Showing 41 - 44 of 44
Paradise meets with molam beats
Life, John Clewley, Published on 08/12/2015
» It's been a busy year for Bangkok-based molam instrumental band Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band. The band released a debut album, 21st Century Molam, in November 2014 to great acclaim. The album garnered a number of awards, including Album of the Week on BBC Radio 6 and a Best Album Award on Gilles Peterson's radio show on the BBC. In Bangkok, the band was recently awarded Best Instrumental Album at the Khom Chat Leuk Awards.
Anniversary for the godfather of Afrobeat
Life, John Clewley, Published on 04/11/2014
» This year marks the 50th anniversary of Nigerian drummer Tony Allen's debut with pioneering Afrobeat master Fela Kuti. Allen played with Fela's band Africa 70 as drummer and musical director until 1979. Mention Afrobeat and Fela's name immediately pops up but without the fantastic drumming skills and funky mentality of Allen, Fela's music would not have reached the heights it did during this period; something Fela was quick to acknowledge.
Filipinos and all that jazz
Life, John Clewley, Published on 26/05/2015
» There's a famous photograph of HM the King playing jazz with a band of enthusiastic musicians. It is from 1963 when His Majesty held regular jam sessions with locally-based and visiting musicians. Perhaps the most famous jazz photo is the one that features Benny Goodman, the clarinet-playing American bandleader, but in the 1963 photo, His Majesty is playing with two Filipino jazz musicians: Angel Pena on upright bass and Bert del Rosario on piano.
Titbits from the Top 20
Life, John Clewley, Published on 17/02/2015
» This month's World Music Top 20 Chart of the year from the European Broadcast Union features some very interesting music, mainly from Africa, Europe (especially Spain) and Brazil. The February chart was taken from 45 radio DJs from 25 countries across Europe and the Top 20 was selected from 155 nominated recordings; there is no equivalent chart for Asia.