· July, 2009

Stories about Music from July, 2009

Trinidad & Tobago: Emancipation Celebrations

  30 July 2009

“On August 1, 1985, Trinidad and Tobago became the first country in the world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery”: Repeating Islands highlights Emancipation Day celebrations in the twin island republic.

Jamaica: Dancehall & Child Abuse

  28 July 2009

As the Jamaican government introduces a child pornography bill, Jamaica Salt makes it clear that the blame for the rise in child abuse on the island cannot be laid squarely at the door of dancehall music.

Jamaica: Mento Master Missed

  24 July 2009

Repeating Islands remembers the life and career of Jamaica's Mento master, Theodore “T” Miller: “Mento is a style of Jamaican folk music that draws heavily on musical traditions brought to the island by African slaves…his loss, as the Gleaner recently reported, ‘represents a great loss to Jamaica’s cultural heritage’.”

Trinidad and Tobago: Online Art Networks

  23 July 2009

Younger contemporary artists in Trinidad increasingly use online media like blogs and social networks like Facebook to exhibit and document their work and engage each other in critical conversation.

Cuba, Jamaica: Film & Music

  22 July 2009

AfriClassical notes that famed Afro-Cuban composer Leo Brouwer has received his country's 2009 National Film Award, while Repeating Islands discovers that the musical based on Jamaican Perry Henzell’s 1972 film The Harder They Come will soon open in Canada.

Barbados: Where's the Culture?

  22 July 2009

Barbados Underground suggests that when it comes to Crop Over, “culture issues have taken a backseat in recent years at the expense of running the festival as a business”.

Jamaica: Jacksons to Perform

  20 July 2009

Girl With a Purpose and Repeating Islands report that Jamaica's Reggae Sumfest is being pegged as a “salute to Michael Jackson” this year – and the Jackson brothers are scheduled to perform.

Out of Africa Emerges Digital Art and Animation

  17 July 2009

‘Digital' has become the latest buzz word not just in Kenya but in Africa where most things are still analogue. However, Digital Art is a rather new term to even the most seasoned art aficionados. Digital technology has transformed traditional activities such as painting, drawing and sculpture, while new forms, such as net art, digital installation art, and virtual reality, have been recognized artistic practices.

Georgia: Nationalist Pop

This is Tbilisi Calling comments on the tendency for pop music to be used for political purposes in countries such as Georgia. Although there have been some songs which have lampooned forces on both sides of the political divide, the blog also notes their use for nationalist purposes in a...

Jamaica: KOTE '09

  13 July 2009

Annie Paul reviews Kingston on the Edge 2009 – Jamaica's up-and-coming urban art festival.

Yemen: “This Is It”

“Michael Jackson wanted to give his greatest and best show. One last show which he called: ‘This Is It’. In death, he has done just that,” writes Yemeni blogger Omar Barsawad in this post.

Argentina: Digital Cumbia in Buenos Aires

13 July 2009

Digital Cumbia is one of the latest musical genres that is taking off in Buenos Aires, Argentina thanks to the music club Zizek. Good Airs writes more about why this type of music has become popular.

South Africa: Drumming to freedom

  9 July 2009

cueTV interviews a dance collective from Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar about the dance, Ma Ravan’, a ritual and a performance, and paying homage to slaves and freedom fighters performed at the Grahamstown Arts Festival in South Africa.

Bahrain: Missing Michael's Style

Bahrain fashion blogger Aysha remembers Michael Jackson's style: “From his staple sequin white glove to his sequin socks, and his many sequin military jackets, MJ helped remind us that fashion is not only about following trends but creating them too.”