on 28/11/2017
» When Mali gained independence from French colonial rule in 1960, guitarist/songwriter Boubacar Traore became one of the first musical stars of Mali's independence. Under the presidency of Modibo Keita, Traore regularly appeared on radio broadcasts becoming one of the symbols of the country's independence.
Renewing Mali's musical traditions
Life, John Clewley, Published on 17/10/2017
» The landlocked West African country of Mali has produced some outstanding singers and musicians in the past 40 or 50 years. Think of Mali's most famous musician, Salif Keita, and great dance bands like the Super Rail Band, Zani Diabate and his Super Djata Band, the late Ali Farka Toure… and the list goes on.
Mesmerising molam
Life, John Clewley, Published on 09/05/2017
» Twenty-five years ago I joined a team from the Japan Foundation on a tour of Isan to meet and talk to molam artists, as part of a project on Lao music in the region. We met up with the then-president of the Molam Association, National Artist Kane Dalao, and his two female molam partners, Boonpeng Faiphewchai and Chaweewan Damnoen (both later awarded national artist status), and joined the trio as they performed concerts in villages for social ceremonies like weddings in and around Khon Kaen.
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".
All aboard for some big fun
Life, John Clewley, Published on 21/06/2016
» One of my favourite times of the year is when the dry season ends and the countryside is transformed into a sea of green. And nowhere is it more fun to be at this time of year than in Isan. I have happy memories of rainy seasons in Buri Ram, where as soon as the rains arrived the village teenagers would take me out at night with a miner's light fixed on my forehead to hunt for tiny frogs.