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 * FILM & SOUNDTRACK OF “THE HARDER THEY COME” * TOOTS & THE MAYTALS * 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:
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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:
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Wonderful Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura covers Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” (in English):
Another great fado singer:
Another Portuguese act, but as much pop as 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:
Redemption Song
Old pirates, yes, they rob I Sold I to the merchant ships Minutes after they took I From the bottomless pit But my hand was made strong By the hand of the Almighty We forward in this generation Triumphantly Won't you help to sing These songs of freedom? 'Cause all I ever have Redemption songs Redemption songs Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our minds Have no fear for atomic energy 'Cause none of them can stop the time How long shall they kill our prophets While we stand aside and look? Ooh Some say it's just a part of it We've got to fullfil the book Won't you help to sing These songs of freedom? 'Cause all I ever have Redemption songs Redemption songs Redemption songs Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our mind Woah, have no fear for atomic energy 'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time How long shall they kill our prophets While we stand aside and look? Yes, some say it's just a part of it We've got to fullfill the book Won't you help to sing These songs of freedom? 'Cause all I ever had Redemption songs All I ever had Redemption songs These songs of freedom Songs of freedom
Song by Bob Marley
1972 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell, co-written by Trevor D. Rhone, and starring Jimmy Cliff. The film is most famous for its reggae soundtrack that is said to have “brought reggae to the world.” The film was a sensation in Jamaica due to its naturalistic portrayal of black Jamaicans in real locations and its use of local Patois (Jamaican Creole). However, the popularity of the movie was limited outside of Jamaica because the local Patois spoken by the characters was so thick that it required subtitles, making it possibly “the first English-language movie in history to require subtitles in the United States.”
Playlist of most songs in film “The Harder They Come”:
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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 Lakshmi Shankar has hypnotically beautiful voice:
Jeff Grinnell's Poetry Platform 