· January, 2009

Stories about Music from January, 2009

Poland: Maanam

  30 January 2009

the POLSKI blog writes about Maanam, a Polish band that, in the early 1980s, was “the epitome of cool, largely thanks to their unique sound and the distinctive voice and fiery personality of their lead singer, Kora.”

Bahamas: A Better Way

  28 January 2009

“The Bahamas is so very rich in culture that we could all be benefitting from it. But we’re not”: Nicolette Bethel explains why.

Trinidad & Tobago: Pelham and Pan

  28 January 2009

From Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Free Radio publishes another podcast, this time focusing on “veteran producer and steel orchestra arranger, Pelham Goddard” as he discusses the evolution of steel pan music.

Barbados, U.S.A.: True Identity

  23 January 2009

Living in Barbados is hoping that “President Obama will help us in the Caribbean and those in Africa rediscover who and what we really are.”

Estonia: Arvo Pärt

  23 January 2009

Robert Amsterdam's Blog writes about “Estonia's most famous contemporary composer Arvo Pärt,” whose latest symphony is dedicated to Mikhail Khodorkovsky – and whose 2006-2007 works are dedicated to Anna Politkovskaya.

Nigeria: Calabar Carnival

  22 January 2009

In case you missed news about the famous Calabar Carnival in Nigeria, Ladybrille has an update. Calabar is “city known for its tourism [international museum, botanical garadens], culinary skills, beautiful women and very pristine/eco-friendly people and environment, Calabar serves as the capital of Cross River State.”

The Balkans: “Whose Is This Song?”

  20 January 2009

Recently several Macedonian bloggers published the documentary “Whose Is This Song” by a Bulgarian director Adela Peeva on their blogs and started discussing the story. The documentary was filmed as an idea that the director got during a dinner in Istanbul with several friends (a Macedonian, a Serb, a Greek and a Turk), when all of them said that the song playing in the background was from their country.

Jamaica, U.S.A.: One Love?

  20 January 2009

Bob Marley's One Love was played at Barack Obama’s Opening Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, prompting Abeng New Magazine to say, despite the ironies: “We are proud that the USA can borrow from us at a critical moment when the president-elect sells the idea that ‘anything is possible in...

Mexico: Monterrey Bands at SXSW

  16 January 2009

Bands from the city of Monterrey, Mexico will be well represented at the annual South by Southwest music festival to be held in Austin, Texas, writes Issa Villarreal of We Shall Be Free [es].

DR Congo: A musical roundup

  13 January 2009

With so much bad news coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo lately, we decided to show a different perspective on the country and looking at a completely different type of blogs for a change - those highlighting Congolese music.

Jamaica: Wood & Water

  13 January 2009

The fact that Usain Bolt's home town of Sherwood Content experienced a sporadic water supply over the Christmas holidays prompts Kadene Porter of Abeng News Magazine to blog about the many areas in which the government has fallen short: “The name Jamaica, land of wood and water is almost mocking...

Dominican Republic: Remembering Eduardo Brito

  13 January 2009

Eduardo Brito was a famous baritone from the Dominican Republic, who passed away in 1946, and even the National Theater bears his name. However, Roció Díaz of Monaco [es] writes that very few Dominicans today know about the man and his life.