For 25-year-old Malaysian singer/songwriter Zee Avi, “Swell Window” is the gorgeous track that started the journey and also the opening track of her second album, ghostbird. “It’s a song about seizing the moment,” she says, “and for me, a new direction and a new voice came and stayed.” In the two years since her self-titled [...]

The music and instruments of Sarawak are as diverse and lush and poly-layered as its rainforests. Gongs, from the large hanging ones that represent the standing of the owner to the small melodically tuned ones; huge log drums to the hand-held frame ones; all kinds of innovative bamboo instruments; and of course the majestic sape, [...]

They encapsulate the many facets of Asia – capturing, molding, fusing, and coming up with a unique sound yet completely enchantingly Eastern. Usually a 24 member group, they are coming as a 9 piece with musicians from Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Turkey. The music shifts from the spiritual and the evocative, to the exciting  and [...]

Between the years of 1998-2008, Ainal Johari joined several well-established bands from Sarawak such as TUKU’ KAME’, TABUH PAK AINAL and JERRY KAMIT & FRIENDS to perform in the world-class Rainforest World Music Festivals. His apprenticeship with these “world music” bands has enriched his experience and musical skills which he now brings with the introduction [...]

I was born in 1973 into a West African “Jeli” family in Burkina Faso. In my family there is a long tradition of practising the profession of story telling and music making  (playing the balafon). The very first Diabate (originally Dian-baga-te = the irresistible) was mentioned in the Sundiata epic in the  13th century.   I [...]

Le Trio Joubran, three brothers descending from a family of « Oud » makers and players since four generations… the grand grand-father, the grand-father, the father and now, Samir, Wissam and Adnan have transformed this instrument into a passion, a skill, a life… Their mastery of « Oud » is singular and so are the harmony and the synchronization [...]

Samuel J. Dass, or Sam as he is fondly known in the music circle, was born on the 16th of March, and started his love affair with the Sitar at the tender age of 7. His first guru was his father, Mr. Jabamalai Dass, who drilled in him the basics of sitar playing. He then [...]

The meaning of the name ‘Khusugtun’ The word khusug mean a cart of pastoral nomads. ‘Khusugtun’ means nomads, or more precisely people who move with carts. Moreover, the word describes the process of moving such as camel, horse and yak caravans, herd of livestock, and people guiding them etc. Biography of the group The group [...]

Spreading the love for beats and rhythms across international shores, The Diplomats of Drum has received universal acclaim as Malaysia’s chief world music percussion troupe, offering the world an exuberant blend of percussive music that is ‘joyous and life affirming leaving one breathless’. The band has been voted three times as “Best Live Act” by [...]

The Carimbó is one of the rhythms from the Brazilian Amazonian Indians, however, as diverse other Brazilian cultural manifestations, it was mixed and received other influences, mainly African. Its name, in tupi (traditional language), mentions the drums that marks the rhythm. In the traditional form, it is played with “curimbó” a traditional instrument made with [...]

This energetic brass band from France handles many musical styles with ease and infectious joy. Since their Beginning back in 1999, LA ZIKABILO transports through multiple horizons such as Jazz, Gypsy music, French chanson, Latino music, Rock’n’roll, Reggae rhythms… This band combines the traditional instruments of a fanfare, such as trumpets, saxophone and percussions with [...]

Nömadak Tx is a project by Harkaitz Mtez, De San Vicente and Igor Otxoa, Oreka Tx. These Basque txalapartaris had a dream: they thought up a project that was to mark a turning point in the history of thisunique musical percussion instrument. A Project based on their understanding that the Txalaparta is apoint of encounter, [...]

Featuring some of the traditional music world’s top female fiddlers, is a unique opportunity when the members of the String Sisters gather together for a concert Annbjørg Lien from Norway joins Catriona Macdonald from Shetland, Liz Carroll and Liz Knowles from America, Mairead ni Mhaonaigh (Altan) from Ireland and Emma Härdelin from Sweden join together to celebrate each of [...]

The man who single-handedly gave the world the infectious Kwasa Kwasa dance; Kanda Bongo Man is one of the most well known stars of world music, and one of the first pioneers of he African Soukous music.  Championed by John Peel and Andy Kershaw in the late 80’s, he developed a huge loyal fanbase, and [...]

No. 17th in the World music chart Europe in November 2011, performance at Sziget 2010 (world music stage). One of the top world music bands in the Czech republic which has already made audience in 14 countries dance with its original ethnic fusion full of wild rhythms and spiced with rock roots. Forget loops, samples [...]

Sega, a traditional Indian Ocean dance rhythm, is internationally known, but few people outside the island of Reunion have heard of maloya. Maloya is a compound rhythm on which plantation workers have long been singing their joys and woes. It’s a sort of réunionese blues. Danyèl Waro, living in the middle of sugarcane fields high [...]