Kepa Junkera paints his vision of the world

Globalista Basque accordionist Kepa Junkera explores a series of audio-impressions of cities around the world that he has visited in his latest world music tour de force, "Hiri".

Guests include Patrick Vaillant and Melonious Quartet, Mercedes Peon, Ibon Koteron, Enzo Avitibile, Andy Narell, Bulgarka, Glen Velez, Eliseo Parra, Gilles Chabenat, Xose Manuel Budino, Tactequete and dozens of other musicians from around the world.

Release date is October 1.

Belize celebrates 25 years of (musical) independence

The nation of Belize is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year with art exhibits, international guests, parties and celebrations around the country.

I thought you might like to look back on some of RootsWorld's reviews and articles about the music of Belize, to virtully join in the celebration.

An overview of Garifuna Music

Pen Cayetano and the Original Turtle Shell Band

Aurelio Martinez

Cult Cargo: Belize City Boil Up

Lebeha Boys Garifuna Youth Band

Leroy Young "The Grandmaster"

From Bakabush: The First Ten Years of Stonetree

There's lots more, too... just use the search box on the web site to find a lot more music.

Happy Birthday, Belize

Conquering the Silence - Live in Ramallah

“In a situation of oppression, where silence is utter complicity, art cannot be but a form of resistance, rehabilitation, and progressive transformation.”

I am not sure what the internet availibility of this September 17th program will be, but it looks like it could be a unique international event, and it certainly includes a cast of important artists. I hope to have more information soon. For the moment, I pass on this information I just received from members of the ensemble El-Funoun - CF

Conquering the Silence
For freedom, justice and peace in Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq
An international manifestation of cultural resistance, featuring live music, poetry, theater, film and dance, transmitted via satellite links between Ramallah, Beirut, Cairo, London, Paris, Dubai and New York.

Presented by:
Marcel Khalife (Lebanon), Mai Masri (Palestine), Khalid M. Ali (Iraq), Breyten Breytenbach (South Africa), John Williams (UK), Amin Haddad (Egypt), Khalid Jubran (Palestine), Roger Assaf (Lebanon), El-Funoun Dance (Palestine), Kamilia Jubran (Palestine), Yussof Abu Wardah (Palestine), Ali Amr and Nai Barghouti (Palestine).

Sunday, September 17
8:00 pm at Ramallah Cultural Palace

The entire event will be broadcast live on Al-Jazeera Direct

Posted by Popular Art Centre, Al-Urmawi Center for Mashriq Music and El-Funoun Dance Troupe

Flexibility, artistic freedom and innovation - L Subramaniam

• Flexibility, artistic freedom and innovation are crucial for the survival of traditional music. Only then can it reach the masses— Dr L. Subramaniam



For violin virtuoso, Dr L Subramaniam, music has always been a bundle of contradictions. So, inspite of being a stickler for tradition, he constantly innovates to improve techniques.

The master of Indian violin talks with the Mumbai Mirror about his latest work, Sangeet Sangam.

Baghdad to New Mexico: the journey of world musician Rahim Al Haj

Music is like a clock, it moves around in a circle, declares Rahim Al Haj, an innovative musician whose own life has been formed by cycles of music. He has travelled in his person and in his music from his homeland of Iraq into exile and then back home again as a true messenger of hope. A Baghdad native and a serious student of the classical and folk music of his native Iraq, he was imprisoned twice by the regime of Saddam Hussein, in part for refusing to compose musical tributes to that regime's military adventures during the 1980s. His life came under threat by the Saddam regime at the time of the First Gulf War. Rahim eventually made his way to New Mexico in 2000, adjusting to a very different culture, and re-establishing himself musicically. His work is marked by a thematic dedication to principles of peace and reconciliation in the form of wordless musical "poems" and by formal innovation on the ancient styles of the Iraqi maqam. Bill Nevins talks with this composer and musician of true world music in RootsWorld.

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