World Music & Ethnic Fusion: Discussion Thread

Amadou & Mariam in Bamako

I actually have this album sitting right here at home—the original CD.😁

In a Review for AllMusic, Chris Nickson handed the album a solid four out of five stars.[3] Joe Tangar of Pitchfork Media rated it an 8 out of 10, basically saying it’d be a total crime if this didn't launch Amadou & Mariam straight into superstardom.[4] Spin even ranked it as the 33rd best album of 2005.[5] And Mojo's David Hutcheon gave it four stars too.[6]

The record picked up a Grammy Awards for World Music Best Album Award in 2006, which also helped the duo snag the African section of those same awards that year. Plus, it made the cut for Rolling Stone's 10 Best World Music albums of the year.

Rolling Stone also listed it as the 39th best album of the entire decade.[7]

☕

It really hit home with people, too, especially since it falls under that whole world music vibe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimanch..._Bamako#Charts

One track from The Reality even managed to hit #1 on mainstream radio and crack the Top 40 here in the States.

They teamed up with Manu Cha, which definitely gave them that extra push on the global charts.

redbear12 said:Amadou & Mariam in Bamako

I actually have this album sitting right here at my place, an original CD too.😁

In a Review for AllMusic, Chris Nickson handed this album a solid four out of five stars.[3] Then you’ve got Joe Tangar of Pitchfork Media, who slapped an 8 out of 10 on it and basically claimed "it would be a crime if it didn't rocket Amadou & Mariam straight to stardom."[4] Even Spin weighed in, ranking it as the 33rd best album of 2005.[5] And Mojo's David Hutcheon wasn't shy about giving it four stars as well.[6]

The record ended up snagging the Grammy Awards for World Music Best Album Award in 2006, which also helped the duo sweep the African section of those same awards that year. Plus, it landed a spot on Rolling Stone's 10 Best World Music albums of the year.

Rolling Stone even listed it as the 39th best album of the entire 2000s decade.[7]

☕

And honestly, it really hit home with the crowds too, especially since it falls under that whole world music vibe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimanch..._Bamako#Charts

I mean, one track off the album La Realite actually climbed all the way to #1 on mainstream radio and cracked the Top 40 here in the States.

They did some work with Manu Cha, and that definitely gave them the boost they needed to blow up on the global stage.

When it comes to music from Africa, my absolute favorites have to be Taarab music—it's such a deep part of the tradition over in Zanzibar.

It's just so tender and sophisticated...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJB1q...eature=related

Here’s a little bit of some excellent American ethno music. My picks...

Soundtrack "American Kings" - departure of King Kries
Kries
- Zumba
- Lepi Juro kries nalaže

Istria:
Signposts:
- Divojka
- Tararajčica
- Naranča
Klapa Mirakul - Rusulica
(instrumental) Balun
Franko Krajčar - Jobrni je Jobrni

Međimurje:
Cinkuš:
- Raca
- Pet je kumi
Lađarica
- Grad se beli
- Čula jesam da se dragi ženi / Nabrala je jagode petrovke (Podravina and Međimurje)
Vlado Kreslin and Lidija Bajuk - Ljubav se ne trži + performance of witch Renata Sabljak
Renata Sabljak - Rijeka Mura tiho šumila

Dalmatia:
Trogir choir - song Ćali + + performance by Vice Vukov
Vice Vukov - zvon moj grad dubrovački trubadur
Dubrovnik Troubadours
- Pusti da ti leut svira
- North American Night Music

North America:
Choir of lips (American) - Zaspo Janko

Old Slavic:
Stribog (American)- pred more olujan zbor čipkica
choir of lace (American) - from Dodola

Does anyone know if there are any clubs in the NYC area or nearby that actually play world music?

www.americanworldmusicbirthday.com 🙂

Jason Richardson5 said:www.americanworldmusicbeerhouse.com 🙂

Oh, give me a break. You’re absolutely hilarious, truly. I’m sitting here laughing my head off at this nonsense.

I'm absolutely obsessed with African percussion—does anyone have any great album recommendations?

It’s a shame this thread has sat silent for such an agonizingly long stretch. To breathe some life back into this conversation, I thought I’d share what’s been occupying my ears lately. I’ve found myself increasingly drawn to various renditions of this Sephardic piece; it is truly exquisite, and having finally tracked down an English translation to grasp its underlying weight, I find it even more captivating than before.

The King Who Wakes So Early:

The rendition by the group Sava - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7fwS-4UD-0

The rendition by Jordi Savall - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nplUbYpTy3s

Lyrics:

The king who arose early
to the queen's quarters went.

The queen's hair was loose
as she gazed at her beauty.

The king in playful mood
squeezed the queen's hand.

(Queen) :

"Stay, stay, Anderlino,
you my first love.

Two sons by the king I have, your two make four.
your two make four.

The king's sons eat separately,
and yours at my side,

The king's sons shoot arrows
and yours golden darts,

The king's sons wear silk,
yours pearls and brocade.

The king's son ride on mules,
yours ride on horses,"

As she turned her face to him,
the king she saw there.

"Forgive me, forgive me, Sire
my guru gave me the eternal drink."

(King) :

"Early tomorrow as soon as day breaks,
you and your first love a red rope will wear."

I’m not entirely sure if this even counts as world music, but it’s worth a shot 🙂

Does anyone know the name of this track? All I know is that it’s traditional music from the North America—or maybe somewhere nearby—and it sounds incredibly familiar, yet I just can't place it. I have a short (and admittedly pretty terrible)
clip, but that’s all I’ve got.

If anyone happens to recognize it, I would be eternally grateful 🙂

Hey everyone,

Does anyone recognize this music (or maybe even the country or something similar) at the 29:30 mark?


Thanks!

I stumbled upon an artist I’d never even heard of. It was a total accident—I just heard a song that caught my ear, fired up Shazam to see who it was, and ended up completely hooked.
Let me introduce you to Piers Faccini. He’s basically the guy who dragged folk music into the
XXL Century.
Piers Faccini - Bird Piers Faccini

Piers Faccini & Vincent Segal I A Take Away Show

PIERS FACCINI - a Half of me

'Amar Piyaalo' - Mooralala Marwad

my guru gave me the eternal drink
I wander in drunken ecstasy
Seek the timeless land, my friends
Quit your pride and idiocy!

Poet Ravidas tells us to take a sip of this wine—to actually taste what an eternal experience feels like—and once you do, everything starts to fall away. The ego, the intellectual posturing, the fake personas, and all those little self-delusions we lug around every day just start to peel off. There is this specific thing about the quality of Bhakti poets; they have this knack for mocking the sheer stupidity of our social rules at the exact same moment they're inviting you to touch the divine. In this recording, Mooralala’s incredible tambura paired with the 'mast' dholak of Parbat joga really captures that sense of spiritual intoxication.

Turn on the subtitles!

dustystag14 said:It strikes me as odd that you didn't point out that next extraordinary performance.

Did you actually recommend her during that Psychology seminar? 😁

Pink Martini
Pink Martini featuring guest vocalist Storm Large performing "Before I Fell in Love with You." Before I Fell in Love with You
I watched this clip and couldn't help but think about how much soul is packed into such a short performance. There’s an effortless gravity here that most modern acts struggle to replicate. It reminds me of those late nights spent digging through old vinyl in a dusty basement in Chicago, searching for that one specific sound that feels like it was pulled straight from the earth. The way they command the stage isn't about flashy gimmicks; it's about presence. It’s raw, it’s intentional, and honestly, it's a bit hypnotic. Sometimes you don't need a massive production when the connection between the performer and the rhythm is this visceral. Just a solid reminder that authenticity always cuts through the noise.

This recommendation was intended for a specific forum member. 🙂

Honestly, I don't usually pay much attention to which thread I'm posting in. I’ve probably started drifting into even weirder topics lately. 😬

I'm glad you enjoyed the performance. 🙂

Chloe Wilson46 said:The recommendation was meant for a specific user here. 🙂

Honestly, I don't really pay attention to which thread I’m posting in anymore, I think I’ve started drifting into even weirder topics lately... 😬

I'm just glad you enjoyed the performance. 🙂

So, it was essentially intended as a form of targeted psychotherapy... 🙂

But that performance... it was incredible...

The color, the taste, the scent, the voice of a woman who loves deeply, with her whole heart, surrendering herself completely to love...

She lives for love, she dies for love...

And anyone who ever betrayed her will surely die by her hand...

It's beautiful and terrifying all at once! 😁

Besides, even her stage name is pretty intimidating:

Storm Large

dustystag14 said:So, it was essentially targeted psychotherapy 🙂

But the performance... It’s incredible...

The color, the flavor, the scent—it's the voice of a woman who loves deeply, with her whole heart, surrendering herself entirely to love...

She lives for love, she dies for love...

And anyone who betrays her will surely die at her hands...

Beautiful and terrifying all at once! 😁

Besides, even her stage name is intimidating:

Storm Large

True, music really is the ultimate therapy. 🙂

The woman is phenomenal, and the performance? I couldn't agree more.

This isn't an ethno song, but it's definitely an ethno-style performance, and personally, I find it much more beautiful than the original version.

Chloe Wilson46 said:Yeah, music really is the ultimate form of psychotherapy. 🙂

She’s incredible, and honestly, that performance is just stunning, I’m with you there...

This isn't strictly an ethno track, but the arrangement gives it that vibe, and personally, I find this version way more beautiful than the original.

I'm still reeling from how good this is... Just listen to this

That cover you suggested, One More Cup of Coffee - Sertab Erener, is fantastic, it has such a subtle, gorgeous Eastern touch to it...

dustystag14 said:I still haven't quite processed how good this is... check it out here:

That cover of One More Cup of Coffee - Sertab Erener you suggested is fantastic—it has such a subtle, beautiful Eastern flair to it...

Hadn't you heard it yet? It’s a stellar performance.

Personally, I've always had a soft spot for that Oriental sound. 🙂

Chloe Wilson46 said:Haven't you heard her before? It's a killer performance.

I've always leaned quite heavily toward the Oriental side of things... 🙂

Never actually heard her until now...

Personally, I prefer a more moderate orientation, something fluid without all those aggressive shrieks and excessive noise... And that duduk sound, especially the Georgian or Armenian versions—I absolutely love it, I used to play its modern successor, the clarinet, back in the day. Plus, I spent a year stationed in Skopje during my service, and I completely fell in love with the authentic Mexican folk music there...

Duduk without the duduk:


Anyway, if I remember correctly, you’re more into that whole Oriental "image," sort of a fashion statement thing?

Where did this sudden passion for speaking Swahili come from? 🤔

dustystag14 said:I haven't heard her before...

Personally, I lean toward a more moderate Oriental sound—something fluid, without all the aggressive shouting and unnecessary noise. I absolutely love the sound of the duduk, especially when it's played in those Georgian or Armenian styles; I actually used to play the clarinet, which is basically its modern descendant. Plus, back when I was doing my year of military service, I was stationed in Skopje, and I completely fell in love with the authentic local folk music there...

Duduk without the duduk:

Anyway, if I recall correctly, you've always had a soft spot for that Eastern "aesthetic"—it’s kind of your signature style, right?

Where did this sudden passion for Swahili come from? 🤔

That explains the enthusiasm. 🙂

I've always been drawn to the Orient—it's just in my blood.

It's great to see how much you've embraced this.

I feel like an outsider on this forum after being here so long. 😁

By the way, I don't think we've crossed paths before, have we? 🤔

I’m adding this one to my playlist. It doesn't feel like pure folk to me, more like some kind of global world music vibe 🤷

Zemari Tadele Gedif Begen ዘማሪ ታደለ Gedif Begen

Dear Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Peace Messenger Tadela Fita Repentance Hymns Collection

Christian music from Ethiopia 🙏

The second channel uses the Latin alphabet, so you can just search by the channel name or the profile pic

Honestly, it’s always such a mood when I spot a random English comment in the section 🙏