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 in Liberia this summer. Maybe it was because it was an election season, and all the politicians co-opted the song...
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.
Colombia: Salsa Song Criticizes Bus Rapid Transport System
A salsa song and video documents the suffering that travelling in the Transmilenio public transportation system of Bogota represents for its users.
Dominican Republic: The History of Bachata
Deepak Lamba Nieves, PhD student who investigates Dominican transnational migration, writes about the show in Boston of famous bachata singer Luis Miguel del Amargue, and also about the history of this music genre [es].
Puerto Rico: The Latest from El Macabeo
Orlando Vélez from the blog El Punto [es] interviews the lead singer of the salsa band Orquesta El Macabeo [es] about their most recent album “El Entierro” (The Burial).
Puerto Rico: The Local Music Scene Live
The music blog Puerto Rico Indie has launched “Archipiélago,” a series of videos of live sessions of some of the “best artists in the local music scene” in Puerto Rico. “Archipiélago 101″ features the band Campo-Formio.
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 compilations and singles that include indie tracks from the region.
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.
Indonesia: Solidarity March for Aceh Punks
EngageMedia uploads a video of the solidarity march which was organized to support 64 musicians who were detained in Aceh, Indonesia for being “punks” and “disturbing the peace.”
Cuba: Dance Flash Mob in Plaza Vieja
To celebrate the end of the year long activities around the 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Unicef, ballet and dance students worked together to produce a colorful flash mob in the Old Square of La Habana as seen in this video.
Puerto Rico: Henry Cole on the Drums
Puerto Rico Indie [es] interviews Puerto Rican drummer Henry Cole on occasion of his first solo album “Roots Before Branches” and his presentations at La Respuesta, Santurce, next December 22 and 23.
Morocco: Singer's Performance in Tel Aviv Ignites Debate on Israel's Cultural Boycott
Moroccan netizens are divided as to whether to support a call for a boycott of a Moroccan singer who performed in Tel Aviv despite calls for her to cancel the performance in Israel.
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 and limiting at the same time in what spheres of social life vulgarity will be allowed without it constituting a...
India: The Legal Aspects Of Bollywood Plagiarism
Law And Other Things discusses about music or story-line plagiarism in Bollywood and how this can be prevented by a simple correction of the existing laws.
Bangladesh: How To promote Your Music
Bangladeshi blogger Tamal Anwar lists twenty one ways to promote your music.
Jamaica: Feeling the “Vybz”
Under the Saltire Flag posts a must-read analysis about “the rise and fall” of dancehall artist Vybz Kartel.
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 music.
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 furor surrounding the reggaeton hit Chupi Chupi.
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.
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.
Peru: Calle 13 Arrive to Concert Five Hours Late
Puerto Rican group Calle 13's delay of almost five hours to their concert in Lima, due to commitments they had for the same day - three concerts between Peru and Venezuela - was the topic of heated debates in Peru, not only on social networks, but on all levels.
