Showing 1 - 4 of 4
Ry Cooder returns to gospel roots
Life, John Clewley, Published on 16/10/2018
» American guitarist Ry Cooder released his first studio album for six years recently. The Prodigal Son (Fantasy Recordings, USA) has put aside his more politically engaged music -- as heard on a series of albums, Chavez Ravine (2005), My Name Is Buddy (2007), Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down (2011) and Election Special (2012) and returned to a more-gospel oriented sound that he created on his early albums.
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.
A true one-off: Remembering Gil Scott-Heron
Life, John Clewley, Published on 06/09/2016
» The music and biting satirical poetry of Gil Scott-Heron have been booming from the World Beat beatbox this week. Earlier, I had watched a fascinating 2003 BBC documentary on his life and work, Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. The title was taken from one of his most popular songs which has been covered many times by other musicians, although if he were to write the song today it might be called, "The Revolution Will Be Digitized Or Tweeted".
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.