World Music Network

The latest news, music and videos from the world of music

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"Vieja Trova Santiaguera: El Tren (taken from The Rough Guide To Latin Music For Children)" by World Music Network

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"Jyotsna Srikanth: Annapoorne (taken from The Rough Guide To Indian Classical Music)" by World Music Network

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"Mariem Hassan: Legneiba (taken from The Rough Guide To The Sahara)" by World Music Network

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"Amal Murkus: Doq (taken from The Rough Guide To Palestine)" by World Music Network

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"Söndörgő: Jozo (taken from the album Tamburocket Hungarian Fireworks)" by World Music Network

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Monoswezi Live in concert from Jazzahead! 2014

For more, visit: www.worldmusic.net/monoswezi

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Rough Guide To World Music! Our new playlist on Spotify that is updated weekly to showcase the best of what is happening at WMN HQ!

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Three amazing live acts from different corners of the world come together on one stage to present Rough Guide Live - a double anniversary celebration of 20 years of World Music Network and 25 years of Riverboat Records! Featuring: Krar Collective Kristi Stassinopoulou & Stathis Kalyviotis Jyotsna Srikanth More Information at www.worldmusic.net/roughguidelive

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Live performance of ‘Rasam Samba’ by Debashish Bhattacharya. A studio version of this track is featured on the acclaimed album ‘Beyond The Ragasphere’

http://www.worldmusic.net/store/item/TUG1070

Guitar legends John McLaughlin and Jerry Douglas collaborate with Indian slide guitar maestro Debashish Bhattacharya to explore Beyond The Ragasphere, accompanied by a galaxy of friends including tabla giants Pandit’s Bickram Ghosh and Tanmoy Bose and introducing the stunning vocals of Anandi Bhattacharya.

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The mountains of south-western China have inspired the folk traditions of those living in their shadows for millennia. Now, Shanren follow their ancestors footsteps with a mash of traditional Chinese folk and buzzing modernity on their infectious international debut Left Foot Dance Of the Yi. For more information, visit: www.worldmusic.net/shanren LEFT FOOT DANCE OF THE YI The mountains of Yunnan province in south-western China leap out of the landscape. Their lofty jagged spires zig-zag across every horizon and inspire the folk traditions of those that in live in their shadows. Shanren hail from the idyllic region and their band name literally translates as ‘mountain men’ – a clear indication of how their shared heritage is crucial to the group. Left Foot Dance Of The Yi is a contemporary re-working of Yunnan’s traditional music that traces out a striking collage of present day China. Many of the tracks meld together the soundscapes of old and new China to striking effect. The opening track, ‘Wandering’, weaves field recordings of Yunan’s Yi and Wa tribes, with sounds captured from the frenetic streets of bustling Beijing. The anthemic track ‘Thirty Years’ is an original composition owing equal creative debt to western rock as it does to the sounds of the Yi people. Shanren began their careers as musicians in the 1990s. Buzzing off the red-hot rock heard on illegally imported cassettes they began to draw inspiration from classic bands such as Led Zeppelin and their creative disciples the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Realizing that the mix of Chinese folk music and Western rock was a potent one, their sound quickly matured into something entirely unique – the high-pitched vocals, unusual string textures and driving rhythmic beats heard on this album. Reading deeper in to the musical marriage of the two genres, the band came to see the outcast position of Chinese rock musicians as a mirror image of the Yunan tribes’ struggle for cultural identity. Early Chinese rock and rollers were considered to be on the fringe by members of the mainstream Chinese machine and so their sounds were drowned out by the louder, brasher conventional pop music pumping out of urban cities. The music and traditions of the twenty-six ethnic groups that reside within Yunnan’s borders have been overpowered, leaving many of the younger generations without even a basic grasp of their own native customs. Shanren’s humble hope is that Left Foot Dance Of The Yi can inform the young Chinese of their rich and marvelously multi-faceted heritage. The recording process consisted of trips to the remotest corners of Yunnan to listen and learn the historical songs and traditional instruments found there. Though more educated than many in their home region’s traditions, Shanren’s insatiable musical appetite led them to many new awe-inspiring sounds. ‘Traditional Songs Of The Wa People’ combines two songs sung by the Wa ethnic group to welcome visitors. Their music is known for its layered percussive textures that are unlike any other music from the Yunnan region. Historically the Wa were feared for their military prowess and vicious headhunting custom. ‘Laomudeng Village’ is also an original arrangement of an ancient song, this time from the Nu tradition. The reverberating dabiya lute heard here is famous for its droning metallic sound and is customary to the Nu. The title track ‘Left Foot Dance Of The Yi’ was taught to Shanren by a family in Daguokou, in the north of Yunnan. The song accompanies an energetic left-footed dance and is played on the xianzi, a four-stringed Yi lute. The Naxi people are represented by a Shanren-style arrangement of the traditional melody ‘Lao Suo Mi’. The lyrics are sung in a made up language featuring words from the Naxi language and the ancient Dongba religion. ‘Drinking Song’ is a rip-roaring tune traditional to the Yi with urgent lyrics imploring their brother’s and sister’s to ‘drink whether you like it or not’. ‘The Crab’ is a setting of a traditional Kunming children’s song, the lyrics warning ‘once it catches you, you’ll never shake it off’ – the same might be said of Shanren’s infectious Chinese folk-rock fever. Ascending the soaring peaks under which they were born, Shanren’s mountain music probes the history and future of Chinese culture in one fell swoop.

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Psychedelic Bollywood! Watch this great scene from the original move 'Dharmatma'. Bollywood at it's best! The track appears on our latest Rough Guide To Psychedelic Bollywood. We have a video feature, showing some of the great original clips for tracks featured on the album: http://bit.ly/18LVD2O

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In the 1960s and 1970s Bollywood composers adventurously adopted the trippy guitars, spiralling synthesizers and ethereal vocals of psychedelia and mixed it with lusciously over-the-top Indian orchestrations. Jewels included feature songs by Asha Bhosle, Lata Mangeshkar, Usha Iyer and yodeller Kishore Kumar.

For more information, visit: www.worldmusic.net/psychedelicbollywood

The Rough Guide To Psychedelic Bollywood

Inherently conservative yet beholden to commercial imperatives, the Indian film industry has provided a precious ongoing narrative to the swiftly changing socio-cultural landscape since Independence. Few issues have caused such concern, excitement and debate as the incursion of so-called Western values, yet this Rough Guide shows Bollywood composers at their most playfully engaged, experimenting with radical new ideas, freely adopting myriad ‘outside’ influences and often creating an extraordinary, irresistible psychedelic mish-mash.

Influenced by the Western rock and the intertwined hippy movement, as the sixties rolled on the underground Indian psychedelic scene mushroomed, inspiring composers like R.D. Burman to work far-out music into their blockbuster soundtracks. Evidently the Western psychedelic movement owed much to Indian inspiration and the relationship was mutual: the sounds and styles of the swinging sixties trickled back to Indian shores and went on to manifest themselves, first in the underground scene and then Bollywood.

One of the very first examples of a psychedelic element on the big screen was seen in the classic Hare Rama Hare Krishna. In this film, a young woman runs away and joins a hippy commune where she puffs with pleasure on an oversized chillum and dances loosely to the hypnotic music. ‘Dum Maro Dum’, the famous track from this scene is sung by renowned playback singer Asha Bhosle.

The Virji Shah brothers make up the composer duo known as Kalyanji Anandji. Together they composed several seminal Bollywood hits and openly acknowledged the influence of James Brown and psychedelia on their musical brand; two of their wackiest instrumentals show their worth as standalone compositions here. Other jewels included feature Lata Mangeshkar, Usha Iyer and yodeller Kishore Kumar, all Bollywood megastars whose vocals are taken into another dimension. The full length bonus disc is a compilation of works by the inimitable R.D. Burman.

Delve deep into the time-warp and lose yourself in the heady world of psychedelic Bollywood.

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The short-list is in! Have a listen to our pick of the month's best world music tracks, and then vote for up to five of your favourite songs below. Your votes will determine the rankings for World Music Network's June Audio Chart - the ranking of each track will depend on how many votes each track receives. Once you've submitted your vote, you'll be able to see the current status of each album. So vote now to choose your favourite artist, and to see how other listeners are rating them! Vote Now: www.worldmusic.net/charts-voting

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Explore the beauty of Jyotsna’s South Indian violin on this sensitively crafted collection of Carnatic music. Adept at playing in many styles, Jyotsna’s elastic approach imbues her classical playing with a fresh energy that summons listeners to discover the elegant musical traditions of her home; this is her Call Of Bangalore. www.worldmusic.net/callofbangalore Jyotsna Srikanth: Call Of Bangalore Carnatic music from the south of India is renowned for its naturally melodic form. Jyotsna Srikanth’s music is woven through with this aesthetic; her artful violin soars in gāyaki style (as if sung), punctuated by percussionists Patri Satish Kumar and N. Amruth on mridangam (double-sided drum) and khanjira (clay pot) respectively. Jyotsna hails from Bangalore, the capital of the state of Karnataka. Her music, like her home city, is full of eclecticism and revelling in the collision of old and new. On this album Jyotsna concentrates on a collection of Carnatic classical music showcasing works by some of its greatest composers. Yet via a host of other projects, Jyotsna is equally as likely to be found jamming with her fiddle in free jazz, folk fusion or even rock forms. This elasticity imbues her classical Carnatic playing with a fresh energy that summons listeners to discover the opulent musical history of her home; this is her Call Of Bangalore. Jyotsna first began to play violin at the tender age of five. As a young child she was influenced by and in the company of greats. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, the classical violinist from Tamil Nadu, was an early inspiration and as a young musician she accompanied the respected multi-instrumentalist Mangalampalli Balamural Krishna. She has also worked with international artists Eduardo Niebla, Rao Kyao and Robert Atchison. While rising through the ranks in her music career, Jyotsna also found time to attain a medical degree and is a qualified doctor. Clearly a fiercely intelligent and ambitious multi-tasker, Jyotsna’s music is now the focus of her life. In addition to her live performing career she teaches violin, curates the London International Arts Festival and plays for Bollywood soundtracks. Traditionally, Carnatic concerts begin with a varnam, a short exploration of the raga in use. True to form, this album opens with the track ‘Varnam’. The raga used here is mohana, a pentatonic pattern used in cultures across Asia. The work is colourful and breezy, an up-beat way in to the album. ‘Gopalaka Pahimam’ was composed by nineteenth century Maharaja and patron of the arts Swati Tirunal and used the morning raga bhowli. Jyotsna also includes a composition by one of the most famous Carnatic composers, Muttuswami Dikshitar. ‘Annapoorne’ is typical of Dikshitar’s craft, sweet and slow in tone and tempo, and heavily decorated with gamakas (ornamental figures). The subject concerns Annapoorne, the Hindu goddess of nourishment. The raga used is sama, one that denotes peace. The closing work ‘Thillana’ is by Jyotsna’s contemporary Lalgudi Jayaraman. The raga mand is adopted from the northern Indian, or Hindustandi, tradition and the time cycle is furious and rhythmically complex. Jyotnsa’s Call Of Bangalore draws audiences to Indian shores, confiding in them the mystery and beauty of Carnatic classical music. Hear her call.

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The Sahara Sessions was recorded deep in the desert. Sheltered only by an animal-skin tent and the vast canopy of midnight stars, Etran Finatawa played their guitars and sang straight from the heart. Each poignant song and every slap of the calabash drum articulating the deep-set divisions in the Sahel region that are threatening their Nomad way of life. Read More/Buy Album: www.worldmusic.net/saharasessions Simmering political troubles and excruciating economic hardship pose a dangerous threat to the nomadic way of life and the rich cultures of Niger. Divining their solution to these issues, Etran Finatawa celebrate their diverse heritage and call for its preservation to be a priority for Nigeriens and listeners the world over. The Sahara Sessions opens with ‘Matinfa’, a gently rippling introduction peppered with traditional percussion; tendé, calabash and azakalabó (a calabash drum that floats in water) drums are all heard. The song title translates as ‘What Is This For?’ and is the first signifier of the album’s intent to comment on the tumultuous status of the Sahel region today. Although Niger has displayed a firm opposition to separatism that plagued neighbouring country Mali in 2012, the troubles have inevitably caused insecurity in the Sahel region and the threat to the countries rich and varied cultures is a very real concern. Etran Finatawa’s members are of Tuareg and Wodaabe heritages – neighboring tribes that both live as nomads. Water shortages and land disputes have led to deep-set economic issues that cause conflict and misunderstanding across communities. The work Etran Finatawa do to promote unity and understanding is invaluable. The album presents a collection of tracks: some fixed compositions developed and created by the band and others spontaneous improvisations that capture the spirit of the tent recordings. Songs such as ‘An Mataf Germanawen’ (Union) and ‘Issuad’ (Let’s Come Together) patiently call for attention to be paid to the political situation. Various guests also join then band on the album – arrangements that occurred organically and were spontaneously initiated. One of these, a Tuareg percussionist by the name of Ayouba arrived at the camp one night, revving out of the darkness on his motorbike. Before long Ayouba had set up his calabash drum and was spreading his contagious high-energy vibe like wildfire. His articulations can be heard on the three tracks ‘Matinfa’, ‘Icheraid Azaman’ and ‘Toumast’. ‘Wa Oyan A Wa Imouss I Bastila’ is an excerpt from an improvisation with Abdourahaman Ag Ibrahim, a well-known local griot (praise-singer and oral historian), who came to visit the tent where Etran Finatawa were recording. Etran Finatawa are as captivating as the horizon-stretching desert where the pitched their tent to record. Like the desert their music stretches out across the sands of time and culture.

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This Rough Guide contains a collection of joyful tracks that have been road-tested and hand-picked to entertain children the world over. Celebrate in the creative sounds of Congolese band Staff Benda Bilili, Malagasy maestro Lala Njava and Malian marvels Amadou & Mariam. http://www.worldmusic.net/store/item/RGNET1292/ ******************* The Rough Guide To African Music For Children It should come as no surprise that the continent that invented instruments which gave rise to everything from violins, lutes, guitars and drums would also be home to some of the most infectious children’s music on the planet. This Rough Guide presents a playful selection of young-at-heart music. On the island of Madagascar, Lala Njava’s advice in ‘Dinako’ explains that personal responsibility extends into village life through giving back to one’s community. Similarly, on the opposite end of the continent, in Mali, Vieux Farka Touré explains in ‘Fafa’ (‘Brotherhood’) about the importance of helping each other, and the responsibility of preserving memories. Congo’s groundbreaking band Staff Benda Bilili created instruments out of recycled garbage, using objects such as an old fish can, wooden boxes and old guitar strings, became the subjects of a critically acclaimed documentary, and now tour the world, performing at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals. Amadou & Mariam are famous the world over and contribute ‘M’bife’ to this Rough Guide. Samba Mapangala and his band have legendary status in Kenya. His music is a magical mix of rumba and soukous from Congo and traditional styles from Kenya and Tanzania. Sauti Sol also draw on Kenyan influence and blend warm, resonant pop with sparkling guitar lines and excitable drums. Etran Finatawa from Niger bring the breathless hear and shimmering horizon of the Sahara to life on ‘Gourma’. The album closes with a track by Sotho Sounds, a band made up of five funky shepherds from Lesotho who make all their own instruments turning junk items into melodious guitars and drums – turning junk into funk! The full length bonus album is by Saba, an Italian-Somali singer whose music imbues a rare sensitivity and gentle humour. Listen out for mixing acoustic guitars, koras, traditional African beats and contemporary percussion.

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During the 1960s and 1970s in Latin America, revolution was in the air – youth subculture was breaking its bonds, minds were expanding and music was turning inside out. This Rough Guide features a lovingly re-mastered selection of classic cuts by Joe Cuba and Johnny Rivera alongside contemporary psychedelic pioneers Brownout and Ocote Soul Sounds.

For more information: www.worldmusic.net/store/item/RGNET1291/

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