World Music/CRASHarts

World Music, a non-profit organization established in 1990, is New England’s premier presenter of global culture, featuring music and dance from the far and near corners of the globe. In 2001, World Music launched CRASHarts as a division of World Music...

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Warner Music enters Record Deal with an Algorithm

Do ever find yourself scrolling through playlists searching for the best sound to fit your mood?

If so, Endel might be the app for you. Through artificial intelligence, Endel creates customized soundscapes aimed at increasing its listeners' focus and mood. Furthermore, the algorithm-generated sounds adjust to real-time factors. External elements include its users’ heart rate and the weather.

Endel caught the attention of Warner Music; and three months ago, Warner’s Arts Music division entered a distribution and publishing agreement with the algorithm. This label-algorithm deal has never been done before and is the first of its kind.

Under the agreement, Endel will have to release 20 albums this year. As of March, five of the 20 albums have been released, and it seems like the remaining ones will come out on time.

The deal between Warner and Endel begs the question, what is the future of artificial intelligence in the music industry? Technology is an imperative tool in the creation of records, but could it replace humans entirely? Will we, as consumers, rely on algorithms to create our next favorite songs?  

Putting these questions and conspiracy theories aside, it will be interesting to see if other labels will follow in the footsteps of Warner. Could deals between labels and algorithms become the next major trend?

Check out this article by the Rolling Stone to learn more about Endel, and it's deal with Warner’s Arts Music: 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/warner-music-group-endel-algorithm-record-deal-811327/

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Have you heard Red Baraat?

Have you checked out Brooklyn born band Red Baraat? The group, created by dhol player Sunny Jain, fuses the North Indian bhangra with elements of hip-hop, jazz, and punk. I’m only now seeing their Tiny Desk Concert, and am so glad that I came across it. The beat of the dhol, the blasts from the horns, and their booming voices left me mesmerized. Red Baraat’s passion for music is evident, and their joyous energy radiates on screen.

My favorite song in the video was “Se Hace Camino,” which starts at 11:32 :) 

Definitely check them out if you haven’t already!

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Have you checked out “Don’t Let Me Down,” by We Banjo 3? If not, definitely give it a listen! One of my new favorite bluegrass songs :) 

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Meet The New Intern!

Hey everyone! My name is Sarah, and I’m super excited to have begun my internship with World Music/CRASHarts. As the new Marketing Intern, I will be posting on this account all spring. Looking forward to sharing new music and content with you! Before I go, here are some fun facts about me:

1 I am a student at Berklee College of Music, dual majoring in Music Business & Management and Professional Music. This is a five-year program, and I will be graduating in the Fall of 2020.

2 I am trained in the bel canto method of singing, but use this operatic technique in contemporary styles.

3 I am also a writer of songs, poetry and short stories.

 Be sure to keep an eye out for new posts! (:

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These are “moves you won’t want to miss.”

—Boston Magazine 

Boston Dance Theater(BDT) will perform works by Itzik Galili, Sidra Bell, and Yin Yue, including one world premiere, two U.S. premieres, and one Boston premiere in less than one month on Friday, November 30, 8:00 pm, and Saturday, December 1, 8pm at Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston.

Want to see their performance? Buy tickets now: 

https://worldmusic.org/content/event_page/7241/boston-dance-theater

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Identity Through the Eyes of Music

Why do you listen to music? Have you used music to discover or define yourself since you were little? 

For most of us, there’s a point in our youth where we do not want to emulate our parents and start to form our own identity, and music is usually a part of that transition. When we start to discover music for ourselves, we then decide what we like and don’t like.

Researchers at Cambridge University identified five broad categories of musical taste during a person’s life. 

During adolescence, for example, we’re most likely to identify with “intense” musical genres like punk, or metal. 

As we transition to early adulthood, we’re more likely to construct our identities around pop music. 

But as we reach middle age, our identities tend to go in one of two directions: sophisticated or unpretentious. The former tends to have a strong association with jazz and classical music, whereas the latter tends to be defined by interests that associate with blues, country or folk music.

What category are you living?

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Caption: Michael Jackson’s Dancing Pack 

Credit: Vexels

4 Tips For Learning Choreography Quicker

Learning dance choreography is a skill like any other in dance class; it takes practice. No matter what else you do, repetition is a must.

1. Learn choreography in chunks

You remember phone numbers more easily when the digits are grouped, and your brain holds on to choreograph the same way. In your mind, group the choreography into even smaller bits if you have to and look for landmarks in the sequence. These are the big or important movements that should still be there even if you flub everything else. These also act as signposts directing you to the next chunk of movement.

2. Mark it slowly

Walk through the steps of your choreography slowly when learning it. This technique heightens your awareness of every movement and shows you how the movement should feel. This accelerates muscle memory as well as mental memory.

3. Set a very specific schedule of repetition

After you have learned new choreography, repeat it immediately on your own. Then take a 10 min break and repeat it again. Then repeat it physically and/or in your mind an hour later. And then repeat it again the next day, and again a week later. This schedule can help you quickly learn almost anything. You can think of it as a way to embed information in your long-term memory through a lot of early repetition to get it established in your mind and body, and then allowing a brief but increasing spacing of time to let it sink in.

4. Develop personal, not external cues

It is very easy to associate choreography to specific points on your practice floor, the sound of your coaches’ count, or a particular music that you practice to. The problem is that in a competition, none of these will be there to help you. Instead of external cues, develop cues in your own mind and body. A particular weight shift can signal the next group of steps, or you can associate an arm moment with a step that you frequently forget. Transitions from one dance phrase to another are as important to memory as they are to the fluidity of the dance, but you need to consciously define them as memory triggers to make this technique work.

Happy dancing :)

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How K-Pop Conquered the World

“Despacito” proved that pop speaks every language. Now, Korean superstars like BTS are scoring megahits and selling out U.S. stadiums

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a seven-member South Korean boy band formed by Big Hit Entertainment. The name subsequently became a backronym for Beyond The Scene.

Never heard of BTS?

BTS has a large presence on social media, subsequently winning the Top Social Artist Award at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards after receiving over 300 million votes to become the first Korean group to win a BMA (Billboard Music Award). They were the most tweeted about celebrity in 2017, being "liked or retweeted over half a billion times (502 million)" worldwide. BTS also won the Top Social Artist Award at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

The group charted for the first time in the 2016 edition of the Billboard Year-End charts specifically on the World Albums Artist and World Digital Song Artists. They placed again on the 2017 edition ranking 10th on the Top Artists, second on the Top Artists - Duo/Group, and first on the Social 50 Artists and World Albums Artists. In 2018, BTS were honored with Outstanding Achievement in Music at The Asian Awards.

On October 6th, BTS becomes the first Korean group to play a U.S. stadium, at New York’s Citi Field. The show, which sold out in minutes, follows the success of the group’s hit “Fake Love,” which debuted at Number 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Hot 100 in June and racked up more than 35 million YouTube views in its first 24 hours, surpassing Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do.” BTS’ LP Love Yourself: Tear, released in May, debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, moving 135,000 copies in its first week.

Tweet BTS on Twitter now: https://twitter.com/BTS_twt

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KEIGWIN + COMPANY: Places Please Trailer

Nicole Wolcott and Larry Keigwin choreograph and star in this mad cap trip backstage in the final moments before the curtain goes up. The audience becomes privy…

A zany duet that captures the anxiety and playfulness of life behind the scenes before the curtain goes up…

Catch these two dancers at The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston in less than two weeks for two performances only: Oct. 19 & 20! 

Buy tickets now: https://worldmusic.org/content/event_page/7206/larry-keigwin-nicole-wolcott-starring-in-places-please!

Free preperformance talks with Boston Dance Alliance Executive Director Debra Cash 30 minutes prior to curtain in the ICA Common Room.

Free postperformance Q&A with the artists Friday, October 19.

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Concha Buika: the outspoken queen of flamenco fusion

Pedro Almodóvar is one of her biggest fans and she loves David Cameron. The outspoken queen of flamenco fusion talks politics, music – and her babysitting years in Slough

“I believe I can sing in any language, any rhythm,” said Buika.

Excited to listen to her music? Catch her at Berklee Performance Center in Boston in less than one week, Friday, October 12, 8pm! 

Buy tickets now: https://worldmusic.org/content/event_page/7196/buika

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Hey! Everyone~

I’ve been doing Latin dance for more than 10 years. Want to see me dancing? I will be performing cha-cha dance in the Mid-Autumn Festival event organized by MIT CSSA and NASU(North America Sports Union) on Sept 21st. Dancing on a BOAT CRUISE!

Come see me dancing and make new friends! HAHA

Date and time: Friday, Sept 21st, 6-10 pm. The boarding begins at 6 pm and the boat cruise will begin at 7 pm, please arrive in advance.

Location: 200 Seaport Boulevard, Commonwealth Pier, Seaport World Trade Center 

Party theme: Le Rouge et Le Noir

Dress code: Black or red clothes, or black/red accessory. 

Get tickets: https://mit.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=883&p=1 

(Dinner will be provided on board, 21+)

Event post: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/20HqgoAm6go40RjAGUCXLQ(It’s in Chinese, but check out some pictures!)

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Do you know the similarity and difference between Salsa and Cha Cha dance?

Credit: Pinterest

WHAT IS SALSA

Origin: The exact origin is unknown but many believe that Salsa dancing began in New York in the mid-1970s. It has its roots in the earlier Latin dance styles, such as Cha-Cha and Mambo and was also influenced by other swing dance styles. Salsa dance is a combination of different dance styles, just like the sauce, "salsa," which is a delicious mixture of various ingredients. Salsa is considered the king of Latin dances and is danced throughout the world.

Music: Salsa is in 4/4 time and sounds more intricate than Merengue and Bachata because of its syncopated rhythm, known as the "Clave" rhythm.

Steps: Salsa basic consists of 3 steps (2 quicks and 1 slow or a pause). You could dance the Salsa "On1" (LA style) or "On2" (NY style); in other words, you can start your first step (breaking step) on the first beat (the strong beat) or the second beat. Footwork in both styles are generally the same however the feelings are quite different. Dancing "On1" appears to be more exciting and flashier while dancing "On2" feels more relaxed and smooth.  

Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzsbg2UPA5w

Characteristics: Intricate music, fast-paced, sharp and exciting turns

WHAT IS CHA CHA

Origin: Also known as Cha-Cha-Cha, it is a dance style which originated in Cuba and became popular in the U.S. in the 50s. Cha-Cha is also a competitive Latin dance style in both American and International ballroom dance competitions.

Music: Cha-Cha is danced in 4/4 time as well. It is often counted as "1-2-3-cha-cha" (a cha is 1/2 beat) or 1-2-3-4-&. This dance style can be danced to authentic Cuban music as well as Latin Pop and Latin Rock.

Steps: The basic consists of a rock step and a chasse step, which is a triple step pattern that goes step-together-step. The chasse step in Cha-Cha makes the dance look more intricate, sharp and stylish. Similar to other Latin dances, in Cha-Cha, dancers keep their feet close to the floor and let their hips move freely throughout.

Learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjcWXpvA5e8

Characteristics: Intricate footwork, sharp action, quick spins, flashy, staccato music

Source: Duet Dance Studio

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Founded in 2003, Newpoli specializes in southern Italian folk music as an eight-piece ensemble – two lead vocals,  chitarra battente, mandola & classical guitar, tamburello & vocals, oud, zampogna, ciaramella & recorders, violin, and bass.

Over the past 14 years Newpoli has been “unbelievably fortunate with such honors as: winning the Independent Music Award in 2016 for Best Traditional World Music Album; being finalists in the USA Songwriting competition; being nominated twice for the Premio Loano for traditional music in Italy; and being nominated three times for Best World Music group by the Boston Phoenix,” said Bjorn Wennas in his article on INDIEGOGO.

Excited to listen to their music? Catch them during their NEW CD RELEASE concert at The Rockwell in Somerville in less than one month! Buy tickets now: https://worldmusic.org/content/event_page/7186/newpoli

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Sona Jobarteh review – kora player with all the makings of an international star

Rich Mix, LondonJobarteh is Africa’s first female griot kora virtuoso, and also a fine singer and composer, blending traditional music, blues and Afropop to impressive effect

“This is the woman who decided to change the rules,”  said Robin Denselow in his review of Sona Jobarteh’s concert on The Guardian. 

Sona Jobarteh is an acclaimed player of the kora, a West African instrument with 21 strings. The kora has been described as a “double-bridge harp-lute,” and it is a unique instrument indeed.

"She’s a woman in what has been a male-dominated hereditary tradition dating back to antiquity,” said Parke Puterbaugh in his article on the Go Triad. “Jobarteh’s success and acceptance as a female kora player is a sign of changing times and attitudes.”

We are nearly one month away from Sona Jobarteh band live at the Somerville Theatre on Oct 11! Buy tickets now: https://worldmusic.org/content/event_page/7191/sona-jobarteh-band

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Mashrou' Leila's 'Roman' Cries For Resistance

The rock band from Beirut returns with a heady, heartfelt song that challenges stereotypical perceptions of Middle Eastern women — from all comers.

“Last year, the band Mashrou' Leila from Beirut, Lebanon, slayed us with an unforgettable Tiny Desk Concert. Their potent mix of sweet sounds and heady lyrics are beguiling; it's no wonder that superfans call themselves ‘Leila Holics.’ ” said Anastasia Tsioulcas in her review of Mashrou' Leila’s song, ‘Roman’, on Npr Music.

The band has released three studio albums, Mashrou' Leila (2009), Raasük (2013), and Ibn El Leil (2015) and an EP, El Hal Romancy (2011), invoking many debates due to their satirical lyrics and themes.

Want to see their live performance? Catch Mashrou' Leila at The Sinclair in Cambridge less than one week away! Buy tickets now! https://worldmusic.org/content/event_page/7171/mashrou-leila

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Meet The New Intern!

My name is Jieru and I feel thrilled to begin my internship with World Music/CRASHarts! Since I am the marketing intern, I will be taking over this Tumblr account and I will be sharing a lot of interesting content. Here are a few fun facts about me:

I am a Journalism graduate student with a ‘Media Innovation’ track at Northeastern University. I will be graduating next summer.

I was born in Lianyungang, a coastal city of China. I’ve also been in South Korea for about three years. I graduated from college in South Korea, and attended the graduate program for one semester at Chuna-Ang University in South Korea. I can speak English, Chinese Mandarin, Korean, and a little bit Japanese.

I’ve been learning Latin and ballroom dance for more than 10 years. Music and dance have so much in common, like rhythm, one of the main components of music, and tone. As we all know, most dances are based on melody. Though I can’t play music instruments, dancing is very important to me, and has had a great impact on my music appreciation.

I will be posting content all fall, so be sure to keep an eye out for new posts! (:

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Diogo Nogueira - Pé Na Areia (Ao vivo)

A música “Pé Na Areia” está no CD/DVD “Alma Brasileira” do Diogo Nogueira. Clique aqui para ouvir a música: https://umusicbrazil.lnk.to/PeNaAreiaYA SIGA O DI...

We recently announced that Brazilian samba singer, Diogo Nogueira will be coming to Boston this September! The double Latin Grammy winner has sold millions of CD’s worldwide, reaching gold or platinum for his releases. You don't want to miss this incredible musician live!

Tickets can be purchased at http://worldmusic.org/content/event_page/7366/diogo-nogueira