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
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.
Hungary’s Surf Rock Band, the Summer Schatzies
Landlocked Hungary gets surf music of its own. Summer Schatzies put a dark Central European spin on Southern California genre.
Jazz Samba Singer and Pianist Tania Maria
We spin tracks off Tania Maria’s new album ‘Canto.’ The Brazilian singer, composer and pianist swings to the sound of choro, samba and jazz.
Quebec’s Separatists on Charm Offensive with Bilingual Song
Quebec’s new separatist government is promising to require French exams in English language schools and to ban bilingual newsletters in some municipalities. That’s enraging many English speakers. So the government is bankrolling a province-wide tour by a pro-English musician.
Lara Bello’s Flamenco-Inspired ‘First Yellow, Then Purple’
Betto Arcos tells us about singer Lara Bello, who grew up surrounded by flamenco music and dance in Granada, Spain.
Barbara’s Göttingen: A Song That Made History
France and Germany on Tuesday mark the 50th anniversary of a key treaty that officially cemented the peaceful reconciliation of the two nations two decades after World War II. Another factor that cemented the nascent France-Germany friendship in the 1960′s was a song by French singer Barbara.
Ethiopia’s Samuel Yirga: From Dub Colossus to Solo Artist
Samuel Yirga is a member of the UK/Ethiopian group Dub Colossus. Now, the pianist and composer branches out with a solo CD called ‘Guzo.’
The Tradition of Murder Ballads in Finland
Songs about murder, both real and fiction, have a long history in Finland. The album “Murhababalladeja” features six tracks in the genre.
Stephane Wrembel: ‘Midnight in Paris’, Django, and the Call of the Desert
Stephane Wrembel studied guitar in, among other places, Roma camps outside Paris. He wrote the distinctly Django Reinhardt-like theme for Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris.” But he disdains the term ‘Gypsy Jazz’, and woe betide anyone who says he’s just following in Reinhardt’s footsteps.
Iwan Fals: The Voice of Social Justice in Indonesia
Back in the 1960s, American musicians wrote songs of social justice. Today, Indonesian singer-songwriter Iwan Fals does the same.
French Singer Nolwenn Leroy and her Celtic Roots
French singer Nolwenn Leroy made her US debut this week in New York. Leroy’s is a name with Celtic roots. And that’s the kind of music she plays on her first US album.
World Kora Trio Shine at the Africolor Festival
The musical group, which was the highlight of the festival, gives a modern and funky vibe to traditional instruments.
David Bowie Breaks Decade-Long Musical Silence
After a 10-year musical silence David Bowie is back. Early this morning he released a new single and video online. A new album is on its way in February. The news comes on the British singer’s 66th birthday.
Discovering South African Opera Singer Mthetho Maphoyi
South Africa’s Mthetho Maphoyi discovered an opera CD left behind by his dad who had abandoned him. The chance to sing opera made him feel closer to his father. And it was while singing on a street corner that he was discovered.
Welsh Band Pays Tribute to Samoa for Jumping the International Dateline
When Samoa jumped over the international dateline at the end of 2011, Howl Griff wrote a song about it. At the stroke of midnight of this year, a Samoa radio station played it, thus making the song “International Dateline” the first song played in 2013.
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