ÌFÉ Communes with the Orishas for Musical Inspiration
ÌFÉ’s song “Umbo (Come Down)” has deep lyrics – a cry out to Olokun, the Orisha that lives at the bottom of the sea. “The song…
“Axis of Love” at Miami’s North Beach Bandshell
for Songlines Magazine The rain fell on the open-air North Beach Bandshell in Miami, but Houston-based Riyaaz Qawwali ensemble braved the weather. The carpet they sat…
RAM: From the Street, Where Haitian Culture Thrives.
Words by Maria Bakkalapulo. Music offers a barometer of life in Haiti, to an almost bizarre extent. Just look at the country’s former president – Michele Martelly.…
Songhoy Blues, Malian Music in Exile – for MTV Iggy
Words by Maria Bakkalapulo Playing music is enough to get you killed in northern Mali. Jihadists took the region by force in 2012 and imposed sharia,…
Navicula Rocks Against Environmental Destruction in Bali – for MTV Iggy
IN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES ON EARTH, ONE BAND RAISES HELL TO PROTECT THEIR HOME Check out Navicula live at the Twice Bar at this…
Iranian Vocalist Mamak Khadem Breaks Gender Rules with Music
Words by Maria Bakkalapulo (Twitter @mbakkalapulo) Original Broadcast on The World (PRI/ BBC). Iranian vocalist Mamak Khadem is breaking gender rules in Persian music, one of…
Flying High in Bali
Words by Maria Bakkalapulo (Twitter @mbakkalapulo) Original broadcast on NPR’s Only A Game. In the Balinese summertime, when the easterly winds are blowing in from the…
Sacred Bali: Music and Spirituality
Words by Maria Bakkalapulo (Twitter @mbakkalapulo) The gamelan traditions of the court and temples of Bali are well known throughout the world. But these have always…
Tumpek Wayang, A Special Blessing Ceremony in Bali
Renowned for its elaborate puppets and complex musical styles, the ancient form of story telling called wayang kulit originated on the Indonesian island of Java. For…
Byzantine Chant
Words by Maria Bakkalapulo (Twitter @mbakkalapulo) *Original broadcast on the BBC. Easter is just around the corner and communities of all over the world are preparing…
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