MUSICIANS ON THIS PAGE: LILA DOWNS * TOUMANI DIABATE (& BALLAKE SISSOKO) * HABIB KOITE * FATOUMATA DIAWARA * KELETIGUI DIABATE * BALLAKE SISSOKO * KING SUNNY ADE * PUSAKA SUNDA * “JAVA: COURT GAMELAN” * ANA MOURA * CRISTINA BRANCO * MADREDEUS * ADAM BEN EZRA * CARLOS MONTOYA * MANUEL GALBAN (& RY COODER) * EDMAR CASTANEDA * ERNESTO LECUONA * BOB MARLEY * ZAP MAMA * MARISA MONTE * OM KALTHUM * LAKSHMI SHANKAR [NEXT PAGE]
[RETURN TO WORLD MUSICIANS INDEX]
Singer from just south of the border wall:
Harp music from Mali:
Great singer, also from Mali:
Another great singer from Mali:
Another great Malian musician, this time a balaphon (African marimba?) player:
Nigerian juju music. 3 remixed songs from his classic first album, “Juju Music”:
I saw this band live in 1983 in Boston:
Indonesian gong and flute music performed by Bay Area group Pusaka Sunda:
From the Nonesuch Explorer album “Java: Court Gamelan”, c1971. Recorded live on the island of Java in Indonesia:
Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura covers Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” (in English):
Another fado singer:
Another Portuguese act, but more pop than fado:
Amazing flamenco bassist & dancer (video suggested by Gil Levine):
Spanish guitarist was one of the first flamenco players to become widely known:
Cuban guitarist performs with Ry Cooder here:
Colombian harpist:
A piece by Cuban pianist & composer Ernesto Lecuona:
Probably the most famous and beloved world musician:
Zap Mama is the musical group of Belgian artist Marie Daulne. Zap Mama sings polyphonic and Afro-Pop music; a harmonic music with a mixture of infused African vocal techniques, Urban, Hip-Hop with emphasis on voice.[1] Sources of Zap Mama’s music include Daulne’s roots in the Democratic Republic of Congo, her upbringing in Belgium, and her return to Africa to rediscover her musical roots. The worldwide success of Zap Mama, and an ensemble of female polyphonic singers, inspired influences in American Hip Hop, Nu-Soul, Jazz and elements of Pop. The evolving musical compositions created a diverse band of singers and musicians for Zap Mama.
“The voice is an instrument itself,” says Daulne. “It’s the original instrument. The primary instrument. The most soulful instrument, the human voice. Singing songs in French and English with African World Music Roots.”–Wikipedia
Lyrics to the above song:
New World
by Zap Mama
I sat in my room So dismal and blue Feeling that I can Communicate with you So I picked up my thoughts Picked up paper and pen I know there are causes to defend Now everybody stand up Let's spread these words Around the neighborhood Return to the source, all isn't lost Now the world is changing Beyond recognition And it's not too late Don't seal your fate With radiation, with pollution And all that confusion It's not too late For making a new world It's not too late For making a better world It's not too late Ooh ou ooh
Songwriters: Bjork Gudmundsdottir / Lars Von Trier / Sirgurjon Birgir Sigurdsson
New World lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Brazilian singer sings in Portuguese and English:
Legendary Egyptian singer Om (or Oum, Omm, Omme, Oom, Um, Umm) Kulthum and her orchestra:
Documentary on Om Kulthum narrated by Omar Shariff:
Indian singer has hypnotically beautiful voice: