From: Link TV on Sat, Nov 06 2010 11:55 AM

(Canada/India) This charming video is from Kiran Ahluwalia, who specializes in folksongs from her native Punjabi region. What makes her work far more accessible than a "pure" rendition is the addition of the guitar playing western style chords. These chords bring out the sinuous melody, enhancin...

From: Link TV on Sat, Nov 06 2010 11:55 AM

(Portugal) While the African dances contributing to Fado’s history may now be hard to discern, the legacy of Portuguese poetry is readily apparent. The first great fadista that we know of was a woman named Maria Severa. Born in Alfama, a poor section of Lisbon she is attributed with a remarkable...

From: Link TV on Mon, Jul 26 2010 9:26 PM

(Israel/India) It’s easy to imagine this video projected on to the screens of a dance club while the music chills the crowd. Kartick and Gotam are Patrick Sebag and Yotam Agam from India and Israel respectively. "Heer" is a traditional Punjabi song, but the K&G treatment finds the sitar, veena a...

From: Link TV on Thu, Jul 22 2010 9:13 PM

This year the Fes Festival presented two drumming ensembles: the thunderous Master Drummers of Burundi, and the Korean Samulnori Hanullim Ensemble. What are the differences in the approach of these two cultures to the act of hitting something in order to create sound and rhythm? Do we really hea...

From: Link TV on Mon, Jul 19 2010 8:54 PM

(Czech Republic) Over the years, thanks to our friends at Indies music in Czech Republic, we’ve gotten great, creative videos with ear-pleasing music. "Aj, zeny, zeny" is one of them; a durable folk song with a classic motif: the misused wife (or sometimes in these songs, the unfaithful wife) se...

From: Link TV on Tue, Jul 13 2010 8:17 PM

(Morocco) Hip hop has taken hold of Morocco in the last six years, and it is largely thanks to H-Kanye. The group of four have forged their style from listening to the likes of Biggie and Tupac while growing up in the central city of Meknes. They fuse western beats with some traditional Moroccan...

From: Link TV on Wed, Jul 07 2010 7:42 PM

(Benin/USA) The dynamic Angelique Kidjo is joined here by the cast of the Broadway hit "Fela" to  exhibit their exuberance and dancing prowess. It’s impossible to upstage the diva from Benin, but they provide one helluva backdrop. Although not appearing in the video, the track features Bono and ...

From: Link TV on Wed, Jul 07 2010 7:41 PM

From the courtyard of the Musée Batha in Fès, Morocco, here is a performance of Taarab music, a genre that blends north and eastern African elements into a seductively sweet sound.For the complete version of this World Music blog post, click here.

From: Link TV on Thu, Jul 01 2010 7:07 PM

A travelogue through one day at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, from an afternoon concert of Indian acrobats, to the Main Stage, through the Public Square, and a vivid glimpse into everyday Moroccans partying down family style.For the full World Music blog post and more information, clic...

From: Link TV on Mon, Jun 28 2010 6:51 PM

(Senegal) The first time we saw this video we wondered "where’s Baaba?" Yes, he's definitely there, but in a collaboration that takes him far from his usual turf. "Television" the CD was a truly international venture with seeds sown in London, New York and Dakar, the Senegalese capital. Baa...

From: Link TV on Mon, Jun 21 2010 5:29 PM

(Mexico) The versatile diva Lila Downs here brings us a song that is part aria, part rap, part passion and poetry. She starts off in supersonic mode singing two octaves above the melody line, then launches into spoken word intro before settling in the stirring "Justicia" dedicated to all the cou...

From: Link TV on Sat, Jun 19 2010 5:29 PM

The Director of the Yara Arts Group, Virlana Tkacz discusses their latest production "Scythian Stones." She describes the background of the piece, and her involvement with ancient songs and poems from Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and points East.For the full World Music blog post and more information, c...

From: Link TV on Mon, Jun 14 2010 5:26 PM

(France/Spain) From his packed live show at the Bayonne Arena in France, comes one of Chao’s best songs, this soulful reggae tribute to the late great Bob Marley. Although his song implicitly acknowledges a recognition of Marley's message, Chao seems to be somewhat less optimistic or faith-...

From: Link TV on Mon, Jun 07 2010 5:25 PM

In this exclusive performance, Brazilian singer/songwriter Jair Oliveira sings an original song about soccer, to honor the upcoming World Cup games in South Africa.For the full World Music blog post and more information, click here.

From: Link TV on Mon, Jun 07 2010 5:25 PM

(USA/India) The Himalayan Project is MCs Rainman who is Chinese, and Chee Malabar who is South Indian. Both live in the USA, and they are creating some of the most poetic hip hop around. Check out the use of internal rhymes and overall eloquence in this excerpt: "Follow the stark stench of human...

From: Link TV on Wed, Jun 02 2010 5:24 PM

(Jamaica) We continue what we started with Esteman last week: completely frivolous fun with skinny guys and big-legged women. The color scheme is brighter and the vibe is more raucous, and we really don’t know WHO was in charge of wardrobe on this one (!) but let's not get too thoughtful he...

From: Link TV on Sat, May 29 2010 5:22 PM

(Ghana) It’s been written that Rocky Dawuni "walks the talk." The Ghanaian reggae artist actively uses his music and popularity to tackle serious social issues such as infectious diseases, the need for clean water, and poverty across the rural communities of his homeland. "African Reggae Fever" ...

From: Link TV on Sat, May 29 2010 5:22 PM

An interview with Banning Eyre, author, journalist, and guitarist with the band Timbila, who describes the way that mbira, mbila and guitar can be played to create a cohesive sound.For the full World Music blog post and more information, click here.

From: Link TV on Mon, May 24 2010 5:21 PM

(Colombia) Here’s a bit of cotton candy from someone we think we'll be hearing from again. There's such a sense of self-assured fun, both in the music and the visuals of this video that talent just drips out of it. Yes, it's super commercial, but sometimes even we at Link let some...

From: Link TV on Tue, May 18 2010 1:03 PM

(DR Congo) This video is one by three finalists in the World Bank Institute and Jeunesse Musicales International competition, "Fair Play Anti-Corruption Youth Voices." Katya Emmanuel is part of the hip hop collective "Hip Hop Artivists" based in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. The band says ...