Stories about Music from April, 2009
China: Mash-ups in history
With ‘Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’ as one of the more prominent examples, Jeff Wasserstrom at The China Beat delineates mash-up culture in China, and don't miss out on the Confucian Blues.
Georgia: Alternative Eurovision
Following the scandal surrounding Georgia's aborted attempt to enter a song mocking the former Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Moscow, This is Tbilisi Calling says that the country will instead hold its own alternative international song contest.
Trinidad & Tobago: What's Happening?
Trinidad diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch is not pleased with recent developments in his home country: “Have criminals become so hardened that they wage war on children now?”
Ukraine, Russia: Tymoshenko-Pugacheva Duet
Ukrainiana writes about a Yulia Tymoshenko-Alla Pugacheva duet.
Mexico: Trying to Lighten the Mood About Swine Flu
Even with the international concern over the health emergency of the swine flu, a Mexican band called Agrupación Cariño is trying to lighten the mood with a song called “The Flu Cumbia” as mentioned by Panamérika Blog [es].
Russia: Baymurat (aka Jimmy) Singing Bollywood Song
Videos of a rendition of a Bollywood song by Baymurat (aka Jimmy) – an ethnic Uzbek from Tajikistan, a gastarbeiter in a town near Moscow, and a YouTube celebrity: one of the earlier versions is here, and the performance at Asian Dub Foundation's April 4 gig in St. Petersburg, Russia...
Jordan: Beyond Stereotypes
How to get past stereotypes and the future of the relationship between Denmark and the Arab and Muslim worlds was the centre of discussions at an event organised by the Danish Embassy in Amman. Mohammad Azraq, who attended the programme, picks up on this story and more in this round up of Jordanian blogs.
Trinidad & Tobago: Film on Calypso Rose
de cooler : soca news blogs about a new documentary on the life of legendary Trinbagonian singer, Calypso Rose.
Egypt: “I heart Egypt”
Despite Jordanian blogger The Observer description of how he believes Egypt has become cruel to its citizens – after he went for a quick visit to Alexandria, Egyptian blogger fattractive wrote her interesting reasons why she loves her Egypt.
Bahamas: Check Your Contents
On the subject of Bahamian cultural heritage, Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith says: “The real issue here is one of judgment. We already spend huge amounts of taxpayer dollars on packaging the Bahamas overseas, while very little thought or money is invested in the product we are selling.”
Bangladesh: The Power Of One String
Bengali folk Music has survived many centuries and Ektara, the single-stringed musical instrument had a significant role to play. More at The Mango Diaries.
Latin America: Pride on Local Musicians in YouTube's Symphony Orchestra
Latin American bloggers have been writing about the YouTube Symphony Orchestra's debut at the Carnegie Hall, where the winners of a world-wide online contest where were flown into New York to participate in this collaborative orchestra. Following, some of the winners selected to play at Carnegie Hall, and how some of them weren't able to make their dream come true.
Azerbaijan: Operatic Sheki
Sheki, Azerbaijan says that while the government has started to publicize the history and culture of her country abroad, there is still much to discover. For example, she reports, the first female opera composer in the Orient was not only Azeri, but also came from her home town.
Russia, U.S.: YouTube Orchestra's Gennady Krutikov's Visa Ordeal
Podstantsiya, a Russian podcasting portal, posts an interview (RUS) with Gennady Krutikov, member of the Russian National Orchestra and one of the three Russian participants of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra project, who is on his way to the United States but will not be able to perform his part at...
Azerbaijan: Turkish music banned?
Following reported progress towards normalized ties between Yerevan and Ankara, In Mutatione Fortitudo comments on unverified pro-government news reports and blog posts in Armenia which quote questionable sources alleging that Turkish music has been banned on Azerbaijani TV and radio. The blog, based in Baku, says that nothing could be...
Dominican Republic, Haiti: Gagá
“Easter Sunday marked the end of the Gagá celebrations in the Dominican Republic”: Repeating Islands experiences the Dominican version of Haitian Rará.
Peru: Traditional Music Takes on Internet Love
While internet romance has lost its shock value to many online veterans, certain segments of the population who have so far remained outside of the online revolution are just catching up with these changes and are exploring the pros and cons of cyber-romance. Here we bring you three music videos for songs by Peruvian folklore singers who provide us their Andean perspective on these new ways of finding and bonding with romantic partners.
Caribbean: Easter Traditions
Bloggers from Trinidad and Tobago, St.Vincent and the Grenadines, Haiti and even from the diaspora discuss Caribbean Easter traditions.
Jordan: University Radio Hits Airwaves
“Jordan University Radio started its test transmission on 94.9 FM covering Amman Greater Area. The Radio station, which will be more of a cultural-political “students radio”, will be starting officially soon, and the moment of writing this post, only Classic Music is being aired on its airwaves,” writes Nasimjo from...
Colombia: Representative in the YouTube Symphony
John Wilson González, who plays the trombone, is representing Colombia in the YouTube Symphony writes Campus Comunicativo [es].
D.R of Congo: The Kinshasa Symphonic Orchestra
David Sasaki writes a post about the Kinshasa Symphonic Orchestra saying, “This is exactly what I mean when I talk about art for the sake of art.”
