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Courtesy Urban Jungle Records
Brazilian singer Ceu loves soul, jazz, hip hop and afropop. And those influences are apparent on her new self-titled CD. But the foundation underlying it all is the Brazilian samba. "It's what sticks to the soles of my feet, " she says.
Iraqqi-born Shadha Hassoun took home the top prize in the televised Star Academy contest.
Pianist Barry Douglas is part of a project to raise awareness about revitalized cities and culture.
March 30, 2007 · Antibalas' nearly 13-minute Afrobeat epic "Sanctuary" unwinds with a graceful, unhurried pace that ever-so-slowly builds steam with each rhythmic reiteration. Though the bassline anchors the song, Antibalas works in a marvelously subtle mix of other elements.
March 22, 2007 · McKennitt's music has a Celtic feel, though it incorporates influences from all over the planet: She often travels to other countries for research purposes. Her newest album, An Ancient Muse, is as ambitious in scope as its title would suggest.
March 26, 2007 · A new CD features a unique musical combination from Ghana: drums, singing, bells and squeeze-bulb horns. The band members are taxi and truck drivers, and their music, por por, is named after the sound their horns make. Web Extra: Video of Por Por Performed
March 16, 2007 · The title of Kidjo's latest album, Djin Djin, roughly translates to "seize the day" — an appropriate directive from the West African singer, whose career spans 20 years. Kidjo fuses Afro-funk, salsa, reggae, gospel, jazz and more with shades of American rock, pop and soul.
March 13, 2007 · It's a truism that the drum is the heart and soul of African music. But not so fast: Over the past century, guitarists have redefined the sound of the continent. Two new releases, by Zimbabwean guitarist Louis Mhlanga and a Toronto-based group called the African Guitar Summit, prove that.
March 11, 2007 · A Wisconsin-based a cappella group breathes new life into the traditional songs of the Celts. In its latest album, Lowena, Navan explores the traditional music of Ireland, Scotland and beyond in the original languages. Web Extra: Listen
March 3, 2007 · Brazilian Culture Minister Gilberto Gil's latest album, Gil Luminoso, showcases his four-decade career as co-founder of the Tropicalia Movement. Web Extra: Listen
March 10, 2007 · A new film — as well as several recently published books — have introduced a younger generation of French citizens to Edith Piaf, the singer nicknamed "the Sparrow." She was only 47 when she died of cancer in 1963.
March 3, 2007 · Jai Uttal's vast musical interests are reflected in numerous world fusion recordings. For more than 30 years he has traveled around the world giving concerts and leading Kirtan, or Indian chanting.
February 21, 2007 · Like many at the Fania label, salsa bandleader Ray Barretto recorded quickly and often: Barretto Power is one of four albums he released in 1972. Some, inevitably, are duds, but this one is incandescent, exemplifying the label's genre-crossing creativity.
February 16, 2007 · Three continents find voice in this showcase of sounds from Disney Concert Hall. The diverse show includes a women's group of Bulgarian folk singers, a Balinese gamelan ensemble and, from Africa, Les Ballets Africains, a troupe of drummers, singers and dancers.
February 19, 2007 · Bob Marley's classic album Legend is now on sale in China, nearly a quarter century after it was released in the West. Now the search is on for a Chinese reggae superstar. We meet some hopefuls. The question: will reggae retain its political underpinnings in China, or is it all about the rhythm?
Hear an eclectic mix of ten concert specials recorded live at Disney Hall in Los Angeles.
From member station WXPN, host David Dye welcomes acts from the worlds of blues, rock, folk and alternative country.
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