PRI’s The World presents the Global Hit, a daily spotlight on international musical artists or trends. Created by The World’s Marco Werman, the Global Hit features interviews with musicians, critics and deejays around the globe. He is also one of the curators of the South By Southwest Musical Festival (SXSW) – “All Music Is World Music.” Subscribe and follow:
Global Hit
Georgian Jazz Piano Prodigy Beka Gochiashvili
Beka Gochiashvili is a 17-year-old jazz pianist from Tblisi, Georgia, living in New York. He already plays with some of the biggest names in American jazz.
An Appreciation: Cuban Composer of Boleros, César Portillo de la Luz
Earlier this month, César Portillo de la Luz, one of the most important composers of Cuban song died in Havana at the age of 90.
US Navy Trombonist Composes Score for Viral Animated Movie ‘Maker vs Marker’
Brian Sadler plays trombone for the US Navy’s Seventh Fleet Band, based out of Yokosuka, Japan. Sadler’s also a prolific composer, and now he’s written music for an animated fim that’s going viral online, “Maker vs Marker.”
Creating Caribbean Music in London: Anthony Joseph and the Spasm Band
Musician Anthony Joseph grew up on the Caribbean island of Trinidad, where he began writing poetry at the age of 10. But it was only after moving to London at the age of 22 that he started setting his words to music.
DJ Pick: Eric Bibb and Habib Koité ‘Brothers in Bamako’
Tuesday’s DJ pick was chosen for us by Mannasseh Phiri of JOY-FM in Lusaka, Zambia. The CD is called “Brothers in Bamako” and is by blues singer Eric Bibb and Malian guitarist Habib Koité.
Frederic Franklin (1914-2013): Dancing Through the 20th Century
The World’s Alex Gallafent remembers ballet dancer Frederic Franklin, who’s died in New York aged 98. Franklin got his big break in Paris, back in the 1930s. He later went on to star in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo before making his home in the United States.
Music of Rocksteady Star Ken Boothe Re-Discovered by NYC DJs
For Friday’s Global Hit, we take a look at the music of Jamaican reggae singer Ken Boothe. Boothe is one of Jamaica’s great “rocksteady” stars from the 60s. His music was re-discovered by two New York City DJs from the Dig Deeper project, which tracks down forgotten musicians and brings them back to the stage.
Shamshad Begum, a Star Bollywood Voice, Dies at 94
A major Bollywood star died in Mumbai last week. During the golden age of Indian cinema, in the 1940s and 50s, Shamshad Begum was the voice of many actresses, yet was not seen on movie screens.
Cajun Revival in Mamou, LA
You drive west from Lafayette for about 20 minutes, then north for about 40. You drive through Acadia Parish and into Evangeline Parish, through fields of rice and long, shallow crawfish ponds [...]
Algerian Singer Lili Boniche is Honored by Daughter in CD Anthology
The late Algerian singer Lili Boniche is remembered with a new collection of his songs called “Anthologie.” The World music reviewer Betto Arcos has more.
Remix Culture: Old and New in Morocco
The term “Remix Culture” has come to signify the combination of old cultural materials to make brand new works. From Morocco, producer Jordan Fletcher goes on a journey with a musician who hopes to use this remix culture as a way to educate consumers and give back to struggling folk artists.
The Africa-Lafayette Connection at Festival International de Louisiane
The crowd was getting a little restless by the time the Nimbaya drum and dance group stepped onto the stage for the Festival International de Louisiane [...]
Remembering Guitarist and Ethnomusicologist Bob Brozman
Marco Werman remembers the late guitarist Bob Brozman. He was a musical bridge-builder, and truly understood the science behind why music is a universal language.
Hiatus Kaiyote: Future Soul from Melbourne
The landscapes of the central Australian region and the culture of the Aboriginal people who live there have inspired a new sound.
Remembering Bi Kidude, Zanzibar’s Queen of Music
This month the ancient port city of Zanzibar in Tanzania, Africa, has been mourning the death of one of its great musical stars. No one knows exactly how old the singer and drummer Bi Kidude was when she died- some say over 100 – but she left a unique musical legacy which fused African and Arabic culture.
Additional funding for PRI's The World is provided by:
