Return of the World Music Thread: 2012

digging the Nneka album - Soul is Heavy - now on spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/2y8fPjPCWanp8VbAIycIaT

Questlove is tweeting about her and the pr push is on (plus she's on a North American tour this month)

In honor of her release, Nneka will be performing on BET's 106 & Park this Tuesday, March 6th, performing the track “God Knows Why” with Black Thought and J.Period.

The album is an effortlessly balanced combination of hip-hop beats, reggae grooves, brass riffs and African-pop

I need to check it out

Tinariwen are coming back to tour this continent also

Nneka's got a little Erykah Badu influence going.

Now I really like the kinda retro Afrop-pop album Zemelewa from Ivorian-American group Zieti. A singer and guitarist from the Ivory Coast teamed up with a guitarist from DC afrobeat band Chopteeth and a drummer plus others. The two Ivory Coast members can't get visas to come to the US (yet?), so the others are gonna be playing at little DC club Bossa on Thursday

Still liking the Zieti project--nice mix of retro and current afro-pop. Was exhausted and missed the gig last night with the DC members.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2012/03/08/how-zieti-got-the-band-back-together/

Zieti getting more attention-- from Guy Raz on npr public radio

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/10/148310390/zieti-amid-brutal-conflict-a-musical-friendship-survives

and here's another piece

http://myworldmusicfriends.com/articles/03062012/beautiful-struggle-american-ivorian-trans-atlantic-band-zieti-turns-war-separati-0?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

http://www.essakanefilm.com/

movie doc coming soon about the Festival in the Desert

Has anybody else heard the new Rodrigo y Gabriela album, on which they're backed by a 13-piece Cuban band? It's pretty hot. There are also some other guests, like Anoushka Shankar and Trio Joubran, but most of it is guitars + horns & percussion. No new pieces, all re-workings of tracks from the last two studio albums, but well worth a listen if you're already a fan.

Not so turned on by Zieti, as much as I like the idea of it.

x-post--Not a fan of Rodrigo y Gabriela, but was intrigued when I read that they recorded this in Cuba with Cuban musicians.

Re Zieti, I was hesitant at first, as I'm not a big Chopteeth fan and I am not crazy about the idea that the Chopteeth guitarist stripped out the modern tech sounds created by the Ivory Coast members, but they approved the changes and I like the combination of retro afropop instrumentation and modern Ivorian vocal melodies.

rod y gab is worth a listen but it's disappointing to me in that it seems more like a grab at a tour or a nice idea executed rather than a new album

http://africasacountry.com/2012/03/11/dancing-to-the-lijadu-sisters/

Ok, not completely crazy about the flute on that one Zieti song "To Zion," but the singing and the percussion make up for that.

love the Zieti album! it's so highlife'y! my fave world album of the year so far. so breezy sounding + sophisticated.

I wonder why Sean G (upthread) does not like Zieti?

other items of interest:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauti_Sol

I wonder if this Kenyan band that's at SxSW is doing other North American shows? Will research more later

Liking this Karantamba album a whole lot:
http://open.spotify.com/album/4kAlAPW9owLaq2SwOPWhI2

Think it's a reissue of an 80s recording. Very hypnotic and slightly murky feeling, but with guitar and horns really shining in places.

not available in the states, sadface.

Oh, that sucks! This is what it sounds like...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQmT89440D8

It's good.

Looks good.

I not wowed though on my first 2 listens by the just released in the US (but out elsewhere for awhile) Karindula Sessions cd on Crammed Discs of Congolese banjo-like Karindula playing and percussion and such. Here's an older review

http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/6538

More stuff worth listening to, I think. Actually listened to a bit of Saharan cell phones one awhile ago

Ali Ag Amoumine - Takamba

― Moka, Sunday, February 12, 2012 12:18 PM (1 month ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

hell yeah, this is fantastic. especially like the last track on the LP ("mali") and the sweet, acoustic A side of the single ("amidinine")

― Fozzy Osbourne (contenderizer), Tuesday, March 20, 2012 4:23 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

african music has become my favorite kind lately, though i'm not sure exactly how this happened. another recent favorite:

music from saharan cell phones - various artists

also on sahel sounds, also from late 2011, technically

― Fozzy Osbourne (contenderizer), Tuesday, March 20, 2012 4:

the context behind the saharan cell phones thing is cooler than the tracks (which are great, but not as great as the story). also, i'm kinda burnt out on tinariwen atm tbh

I didn't like every single track on Saharan Cellphones but I thought the range of styles was really interesting. yeah, some desert blues rock like Tinariwen stuff but also weirder plastic-y electronic tracks too.

I wonder how the desert bands will be affected by the renewed turmoil through parts of Mali, and certain Tuareg groups fighting to establish their own homeland. There was just an in incident today in Mali's capital of Bamako

http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFBRE82K17120120321

Heavy gunfire has been heard in Bamako and armoured vehicles sealed off the presidential palace.

It follows growing discontent among government troops as the Malian army struggles to contain advancing Tuareg rebels in the north of the country.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17462111

Earlier this month:

Two members of North African band Tinariwen have cancelled their trip to Wellington due to an escalation in violence in northern Mali where they live.

Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, and vocalist and guitarist Elaga Al Hamid have been unable to make it out of the troubled region as conflict between the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad and the Malian Government worsened in recent days.

The insurgency by MLNA rebels had seen many Malians die in a series of attacks since January, with around 130,000 refugees displaced in the conflict.

Ag Alhabib was now sheltering in a refugee camp near the Algerian border, and unable to get out due to crossfire between the MLNA rebels and the Malian Army, the band's management said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/arts-festival-2012/6506687/Mali-unrest-prevents-musicians-from-Festival

Some interesting whirled music presentations and panels at the EMP thing in NYC Thursday night through Sunday. Wish I could have made it up there.

Khaira Arby, Malian diva and her latest US tour:

Concert Schedule:

Thu 4/26 DALLAS, TX Kessler Theater
FRI 4/27 LAFAYETTE, LA Festival Int'l de Louisiane
Sat 4/28 LAFAYETTE, LA Festival Int'l de Louisiane
Mon 4/30 ATLANTA, GA The Earl
Tue 5/1 DURHAM, NC Local 506
Wed 5/2 WASHINGTON, DC DC9
Thu 5/3 NEW YORK, NY LPR
Fri 5/4 BOSTON, MA Johnny D's
Sat 5/5 ROCHESTER, NY Abilene Bar & Grill
Mon 5/7 MONTREAL, QC La Sala Rosa
Wed 5/9 GRAND RAPIDS, MI Pyramid Scheme
Thu 5/10 CHICAGO, IL Old Town (small room)
Fri 5/11 IOWA CITY, IA Englert Theatre
Sat 5/12 LINCOLN, NE Bourbon Theater
Mon 5/14 SALT LAKE CITY, UT Urban Lounge
Sat 5/19 JOSHUA TREE, CA Joshua Tree Music Fe

North American tour

i think arby was on Sway Machinery's last album - House of Friendly Ghosts - and was excellent

Yep she was. I liked her on her first tour where she brought a bigger band than she did on her last tour, but her voice is still great no matter how many musicians and singers she has with her

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Taureg-Rebels-Vow-Push-in-Mali-After-Coup-143967086.html

Not sure what all this means. There's no specific Mali or West Africa thread on ILE yet by the way

Well-armed Tuareg separatists started attacking army bases in Mali's desert in January, after many Tuareg fighters returned from Libya, where they had assisted in the ousting Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The United Nations refugee agency says the conflict has uprooted 130,000 people in and around Mali. Many soldiers have died in the conflict.

Tuareg nomads have launched periodic uprisings for greater autonomy in Mali and Niger.

You would think there would be more of a concerted, international effort to help the refugees but it’s hard to find it. Will report next week on that.

Afropop worldwide folks re Mali

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VxEb3TX7DE&feature=related

I missed his recent W. DC appearance.

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/25/149363687/senegal-president-concedes-defeat-after-12-year-rule?ft=1&f=1001&sc=tw&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Mali may be a mess but it looks like Senegal will have a peaceful transition (although Youssou NnDour was not allowed to run)

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) – Demonstrators in Mali's capital are demanding a return to constitutional order days after mutinous soldiers claimed power in a coup.

About a thousand people, including members of youth movements and political parties, gathered Monday in central Bamako.

Some of the youth groups threatened to march on state TV and radio headquarters, which are under the junta's control.

Junta spokesman Lt. Amadou Konare on Sunday warned demonstrators to "exercise prudence" on Monday, which marks the 21-year anniversary of the last coup.

Soldiers surrounded the presidential palace on Wednesday and took power overnight.

The ouster of President Amadou Toumani Toure just two months before he was to step down after elections threatens the cause of democracy.

My friend the producer Howard Bilerman went to Mali a few weeks ago, to record a band (not sure who) - he's now trapped there!

That's scary.

In other news: Angelique Kidjo is touring the US and I had gotten bored with her a bit since she began trying to make her albums more r'n'b. I have not heard her most recent one however. Saturday she was in DC and while I was not able to make it, I read a rave review of the gig in the W. Post with a couple enthusiastic comments. The reviewer can often be tough, so it was interesting how much he enjoyed the show. I recall liking her when I saw her years ago so maybe I should not be surprised.

http://www.negrophonic.com/2012/emp-2012-music-and-the-urban-jungle/

Sufi plugins project????

http://www.thefader.com/2012/03/26/dj-rupture-creates-sufi-plug-ins/

x-post---I have reading lots of negative stuff online about Tuaregs in Mali, Niger and elsewhere. It's hard to know what is true--there were Tuaregs in DC at the Smithsonian Folklife fest years back as part of the Malian portion and I learned some stuff about them then. Plus the various bands that are touring and their stories. This does not match up with the blog stuff I have been reading about slaveholding Tuaregs, Quadaffi-supported militant Tuaregs, etc. It's so complicated. The refugees from the area do not seem like militants! And that's just Northern Mali. Farther south, there's the military coup, a month before the scheduled election. Poor Mali. And none of this gets much attention here on ilx or in the mainstream media. Just another screwed-up part of the world I guess.

I pay attention to stuff like that! Can't say I talk about it much on ILX, but I read and talk about it with my coworkers, who are from all over the world. I would actually like to read more about other parts of the world -- I can keep up with Latin America and that's about it.

I should probably just create a West African thread or something on ILE, but since I must admit that interest in Mali was originally based upon hearing its music, I might post here for a bit (or maybe not).

BAMAKO, Mali — The heads of state of the countries neighboring Mali said Tuesday they want to send a “strong signal” to the mutinous soldiers who seized power last week, overturning over 20 years of democracy in this African nation.

Already, the United States, the European Union and France have cut off aid. Additional sanctions from the region would be a further blow to the junta. The regional Economic Community for West African states controls the common currency shared by nations in the region, and could cut off the supply of cash. Also if nearby Ivory Coast shut its border, Mali would quickly run out of gasoline.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/west-african-leaders-say-they-will-send-strong-signal-to-mali-coup-group/2012/03/27/gIQAaN1EeS_story.html

my interest

i feel like an asshole talking about world music now that this has kinda become mali civil unrest watch but --

i haven't heard it yet but this looks cool:
http://smyjewishlearning.atypica.com/elcms/jewniverse/hear-raichel.shtml#

It's Idan Raichel and Vieux Farka Toure - both artists I dig. Album is also available on Spotify.

Given the unrest in their homeland, Malian musicians may do more collaborations like this and more international touring

From a Pitchfork thread:

is it just me or is it a a bit weird that pfork runs a long review of the new amadou & mariam album (one that longs for more sounds of their homeland) without the slightest mention of the military coup currently taking place in mali?

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16435-folila/

― A Little Princess btw (s1ocki), Tuesday, March 27, 2012 4:55 PM (2 hours ago