Latest Episodes for this Channel
Wed December 31 2008
(Part 2 in a two-part series marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.) The Cuban Revolution changed the island radically. But Cuban music...
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(Part 2 in a two-part series marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.) The Cuban Revolution changed the island radically. But Cuban music tends to transcend the pre and post
revolutionary eras. In this program we experience musical personalities and styles from the capital Havana in the west to Santiago de Cuba in the east and places in between--Cienfuegos and Matanzas.
In Cienfuegos,...
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(Part 2 in a two-part series marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.) The Cuban Revolution changed the island radically. But Cuban music tends to transcend the pre and post
revolutionary eras. In this program we experience musical personalities and styles from the capital Havana in the west to Santiago de Cuba in the east and places in between--Cienfuegos and Matanzas.
In Cienfuegos, the home of the beloved singer Beny Morandeacute;, we visit with 80-something son singer Felito Molino who is still performing. In Santiago, we hear the effects of another revolution,
the Haitian revolution from 1791 to 1804, and the aftermath that saw Haitian planters, their slaves and free people of color flee to Cuba. We visit a tumba francesa group in Guantanamo where the 18th
Century French court meets Dahomeyan drumming and Group Mystere takes us into their temple for sacred vodou songs. Back in Havana we visit a celebration of the Afro-Cuban orisha Babalu Aye's birthday
and then hear tasty pop songs in his honor. Plus a tribute to the late, great Elio Reve. And lots more.
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Wed December 24 2008
(Part 1 in a two-part series marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.) On January 8, 1959, Fidel Castro and his ragtag army marched into ...
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(Part 1 in a two-part series marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.) On January 8, 1959, Fidel Castro and his ragtag army marched into Havana and proclaimed victory in the Cuban
revolution. Much of the world knew Cuba primarily from its 1930 megahit "El Manicero" ("The Peanut Vendor") and from the mambo craze of the 1950's. After Castro came to power, the economic, political
and cul...
read more
(Part 1 in a two-part series marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution.) On January 8, 1959, Fidel Castro and his ragtag army marched into Havana and proclaimed victory in the Cuban
revolution. Much of the world knew Cuba primarily from its 1930 megahit "El Manicero" ("The Peanut Vendor") and from the mambo craze of the 1950's. After Castro came to power, the economic, political
and cultural doors between Cuba and the U.S. would soon be shut. The doors opened briefly for tours by Cuban artists in the U.S. under the Carter and Clinton administrations. They've shut again
tightly under President Bush. What will happen in the new world of President Obama? Time will tell, but indications are that change is coming. In this encore broadcast, we savor sounds from the
pre-Revolutionary golden age of Cuban music that sets the scene for the international success of Cuban music. We illustrate how popular music in Africa and the Americas is not imaginable without the
influence of Cuban music--copied and adapted on three continents. We'll hear the stories and rare recordings of such core styles as son as well as luminaries such as Beny Morandeacute;, Arsenio
Rodriguez, Celia Cruz and the Sexteto Habanero; along with less well known artists.
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Wed December 17 2008
Missionaries and nationalists rubbed shoulders in Kenya as early as 1906, when Kenya was a young, British colony. Christianity has long been closely a...
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Missionaries and nationalists rubbed shoulders in Kenya as early as 1906, when Kenya was a young, British colony. Christianity has long been closely allied with local, cultural expressions: however,
it was only with the spread of radio in the 1940s that choral makwaya groups began to be heard by mass audiences. Hymns, arranged in 4-part harmony and translated into African languages, mark the
humbl...
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Missionaries and nationalists rubbed shoulders in Kenya as early as 1906, when Kenya was a young, British colony. Christianity has long been closely allied with local, cultural expressions: however,
it was only with the spread of radio in the 1940s that choral makwaya groups began to be heard by mass audiences. Hymns, arranged in 4-part harmony and translated into African languages, mark the
humble beginnings of what has become a robust industry in Kenya. Today, Christian-themed music dominates the country, from traditional drumming and singing, to Kenyan country music, to guitar band
pop, to reggae and rap. Our guest on this program is author and ethnomusicologist Jean Kidula. Kidula will trace Kenyan music's development from the 1940s to the present, placing rare and unavailable
musical examples from her extensive collection in historical context. Produced by Siddhartha Mitter.
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Wed December 10 2008
With new visa fees, a weak dollar, and the decline of the CD business, it's not easy for foreign musicians to mount a successful U.S. tour these days....
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With new visa fees, a weak dollar, and the decline of the CD business, it's not easy for foreign musicians to mount a successful U.S. tour these days. And yet they keep on coming! On this program we
catch up with an exciting collection of hearty, traveling Afropop musicians. We'll hear insights, memories and fabulous music from Zimnbabwe's Chiwoniso, Umalali and The Garifuna All-Stars, Lobi
Traora...
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With new visa fees, a weak dollar, and the decline of the CD business, it's not easy for foreign musicians to mount a successful U.S. tour these days. And yet they keep on coming! On this program we
catch up with an exciting collection of hearty, traveling Afropop musicians. We'll hear insights, memories and fabulous music from Zimnbabwe's Chiwoniso, Umalali and The Garifuna All-Stars, Lobi
Traorandeacute;, Joep Pelt, and more.
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Wed December 03 2008
In this special edition of Afropop Worldwide, cutting edge African artists Emmanuel Jal from Sudan, K'Naan from Somalia, Angelique Kidjo from Benin, E...
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In this special edition of Afropop Worldwide, cutting edge African artists Emmanuel Jal from Sudan, K'Naan from Somalia, Angelique Kidjo from Benin, El Hadj N'Diaye from Senegal as well as Michael
Franti from the U.S. celebrate the 60th anniversary of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed on Dec. 10, 1948 in the wake of the horrors of World War II. The artists share
their t...
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In this special edition of Afropop Worldwide, cutting edge African artists Emmanuel Jal from Sudan, K'Naan from Somalia, Angelique Kidjo from Benin, El Hadj N'Diaye from Senegal as well as Michael
Franti from the U.S. celebrate the 60th anniversary of the landmark Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed on Dec. 10, 1948 in the wake of the horrors of World War II. The artists share
their thoughts and feelings about the fight for human rights in their countries and around the world, and share their songs that these struggles have inspired. Produced in collaboration with Amnesty
International and Link TV Television Without Borders.
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