· December, 2011

Stories about Music from December, 2011

Africa: 10 West African Club Tracks

This is Boima Tucker's 2011 10 club friendly Afropop tracks: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen one song dominate a nation’s psyche like Junior Freeman and African Soldier’s “Dumyarea” did...

30 December 2011

Cape Verde: The Musical Legacy of Cesária Évora

After the death of Cesária Évora, symbol of Cape Verdean music, on December 17, there was an abundance of tributes and declarations by her faithful audience from almost every corner of the globe. With the singer and Cape Verde in the spotlight, the blogosphere discussed who might take her place as musical spokeswoman for the country.

29 December 2011

Southeast Asia Indie Music

Southeast Asia Indie aims “to unite and promote the great indie scenes in the Southeast Asian Region: Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.” It specializes in releasing free digital mp3...

28 December 2011

Peru: Afro-Peruvian Christmas Music

Christmas, a Christian celebration that arrived in Perú with the Spaniards at the beginning of the sixteenth century, was adapted over the years by different Peruvian communities. The black community also managed to incorporate its own individuality in the festivities, expressing its particular experiences in the artistic creations made to honor the holiday.

27 December 2011

Cuba: Defining “Vulgarity”

Without Evasion continues to share her thoughts about the outcry over the “vulgarity” of a popular reggaeton song, saying: “The confusion lies, then, in properly ascertaining the limits of vulgarity...

14 December 2011

Colombia: Interactive Musical Map

David Pescovitz of Boing Boing points us to Soundway's Musical Map of Colombia, an interactive map with videos, sound samples, pictures and details of their latest release of obscure Colombian...

9 December 2011

Cuba: The “Chupi Chupi” Scandal

“A disproportionate scandal has been unleashed these past few days around a vulgar Cuban video clip officially demonized and quasi-banned by the Culture Minister himself”: Without Evasion blogs about the...

8 December 2011

Bangladesh: The Mystic Lalon

Bangladesh Unlocked introduces Fakir Lalon Shah, the Nineteenth century mystic philosopher poet and lyricist of Bangladesh who's song is considered a classic.

7 December 2011

Cuba: Reggaeton Hit ‘Chupi Chupi’ Denounced by Authorities

Over the past two weeks, reggaeton artist Osmani “La Voz” García’s popular hit 'Chupi Chupi' has begun stirring more than just the hips of partygoers on Havana’s Malecón. Cuban Minister of Culture Abel Prieto, and Cuban Institute of Music President Orlando Vistel, have publicly denounced the song and the video.

7 December 2011