Marco Werman
Angolan Musicians In Portugal Mix Styles
Musicians with Angolan roots and living in Portugal hit upon a new fresh sound.
Gaddafi and Mandela: Real Friends?
Rana Jawad is a young Lebanese-British woman, married a Libyan, and ended up in Tripoli in 2004. She stayed through the uprising in 2011, was the only western journalist to be in Libya for the duration of the war, and filed for BBC online as the conflict raged [...]
‘Shaft’ Guitarist Charles ‘Skip’ Pitts Dies at 65
Charles “Skip” Pitts, the guitarist for the famous “Theme from Shaft” died in Memphis on Tuesday.
Levon Helm, a Kitchen in Woodstock
In February, I was overwhelmed by Levon Helm’s generosity when I had the privilege of interviewing him for PBS Sound Tracks presents Quick Hits [...]
French Resistance Hero Raymond Aubrac Dies at 97
One of the leading figures of the French resistance against the Nazis, Raymond Aubrac, has died his family says. Aubrac and his late wife Lucie became important members of Jean Moulin’s underground Resistance movement in 1942.
Tuareg in Overdrive in Mali
Now that the Tuareg rebels are in control of nearly two-thirds of Malian territory, I thought it was time to resurrect a story I reported in 2003. It asks the not-unrelated question: “Why did Volkswagen name their luxury SUV the Tuareg?”
Before Youssou was ‘Monsieur le Ministre’
Youssou N’dour has been named the Minister for Culture and Tourism in Senegal under the administration of just-elected Macky Sall. But it’s unknown what kind of crimp that’ll put on his performance schedule.
Stalking the African Banjo
Banjo pioneer Earl Scruggs died this week. He took the instrument to dizzying technical heights for the bluegrass genre. And he influenced a new generation of banjo players [...]
Béla Fleck Remembers Earl Scruggs, Discusses the Banjo’s Africa Roots
Anchor Marco Werman speaks to musician Béla Fleck about Earl Scruggs and about a trip he made to Africa in search of the banjo’s roots.
Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade: I Said It. Now I Unsay It.
Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade was defeated yesterday in a dramatic runoff vote, which, on Saturday night, you’d have been hard-pressed to find any Senegalese not so nervous about the outcome that they’d been willing to predict it [...]
Marco Werman Speaks With Youssou N’Dour’s Father About The Senegal Election
The World’s Marco Werman was in Senegal last month covering the country’s first round of elections. While there, he had the chance to speak to the father of Senegalese musician and one-time candidate Youssou N’dour.
The Black Truth Rhythm Band’s ‘Ifetayo’
The Black Truth Rhythm Band recorded only one album “Ifetayo” in the short time it was together in Trinidad. Anchor Marco Werman tells us more about the band that helped create Caribbean funk.
Tagging Dakar
In the hustle to cover elections in Senegal two weeks ago, there was a story about graffiti I would have loved to have pursued, but didn’t have time to [...]
Teranga Beat Unearths Old Senegalese Vinyl Records
Terenga Beat is a new record label based in Dakar. Its founder is a Greek DJ who fell in love with Sengalese music years ago, especially its 1960s Afro-Cuban iterations.
Night Flight, DKR-JFK
There are few direct flights from the US to West Africa. The routes, the companies that serve them, and their schedules change relatively often.
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