Category: rhythm

Congratulations, Minister N’Dour

This news planted a big smile on my face this morning. Youssou N’Dour, a man who helped expose me to some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard, has been named the Culture and Tourism minister in Senegal’s new government.

N’Dour, a Grammy-award winner and one of Africa’s most recognized artists, announced his candidacy for February’s presidential elections but his bid was rejected by the country’s constitutional council in late January. That decision, coupled with a ruling that allowed 85-year-old incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade to seek a controversial third term, fueled rising anger in the streets and sparked deadly riots. N’Dour quickly became a voice and face of the opposition and later threw his support behind former Prime Minister Macky Sall in the March run-off election again Wade. Tensions finally eased when Wade conceded defeat to Sall, who took 66 percent of the vote, just hours after the polls closed.

Like Brazilian legend Gilberto Gil, another of my early heroes in ‘World music‘, N’Dour opened my ears and eyes to an entirely new world of music, west African rhythms which themselves were the pivotal roots to so much of the music the world has enjoyed as a consequence of the African diaspora.

The shot above was taken at the Salle des Etoiles in Monaco in November 2009 when I finally got to see N’Dour perform live. He was singing this:

Here are a couple more shots from the same performance; nine in all are on my flickr stream here. To celebrate, I’ve changed the license to Creative Commons/Attribution 3.0, so you’re free to use them non-commercially. (With credit exactly as listed with photos, please.)

More from: [Daily Nation - Nairobi][BBC News - Africa][Africa Review]

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Light in Babylon – Istanbul Street Music Quickie

After a pair of cold and rainy days, the sun made a brief appearance here in Istanbul this afternoon. I decided that it wasn’t coincidence that I came across the band Light in Babylon soon thereafter jamming on Istiklal Avenue, this city’s busiest pedestrian thoroughfare. The wet and chill left me with a cold; the trio’s music blanketed it with a smile. Thank you.

You’re welcome to download and use these creative commons images (non-commercial use only).

This is vocalist Michal Elia Kamal – captivating voice.

Metehan Çiftçi playing the Santur, a Persian hammered dulcimer:

and guitarist Julien Demarque:

I bought their CD, Life Sometimes Doesn’t Give You Space, and you should too. I’m looking forward to giving it a listen when I’m back home in Ljubljana Wednesday afternoon. Hopefully they’ll let me use a song or two in some Istanbul videos I’ll be working on over the next couple weeks. Maybe if I ask really nicely.

Here are all links you’ll need for a little while. Check ‘em out! [ Facebook page ] [ Facebook group ]  [ Reverbnation ]  [ Myspace ]  [ Bandcamp ]

Okay, okay. By popular demand, one more picture of Michal Elia:

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What to say to a Climate Change Sceptic:

DJ Spooky on what to say to a climate change sceptic:

“What planet are you on?”

More with the multimedia artist one critic called ‘Einstein with a better haircut’ in this Mother Jones interview.

Life’s Rich Soundtrack – REM Retrospective Trailer

It’s called Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, will include 40 songs, and I’ll be buying it. The least I can do for a band whose music formed a large part of my life’s soundtrack. Great trailer, too.

It was a shame I didn’t see them live here in Slovenia, but I enjoyed them plenty of times back in the U.S. Here’s a snap I took during a show at the Cleveland Music Hall on 12-Aug-1985. The ticket was $12.50 and I still have the stub. I hid the zoom lens in my pants.


And while I’m at it, here’s a 1986 release that was part of the soundtrack during organizing days back in the mid-1980s. I haven’t felt the kind of energy that’s now spreading across the world in those 25 years since. The message is as resounding now as it was then. Yes, I’m excited.

Life’s rich demand creates supply in the hand
Of the powers, the only vote that matters
Silence means security silence means approval

Let’s begin again.

Susana Baca Named Peru’s Minister of Culture

Some happy news, via Luaka Bop:

Susana Baca Named Peru’s Minister of Culture « LUAKA BOP.

As was probably the case for many, the first song I heard by Baca was Maria Lando, from the David Byrne/Luaka Bop compilation, The Soul of Black Peru; love at first listen.

When the going gets weird, I turn to 1 Giant Leap

Released in April 2002, still among my favourite albums of the past decade. This is ‘Daphne’, with a special cameo from Kurt Vonnegut. Take a 7min&16sec break, and enjoy. It’ll perk up your day, Promise.

No, this isn’t Ron Jeremy

It’s Ferenc Santa, Jr., the virtuoso lead violinist and Artistic Director for the Hungarian National Gypsy Orchestra, who blew through Ljubljana Saturday afternoon for a concert on the central Preseren Square. A fantastic concert – a foot-stompin’ and hip-swayin’ good time had by all.

Founded in the mid-1990s, the orchestra’s far-reaching repertoire includes classical compositions to traditional Roma music, and quite a few things in between. There are quite of few performances on the web. A good place to start is on the Slovenian blog GLASBAtorij, which has video and recordings of a rehearsal posted just prior to the orchestra’s visit here a year ago. I’ve got about a dozen more pics here.

Saturday’s concert was part of a full evening slate to celebrate Radio Student‘s 41st anniversary. Happy birthday y’all!

Hungarian National Gypsy Orchestra 04, originally uploaded by pirano.