· December, 2009

Stories about Music from December, 2009

Caribbean: 2009 Regional Roundup

  31 December 2009

As Global Voices celebrates its fifth anniversary, the occasion has given us all an opportunity to reflect on why we do what we do and how our work makes a difference.  As my colleague Jillian York so succinctly put it, “We spread stories.  We spread words.”  We manage to do...

Jamaica: Over Hills and Valleys

  30 December 2009

Trinidadian diaspora blogger Afrobella blogs about reggae superstar Buju Banton at his best and worst, prompting Jamaican Annie Paul to respond: “Just as you…have pointed out the good and bad sides of Buju…it's necessary also to nuance what homosexuality represents in cultures such as Jamaica, that homosexuality too has its...

Bahamas, Jamaica: Jonkonnu & Christmas

  29 December 2009

“We tend to forget — or, more probably, we don’t know — that Junkanoo in the Bahamas is not unique”: Nicolette Bethel provides “a taste of what happens in Jamaica at Christmas…”

Rwanda: Videos of volunteering

  24 December 2009

A series of videos uploaded by user kdarpa on youtube, featuring a group of volunteers and the people they met while they travelled to Rwanda and worked with local communities.

Bahamas: Culture Change

  24 December 2009

Bahamian Nicolette Bethel delves into the history of Stilton cheese to make a point about culture: “I’m going to argue…that culture does not just happen. Culture changes — like what is happening I write to the indigenous Junkanoo beat (which is being swallowed up by a hip-hop rhythm that is...

Honduras: Christmas Songs

  19 December 2009

Nacer en Honduras [es] shares Christmas music from Honduras, including an album by the group The Speeds, which released the Christmas album in 1969.

Armenia: Embracing multiculturalism

  19 December 2009

Ianyan hosts a guest post responding to nationalist perceptions of identity, culture and language. The entry concludes that all nations and ethnic groups absorb other influences, benefiting from such a reality greatly while also evolving into something with their own unique peculiarities.

Russian Rock Star Talks About His Social Network

RuNet Echo  19 December 2009

Ikra.tv is a pioneer of music social networks in Russia. It currently consists of about 6,500 members and offers various forms of communications for fans including blogs, forums and different options to share music, pictures and videos.

Jamaica: Shock Over Buju

  18 December 2009

Annie Paul republishes a Facebook post by Sarah Manley about why Buju Banton is Jamaica: “After reading this you will hopefully understand better why this country is reeling with shock in the aftermath of Buju's imprisonment in the United States.”

Jamaica: The Good and the Bad

  17 December 2009

The good and the bad: The Phoenix in a Gas House reports that dancehall artist Buju Banton has been officially indicted for cocaine possession, while Letter From Jamaica is pleased that Usain Bolt is a runner-up in TIME magazine's Person of the Year.

Philippine Revolutionary Theatre

  17 December 2009

TatayK posts photos, complete accompaniment music, and audio snippets from Makata’y Mandirigma, Mandirigma’y Makata, a play based on the life of Prof. Jose Maria Sison, a Filipino poet and revolutionary leader.

Jamaica: Buju Arrested

  15 December 2009

Regional bloggers react to news that dancehall star Buju Banton has been arrested on cocaine possession charges.

Dominican Republic: Goodbye to Composer Luis “Terror” Días

  14 December 2009

The community of Dominican Republic said goodbye to composer and musician Luis "Terror" Días, who died in Santo Domingo on December 8. His legacy includes composing more than 700 melodies, being an influence on artists such as Juan Luis Guerra and Fernando Villalona, as well as contributing to Dominican rock, of which he is considered a founding father.