The Whole Music Experience

Salsa dancing, Mexico, Wikipedia Music Videos to get your blood pumping, and to inspire your heart... Often midday we feel sluggish and we feel tempted to take a nap or down another cup of coffee.  However, I encourage you to forgo the caffeine and take a music break instead.  The best way to do this is to start with a slower to moderate beat per minute song and gradually build up to rousing Latin, African, or other high-energy music.  Some of the music traditions from the Subcontinent can also provide you with invigorating beats. Take a 20 minute to 30 minute music break, and at least a 10 minute music break. You can even take a short trip over to YouTube and listen to the following songs: Let's start with Habib Koite and Bamada from Mali with a medium tempo with an uplifting melody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5_HfjcjR_M At relatively the same tempo, here is Ana Moura singing an uptempo fado from Portugal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V42ix2CtZ8Y ...

Music of the African continent leans towards earthy and robust with rich polyrhythms, soaring voices and rife with tribal traditions.  From the fascinating nature-based music of the Central African pygmies, to Malian blues, to Cape Verdean morna, and the ancient calls of Senegalese griot, “the dark continent,” provides music in abundance.  You could spend your entire life exploring the music of Africa and still not get past the tip of the iceberg. Here are a handful of African recordings from my music library.  Many of you have amassed 100s of recordings, but I only have a small collection.  While I would imagine that every culture on the planet provides us with music for dancing, I find that African music and Afro-Latin music provides us with deep grounding.  Not only that, but nothing like moving that energy out of your hips, and thighs.  Here is my list. 1. Cesaria Evora, Nha Sentimento, LusaAfrica The late Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Ev...

Habib Koitè & Bamada (Mali) Afriki Cumbancha People have waited a long time for a new studio recording by Malian singer-writer-guitarist Habib Koitè and his band, Bamada--6 years to be exact. Fortunately, his fans' hunger was satiated with the live recording, Foly! released on World Village a couple of years ago. Afriki acts as a new chapter to the 2001 studio recording, Baro (Putumayo). Koitè still tells us stories backed by his blues guitar, and the extraordinary musicians in his band. You still hear Kèlètigui Diabatè's balafon shimmering throughout, Mahamadou Konè's talking drum smiling sunshine, and the other musicians adding warmth to the mix. In fact, warmth succinctly describes Afriki . The music here feels comforting and even consoling to those seeking some kind of protective balm. Koitè sings about his mother who passed away recently, he sings about the tradesmen and other workers in Mali getting organized in the song, Barra (Work) . And while Mali is consi...