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
Taiwan-Born Emy Tseng Swings to Brazilian Jazz
Singer Emy Tseng talks to host Aaron Schachter about her love for Brazilian music and her debut CD, “Sonho.”
Wu Man: A Master of the Chinese Pipa Mixing Music Genres
Chinese musician Wu Man is a virtuoso of the pipa, the Chinese lute. Ever since she came to the US in 1990, Wu Man has made it her mission to play a diverse repertoire, from East or West, with her instrument.
Soultana: ‘The Voice of Women’ Raps in Morocco
Wednesday, marks the two-year anniversary of Morocco’s version of the so-called Arab Spring. It didn’t unseat a dictator, but Morocco’s King did offer a few reforms. Little has changed, though, for most of Morocco’s youth and now they’re voicing their protests in rap.
Celebrating the Music of Maqam, From Spain to Western China
Maqam is an Arabic musical term and for the past two years there’s been a festival in New York devoted to it. Reporter Bruce Wallace attended this year’s Maqam Fest to find out what maqam is exactly.
New Recording Surfaces of Jimi Hendrix Gig in London
Jimi Hendrix continues to inspire fans more than forty years after his death. New recordings of the guitar great seem to surface all the time. But none can quite compare to the one The World’s Clark Boyd got to hear recently.
Bollywood Dance-Off in Berkeley
Indian-American college kids pay tribute to Bollywood and bring their Indian and American identities together in a Bollywood Dance-Off.
Matteo’s American Folk Played on Traditional Chinese Instruments
The band Matteo hails from Salt Lake City, UT. Most of the members did their Mormon mission in Taiwan, and they came back with traditional Chinese instruments. Now they use them to play American indie folk music.
Aboriginal Country Music from Roger Knox
Roger Knox is known in his native Australia as the Black Elvis. But his latest album has the aboriginal singer offering up a distinctly country vibe.
Jazz Guitarist Yuto Kanazawa Writes ‘The Ocean’ in Aftermath of Fukushima Disaster
Japanese jazz guitarist Yuto Kanazawa was far from his home in Fukushima, Japan when the earthquake and tsunami struck in March 2011 and was inspired to write a song about the disaster. In an exclusive for The World, Kanazawa performs “The Ocean” in our studio.
Retro-Style Jazz Music from Dutch Singer Caro Emerald
Retro-style jazz sounds from Dutch singer Caro Emerald. Her music recalls the days of big band and jazz divas of the 1940s and 50s.
Mariachi Music Gaining Credibility in Texas Schools
Mariachi music is a quintessential sound of Mexico. But in Mexico, it’s a style of folk music that’s never been taken all that seriously and certainly not among music educators. It’s considered bar music, unworthy of academic study. But it’s becoming different story just north of the border in Texas.
The Future of Reggae According to Former Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga
Jamaica’s former PM Edward Seaga used to be a record producer, and he’s just curated and produced a four-CD set commemorating the 50th anniversary of the birth of reggae. He tells Marco Werman about his concerns for the future of the genre.
Analog Africa Re-Issues ‘Diablos del Ritmo’
Tom Schnabel of KCRW in Santa Monica, California spins a few of his favorite tracks from the new compilation CD “Diablos Del Ritmo.” The album highlights the wide range of musical styles from Colombia.
Cécile McLorin Salvant’s American Songbook
Born and raised in Miami, 23-year-old Cécile McLorin Salvant grew into a jazz singer only by leaving the US and heading to France. The singer, whose heritage takes in Haiti, France, and Guadeloupe, has since won acclaim from her peers in the jazz world. In 2010 she won the Thelonious Monk competition in Washington DC.
Hard Rock Sounds from the Swedish Band Graveyard
The Swedish band Graveyard has a muscular, hard rock sound that drives their new album “Lights Out.” Marco Werman speaks to Alex Sjoberg, the group’s drummer.
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