World Music Profiles

Vinicius Cantuaria-one of Brazil's top songwriters-has written songs that have sold millions of copies in Brazil. But in the mid 90s he moved to New York to discover new musical challenges. His latest CD is called CYMBALS. Vinicius talks to us about what ...

The Paris-based group "Le Trio Joubrain", made up of three Palestinian brothers who play the "oud" or ancient Arabic lute, tells us about why the "oud" has captured their hearts and how they plan to take this 4,000 year-old instrument into the 21st ...

Musical archaeologist Olivier Conan talks about the psychedelic sounds of Chicha. The sound emerged in the 1960s from the edge of the Amazon--a mix of Peruvian indigenous melodies, Colombian cumbia rhythms and a splash of surf rock and rock 'n' roll ...

Musical archaeologist Olivier Conan talks about the psychedelic sounds of Chicha. The sound emerged in the 1960s from the edge of the Amazon--a mix of Peruvian indigenous melodies, Colombian cumbia rhythms and a splash of surf rock and rock 'n' roll ...

In the universe of world music they are on the cutting edge. Grammy-nominated composer and percussionist Roberto Rodriguez and his wife, Suzie Ibarra formed their group, Electric Kulintang, in 2005 after travelling to the Philippines. That's where they ...

This week: A spotlight on Grammy-nominated Kayhan Kalhor. He's a virtuoso of the traditional Persian instrument, known as the Kamanche, a type of Persian fiddle. Kayhan talks to us about his upcoming CD called "Silent City," a collaboration with an ...

Dubbed "musical adventurer," "global spiritualist," and "producer extraordinaire, Cheb i Sabbah is one of the world's leading deejays. Since the 1960s, Cheb has held a powerful presence in clubs around the world; namely, in Paris and San Francisco. His ...

Jam out to bands from Italy, Korea, Brazil, Hungary...even Tuareg rockers from Africa--in one venue on one night. GlobalFest is an annual festival that showcases 12 of the best and brightest world musicians, whose performances range from traditional ...

Actress and musician Saba is no stranger to world cultures. She was born in Somalia to Italian and Ethiopian parents and grew up in Italy. In her new album, "Jitka," Saba weaves together her European and African roots, mixing acoustic guitars and the ...

David Starfire is an instrumentalist, composer, and a master of electronic mixing. He infuses world music with hip-hop and breakbeats, cultivating a music style that is reminiscent of sampling's early days. After playing with bands that opened for Nine ...

This week: a look back at the musical heritage of the Big Easy. Musician, composer and musicologist Ned Sublette discusses the music performed by African slaves in Congo Square and the city's early influences on rock 'n' roll. Sublette's new book is "The ...

This week: a tour through the musical landscape of West Africa courtesy of the 11-member, San Francisco-based group "Aphrodesia." Co-founder and bass player Ezra Gale talks about their pilgrimage to the birthplace of Afrobeat, and the inspiration for ...

This week: a tour through the musical landscape of West Africa courtesy of the 11-member, San Francisco-based group "Aphrodesia." Co-founder and bass player Ezra Gale talks about their pilgrimage to the birthplace of Afrobeat, and the inspiration ...

This week: an electrifying journey through the realm of contemporary world music with BBC radio broadcaster Charlie Gillett. Gillett talks about the latest installment in his series of unique and compelling global compilations called: "Sound of the World ...

This week: an electrifying journey through the realm of contemporary world music with BBC radio broadcaster Charlie Gillett. Gillett talks about the latest installment in his series of unique and compelling global compilations called: "Sound of the ...

The word child prodigy gets thrown around a lot. But when it comes to this next artist, there might be good reason to use it. Javaughn is a 15-year-old reggae star, born in Portland, Jamaica. At age 2 he was playing the keyboard, at 4 he was doing the ...

The word child prodigy gets thrown around a lot. But when it comes to this next artist, there might be good reason to use it. Javaughn is a 15-year-old reggae star, born in Portland, Jamaica. At age 2 he was playing the keyboard, at 4 he was doing the ...

If you think you've heard choral music, think again! Vocal ensemble Kitka has a passion for dissonances, unusual rhythms and lush harmonies, all rooted in Eastern European traditions. Their new album is "The Rusalka Cycle."

If you think you've heard choral music, think again! Vocal ensemble Kitka has a passion for dissonances, unusual rhythms and lush harmonies, all rooted in Eastern European traditions. Their new album is "The Rusalka Cycle."