Amadou Bagakoyo Interview via AV Club

The AV Club recently published an interview with Amadou Bagakoyo, of Amadou & Mariam. (This photo is taken from the page with the interview, which you can find here.)

If you are not familiar with Amadou & Mariam, they are a Malian musical husband-and-wife team whose blend of West African rhythmns and Western blues is definitely worth listening to. I've played a couple tracks off their album Dimanche a Bamako; still need to get Welcome to Mali sometime to broadcast.

Read the interview via The AV Club

Playlist: June 24, 2009

Playlist: June 24, 2009

7:00
Incesaz - Balikchilar (About Istanbul)
Orion Prophesy - Keeper of the Gates of Mars (Waterbone)
Raquy & the Cavemen - Raquin, Riq Duet (Dust)
Bellydance Superstars Vol. II - Habibi Alli
Mohamed Ali - Hanahdi (Wash Ya Wash Vol. 3)

7:30
Said Mrad - U Wanna Mix It (Esmerim)
The Mother Fakirs - Twirling Towards Shambalah
Nawal al-Zoghbi - Yama Alou
Amr Diab - Awedony (Awedony)
Divahn - Yodukha Rayonai
Chris Gacsi - Erev Shel Shoshanim, MIRAGE Bounce (One)

8:04
Gypsy Guerrilla Band - Turkische Tanz (Ernie's Ottoman)
Nikitov - Trink Bider (Vanderlust)
Klezmer Juice - Freylach in D
Klezmer Connexion - I Saw an Angel (Magic Carpet Ride)

8:30
Vagabond Opera - The Transformation into Marlene
Wolgemut - Cantiga No. 1, The Noble Cockerel (Shauspeluden)
Carla Bruni - Quelqu'un m'a dit, Raphael

...At this point, Comcast officially kills my internet connection. Curse, you, Comcast! What do you have against Carla Bruni??!! (It couldn't be because I said I'd like to hear Michelle Obama try to sing like that...could it? I'm sure Michelle Obama could do anything she puts her mind to...seriously, only she could make someone like Carla Bruni look like an underdog by comparison. And I root for underdogs! Go Carla!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1!)

<35,000-year-old bone flute

From MSNBC Cosmic Log: Scientists have recently discovered a bone flute in a cave in Southwestern Germany, along with the oldest-known carving of a human figure (Venus, naturally).

The study is being used to support a theory that musical culture contributed to early humans' survival over Neanderthals. The article (from which this photo was taken) also includes a short Quicktime mp3 clip of music played on a reconstruction of this flute: Music for Cavemen

I <3 History!!!!

Ballet Special

Playlist: June 17, 2009

Playlist: June 17, 2009

Om Kolthoum
Faruk Hassam
Nourhan Sharif
Arabian Travels 2

I apologize for the lack of information in this week's playlist. Tonight's show overlapped a deadline I was writing against (and which, unfortunately, took me longer than I expected to complete). As a result I was paying more attention to one project and less to this one. Next week's show should be back up to its customary game, heavens willing!

How does your instrument grow?

According to a recent National Geographic article, ecologists are gaining leverage in their attempts to save the African mpingo--or blackwood tree, which is used to make woodwind instruments like clarinets, oboes, and bagpipes.

Over-harvesting has made the tree extinct in Kenya and northern Tanzania. Eco-certified mpingo, on the other hand, is becoming a more popular alternative that also benefits local villagers more than "well-connected outside loggers".

Read the full article
(Photo: by National Geographic)

National Geographic Vid: Cairo Bellydancers

Playlist: June 10, 2009

Playlist: June 10, 2009

Raquy & the Cavemen - Dust, Dumbek Duet, Kurdish (Dust)
Susu & the Cairo Cats - The Cat's Meow (Dancing Drums)
Hossam Ramzy - Isis Unveiled (Eternal Egypt)

7:20
Omar Faruk Tekbilek & Brian Keane - Fire Dance (Fire Dance)
Solace - Forsaken, Opaque (Ahsas)
Tim Rayborn - Khirsal (Rihla)

7:46
Belly Dancing - Desert Wind, Crazy (unknown artist info)
Orient Extreme Plus - Desert Rose, Sahara (Full Oriental Full Rhythm)

8:05
Ubaka Hill - Dance the Spiral Dance (Dance the Spiral Dance)
Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack - Ringa Ringa
James Asher - Assam (Tigers of the Raj)

8:30
KODO - Strobe’s Nanafushi [Satori Mix] (Heartbeat 25th Anniversary)
Huong Thang - Blackbird Song (Moon and Wind)
Nikitov - A Lezele Yash (Wanderlust)

8:42
Isle of Klezbos - Klezbos Kolomeyke (Isle of Klezbos)
Vagabond Opera - The Transformation into Marlene (Vagabond Opera)
Zerrin Ozer - Beni Hor Gorme (Ve Boyle Bir Shey...)
Mai Yamane - Blue (Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack Blue)

Learn more about the July 25 Bollywood dance workshop in Springfield, IL: www.karidazahava.com

Playlist: June 3, 2009

Playlist: June 3, 2009

7:00
George Abdo - Raks Siretzi
Husnu Shenlenirici & Laco Tayfa - Onbeshli (Bergama Gaysasi)
Omar Faruk Tekbilek - Ya Leili
Turku - Agre Dagindum Uktum

7:18
Natacha Atlas - I Put a Spell on You (The Very Best of Natacha Atlas)
Tarkan - Simarik, Bu Gece (USA/Latino Release)
Haifa Wehbe - Bade Eish (Bade Eish)
Loreena McKennitt - Marco Polo
George Abdo - Raks Sirietzi with electro-sonar sliding snips

7:44
Chris Gacsi - Erev Shel Shoshanim (One)
Raquy & the Cavemen - The Mad Marionettist (Mischief)
Ruben van Rompaey - Djehangir (Eastern Expressions)
Blind Divine - Love is all we Have; Shiva in Exile - Khundas; (Strange Flesh)

8:04
Knossos - Vishrama (Dark Light in the Wake of Silence)
Karma Sutra - Prana (Strange Flesh)
Solace - 1000 Eyes (Satya)

8:25
Dhoom Soundtrack 1 - Shikdum
Dhoom Soundtrack 2 - Shoom Machale, Di Laga Na, Crazy Kiya Re, My Name is Ali
Fiza Soundtrack - Mehboob Mere 2
You are my Sonia - Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham

Expressions of African Art (CNN video)

This CNN video is primarily about visual art created by African artists, on display at the Fowler Museum at UCLA. The footage of giant veils along the geological rift that split Africa from South America is enchanting, though my favorites might be the Africanized Arabic alphabet characters and the rippling sculpture of liquor bottle labels.