This video comes from Aotearoa, New Zealand – the land of the long white cloud. It is an incredible cultural tribute, honouring a teacher who died. Made us both cry! It is their school Haka and this is the translation: Read More
The medical dispensary in the village has had incredible use and the government has recognised this and has sent 5 more workers to help with the growing health demands. We have sent funds this year for medical supplies and various repairs and updates. Read More
Martin’s Musical Mystery Tour – I have just been in Mexico and met a young conga player from the Dominican Republic. One evening we shared music and I got to hear some incredible sounds from his Caribbean home. So this month’s blog is a pick of his suggestions.
Juan Luis Guerra is apparently one of the most internationally recognised Latin artists of recent decades. I love his style of merengue and Afro-Latin fusion which has given him considerable success throughout Latin America (this You Tube clip has had 7 million hits). He is also credited for popularising bachata music on a global level and is often associated with this genre.
Great to be back at Pluto studios in Tel Aviv. Recording three projects – an English recording, one in Hebrew and a spontaneous instrumental with violin and percussion. I brought some instruments with me and mixed them with a few studio drums to create a hybrid kit and a special sound for the project. Read More
Today whilst wandering around a local market in Cancun, Mexico we met Enrique and Porfirio – marimba players. They played a song from Chiapas, where it is thought that the origins of this wonderful wooden instrument came about. Versions of this instrument from Africa i.e.. balafon came to Central America and a musician from Chiapas, expanded the original marimba to include the chromatic scale by adding another row of bars, like the black keys on the piano.
I read in one article that “It is indeed difficult to walk down any street within the state without hearing “las maderas que cantan” or what Chiapans affectionately call “the wood that sings.”
So are there any similarities with our modern day xylophone? I am glad you asked – yes. It is the same instrument with two noticeable differences. Firstly, in the Mexican tradition most of the time there will be several musicians performing on a single instrument, and secondly the instrument has a very distinctive “buzz” that is an integral part of the Mexican sound.
Nothing to do with music – but hilarious! English humour at it’s best!
We spent a wonderful few days with Jerry and Leslie Chapman in Washington State learning about the stories and traditions behind drum making. Jerry, Stó:lō Nation, has been making drums for a number of years and together we shared our respective drum restoring and designing traditions.
Our 5th time to visit Gateways Beyond, the international school in the mountains of central Cyprus. During our stay we experienced Easter with the Orthodox church (interestingly a year when Easter and Pesach fall on the same weekend and the following weekend is Orthodox Easter followed by Celtic Easter!). Read More
Aster Aweke is a popular Ethiopian singer born in Addis Ababa and now living in the USA. I love this track that shows her incredible range and vocal versatility.
Alemu Aga plays the begenna – an instrument dedicated to prayer and meditation. It was believed to have been brought back to Ethiopia from Israel 3000 years ago when Queen Sheba visited King Solomon. It is also known as the Harp of King David – listening to this wonderful sound can give us a different perspective on what some of the ancient musical instruments might have sounded like in times of David’s temple.
The high pitched chant and the sound of the drum filled the arena, as tribes from California slowly filled the sacred circle (a space that had been blessed) in reverence to the Great Creator. Each dancer carries stories, woven into symbols and colours on their distinctive regalia (Native costume) and for some, as they dance, each individual dance step is offered up as a prayer. Read More
