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
Iranian musician
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Los Angeles Times correspondent Borzou Daragahi tells us about a music teacher in Iran whose blindness has given him and his students an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have under strict Islamic law.
New Folk
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There’s a new folk music movement in Britain, and some of its members are bringing their music to the US. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with British folk singers Jim Moray and Olivia Chaney.
SXSW – All Music Is World Music
The presence of international artists at the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference in Austin, Texas has steadily grown in recent years. A few years ago, The World’s Marco Werman began wondering what made those musicians from around the world who come to SXSW different from musicians who fall into the “world music” category. Listen to all of the previous SXSW’s podcasts:
San Patricio
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The San Patricio Battalion fought in the Mexican American War. They fought even though they were Irish. And they fought against the United States. The story of the San Patricio Battalion is the subject of a new CD. It’s by The Chieftains featuring Ry Cooder. Marco Werman speaks to Paddy Moloney of The Chieftains and Ry Cooder.
Balkan Beat Box
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Tomer Yosef (pictured) of the New York-Israeli hip hop band Balkan Beat Box drops by our studio and speaks with anchor Marco Werman about Vice President Biden’s visit to Israel and about the band’s new album. Download MP3
Dengue Fever
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The band Dengue Fever is based in Los Angeles. But what brings the band’s members together is music from Cambodia. They’ve produced several albums full of Cambodian pop mixed with psychedelic rock. Now the band has put together a new compilation of tunes from Cambodia. It’s called “Electric Cambodia — 14 rare gems from Cambodia’s Past.” Guitarist Zach Holtzman tells us more.
The world’s fourth-largest island
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We head south from Somalia about 1600 miles for today’s Geo Quiz. We’re heading to the world’s fourth-largest island. Let’s give you a little help right off the bat. The three largest islands in the world are Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. So you can rule those out… Download MP3
The rapping monk
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Today’s Global Hit take us to Japan where a Buddhist monk is using rap and hip hop to spread the word of Buddha to young people. Download MP3
Nightlosers
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Here’s a crazy ethno-musicology hypothetical for you: what would have happened if slaves from Africa had been taken not to the Americas, but to the Balkans? This is the Romanian band Nightlosers. They’re very popular in Romania. It’s not uncommon to find blues bands in many parts of the world. People around the planet just love the blues. But Nightlosers pull off a more nuanced trick. Download MP3
Dancing through the 20th century
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The World’s Alex Gallafent introduces us to ballet dancer Frederic Franklin. At 95 years old, he’s still performing on stage. 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. Franklin tells his own story on today’s show. Download MP3 (Photo courtesy of Frederic Franklin / Maurice Seymour)
Birds rock
An art museum figures in today’s Geo Quiz. It’s not the Hermitage, the Louvre, or the Met. But its one of Europe’s largest performance art museums, home to an eclectic mix of music, theatre, and dance events.
Luciano Mabrouck
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The French speaking island of Reunion, which as musician Luciano Mabrouck tells us there, is in the Indian Ocean, just next to Mauritius…
Fflur Dafydd
The Global Hit takes us to Wales this time. The songs of Fflur Dafydd are rooted in her native country but her music draws on blues, soul and pop influences from far beyond the Welsh border.
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Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas
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Anchor Marco Werman has three words for our musical closer today: Batman in Brazil.
Madame White Snake
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A new opera will premiere in Boston on Friday. It’s a piece that was written, and developed in the city over the past four years. But its story is over a thousand years old. It’s based on the ancient Chinese legend that has never been brought to a Western audience. Sung in English with projected English and Chinese titles. The World’s Adeline Sire has more. Download MP3
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