A whole night of world music, compiled by Benno Wormgoor.
Waiting endlessly, without a future, can sometimes lead to something positive. In Calais, talented refugees collaborated with professional musicians. This led to the album ‘The Calais Sessions’.
Before the civil war broke out in Syria, it was one of the leading countries in Arabic music. The schools of music taught its pupils, who, after the war broke out, fled the country and scattered all over the world.
Africa Express, Damon Albarn’s foundation, did everything in its power to track down and unite these musicians. The result was the The Orchestra Of Syrian Musicians.
Daniel Kahn of German band The Painted Bird and Psoy Korolenko from Moscow, have compiled a band of master artists: The Brothers Nazaroff. They produced an album for the Smithsonian Folkways label in honour of Prince Nazaroff, entitled The Happy Prince.
Musicians from a total of 14 countries took part in this project.
The album centres around a suite of 35 minutes long, called HotWaterfestival, dedicated to the fight for the right to use 78 thermal springs in the village and save 600.000 m3 forest every winter, used for heating. That is the mission of this orchestra since 2001 and the basic reason for this orchestra from all the continents because local authorities are deaff to our kinds music requests. The only vocals are the musicians ‘shouting in excitement.’
Please listen to Gypsy Groovz Orchestra goes TuttiMundi.
Azerbaijan gives us Sevdah Alekperzadeh, an extraordinary singer who has been called the Jewel of the Caspian Sea. Sevda‘s roots lay in traditional Mugham music, an expressive form of music, with both classical and contemporary influences, including jazz. Sevda’s range is exceptional and is accompanied by piano, bass, cello and percussion. Please listen to Sevda – Sevdali Dunya – Worlds Of Love (2009)
Lula Pena is a Portugese singer, who has completely renewed fado in her own unique way. Where commercial fado is often loud, to heavy in vocals, accompaniment and emotions, she finds a new modesty. Her voice is soft, but not thin, and even the accompaniment is modest, with just a single guitar. Please listen to Lula Pena – Archivo Pittoresco (2017)
The group Egschiglen is founded in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, for one goal: keeping traditional culture alive. Egschiglen gives us mainly traditional music, but also works of contemporary Mongolian composers. Some pieces are chamber music, others have their own mesmerizing, original strengths. Through time, the group developed its own unique vocal and instrumental language. Their compositions and orchestrations reflect a fluent transition from traditional songs to beautiful contemporary adaptations. Please listen to Egschiglen with the album Gereg from 2007.
The label Insingizi third international release is ‘We thank you’. Siyabonga is a trio from Zimbabwe, with harmonious a cappella vocals, traditional songs, hand percussion and sublime choreography. Their songs are soft and honest. Please listen to Insingizi – African Harmonies – Siyabonga – We Thank You from 2015.
