Tune Your World

Kafala Brothers - FREE Song: 'Salipo'!!

Today's FREE Song is from Angola!

FREE SONG:'Salipo'

Born in the village of Mazoso, in the province of Benguela, Angola, Moises and Jose Kafala both rose to national fame individually before their debut performance together in Luanda.

The Kafala Brothers' music is best described as Angolan folk music. Their songs are revolutionary in nature and reflect real life experiences, while painting poetic portraits of Angola's 30 year long war and continued struggle for national reconciliation. Using a single guitar and a flute, the Kafalas are able to tell stories of war, sadness, love and joy with conviction and heartbreaking vocal harmonies which have been known to provoke uncontrolled tears to well up in the eyes of those listening.

FREE SONG:'Salipo'

Get more music from Kafala Brothers here!!

Coco Mbassi - FREE Song: 'Na Menguele'!!

Today's FREE Song is by Coco Mbassi, She is Cameroonian, but she is principally based in Paris. Winner of the 1996 Radio France Internationale Decouvertes 'prize in the African music category, she is both an author and a composer.

FREE SONG:'Na Menguele'

Coco's songs tell stories often based on personal life experiences that she recalls. It's these stories and feelings that make her songs what they are today, and a great deal of these memories are made up of those old sepia-colored (black and white) photographs from home.

With a postgraduate degree in translation she began singing lead and chorus in the African gospel choir "Les Cherubins" and as a backing vocalist, she collaborated with various artists like Salif Keita, Oumou Sangare, Manu Dibango and Ray Lema.

The words to the songs of her mother tongue, Duala, are often found combined with jazzy, minimalist and classical arrangements, where vocal polyphony and African rhythm continue to play an important role. Coco Mbassi composes her own pieces and writes the words. Although her husband - who teaches as classical double-bassist - exercises a strong influence on her music writing, in her childhood she was permanently exposed at home to a wide variety of Händel, Makossa and jazz bigbands.

FREE SONG:'Na Menguele'

Get more music from Coco Mbassi here!!

Frédéric Galliano - FREE Song: 'Isto é kuduro w/Zoca Zoca'!!

Today's FREE Song is by Frederic Galliano and the Kuduro Sound System!

FREE SONG:'Isto é kuduro w/Zoca Zoca'

French DJ, Frederic Galliano,  has been working the French groove scene since 1994. He put together his own label, Frikyiwa, with artists and bands such as Hadja Kouyaté, Baye Coly, Néba Solo, Ali Boulo Santo, and others. His latest project, 'Kuduro Sound System', is all about dance and takes us across the continent of Africa to Angola.

The Kuduro was born in 1996 in Angola. Created by Tony Amado, the Angolan's Grandmaster Flash. Kuduro is an African electronic production, and Galliano's beats are a savant mix of programming inspired by Angola's carnival. Just check out the moves on the Kuduro Sound System's live video and you'll be a believer!!

FREE SONG:'Isto é kuduro w/Zoca Zoca'

Watch Kuduro Sound System's Live Video

Get more music from Frederic Galliano here!!

Kuduro, Frederic Galliano, Frikyiwa, Angola,

K'naan - FREE Song: 'Strugglin' (Live)'!!

Today's FREE Song is by K'naan, the new Somalian Icon on the international scene:

FREE SONG:'Strugglin (Live)'

K'naan, “the traveler”, fled war-torn Somalia at the age of thirteen on what turned out to be the very last commercial flight to ever do so, amidst a crumbling society and the end of any form of centralized government. He arrived in Toronto with a very strong sense of purpose, and it is this sense of purpose as well as his amazing lyrical gift, which has made him a beacon for other artists as well as those dedicated to global change.

An elegant ambassador of peace, K'naan rhymes against violence because he never forgot the chance he had to escape death. In 2001, after gaining notoriety as a skilled mc and spoken word poet, K'naan was invited to Geneva to perform a spoken word piece at the 50th anniversary of the UN Commission for Refugees. In front of some of the biggest suits in the world, K'naan brought the house down with his politically charged poem. The audience was so moved by the piece that they gave K'naan a standing ovation. K'naanexplains, "I basically called out the UN for its failed relief mission in Somalia. When my brother heard the song he said that it’s the first song he’d heard of mine that could get me killed.”

K’naan emerged on the International scene with his debut album “The Dusty Foot Philosopher” in 2005. He took home the 2006 Juno Award (Canada’s Grammy)  for Best Rap Recording and received newcomer of the year at BBC’s World Music Awards. In the last 2 years he has played over 350 shows touring 5 continents recorded and sharing the stage with Damian Marley, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, M1, Youssou N’Dour, Amadou and Miriam and many more.  These artists celebrate the relevance of his political poetry, live performance and purpose-driven mission.

K'naan’s music is truly a vehicle to raise awareness. He is an artist with a message; as such, his music and his actions have placed him in a position to speak out for the voiceless while informing, empowering and inspire the masses.

FREE SONG:'Strugglin (Live)'

Get more music from K'naan here!!

RV Babe - FREE Song: 'African Boy (African Tribal Mixx)'!!

RV Babé is a result of 5 years of adventurous, experimental studio hours and brain-storm sessions. Not to overreach, but this may be both The Rebirth of Nubian Music and of World Music. check out today's FREE Song:

FREE SONG:'African Boy (African Tribal Mixx)'

In 2000 Luis Maruwasa started one of Namibia’s major hip-hop establishments, Tha Syndicate. The fundamental ideology that brought Tha Syndicate into being was that Tha Syndicate was principally to be a custodian of a near helpless juvenile Hip-Hop culture amidst a prejudice and unwelcoming nation which could not allow it to flourish like other kinds of “Acceptable” music styles.

Hence Tha Syndicate’s only aim was to nurture and nourish such a “being”. The World over, Hip-Hop has not seen a revolution since 93 or so, but Namibian Hip-Hop has possibly experienced many revolutions in itself. Aided by only an arsenal of skilled MCs, Luis managed to set Tha Syndicate to sail into a horizon of what seemed to be the future of Hip-Hop in Namibia.

RV Babé Vol.1 reaches in even further than might have been expected or anticipated by music fanatics and critics alike. RV Babé Vol.1 may not in itself be revolutionary but rather a renewal of music, a new beginning.

FREE SONG:'African Boy (African Tribal Mixx)'

Get more music from RV Babe here!!

Aconcagua - Pablo Carcamo - FREE Song: 'Paseando' (Walking/Spaziergang)!!

Today's FREE Song is by Aconcagua - Pablo Carcamo!

FREE SONG: 'Paseando' (Walking/Spaziergang)

Aconcagua, a project of Pablo Carcamo, brings to you all the pan pipes and flutes from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile and many other South American instruments.

The music, played by the versatile multi-instrumentalist and musical genius Pablo Carcamo consists of traditional from the Andes and original music by Pablo. Soar with the condor to the music played on kenas, zamponas, moceno, rondador, charrango, cuatro, guitars, bombo and various percussion. If you like South American panpipe music you will love today's free song!

FREE SONG: Paseando (Walking/Spaziergang)

Get more music from Aconcagua and Pablo Carcamo here!!

Brother Resistance - FREE Song: 'Jah Never Fail Me Yet'!!

Today's FREE Song is from Trinidad & Tobago!

FREE SONG: 'Jah Never Fail Me Yet'

The name of Brother Resistance has long been associated with the artform called Rapso. It is an art form that many feel he invented. But Brother Resistance himself insists that Rapso can be traced back to the oral traditions of Africa, when the Griot was the historian, counselor and poet of the tribe. After the middle passage, on the sugar-cane plantation, the Griot's name was changed to Chantuelle. The role played by this individual was transformed as well, and he became the voice that made the suffering of the slaves bearable. The evolution of the Chantuelle saw the emergence of the talkers of the early Carnival, the Midnite Robbers, the Pierrot Grenades and also the Calypsonian. The Rapso artiste is therefore the revitalisaton of the old Griot / Chantuelle traditions in perspective of our modern-day society.

Resistance, as he is commonly called, is considered the spearhead of the Rapso movement, a movement born almost thirty years ago, when the late Lancelot Layne successfully challenged the musical and literary status quo of the Caribbean. Drawing on the folk traditions of the Carnival characters of Trinidad and Tobago, Layne recreated the vibes of the "Chantuelle", "Pierot" and "Midnite Robber" to establish the reality of what is today called Rapso. The musical experience, which fueled the new art form, came directly out of the steelband yards, the drum yards and the calypso arena. The vibes and the flavour came out of the social movement of a people for true liberation and self-determination.

The birth of the Network Rapso Riddum Band at the end of the 1970's with its lead chantuelles, Brother Shortman and Brother Resistance heralded the new reality of roots music from Trinidad and Tobago. The music now as defined by Brother Resistance is "the power of the word, in the riddum of the word." In essence, it is the poetry of Calypso blended with the African rhythms of Trinidad and Tobago. It is also referred to as the Rap of Soca. It is interesting to note that paralleling the development of Rapso in Trinidad and Tobago was Dub Poetry in Jamaica (the Poetry of Reggae) and African-American Rap music in the United States of America.

FREE SONG: 'Jah Never Fail Me Yet'

Get more music from Brother Resistance here!!

Samba Tremeterra - Brazil Carnival!!

Carnival in Brazil opens this weekend!! But if you're not going to make it to Rio or Salvador here's the next best thing -- this live video of the dancers and drummers from Samba Tremeterra.

Samba Tremeterra has been playing in Boston under Deraldo Ferreira's direction for several years. Based out of the Brazilian Cultural Center of New England, the group is the real thing. The Cultural Center was recently named an international Culture Point by none other than Brazil's Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil.

Here in Boston (where this video was shot) it is rare to have the chance to dance samba, outdoors, in the warm sun. Boston is home to one of the largest Brazilian populations in the U.S., so this could be as close to a carnaval atmosphere as you can get in North America. We are blessed to have this great resource here in New England!!

Get today's SONG: 'Alondra'

This is the first music video produced by Calabash!! Please watch our new video premier on youtube. Post a comment and give us a rating -- send it to your friends and help us make a youtube hit!!
Also, check out the Calabash Video Channel

Samba Dancers, Brazil Carnival, Rio Carnival, Brazilian Culture,

Deep Poets: 'Neegou Goor'!!

Today's Song is by Deep Poets:

Listen: 'Neegou Goor'

Deep Poets consists of four artists: Alibabeu, Kinkely, Architekt, and Baaboo Rhymz’. They created D.P. in the late 90’s in Dakar, Senegal, where the groups’ members wanted to give a new intelligent approach to the hip hop scene.

The music is created from a multitude of musical colors and languages (Arabic, English, French, Wolof). Even if the topics approached in the music remain traditional, even though the style is quite modern and eclectic. The beats are a vibrant mix between hip hop and soulful acoustic sounds, where the lyrics leave the listeners with care and appreciation for the written word. This is definitely something to check out!!

Get: 'Neegou Goor'

Get more music from Deep Poets here!!

 

Africa, Senegal, Hip Hop,

Jaojoby - FREE Song: 'Jaly Jery'!!

Today's FREE song is from Madagascar, an island nation east of Mozambique in the Indian Ocean, where salegy is very popular and Jaojoby is its acknowledged monarch.

FREE SONG:'Jaly Jery'

Born at the end of the 60s around the time the nation became independent from the French, salegy is electric music with no debt to the West. The compelling 6/8 rhythm, which descends from traditional, ancestral Malagasy music forms, entrances dancers.

It is said to date back to the 15th century when humans first settled on the Red Island. The term salegy, of Indonesian origins, emerged in the 1960s and refers to a new, electric music once Malagasy guitarists transposed popular and traditional music from instruments like the tube-zither called the valiha. We play folklore music that we have electrified, says Jaojoby. If we take away the electricity, it would be like the music of our ancestors. We have only added it to get people to dance; to get more [wide smile] decibels. Before Jaojoby and a few others popularized the sound in the 1970s, there were few salegy recordings, and they were only instrumental.

Jaojoby, the band, is a family affair with Jaojoby's wife Claudine on vocals, son Elie Lucas on guitar, and daughters Roseliane and Eusebia singing and dancing. And dancing is a big part of the show.

FREE SONG:'Jaly Jery'

Get more music from Jaojoby here!!

 

Africa, Madagascar, Malagasy Pop, World Pop,