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May 03, 2024
 

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MUSIC NOMAD

CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Aug 8, 2000
Keepers of the flame take Gypsy sounds to the world
Under Soviet communism, the ethnic and folk music of Eastern Europe was often hijacked as a form of propaganda. Words were changed to express patriotic sentiments and slogans of peace. In Romania, Nicolae Ceausescu, the country's dictator for 25 years, would bus out thousands of peasants to sing such sentiments in picturesque hills to be filmed and shown on television every Sunday.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jul 25, 2000
From the streets of Tokyo to Royal Albert Hall
The night before they left for Europe, Japanese group Cicala Mvta (pronounced Chicala Muta) played for about 50 people in Tokyo -- about par for the course for them. When they arrived in London the next day, theirs was the hottest ticket in town. Sort of.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jul 11, 2000
Reverberations of a sonic boom
The live scene for world and roots music in Japan, especially for those living in Tokyo, has never been so healthy. This year, many top artists from Cuba, Eastern Europe, the Celtic countries, Northern Europe, Brazil and Africa have already visited or will be visiting Japan -- a situation almost unthinkable even one year ago.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jun 27, 2000
Different tunings, same brilliance
Two exceptional American guitarists visit Japan next month. Although at opposite ends of the spectrum in style, background and geography, both operate firmly outside the mainstream, share a desire to innovate and produce music that can be at once both meditative and challenging.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jun 13, 2000
Beyond the Buena Vista Social Club
Ever felt you missed out on an opportunity? When working as a talent scout for a record company in the U.K., I once stumbled upon U2 in the band's infancy. Somehow negotiations never got started and they were soon snapped up elsewhere. After that, in U2's words, I never did find what I was looking for.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
May 23, 2000
Have guitars, will travel -- extensively across Europe
Hurtling toward Vienna on the German autobahns, I have two passengers. One is Okinawan, Takashi Hirayasu. The other, Bob Brozman, is American. Both are playing Bolivian charangos to pass the time, which makes for an interesting multicultural soundtrack for driving. Something like Indian Ocean rhythms and Okinawan melodies played with a Mexican flourish and a hint of the blues. Sure beats the radio.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
May 9, 2000
Dr. John carries the torch, while Lenine fans the flames
Dr. John has worn a lot of musical hats during his 45-year career. Born Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. in New Orleans in 1940, he was soon deep in the local music scene, playing guitar with many top R&B acts before switching to piano and forming his own group. Taking the music of the Crescent City as his base, funk, rock 'n' roll, R&B, psychedelic rock, blues and jazz have been added over the years to the Dr. John blender of music cocktails.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Apr 25, 2000
Virtuosos from the fringes of Europe
Perhaps it's still too early to be talking about gigs of the year but the upcoming Altan Festival might prove hard to beat. There will be three outstanding acts. All come from the fringes of Europe, from peoples with a history of persecution, but all have an equally long and proud music tradition that is colorful and exciting.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Apr 11, 2000
Femi, from Fuji to Tokyo
In Nigeria there is a music called Fuji. In the early 1990s, Fuji was the most popular music in Nigeria. The music's originator, Sikiru Barrister, named it after seeing a postcard of Mount Fuji. He said it was the most beautiful mountain he had ever seen, and dreamed of playing or recording in view of it.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Dec 28, 1999
Flying first class around the globe
Since this is my last column of the year, I'll look back instead of forward.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Dec 14, 1999
The Worldwide Music Expo embraces roots and Internet
For anyone involved in any aspect of world music, WOMEX (Worldwide Music Expo) has become an essential date on the calendar. After a few years of internal wrangling, at the end of October, WOMEX returned to its original home at the House of World Cultures in Berlin, Germany, where from now on it will remain.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Nov 10, 1999
Soaring voice of modern Africa unifies the world music scene
Youssou N'Dour, one of Africa's (and the world's) greatest singers, makes a welcome return to Japan this month. The last time he was in Japan was for the 1994 WOMAD festival in Yokohama. World music was still on a roll back then, with some African artists such as Papa Wemba becoming genuinely "big in Japan." Sadly, as with most fads, the boom inevitably went bust.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Oct 26, 1999
The times for Nenes, they are a-changin'
I feel like I'm writing something akin to an obituary for the group Nenes, though Sadao China, the group's mentor, composer, sanshin player and the man whose idea the group was in the first place, wouldn't agree.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Sep 28, 1999
Afrobeat lights up the dance floors
Strange how music trends seem to go around in circles. Since spearheading the world music boom at the end of the '80s, African music sales have been on a downward spiral for much of this decade. Now in the form of Afrobeat, the music is making a strong comeback and sweeping dance floors around the world.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Aug 10, 1999
Exotic rhythms spice up world-music scene
Exotic and tropical are words that are overused in the descriptions of music from foreign cultures -- they are more appropriate for tourist brochures. However, with musicians set to tour Japan from Hawaii, Bali and Congo, those descriptions are actually fairly fitting, and should provide the perfect soundtrack for the summer.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Jul 13, 1999
Cuban music revolution heats up airwaves
Within the world music genre, success -- in terms of sales -- doesn't compare with the likes of mainstream pop and rock categories. What world music successes there have been have had a rather short shelf life, and were mainly cultivated by the major record companies.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
May 11, 1999
Got those Irish, Delta, Okinawan blues
CELTIC CHARM -- The Chieftains and fiddler Eileen Ivers will perform together and separately in Tokyo this month.
CULTURE / Music / MUSIC NOMAD
Apr 13, 1999
A Japanese musician's songs in 'The Homes of Donegal'
Hiroshi Yamaguchi of the group Heat Wave looks like any other worker at his manager's office. He sits at a desk, busily working away on a computer. After a few words, however, it's clear he could never be just any other worker. "I hate it here," he half confesses, half jokes. "I've never had to come to an office before. You know, I can't belong to anyone or anything."
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
Harajuku strives to reclaim its former glory — and surpass it
Laforet Harajuku, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year, has been a witness to the district's evolution over the years.
Saudi Arabia steps up Gaza-related arrests as Israel ties edge closer
The arrests for Gaza-related posts indicate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regime will take a hard line against citizens not toeing the line when it comes to normalizing ties with Israel.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

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