Suggested World Musicians

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. I saw this band live in 1983, but in Boston not Europe:

Indonesian gong and flute music performed by Bay Area group Pusaka Sunda:

Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura covers Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” (in English):

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:

Great Argentine composer and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla plays “Milonga del Angel:

A piece by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona:

Probably the most famous and beloved world musician:

Zap Mama is the music act 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

Brazilian singer sings in Portuguese and English:

Legendary Egyptian singer Om (or Oum, Omm, Omme, Oom, Um, Umm) Kulthum and her orchestra: